the.com/middle relief
the job of not losing the game before the guys paid to win it get the ball.
means the relief pitchers who work the middle innings between the starter and the closer, mopping up or bridging the gap.
from baseball bullpens formalized roles over the 20th century as starters threw fewer innings, and someone had to cover the unglamorous middle third of the game.
lowest statusleast prestigious bullpen job, often overlooked entirely
stat ironycan pitch great and get zero recognition or wins
blowout dutyoften absorbs games already lost or already won