This season, everyone has been talking about how the Oakland Athletics’ relievers do not have set roles in the bullpen due to the absence of Sean Doolittle. When Doolittle is the closer, each relief pitcher is basically assigned to an inning or a specific match-up with an opposing player. Without their closer, instability and chaos ensues within the bullpen. However, Doolittle closing out the game in the ninth inning does not clearly determine all of the roles.
The A’s do not have a quality eighth inning setup man in their bullpen. They have a bunch of specialists and seventh inning relievers, but no one who really owns the eighth inning.