Addison Reed blows game in series finale

"I'm going into spring training and I'm going to try to do everything I can to prove to them that that ninth inning belongs to me and compete for that job. Closer is the only thing I've ever dreamed of, the only thing I've ever wanted, so I'm going to make their decision as tough as possible to put me in any position other than the ninth inning.

- Addison Reed

Addison Reed is probably a nice guy. He says a lot of right things whenever he's interviewed. The quote above shows he's confident. I mean, he's an MLB pitcher, of course he has confidence. But ever since that fateful day when Kevin Towers acquired him for Matt Davidson, he has done nothing to prove to us that he deserves to be a closer. Today was no different.

Baseball is a funny game. Here I was, ready to recap a series win when Addison Reed stepped up in the 9th and did Addison Reed-things. Sure, he was probably squeezed a bit by the home plate umpire, but who wasn't today? Reed's confidence betrays him. And when you only have confidence in 1 pitch, well, let's just check it out.

It's probably just bad luck, he'll get the next guy.

Eh this is probably just BABIP being BABIP right?

I'm no data scientist, but I sense a pattern here. On the other hand, he's a proven closer. He'll surely get a rookie out who is only playing because Bryce Harper has no control over his body right?

Oh dear.

Oh me oh my that's a gawd-awful pitch. I played baseball a long time ago, and I think the first rule you learn as a pitcher is not throw it right down the middle. I think the same rules apply.

"How many saves did he have last year? And on a team that won not that many games. He's got history as a closer. He's still a young guy. He's going to get better as a closer and we believe that. We hope that he's our closer from Day 1 to the last game of the season, whenever it is.

- Chip Hale

This team and the fans deserved better than to lose the way it did. It's up for the organization to realize Addison Reed is not the closer for this team.

★★

For a team that's not expected to do much, they are absolutely mashing the ball right now and scoring in a variety of ways. 14 hits and 5 walks on the day with every single starter having a hit, including Jeremy Hellickson. Paul Goldschmidt broke out of his mini-slump with 3 hits, including an RBI double in the 3rd. A.J. Pollock had 2 hits and 2 RBI's. Even Nick Ahmed got a hit and RBI (with 3 strikeouts included).

For how well the offense has been, Jeremy Hellickson was just the opposite. He was inconsistent with his pitches all day. One inning he'd have complete control and mow down the Nationals, and the next he'd give up a 3-run homer to Jayson Werth. His start ended in the 6th after a 2-out walk to Danny Espinosa. He finished with 5 2/3rds innings pitched, giving up 4 runs on 4 hits and 4 walks while striking out 3. I don't know if it was bad enough for him to lose his job, but it definitely wasn't good enough to keep it.

Randall Delgado replaced Hellickson and promptly gave up a dinger to pinch-hitter Tyler Moore to tie the game at 5. Both bullpens would calm down until the 8th, when Aaron Barrett would come on for the Nationals. Ender Inciarte reached on Ian Desmond's 2nd error of the game, but was quickly caught stealing at 2nd. Mark Trumbo walked (his 2nd of the game !!!) and Goldy K'd for the second out. With 2 outs in a tie game, the offense came alive. A.J. Pollock singled to center, and pinch hitter Yasmany Tomas singled up the middle to give the D-backs a 6-5 lead. But as you probably know, Addison Reed gave up a grand slam and the offense went down pitifully in the 9th to end the game.

Source: FanGraphs

Mariano Rivera: Yasmany Tomas, +28.0%

Robb Nen: Paul Goldschmidt, +23.3%, Brad Ziegler, 10.7%

Addison Reed: Addison Reed, -79.7%

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The Diamondbacks head out for a 7-game road trip in Philadelphia and Miami.