This is a preview of the Joe Sheehan Baseball Newsletter, an e-mail newsletter about all things baseball, featuring analysis and opinion about the game on and off the field from the perspective of the informed outsider.
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"The game underlines Bruce Bochy’s problem, which is that he doesn’t have enough shutdown options in his pen. Chapman is his best reliever based on skills, and he did get a little unlucky last night, but Chapman has walked 14% of the batters he’s faced this season. He’s more problem than solution. As Jamey Newberg pointed out on Xitter, Chapman has struggled on a second day of work this year, too: 9 1/3 innings, 11 runs allowed, a 26% (!) walk rate.
"I’m fascinated to see what Bochy does tonight. Chapman and Jose LeClerc have pitched on back-to-back days. Nathan Eovaldi hasn’t gotten an out in the sixth inning in two months, so Bochy has to expect to need bullpen innings. Martin Perez could be the first man out, maybe Josh Sborz and Will Smith to match up in the seventh and eighth, and then Chris Stratton to close, would be my prediction. The Rangers are still in prime position, but one more loss to the Mariners will bring a lot of nightmares into play."
"I’m fascinated to see what Bochy does tonight. Chapman and Jose LeClerc have pitched on back-to-back days. Nathan Eovaldi hasn’t gotten an out in the sixth inning in two months, so Bochy has to expect to need bullpen innings. Martin Perez could be the first man out, maybe Josh Sborz and Will Smith to match up in the seventh and eighth, and then Chris Stratton to close, would be my prediction. The Rangers are still in prime position, but one more loss to the Mariners will bring a lot of nightmares into play."
