I understand that getting frustrated with your team’s closer is easy. After all, when the closer blows saves with seemingly alarming regularity, costing the team wins, it’s not easy on the eyes. Especially when the lefty closer has struggled for a few years now. Don’t believe me? Let’s just check the numbers.

Since 2022, the southpaw has thrown 135 innings, has struck out 37.5% of batters faced and walked an unseemly 10.8% of hitters. He’s been a bit homer prone, giving up an even 1.00 home runs per nine innings. The overall package has been a decent 3.33 ERA (2.99 FIP) and an 84 ERA-. In save situations, that’s where the struggles have been. There are 78 saves since then, but 10 blown saves, a decent enough number of games locked up, but a larger than normal amount of save opportunities blown for his te—

Wait a minute.

I’m getting word this isn’t right.

Those numbers above? They’re all for Josh Hader, Proven Closer.

The age old idea of having a set closer for the backend of the bullpen is like a security blanket. Tony La Russa first grabbed that blanket for himself in the late 1980’s, but it gained steam in roster construction and usage in the years after. Teams (and managers) loved them. Fans became used to the stadium speakers blaring out various songs announcing the arrival of the end of the game. Mention “Enter Sandman” in New York, “Hell’s Bells” in San Diego and anyone knows exactly what is being referred to. Once the age of analytics dawned and people started questioning the sanity of devoting the specific roster spot and accompanying budget line to one pitcher, the idea of a closer became slightly more fluid. There are still going to be established closers, but many teams are trying to construct a bullpen where multiple pitchers could be considered closers.

This is how the Phillies have chosen to run their club. We know how much Rob Thomson loves his matchups. It’s gotten him through two different postseason runs as wild cards and will likely guide his thinking later on this season. Yet more often than not, when it’s time to close down a game, Jose Alvarado has been the one do it. He has received the most opportunities in the bullpen, seeing the ninth inning thirteen times. In those chances, he’s been successful eleven times. His latest meltdown, though, was apparently so spectacular that it has led to people calling for the team do business a different way than what they really do.

Corey Seidman posted this on Sunday about Alvarado.

This, of course, led to some interesting responses.