Tommy Kahnle’s season is over

September 26, 2023

New York Yankees – Tommy Kahnle was placed on the IL with right shoulder inflammation, effectively ending his season. Look for Ian Hamilton to get any opportunities that don’t go to Clay Holmes in the final week.

Updated hierarchy: Holmes | Hamilton | Weissert.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Brusdar Graterol – The Dodgers have a doubleheader…
2. Justin Lawrence – …against the Rockies.
3. Jose Cuas – The Cubs may given Julian Merryweather a second day off after he threw 62 pitches in a four day stretch ending Sunday.

Tomorrow
1. Ian Hamilton – If Clay Holmes goes today, it’s back to back.
2. AJ Minter – If Raisel Iglesias goes today, it’s two of three, and the Braves aren’t likely to make him go three of four as they get ready for the playoffs.
3. Andrew Nardi/AJ Puk – If Tanner Scott or Andrew Nardi go today, it’s three of four.
4. Ian Gibaut – Same for Alexis Diaz.

James McArthur pitches his way to the top of the Royals’ hierarchy

September 23, 2023

Kansas City Royals – James McArthur pitched 1.2 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts to pick up his second save.  McArthur has an ugly ERA because he gave up 7 earned runs in one inning in his first appearance of the season but he has reeled off nine straight scoreless outings and his WHIP on the season is under 1.00.  McArthur moves to the top of this hierarchy and could be worth a pickup for the last week of the season if you need some potential saves and strong ratios.

Updated hierarchy: *McArthur | Hernandez | Clarke.
* = closer-by-committee

Pittsburgh Pirates — Colin Holderman has been placed on the IL with a right thumb injury.  Ryan Borucki picked up the 7th inning hold yesterday and should see more time in the later innings while Holderman is out.

Updated hierarchy: Bednar | Mlodzinski | Borucki.

New York Yankees — Jhony Brito pitched the final 3.2 innings of a Yankees 7-1 win to pick up his first save.  In other Yankees’ bullpen news, Wandy Peralta was placed on the IL with a triceps injury.  Ian Hamilton will take his place on the hierarchy.  

Updated hierarchy: Holmes | Kahnle | Hamilton.

Boston Red Sox — Kenley Jansen remained out on Friday and Chris Martin pitched a perfect inning for his 3rd save of the season. 

Hierarchy remains: Martin | Winckowski | Whitlock.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Trevor Stephan (CLE) – Emmanuel Clase has pitched in two straight, throwing a total of 57 pitches.
2. Griffin Jax (MIN) – Jhoan Duran has pitched in two of three, including a 34 pitch outing yesterday.
3. Jose Alvarado (PHI) – Craig Kimbrel has pitched in three straight.
4. Carmen Mlodzinski (PIT) – David Bednar has pitched in two straight, throwing a total of 44 pitches.

Sunday
1. AJ Minter (ATL) – The Braves have a doubleheader on Sunday…
2. Hunter Harvey (WAS) – …against the Nationals.

Tommy Kahnle picks up save for Yankees

September 15, 2023

New York Yankees — As foretold by the Vulture Save Watch, Tommy Kahnle was used in a closing role during Thursday’s doubleheader against the Red Sox. He tossed the final two innings to earn the save in the nightcap.

Hierarchy remains: Holmes | Kahnle | Peralta.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Colin Holderman (PIT) – David Bednar has pitched in two straight.

Saturday:
1. Joel Payamps (MIL) – A Friday appearance would be three of four for Devin Williams.
2. Tyler Rogers (SF) – The Giants play a doubleheader…
3. Justin Lawrence (COL) – … against the Rockies.
4. Lucas Sims (CIN) – A Friday outing would be three of four and four of six for Alexis Diaz.

Justin Lawrence returns to the ninth inning

September 13, 2023

Colorado Rockies – It looks like Justin Lawrence is back in the high-leverage mix for the Rockies, as he closed out Tuesday night’s win with his 11th save of the season. Tyler Kinley was likely down after two straight days of work, but we’ll keep an eye on this to see if it turns into a committee.

Updated hierarchy: Kinley | Lawrence | Bird.

Atlanta Braves – For the second straight night and the fourth time in five appearances, Raisel Iglesias allowed a run, this time giving up a leadoff homer that sent Tuesday’s game to extras. After Atlanta regained the lead in the 10th, Brad Hand retired all three batters he faced for the save. Iglesias now has two blown saves in a row, but those are his first blown saves since June 12, so we don’t expect him to be in any danger of losing his job. If anything, the Braves will likely be cautious with Iglesias once they clinch the NL East title.

