ANAHEIM — Angels manager Ron Washington has never had more confidence in his bullpen than he does now.
His relievers still owned the third-highest ERA in the majors (4.62) heading into Friday’s game against the visiting Seattle Mariners, but the same bullpen has posted a 2.25 ERA over the past 22 games, considerably better than the 5.50 mark through the first 71.
Leading the way have been Washington’s most high-leverage relievers, Ben Joyce, Hunter Strickland and closer Carlos Estevez.
Joyce and Strickland have not allowed an earned run in their past 12⅓ innings and Estevez has not surrendered a run in his past 13⅓ innings.
“Overall, we’re throwing a lot more strikes, so we’re getting ahead in counts,” Estevez said. “Right now, it doesn’t matter who we put in the game (and) under which situation we put them in, we just have the mentality of keeping the game right here. That’s been working really good for us, so far.”
Washington said the bullpen isn’t just throwing more strikes, but more quality strikes as well. He said opposing hitters also seem to be chasing pitches out of the zone more often.
“They’re getting some swings on some pitches that, maybe earlier in the year, we weren’t getting swings on,” Washington said. “That’s what it takes.”
Joyce said the relievers have continued to support each other, especially on the bad days, and that’s been big for their confidence.
“There’s ups and downs in baseball and everyone goes through them, but I think we’re all pulling for each other,” he said. “We’re all coming to work everyday expecting to have success and I think we’ve seen that as a bullpen lately.”
Joyce, Strickland and Estevez aren’t the only Angels relievers pitching with confidence.
Hans Crouse has allowed just one e‘arned run in 10⅓ innings since he was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake and made his Angels debut on June 22.
Luis Garcia has allowed just two runs in his past 9⅔ innings.
“We know that in every situation we have, we have a guy in the bullpen that can do it,” Garcia said. “Every situation, we’re ready for it.”
The bullpen’s ERA went up on Thursday night in the series opener after Kenny Rosenberg gave up six runs in six innings of relief, but his effort helped the rest of the relievers take a much-needed night off in the 11-0 loss.
“That was really amazing,” Estevez said. “He came in in the fourth inning and just went through the game. I’m like, ‘Wow, that takes a lot of guts.’
The bullpen has combined to throw 26 innings in the past five games, but Joyce hasn’t pitched since Tuesday, Estevez has only been used twice this month and Strickland also got the night off on Thursday after pitching on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“We had a period there where they were on fumes, so (Thursday) night we were able to reset,” Washington said. “Hopefully, (Friday’s) game falls into place so that we can get them in the position they need to be in and we can take this game home tonight.”
SUNDAY STARTER STILL TBD
Washington had not decided on a starter for Sunday afternoon’s series finale.
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Sam Bachman was scheduled to start for Double-AA Rocket City on Friday, but the right-hander was scratched, leaving him as an option on Sunday.
Bachman, the ninth overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, made his major league debut with the Angels on May 26, 2023 and went 1-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 11 relief appearances.
Bachman had surgery on his throwing shoulder in October and didn’t make his season debut until May 25. He made four starts in Class-A and five more with Rocket City, going 0-1 with a 4.70 ERA.
UP NEXT
Mariners (RHP George Kirby, 7-6, 3.39 ERA) at Angels (RHP Jose Soriano, 4-7, 3.87 ERA), Saturday, 6:38 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM