Jose Leclerc — and not Will Smith — earns save for Rangers

August 29, 2023

Texas Rangers – After Aroldis Chapman worked in back-to-back games over the weekend, he was apparently unavailable Monday. But that meant Will Smith did the job in a save situation, right? Well, no. Enter old friend Jose Leclerc, who mixed in a walk with two strikeouts to earn his second save. Reading between the lines, recent usage would indicate Chapman is the committee leader and Leclerc is a part of the mix with Smith. Smith not being used in an obvious situation for a closer Monday is very telling. It’s also worth noting Rangers beat writer Evan Grant said that Leclerc got the save chance after Chapman and Brock Burke had worked in the previous two days — and he did not mention Smith. We’ll make the swap in our hierarchy now and this situation is definitely worth monitoring.

Updated hierarchy: *Chapman | Smith | Leclerc.
* = closer-by-committee

New York Mets – For the first time since undergoing patellar tendon surgery, Edwin Diaz threw a bullpen session. He maintains that his goal is to return to pitch for the Mets before the end of the season even though the club is out of contention, so if he happens to be available in your league (only 16% rostered in Yahoo!, for example), he could be worth stashing if you have IL space.

Hierarchy remains: *Ottavino | Raley | Smith.
* = closer-by-committee

St. Louis Cardinals — Ryan Helsley expects to be activated from the injured list on Wednesday. Whether he jumps right back into the saves mix upon his return remains to be seen.

Hierarchy remains: *Romero | Gallegos | Pallante.
* = closer-by-committee

Toronto Blue Jays – As predicted by the Vulture Save Watch, Jordan Romano did not appear Monday after throwing 36 pitches Sunday, leaving Jordan Hicks there to earn his fourth save since being traded to Toronto.

Hierarchy remains: Romano | Hicks | Garcia.

Los Angeles Dodgers – Evan Phillips did not pitch Monday, as projected by the Vulture Save Watch, but it was Caleb Ferguson and not Brusdar Graterol who got the opportunity in the ninth, earning his third save. He has been used as an opener recently, but this save chance proves he still belongs in the hierarchy. Graterol last worked Friday, throwing 31 pitches, so perhaps manager Dave Roberts wanted an additional day of rest to keep him fresh.

Hierarchy remains: Phillips | Graterol | Ferguson.

Minnesota Twins – The Vulture Save Watch correctly predicted an off-day for Jhoan Duran, but it certainly did not foresee Josh Winder pitching three hitless innings to earn his first career save. He won’t normally factor into the late-inning plans.  

Hierarchy remains: Duran | Jax | Pagan.

Houston Astros – Jose Urquidy covered the final four innings (4 hits, 1 ER, 2 walks 1 strikeout) of what became a blowout Astros win Monday to earn his first career save.

Hierarchy remains: Pressly | Abreu | Neris.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Jose Alvarado (PHI) – Craig Kimbrel has pitched in two straight.
2. Taylor Rogers (SF) – Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers have each gone in two consecutive games.
3. Andrew Nardi (MIA) – The Marlins were off Monday but Tanner Scott has been busy lately (he pitched in both weekend games).

Wednesday:
1. Shintaro Fujinami (BAL) – If he goes Tuesday, that would be three of four for Yennier Cano.
2. Brooks Raley (NYM) – Same as above for Adam Ottavino.
3. Griffin Jax (MIN) – The above is also true for Jhoan Duran.

Miami’s Tanner Scott notches save, further cementing role as Marlins closer

August 28, 2023

Miami Marlins – As we alerted, David Robertson was removed from the closer’s role before Sunday’s game, and the new closer, Tanner Scott, pitched well Sunday to earn his third save of the season.

Updated hierarchy: Scott | Nardi | Puk.

Texas Rangers – Will Smith notched a clutch strikeout against the only batter he faced to finish off the eighth inning in Sunday’s game, leaving Aroldis Chapman to handle the ninth inning in a save situation. Chapman did not deliver, though, allowing the tying run to send the game to extras. The Rangers eventually lost, which is something happening a lot lately. Texas has lost nine of 10, and the struggles in the late innings are a big part of it. It appears manager Bruce Bochy is starting to play the matchups again in the ninth inning, so we’ll slap on the committee tag with Smith still in the lead role, for now. 

Updated hierarchy: *Smith | Chapman | Sborz.
* = closer-by-committee

Toronto Blue Jays – Erik Swanson was placed on the injured list with thoracic spine inflammation. Expect Yimi Garcia and maybe Tim Mayza to vie for saves when the Jordans (Romano and Hicks) aren’t available.

