In the Texas Rangers’ season-opening three-game series against the Seattle Mariners a year ago, they used seven bullpen pitchers, including Jake Diekman on three consecutive days, Tony Barnette on consecutive days and Shawn Tolleson twice in the series.
It didn’t go well. The Rangers lost Games 2 and 3 as Tom Wilhelmsen was blown up for five runs in the eighth inning of Game 2, Tolleson was tagged for his first blown save in Game 3, and Keone Kela was soon out of action needing surgery to remove bone spurs in his throwing elbow.