Kurt Suzuki must rethink Angels' relief roles after sudden regression

The back-end of the bullpen was a big question mark coming into the season for the Los Angeles Angels. In fact, after recent regression from Chase Silseth and Sam Bachman, manager Kurt Suzuki should absolutely start rethinking how he deploys his bullpen late in games.

Silseth has struggled in each of his last two outings. On April 6 against the Atlanta Braves, the 25-year-old right-hander allowed an earned run on two hits and a walk while recording two outs. Then, in his most recent outing against the Cincinnati Reds, he really struggled and allowed a run while walking four batters and recording just one out. His ERA is now 3.38 in eight appearances on the season.

As for Bachman, he has struggled as well. In his last outing against the Reds he gave up three earned runs on two hits and three walks. Those walks are really big warning signs for both Silseth and Bachman which is why they cannot be trusted in high-leverage spots if they cannot find the strike zone with regularity.

Kurt Suzuki does not have any great answers for the Angels' bullpen right now

It already hurts that Robert Stephenson and Ben Joyce, the two most electric arms in LA's bullpen when healthy, have both been on the shelf to start the year. Stephenson is done for the year due to yet another surgery on his arm while Joyce, also perennially injured, is out with shoulder inflammation and the Angels do not seem inclined to rush him back.

The Angels have had to adjust and so far Jordan Romano has been really solid as the closer. Romano has yet to allow a run in six outings and five innings of work, recording four saves while striking out seven batters. It is the bridge to Romano that still provides some cause for concern.

Veteran lefty Drew Pomeranz figured to be a crucial part of the bullpen this season, but he has had some early struggles and currently sports a 6.35 ERA. recently elevated Nick Sandlin had a rough first outing on Sunday as well.

Basically any way you look down in that bullpen there is cause for concern. Maybe what is currently taking place is a natural sorting which will be resolved in the first few months of the season, but Suzuki is on a one-year contract and probably cannot afford to wait a few months to figure out the bullpen pecking order.

Perhaps the team needs to look to the minors. They re-signed both Hunter Strickland and Joey Lucchesi to minor league deals after cutting them so maybe those veterans could factor into the equation as they both have experience in the late innings.

It's still early and every manager struggles with the bullpen at times, but Suzuki needs to start finding some answers fast if he wants to stick around for more than one season as the skipper.

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