Updated hierarchy: Romano | Hicks | Garcia.

Boston Red Sox – Manager Alex Cora said Kenley Jansen was available to pitch Sunday. The Red Sox lost, so there was no save situation and Jansen did not play, but he should be presumed to be available moving forward.  

Hierarchy remains: Jansen | Martin | Winckowski.

St. Louis Cardinals — Ryan Helsley resumed a rehab assignment on Sunday after his first one was paused over concerns about continued forearm discomfort. New imaging came back clean, allowing his return to action, though there is no timetable for his return to the majors. For what it’s worth, he did not pitch well in the rehab outing, allowing a couple of runs. 

Hierarchy remains: *Romero | Gallegos | Pallante.
* = closer-by-committee

Tampa Bay Rays – The Vulture Save Watch projected a day off Sunday for Pete Fairbanks, but instead of turning to Colin Poche, manager Kevin Cash went with Jason Adam for the third time in four games. Adam nailed down his 12th save of the season.

Hierarchy remains: Fairbanks | Adam | Poche.

Arizona Diamondbacks – Paul Sewald did not pitch Sunday, as forecast by the Vulture Save Watch, but it was Ryan Thompson who earned the save in his first game for Arizona, not Kevin Ginkel, who had already pitched Friday and Saturday. 

Hierarchy remains: Sewald | Ginkel | McGough.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Brooks Raley (NYM) – Adam Ottavino has gone in two straight.
2. Shintaro Fujinami (BAL) – Yennier Cano has also gone in two in a row.
3. Griffin Jax (MIN) – Same as above for Jhoan Duran.
4. Brusdar Graterol (LAD) – Evan Phillips has pitched in three of four.
5. Jordan Hicks (TOR) – Jordan Romano threw 36 pitches to record five outs Sunday and could need a breather.

Tuesday:
1. Andrew Nardi (MIA) – Miami is off Monday but new closer Tanner Scott might need a second day of rest after pitching Saturday and Sunday.
2. Trevor Stephan (CLE) – If he goes Monday, that would be two straight and three of four for Emmanuel Clase.
3. Matt Brash (SEA) – A Monday outing would be three of four for Andres Munoz.

A pair of first career saves

August 21, 2023

Seattle Mariners – The Mariners were forced to go to their bullpen early, and with only Andres Munoz and Gabriel Speier left as high leverage arms they gave Munoz the 8th inning. This left the 9th for Speier, who converted for his first career save. This was almost certainly a matchup based decision, with Munoz facing 3 righties, and with the rest of the hierarchy having worked to bridge the gap earlier in the game, we aren’t reshuffling the hierarchy just yet. 

Hierarchy remains: Munoz | Brash | Topa.

Detroit Tigers – Jason Foley needed a night off, and it was Alex Lange who got the call in the 9th inning. Lange had been struggling with his command all month, but didn’t walk a single batter and closed the game out for his 18th save on the year. If this had been closer its possible we would’ve seen a different arm coming out for Detroit, but with a clean save here we will slot Lange back into the hierarchy for now. 

Updated hierarchy: *Foley | Brieske | Lange.
* = closer-by-committee

Toronto Blue Jays – With a 7 run lead the Blue Jays gave the ball to Bowen Francis in the 7th inning. He stuck around for 8 and 9 as well to earn his first career save. Francis has put together a solid season for Toronto, but has mostly been used in long relief. 

Hierarchy remains: Romano | Hicks | Swanson.

Vulture Save Watch:

  1. Mark Leiter Jr. (CHC) — Adbert Alzolay has pitched back to back, throwing 40 pitches.

For Tuesday:

  1. Matt Brash (SEA) — Today would be back to back and 3 of 4 for Andres Munoz.
  2. Tyler Rogers (SF) — Camilo Doval threw 29 pitches last night, so any appearance tonight could earn him a day off.

Hunter Harvey, Jordan Romano return from the IL

August 16, 2023

Washington Nationals – Hunter Harvey returned from the IL on Tuesday, pitching a perfect ninth inning with the Nationals trailing by a run. Manager Davey Martinez said that Kyle Finnegan will remain as the team’s closer while Harvey slots into a setup role.

Updated hierarchy: Finnegan | Harvey | Weems.

Toronto Blue Jays – Jordan Romano was also activated from the IL on Tuesday and immediately returned to the closer’s role, striking out two in a perfect ninth inning to seal a 2-1 victory.

Updated hierarchy: Romano | Hicks | Swanson.

