Its fascinating to me how a near universally accepted fact before the deadline, that the bullpen was weak and not postseason worthy, just became a whole lot better among people here because we DIDNT make a move. I can get on board with the argument that the cost outweighed the return, but the bullpen is still a pain point and we cant pretend it isnt regardless of the cherry picked stats we use to justify inaction.
They didn't make a move, but the bullpen isn't the same. Some of it is Darwinzon Hernandez who has looked really good in a relief role going back to last year when he started to get really noticed in the AFL. I'm not convinced he's ready yet but I also wouldn't be surprised if he was lights out for the rest of the season either. I'd have traded him for Diaz but I think Darwinzon has a 5-10% of getting to that level himself. And I think he's a little bump in control/command away from doing so.
Since moving to the pen, his combined line in AAA/MLB is 11 games, 0.84 era, 2.53 RA/9, 10.2 ip, 4h, 3r/1er, 5bb/20k. Hitters slashing .111/.238/.167 on a .250 BAbip. 11.9% BB%, 47.6% K%, 0.0% HR%. He's always going to walk a ton and an 11.9% BB% is roughly 4-5 BB/9. If he's at that level though, he looks an awful lot like a left handed Matt Barnes. This is where I point out that Darwinzon's career HR% in the minors is 0.77% against 1817 batters. Well below average.
These are all SSS, but if I'm pointing out the positive so far, here's the negative.
This year combined in all levels vs RHB: .270/.434/.433, .442 BAbip. 183 BF, 37bb/60k
This year combined in all levels vs LHB: .132/.283/.246, .214 BAbip. 138 BF, 21bb/44k
vs MLB RHB: .267/.436/.367, .533 BAbip
vs MLB LHB: .125/.176/.250, .333 BAbip
Those lines include his 2 games prior to his most recent call up though so I'm not sure how his splits have looked in just the pen. Since hitters are 4/36 in that time period with 5 walks and a HBP in 42 PA, I'm guessing he's been pretty lights out even against RHB. He'll have to prove he can get righties out on a consistent basis though.
Another part of it is Josh Taylor. SSS again, but when talking about bullpen arms, i'ts kind of unavoidable. He goes on a 5 game stretch earlier in the year: 6.1 ip, 1 hit, Or, 1bb/12k vs 21 BF. Before that he was getting lit up so you really can't get excited about those 5 games and no one really thinks he's much of an option at all. That 5 game stretch is now up to 21 games, 2.18 era, 20.2 ip, 15 hits, 6r/5er, 8bb/27k vs B2 BF. Still a small sample size but big enough a sample size where (at least for now) he's an option.
Yet another part is Eovaldi and Barnes returning back to form in July (10 g, 0.00 era, 8.0 ip, 3 hits, Or, 3bb/15k. .111/.200/.148 against),
Long winded way of saying things can change over the course of a week or two. In another week or two, maybe Darwinzon and Taylor fall back down to earth and Eovaldi is back on the DL. Right now though, I think our pen looks better than it did a month ago.