Which MLB relievers could soon find themselves bounced from the closer role? Here are five names to keep an eye on.
Not every MLB team is blessed with a stable closer situation. A ninth inning merry-go-round aggravates fanbases and can be a headache for fantasy baseball owners as well. With the depth of quality arms available in many bullpens today, clubs can afford to keep their closers on short leashes and replace them if they become too much of a liability at the end of games.
The Cincinnati Reds have already removed J.J. Hoover from the closer’s role, supplanting him in favor of a closer-by-committee approach. It’s hard to blame manager Bryan Price for the decision: Hoover had surrendered an eyebrow-raising nine earned runs (including three homers) in only 5.1 innings of work.
Hoover almost certainly won’t be the only closer to lose his job at some point this season. Although we’re just under three weeks into the campaign, a handful of relievers have already demonstrated some shakiness in the role. Here are five closers who could soon find themselves banished from the ninth inning if they don’t right the ship.
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