Tampa Bay Rays’ Bullpen Splits and the 3-Batter Rule

The Tampa Bay Rays had the best bullpen in the league last year. With pitchers being forced to face at least three batters this season, we take a look at their splits from 2019.

The Tampa Bay Rays will be adjusting to MLB’s 2020 rule changes this season.

1. Roster increase to 26 players. Expands to 28-man rosters in September.
2. Three-Batter Minimum- All Pitchers must pitch to a minimum of three batters or end of half-inning.
3. Pitchers IL increased to 15 days (including 2-way players).
4. Managers will have 20 seconds to challenge a play.

With the implementation of the three-batter minimum, the LOOGY (lefty one-out guy) will be hocked and propelled out from the mouth of Major League Baseball in March. This rule could make the biggest impact on teams. It will make a pitcher’s splits more of a factor when handing out roster spots. The Rays had one of the best bullpens in the league last year, but we’ll take a look at some of the splits to help us prepare for what to expect in 2020.

Here’s a look at some brief splits form last year that make this rule interesting. The list was pulled from MLB.com’s current bullpen depth chart.

We start with the man at the top of that depth chart, Nick Anderson.

Nick Anderson RHP

vs. Right: .183

vs. Left: .250

Anderson faced righties in 141 plate appearances and faced lefties in 123 plate appearances. He held righties to a fantastic .183 average against with a .234 slugging and a .305 slugging. His strikeout to walk ratio against righties was 8.86 (incredible) while it was 4.26 (still good) against lefties. While righties only mustered a .305 slugging against the electric reliever, lefties posted a very solid .455 slugging.

Bullpen Splits – Page Three

Jalen Beeks LHP – 2019 Batting Average Against

vs. Right: .268

vs. Left: .318

Andrew Kittredge RHP – 2019 Batting Average Against

vs. Right: .237

vs. Left: .317

Kittredge was destroyed by lefties with a .915 OPS while he held righties to .619.

Trevor Richards RHP – 2019 Batting Average Against

vs. Right: .247

vs. Left: .252

Trevor Richards’ experience as a starting pitcher helped him keep steady numbers against both righties and lefties last season.

Brendan McKay LHP – 2019 Batting Average Against

vs. Right: .284

vs. Left: .220

If McKay is going break into the rotation and contend for the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2020 he has to do a better job against right-handed hitters. Last season he was fantastic against lefties with a .570 OPS against him. The problem, 69% of the batters he faced in 2019 were right-handed. Righties slugged .527 with a .344 OBP against McKay last year.

Conclusion

The Rays’ bullpen was obviously very good against righties last season since they took the number one spot in bullpen ERA. How did the team, as a whole, compare to the major leagues against lefties?

Across all of Major League Baseball in 2019, relief pitchers posted a 4.46 ERA with a .245/.330/.419 slash line. The Rays’ bullpen finished with the third-best ERA in Major League Baseball with a 3.38 ERA against left-handed hitters. Lefties slashed .218/326/.368 against the Rays in 2019. The Rays are entering as one of the top bullpens regardless of which side of the plate the hitter stands. If Jose Alvarado returns to form in 2020, then the Rays could be the favorites to re-take the bullpen ERA crown.

Do you think the new three-batter minimum will be a positive or a negative for the Rays in 2020?