Bullpen usage is on the rise around baseball. Relievers threw 16,469 2/3 innings last season, setting the MLB record for the second year in a row. (Phillies manager Gabe Kapler seems determined for his team to break that record on its own this season.)
The cause is multi-facted. With elbow injuries increasing, managers are trying to preserve their starters’ health both for future seasons and potential playoff runs. Also contributing is the simple fact that there are more big arms in bullpens than ever before, and teams want to maximize the value of those pitchers rather than sending starters out to face a lineup for a third or fourth time.