2. Ryan Dull – OAK
Ryan Dull, a 5-foot-9 right-hander, uses a mixture of a 91 mph fastball, a slider and a change-up to get the job done.
The 26-year-old first cracked a big league roster last year with the Athletics. He threw 17 innings and has vastly improved during his turn in the A’s bullpen this season.
Dull sports a 5-3 record with a 2.18 ERA and a 3.52 FIP. His whiff rate is not incredible, but his command is above average, as he does not walk a lot of hitters. Having surrendered only 10 free passes in almost 60 IP this season, his K:BB ratio equates to 5.70.
Veteran Ryan Madson has been struggling as of late in the closer’s role. His 2.60 K:BB ratio is far less impressive than Dull’s, and Madson’s ERA since the beginning of July is 4.91 with three blown saves in 11 opportunities.
Like San Diego, this squad is also destined for an early offseason. Madson is 35 and likely will not be a high impact arm for much longer in his MLB pitching career. It’s time the A’s give Dull a shot to finish games off.
Next: Number 1