The revolution was televised, and according to Royals manager Ned Yost, it might have been slightly exaggerated.
Last fall, as reliever Andrew Miller carried the Cleveland Indians to the brink of a championship, and baseball managers such as Cleveland’s Terry Francona and Los Angeles’ Dave Roberts turned bullpen orthodoxy on its head, a common narrative emerged.
The bullpen revolution was here. What began as a sleek innovation during the 2014 and 2015 postseasons — the Royals using a dominant relief corps to win two straight pennants — had matured into a full-fledged sea change. The closer position would never be the same.