Rutgers baseball: Sam Portnoy has become a reliable arm in the bullpen

Sam Portnoy is putting together a strong season for Rutgers baseball.

Over the last two years, Sam Portnoy has become a familiar name to Rutgers fans. Last year he became a trusted bullpen arm in his first season as a Scarlet Knight. During the 2023 campaign, he has built on that success and proven to be a valuable piece. While his time at Rutgers is far from over, his impact has been hard to deny.

In 16 games this season, the New Jersey native has posted a 3.81 ERA and added one save to his resume. While Portnoy has filled various roles, he has held batters to a low average. Opponents are hitting .181 against him.

As Portnoy has continued to frustrate opposing offenses, his ability to miss bats has improved. The redshirt sophomore has set a career-high this season in strikeouts with 23. While working exclusively out of the bullpen, he has allowed 11 home runs and only walked 12 batters. That almost mimics Portnoy’s numbers from the 2022 campaign.

Through 37 appearances as a Scarlet Knight, Portnoy owns a 3.51 ERA.  He has come through in big situations and will get the chance to shine in the Big Ten tournament starting on May 24th. Until then, his focus will be putting Rutgers in the best position to succeed.

With 14 games left in the regular season, Portnoy still has plenty of time lower his ERA. He has not allowed a run in two straight outings and only allowed one hit in that span. That is a welcoming sign for Rutgers, as they will rely on their talented righthander over the next few weeks.