What has Bruce Bochy said about the Texas Rangers bullpen performance in the playoffs?

Looking for an unexpected reason that the Texas Rangers are one win away from their first American League Championship appearance since 2011?

How about their bullpen? Much maligned during the regular season, the Rangers’ relievers are a big reason the team is 4-0 in the postseason and can sweep the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Division Series on Tuesday night at Globe Life Field.

“Our bullpen has really done a nice job,” manager Bruce Bochy said on Monday. “To be honest, yeah it’s been a challenge all year. (Pitching coach) Mike (Maddux) and I have discussed this bullpen on a daily basis trying to keep things in order. At times, we’ve had it in order. Other times we’ve had to try to patch it up.”

The Rangers bullpen struggled throughout the regular season sporting the seventh-worst bullpen ERA (4.77) and the most blown saves (33) in the league.

The postseason been a different story. The Rangers bullpen has only given up four runs in 14.2 innings with 16 strikeouts and only six walks.

Rangers general manager Chris Young hasn’t been surprised with how the bullpen has responded in the postseason.

“I mean, I think that they’ve been a resilient bunch,” Young said. “I think that goes back, really to the last few series and, as I’ve said before, they’re, they’re all very capable. They’ve all had stretches at different points in the season where they’ve thrown the ball well, and, my hope is that they continue to pitch well.”

Aroldis Chapman (2.0 innings) and Will Smith (0.1 innings) are the only Rangers’ relievers with prior playoff experience.

The bullpen gave up zero runs in their Wild Card series in the two-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays. The Orioles have only fared slightly better during their American League Divisional Series .

The Orioles have scored four runs off the Rangers bullpen through two games. And at the most critical moments, the Rangers relievers have shut Baltimore down when needed.

One such reliever is Jose Leclerc who came into this season as the projected closer for the Texas Rangers but finished the year with more blown saves (five) than saves (four).

However, in the postseason Leclerc has been lights out co-leading all MLB relievers in strikeouts and only giving up runs in four appearances.

When called upon in Game 1 of the ALDS, Leclerc needed only 10 pitches to dispatch the Orioles for his first career playoff save.

Leclerc is far from the only Rangers reliever excelling in the postseason. Aroldis Chapman, Josh Sborz and Cody Bradford have accounted for 8.1 innings out of the bullpen in the playoffs and have yet to allow a run.

On Sunday Bradford, the local former Aledo High standout, shut out the Orioles hitters in 3.2 innings of relief following starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery. Chapman served as the set-up man for Lecler’s Game 1 save and Sborz has yet to allow a hit this postseason.

“Lately, we have not just one or two guys that we can go to. So we have some really good options. Guys that we’re comfortable using in high-leverage situations,” Bochy said. “There’s nobody down there I wouldn’t feel comfortable using. You saw us bring the kid [Cody Bradford] in yesterday.

Heading into the playoffs the Rangers bullpen was pointed out as an area of concern but has instead helped power the team to the brink of an ALCS appearance.

“I think we’re sitting as well as we have been in the bullpen all year with the health and how they’re throwing the ball and their confidence,” said Bochy.

NOTES: As of Monday afternoon, there were still scattered single tickets and standing-room-only tickets available for Game 3. Parking lots will open at 3:30 p.m. and the Globe Life Field gates at 4:30 p.m. Former Rangers pitcher John Burkett will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. FOX will broadcast the game.