Bullpen Call
Bullpen Call has you manage the late innings of a real MLB game by choosing pitching changes, pinch hitters, bunts and steals, with every decision graded by win probability; a new daily game is available each day.
Play Bullpen CallA fresh puzzle is waiting for you.
Bullpen Call puts you in charge of the final innings of an actual major league baseball game. Each daily starts in the 8th or 9th with the real score, lineups, benches and bullpens from an archived 2024, 2025 game. You make every decision before each plate appearance and then a real big-league play from the same situation is used to resolve the outcome.
Every option is scored against win probability rather than just the result, so good decisions that do not work out can still be rewarded. The pen sheet shows recent usage and pitch counts, pitchers fatigue as their pitch count rises, and optional pitch plans nudge the odds using Statcast and historical matchup data. Play takes about three minutes and requires no account.
How to play Bullpen Call
- Start the daily to be handed a real game beginning in the 8th or 9th inning with the real score and rosters.
- Before each plate appearance, choose from the available defensive and offensive options such as pitching to the hitter, walking him, bringing in a reliever, pinch-hitting, bunting or attempting a steal.
- Optionally set a pitch plan to favor fastballs, breaking balls or offspeed, and to work inside or away when you pitch to a hitter.
- After each decision, the game plays out a real play from the same situation and then grades your call by how it affected win probability.
Tips for Bullpen Call
- Prioritize options that increase your win chance rather than searching only for the most dramatic outcome.
- Use the pen sheet to track recent usage; pitchers labeled Fresh, Tiring or Gassed indicate expected effectiveness changes as pitch counts rise.
- Lean on pitch plans when matchups show clear Statcast edges by pitch type or location, but remember plans only adjust odds and do not determine results.
- When protecting a late lead, consider the tradeoff between walking a hitter and facing a less favorable matchup; pitching around uses historical 2-0 or 3-0 outcomes so walks are common.
Bullpen Call FAQ
What is Bullpen Call?
Bullpen Call is a daily game that hands you the late innings of a real MLB game and asks you to make every managerial decision from the 8th or 9th inning onward; each play then resolves using a real big-league play drawn from historical at-bats with matching game situation.
Is Bullpen Call free to play?
Yes, Bullpen Call is free and playable without creating an account; the site advertises approximately three minutes per daily and explicitly states no signup is required.
When does the new game come out?
A new Bullpen Call game is released every day; dailies are drawn from archived 2024 and 2025 regular- and post-season games so each calendar day has a single shared challenge for all players.
Who made Bullpen Call?
Bullpen Call is an independent fan-made game and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Major League Baseball, its clubs or the MLB Players Association; team and player names are used only to identify the real games.
What do the call grades mean?
Calls are graded by how close your choice came to the best option in win probability: Ace means within 0.5 points, Solid within 1.5, Shaky within 3, and Meltdown is more than 3 points worse than the best call; a good-grade call that fails on the field can still earn a high mark because grading is based on expected win chance.
How is the score computed?
Your score is mostly built from call grades and win outcome: call grades account for up to 80 points and a team win adds 20 points; the system caps the penalty per call and averages after twelve calls so long games do not unfairly penalize you.
Can I post my score and compare with others?
Yes, Bullpen Call lets you post your result and compare on daily leaderboards and season standings; the site also tracks streaks and monthly records so your daily plays contribute to broader rankings.
