About Bullpen Call

Bullpen Call is a free daily baseball game. Every day, everyone gets the same real MLB game picked up in the 8th or 9th inning, and you manage your team to the final out: every pitching change, intentional walk, pinch hitter, bunt and steal is your call.

How the grades work

Before each play, the game simulates the rest of the game for every option you had and compares your call with the best one. Each plate appearance is then played out with a real big-league play from the same situation, drawn from the odds of that batter facing that pitcher. Player numbers are what a manager would have known that day: last season plus the current season to date.

The rules

• Current MLB rules: a new pitcher must face three batters or finish the inning, and regular-season extra innings start with a runner on second.
• Infield-in and pitch-around effects use published baseball-research estimates, since play-by-play data doesn't record positioning.
• Relievers who pitched the previous two days, or threw 25+ pitches yesterday, are unavailable.
• A home team leading after the top of the 9th doesn't bat, and walk-offs end the game.

Save Streak

You're handed a lead in the 8th or 9th of a real game from 2022 to 2025. Protect it to the final out for the save. If the tying run scores, it's a blown save and the streak ends. The record to chase is Éric Gagné's 84 straight saves.

Fair scores

Scores and streaks on the leaderboard are verified: the server replays every call you made with the same game and the same luck, and only the score it computes counts.

Pennant Race

Every daily you play in a month counts toward your record. Finish at .540 or better, an 88-win pace, to make the playoffs.

Data

The information used here was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Interested parties may contact Retrosheet at www.retrosheet.org.

Not affiliated with MLB

Bullpen Call is an independent fan-made game. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Major League Baseball, its clubs or the MLB Players Association. Team and player names identify the real games only. No logos are used.

Contact

Ideas and bug reports are welcome on X at @PlayBullpenCall.