Call to the pen
Fansided

MLB: Three surprising bullpen arms dominating early in 2020

By Nick Stevens

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 08: Members of the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen look on during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Miller Park on August 08, 2020 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 08: Members of the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen look on during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Miller Park on August 08, 2020 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 3
Next

These three MLB relievers are off to dominant starts to the 2020 season.

You hear it so often because it’s true, but relievers are a highly volatile group of baseball players. They can be on top of the MLB world one week, and relegated to mop-up duty the next. It’s rare to see a bullpen arm remain dominate year after year, but those that are able to figure it out are truly special talents to watch.

Much of the 2020 MLB season has been about embracing the weird and the unique and enjoying the early season, small sample size successes of players because we never know when we could wake up one day and have baseball taken away from us again.

Despite the season being less than three weeks old, we’re already more than quarter of the way done, so let’s embrace every pitch like it’s the last one we will see this season and highlight some impressive early performances out of the bullpen in 2020.

Colorado Rockies RHP Daniel Bard

Daniel Bard’s story just might be the most amazing story of the 2020 MLB season. Bard last appeared in the majors leagues back in 2013 with the Boston Red Sox and hadn’t recorded a major league win since 2012.

He ended both of those streaks on opening weekend this year, making the Colorado Rockies Opening Day roster and earning a win in Colorado’s 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on July 25th.

Bard pitched 1.1 innings in relief of starter Jon Gray, allowing no runs on two hits and striking out one as he returned to a major league mound in impressive fashion.

His comeback tour has been pretty exciting to watch since that first outing. Bard is currently tied for second among all MLB relievers with a 0.4 fWAR. He’s appeared in seven games, allowing just three runs on 10 hits, good for a 3.12 ERA, and an even more impressive 0.49 FIP.

Best of all, Daniel Bard has yet to allow a walk to go along with his 11 strikeouts. The yips are gone, Daniel Bard is back, and he’s helping to lead one of the top bullpens in baseball for one of the top teams in baseball.

What a story. What a sport.

Home/MLB News