Seattle Mariners – The Mariners called upon Andres Muñoz to record the final five outs on Tuesday, but after a clean eighth inning, he promptly blew a three-run lead in the ninth. When Seattle went back on top in the 10th, Tayler Saucedo needed just six pitches to earn his first MLB save. Muñoz has allowed a run in each of his last three appearances, but only one of those runs has been earned. 

Hierarchy remains: Muñoz | Brash | Topa.

Los Angeles Dodgers – Ryan Yarbrough entered the seventh inning with a 6-1 lead and gave up a home run to the first batter he faced. That was his only blemish, however, as he retired the next nine hitters in a row to earn his first MLB save.

Hierarchy remains: Phillips | Graterol | Ferguson.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Matt Brash (SEA) – Andres Muñoz threw 42 pitches on Tuesday while Brash had the night off.
2. Daniel Bard (COL) – Justin Lawrence has gone back-to-back, including last night’s 21-pitch blown save.
3. Scott McGough (ARI) – Both Paul Sewald and Kevin Ginkel have gone in three of four.

Tomorrow
1. Chris Martin/Josh Winckowski (BOS) – If Martin or closer Kenley Jansen pitch today, that’s two straight and three of four.
2. Trevor Stephan/Enyel De Los Santos (CLE) – If Emmanuel Clase goes today that will be two in a row, which is also true of both Stephan and De Los Santos.
3. Matt Brash (SEA) – Andres Muñoz may need two days off after Tuesday’s 42-pitch outing.
4. Kevin Ginkel/Scott McGough (ARI) – If Paul Sewald does pitch today, that will be two straight and four of five. Same will be true of Ginkel.

Erik Swanson and Will Smith record saves

August 6, 2023

Toronto Blue Jays – A day after Jordan Hicks picked up his first save as a Blue Jay, Toronto went back to Erik Swanson.  Swanson gave up a run but benefited from the Red Sox getting doubled up off second base on a fly out to end the game.   It appears to be a true committee while Jordan Romano is out but we will see if Hicks or Swanson can get a leg up.

Hierarchy remains: *Hicks | Swanson | Garcia.
*=closer-by-committee

Texas Rangers – Will Smith was a little shaky yesterday, giving up a two-run homer, but luckily he was staked with a three run lead and was able to close out the win for his 20th save of the season.  Smith has three saves already in August and has five saves since Aroldis Chapman’s save on July 15th. 

Hierarchy remains: *Smith | Chapman | Sborz.
* = closer-by-committee

Chicago White Sox — Gregory Santos has been placed on the bereavement list.  Aaron Bummer and Bryan Shaw combined to finish off the White Sox victory and should continue to fill in for Santos while he is out.

Hierarchy remains: *Santos | Bummer | Shaw.
* = closer-by-committee

Detroit Tigers — For the second straight appearance, Alex Lange really struggled with his control.  Lange walked the first two batters he faced but was able to get a double play from the next batter.  However, after Lange walked Wander Franco, the Tigers pulled him and brought on Beau Brieske.  Brieske retired the only batter he faced for his first save.  If Lange’s control issues continue, we could see Jason Foley and Tyler Holton, who got the 8th inning hold last night, in the mix for saves.

Updated hierarchy: Lange | Foley | Holton

Oakland A’s — The A’s have activated Dany Jimenez from the IL and we expect him to work his way to the back end of their bullpen.

Updated hierarchy: May | Jimenez | Long.

Washington Nationals – Mason Thompson has been placed on the IL.  Andres Machado should see more time in the later innings while Thompson is out.

Updated hierarchy: Finnegan | Weems | Machado.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Wandy Peralta (NYY) – Clay Holmes and Tommy Kahnle have both pitched in three of four while Michael King has pitched in two of three, throwing a total of 39 pitches.
2. Justin Topa (SEA) – Andres Munoz and Matt Brash have both pitched in three of four.
3. Andres Machado/Jose Ferrer (WAS) – Kyle Finnegan and Jordan Weems have both gone in two straight and three of four. Andres Machado has also pitched in two straight.
4. Colin Holderman (PIT) – David Bednar has pitched in two straight, including a blown save yesterday.
5. Bryan Shaw/Insert Reliever Here (CHW) – Gregory Santos is on the bereavement list while Aaron Bummer threw 33 pitches yesterday and Bryan Shaw has gone in two straight. If Bryan Shaw is unavailable, the White Sox will need to dig deep after trading most of their bullpen arms at the deadline.

Monday
1. Griffin Jax (MIN) – If Jhoan Duran pitches on Sunday, it will be three of four and four of six.
2. Aroldis Chapman/Josh Sborz (TEX) – If Will Smith pitches on Sunday, it will be two straight and three of four. Same for Aroldis Chapman.