I don't think this matters.
- Their trades for relief help have all been good, save for the Hicks deal which is a wait and see.
- The total cost of the bullpen in 2024 will only be like $30M so it's not like they have any sandbag contracts or huge contracts. Zero long term commits.
- They have developed and used some good relievers like Romano and Mayza, they just didn't draft them.
- They have drafted some good relievers or likely good relievers, they just traded some (Frasso, Winckowski)
- They have drafted many promising RP prospects that are filling in the AA and AAA levels right now. We saw Danner for a cup of coffee last year. Connor Cooke in particular looks like a possible closer.
- They would not have been prioritizing developing relievers from 2016 through like, 2019
- From the 2019 through the 2023 drafts, many pitching prospects who could be good relievers are still in the organization
- If the pen is good and not subject to expensive long term FA commitments, does it even matter?
- There are tons of MLB teams that habitually stock their bullpen through waiver claims and little trades. See TBR, SEA for example.