On Opening Day of the 2020 MLB season on Friday, Liam Hendriks blew a save in the 9th inning. The All-Star had been arguably the best reliever in the majors in 2019, but with a one-run cushion against the Los Angeles Angels and a tight strike zone squeezing him, he left a fastball in the middle of the zone and it got swatted for a homer.
That was a troubling sign at the time. After all, the A’s bullpen led the majors with 30 blown saves in 2019, despite otherwise strong numbers, and that kind of inconsistency with late-inning leads could spell trouble in a short season where every game is worth almost triple what we’re used to.