Hierarchy remains: Iglesias | Minter | Yates.

Boston Red Sox – Kenley Jansen left Tuesday night’s game because of fatigue and illness symptoms, which makes sense because we’d be sick and tired of being on the Red Sox too.

Hierarchy remains: Jansen | Martin | Winckowski.

New York Yankees — After all three members of the Yankees’ hierarchy pitched in game one of Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep of the Red Sox, Nick Ramirez finished off the nightcap with a perfect ninth inning for his first career save.

Hierarchy remains: Holmes | Kahnle | Peralta.

Cincinnati Reds – All three Reds hierarchy members had already pitched, so Buck Farmer collected a 10th-inning save on Tuesday.

Hierarchy remains: Diaz | Sims | Gibaut.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Chris Martin (BOS) – Jansen may be unavailable today after leaving yesterday’s game.
2. Trevor Stephan (CLE) – Emmanuel Clase has gone back-to-back.
3. Jason Foley (DET) – Alex Lange has gone in three of four.
4. Lucas Erceg (OAK) – Trevor May has thrown in two straight.
5. Kirby Yates (ATL) – Both Raisel Iglesias and AJ Minter have gone in three straight.
6. Seranthony Dominguez/Gregory Soto (PHI) – Craig Kimbrel and Jose Alvarado have both pitched back-to-back days while Dominguez threw 24 pitches last night.
7. Robert Suarez (SD) – Josh Hader may get a second straight night off after throwing 43 pitches on Monday.

Tomorrow
1. Colin Poche (TB) – If Pete Fairbanks pitches today that will be three of four.
2. The Rogers Brothers (SF) – The same is true for Camilo Doval and for Tyler Rogers.
3. Tommy Kahnle/Wandy Peralta (NYY) – If Clay Holmes pitches today that will be two straight and three of four, which is also true of both Kahnle and Peralta.
4. Griffin Jax (MIN) – If Jhoan Duran goes today that will be two in a row.
5. Lucas Sims (CIN) – Same for Alexis Diaz….
6. Joel Payamps (MIL) – …and Devin Williams.

More bullpen trouble in Texas

August 31, 2023

Texas Rangers — Will Smith had a bounce-back outing on Wednesday, retiring five batters and allowing only one walk in a tie game. Unfortunately for the Rangers, after they failed to score in the top of the tenth, Aroldis Chapman ended things with an intentional walk, an unintentional walk, and a bases-loaded hit by pitch. The game was tied, by the way, because Jose Leclerc gave up a two-run homer in the eighth before Smith came on. With Texas in the thick of races for the division and the wild card, now is not the time for bullpen uncertainty.

Hierarchy remains: *Chapman | Smith | Leclerc.

San Diego Padres — Steven Wilson was placed on the injured list with right hip inflammation, giving Scott Barlow another chance at high-leverage work. Barlow pitched a solid seventh and eighth with a one-run lead on Wednesday, only to see a rare Josh Hader blown save in the ninth. 

Updated hierarchy: Hader | Suarez | Barlow.

Pittsburgh Pirates — Thomas Hatch, who picked up his third hold in the seventh inning last night, has moved into the Pirates’ hierarchy behind David Bednar and Colin Holderman.

Updated hierarchy: Bednar | Holderman | Hatch.

New York Yankees — Don’t look now, but the Yankees have reeled off three wins in a row and could be making an improbable push for the — just kidding, they’re still totally cooked. But Ian Hamilton did pick up a nice three-inning save for them last night.

Hierarchy remains: Holmes | Kahnle | Peralta.

Los Angeles Dodgers — For the second time in two weeks, Ryan Yarbrough earned a super-sized save. Wednesday he gave the rest of the bullpen the night off by powering through four innings of scoreless ball in a 7-0 win.

Hierarchy remains: Phillips | Graterol | Ferguson.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Robert Suarez (SD) — Josh Hader’s blown save came on his third straight day of work.
2. A.J. Minter (ATL) — Raisel Iglesias has pitched back-to-back.

Friday:
1. Tyler Kahnle (NYY) — If Clay Holmes pitches Thursday, that will be three games in four days.
2. Mark Leiter Jr./Julian Merryweather (CHC) — The Cubs play a doubleheader Friday…
3. Lucas Sims (CIN) — …against the Reds.