Bullpens? More like blowpens as playoff relievers get rocked

Kyle Gibson kept hoping he'd someday pitch in October, take the mound in a big game when the whole sport was watching. Last week, he got that chance.

Summoned late at Yankee Stadium, the 31-year-old Minnesota right-hander entered the AL Division Series opener. The result — one inning, three runs on three walks, a hit and three stolen bases.

"First postseason opportunity, didn't go how I thought it was going to go," he said.

He's not alone.

National League closers Carlos Martinez, Mark Melancon and Sean Doolittle were tagged. All-Star setup man Ryan Pressly struggled, $140 million starter Patrick Corbin was shelled in a different role.

Bullpens? More like blowpens as playoff relievers across the majors got rocked.

Their totals so far in the ALDS and NLDS: 100 innings, 65 earned runs and a 5.85 ERA.

The most effective reliever this month? Max Scherzer, the three-time Cy Young Award winner who struck out all three batters he faced at Dodger Stadium.

And remember, Scherzer and the Washington Nationals made it this far only after rallying late against Milwaukee closer Josh Hader in the NL wild-card game.

Not exactly what fans were expecting, seeing how relievers for the eight teams that made this round combined for a 4.12 ERA in the regular season.

Then again, it's not the regular season.

"When you pitch in the postseason, you're kind of fighting — you're fighting emotions, you're fighting, like, you're pretty energetic physically, a lot of times," successful Tampa Bay starter Charlie Morton said. "It's obviously October, it's the end of the regular season. You're kind of in a spot where you really haven't been all year."

Aroldis Chapman and the New York Yankees were about the only relief corps to escape unscathed, allowing three earned runs in 13 1/3 innings. Chapman...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Bullpens-More-like-blowpens-as-playoff-relievers-14500041.php