Jason Grilli is the only Braves reliever with an ERA below 6.20 in his past five appearances (1.80 ERA), and he said he’d be willing to come into games earlier than the ninth inning.
“When the ball’s given to me, I’ve always taken it,” Grilli said before the game Saturday. “That’s my job. I’m always out ready to go. RPMs are up, phone rings and I take the ball when it’s given to me.”
Calling on his closer an inning early might be one of manager Fredi Gonzalez’s few remaining options to ensure the ball gets in Grilli’s hands more often. Gonzalez said after the Braves’ recent 4-6 trip that he’d try to find new combinations of relievers on the roster who could hand the ball to Grilli with a lead.
Friday night he fiddled with the order he called on the bullpen, bringing in Luis Avilan earlier than normal and Trevor Cahill later than normal.
The result?
Six runs over four innings and the team’s third consecutive loss. And, once again, no Grilli, who’s appeared in only three of the Braves’ past 11 games.
But Gonzalez could have new arms to add to the mix in the coming weeks. Braves officials are painfully aware of the bullpen’s performance and are paying close attention to free agents who might be able to help.
“It’s not the ideal spot to be in right now, and it kills me watching us give it up (in late innings) nightly,” said John Hart, Braves president of baseball operations. “We’re working the phones hard.”
Some potential targets could be Dana Eveland and Robert Coello, who opted out of contracts this week. Eveland pitched in 30 games for the Mets last season, compiling a 2.63 ERA and 1.098 WHIP. In 16 games with Boston’s Triple-A affiliate this year, Eveland had a 1.54 ERA.
The Braves could also pick up free agents who weren’t on a team after spring training. That list includes Brian Wilson (aka “The Beard”) and Sean Burnett, who was a lefty’s nightmare with the Pirates and Nationals from 2009-12, but has had two Tommy John surgeries since then.
Or the Braves could look at Triple-A Gwinnett and call up Peter Moylan, a sidearmer who had Tommy John surgery a little over a year ago. They assigned Moylan to Triple-A earlier this week, and he’s 1-0 over two scoreless innings in two appearances. He’s walked three and struck out two.
Back in the clubhouse, Grilli said the Braves already have the right guys to bring the bullpen back on track.
“We’re fine. It’s just getting on the right roll, on the right track, making our pitches and then the probability and favorability will come our way,” he said. “But everybody’s doubting it, wants to rip us apart. Sure, that’s fine. I like naysayers. Don’t tell us you can’t or you won’t because watch what happens.”
Gonzalez also appears — at least in front of cameras and reporters — to still have faith in his guys, saying it’s tough for any bullpen to go unscathed when a starter gets pulled early.
“I feel like when our starters go deep into ballgames, yes, I do feel like our bullpen is good enough to convert that win,” he said after last night’s 10-8 loss, when starter Williams Perez lasted only five innings. “I feel like anybody else, when your starters don’t go deep in the ballgame you get exposed more often than not.”
