Rays committee continues to baffle; DL moves aplenty across majors

June 17, 2014

Tampa Bay Rays – Committees can be maddening for fantasy owners, and Joe Maddon hasn’t helped matters by the way he has gone about the late innings. Joel Peralta pitched the seventh before giving way to Grant Balfour, who struggled through one out of the eighth. Jake McGee, who appeared to be the leading candidate for saves, was called upon to bail him out and instead allowed an inherited runner to score, tying the game. The Rays regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning and it was Juan Carlos Oviedo who picked up his first save since he was Leo Nunez in 2011. After the game, Maddon insisted that there’s “no need” to settle on one closer, and that it’ll be the opponents’ batting order that dictates who enters the game. We still think McGee is at the head of the committee, but at this point it really could be anyone who gets the call at any particular moment.

Hierarchy remains: McGee | Peralta | Balfour.

San Francisco Giants — Santiago Casilla will rejoin the Giants beginning with their two-game series against the White Sox that opens tonight. Jean Machi, who sports a tremendous 0.29 ERA in 31 innings pitched this season, will cede the 8th-inning role to Casilla and become the go-to guy in the sixth and seventh innings.

Updated hierarchy: Romo | Casilla | Machi.

San Diego Padres — Nick Vincent was placed on the 15-day DL due to right shoulder fatigue. Dale Thayer will be the likely replacement for Vincent.

Updated hierarchy: Street | Benoit | Thayer.

Houston Astros – Josh Fields became the latest Astros arm to hit the disabled list with soreness in his throwing forearm. Kyle Farnsworth should see time in Fields’ stead. In addition, Houston signed former closer Jose Veras to a minor-league deal and he will be worth keeping an eye on as he continues rehabbing an oblique strain.

Updated hierarchy: Qualls | Sipp | Farnsworth.

Cleveland Indians — The usual suspects in the Indians’ bullpen were tuckered out – Cody Allen and Bryan Shaw had pitched in three straight games and John Axford was used in consecutive contests – which allowed an opportunity for Carlos Carrasco to pick up his first career save on Monday night. Carrasco certainly earned it, striking out four and allowing just one hit in 2.1 innings of work.

Hierarchy remains: Allen | Shaw | Axford.

Chicago Cubs – Hector Rondon returned on Monday night against the Marlins and needed 26 pitches to strike out the side in the bottom of the ninth inning, keeping the game tied. The Cubs took the lead in the top half of the 13th before James Russell breezed through the final three outs to record his first save of the season and just the third of his career.

Hierarchy remains: Rondon | Ramirez | Strop.

St. Louis Cardinals — Seth Maness got the Cardinals out of a minor jam in the eighth inning and stayed on to complete the ninth and collect his first save of the season in a 6-2 victory over the Mets.

Hierarchy remains: Rosenthal | Motte | Neshek.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Junichi Tazawa, Boston Red Sox – Koji Uehara has pitched in three straight while Andrew Miller has appeared in four consecutive contests.
2. Neil Ramirez, Chicago Cubs – Hector Rondon threw 26 pitches in his return last night and might get a breather.