Does Dusty Baker need to recalibrate his bullpen?

As we head into the last month of the season, it’s officially that time of year where no other stats matter but the ones you put up today. Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) doesn’t win games, shutting down your opponent wins games. Expected Batting Average (xBA) doesn’t win games, runs wins games. During a 162-game season, players can be patient. If they’re putting good contact on the baseball but it happens to be right at a fielder, no sleep is lost. If a pitcher is in a bad stretch, they have a lot more games to make up for it. This won’t be the case in October though.

With October comes excitement, tension and history. What October doesn’t bring, however, is time. Players really can’t afford to have a bad stretch in the postseason especially early on when the series are shorter. Ask Trent Grisham about that. Even in the longer end of the month, a bad stretch can be the difference between a World Series appearance and a trip back home. Ask Jose Altuve about that.

Ryan Pressly has been one of baseball’s best relievers this season and he’s been the staple in the Astros bullpen. He’s only had two blown saves with one of them coming from a non-error by Taylor Jones when he missed a foul ball that could’ve ended the game but instead led to a game-tying three run home run by potential National League MVP Fernando Tatis Jr. Despite his teammate Kendall Graveman having a lower Earned Run Average than him, Pressly’s peripherals have suggested that he’s been throwing the ball better than Graveman.

However, we are near October and Pressly has had some rough outings as of late, all coming against the Seattle Mariners. Granted, Graveman has also struggled against his former team but since allowing the grand slam to Abraham Toro and being bailed out by Blake Taylor in San Diego, Graveman has shown signs of finding his groove again. In Pressly’s most recent outing against the Mariners he allowed three earned runs and failed to finish the inning. He also allowed a run the night before to the same team. Meanwhile, Graveman seemed to have conquered whatever he was struggling with because he shutout the Mariners in his last two outings.If the season ended today, would Dusty Baker consider moving Pressly to set-up (where he found much success when Roberto Osuna was still around)?

To clarify, this is not a dig on Ryan Pressly. It’s more so a shoutout to Graveman. Ryne Stanek has been very solid as of late but he’s not being considered for the closing role because he’s had his shaky moments. However, with Graveman and Pressly in your bullpen, there is no wrong answer for Baker because they’re both such competent relievers. Both combinations are equally lethal and make an elite back end of the bullpen. The only difference is timing and momentum. Graveman is building some momentum while Pressly’s boulder just stopped moving and he has to get it rolling again before October.