Bailey leading Phillies ‘pen; Astros, Rockies no closer to naming closer

March 24, 2016

Philadelphia Phillies – Andrew Bailey appears to be the front-runner for the closer’s job, though manager Pete Mackanin has also said that David Hernandez and Dalier Hinojosa are also in the mix. While Edward Mujica is all but a lock to make the roster, the three aforementioned arms are the only ones being considered for the ninth inning at the moment.

Updated hierarchy: *Bailey | Hernandez | Hinojosa.
* = closer-by-committee

Houston Astros — A bit of a closer controversy is developing for Houston after Ken Giles has struggled this spring. He finally turned in a clean inning on Wednesday, and manager AJ Hinch said after the game that he won’t have a closer determination until the team’s trip to Mexico, which begins Friday. Even with Luke Gregerson beginning to return from an oblique injury, our bet is that Giles will be the team’s closer on opening day.

Hierarchy remains: Giles | Gregerson | Neshek.

Colorado Rockies – Manager Walt Weiss is in no rush to name a closer, but while the ninth inning is no closer to being decided upon, hard-throwing Miguel Castro may have impressed enough this spring to get a shot in the seventh inning.

Updated hierarchy: McGee | Motte | Castro.

Boston Red Sox — Carson Smith will begin the season on the disabled list but the Sox avoided a long-term setback for the right-hander, who suffered an elbow injury. While Smith recovers, Junichi Tazawa will be the best option for John Farrell in the seventh inning.

Updated hierarchy: Kimbrel | Uehara | Tazawa.

Minnesota Twins — Trevor May will begin the season in the bullpen, according to manager Paul Molitor. May was solid in relief last season and will likely return to his role in the seventh inning.

Updated hierarchy: Perkins | Jepsen | May.

Texas Rangers — Sam Dyson was terrific for the Rangers down the stretch last year to help Texas reach the postseason. He’ll be a potential candidate for saves and will almost certainly be called upon in the 8th inning in what is shaping up to be a solid bullpen in Arlington.

Updated hierarchy: Tolleson | Dyson | Kela.

Andrew Bailey turning heads in Phillies camp

March 18, 2016

Philadelphia Phillies – Andrew Bailey has now pitched four scoreless spring innings, allowing just one hit and striking out five. With David Hernandez battling a sore triceps, Bailey may have emerged as the early favorite to close for Philadelphia. Among other possible candidates, Edward Mujica is also having a good spring and may make the team, but hasn’t generated much discussion for the closer spot. Ernesto Frieri, meanwhile, isn’t pitching well.

Updated hierarchy: *Hernandez | Bailey | Mujica.
* = closer-by-committee

Milwaukee Brewers – Will Smith and Jeremy Jeffress may share the closer role to open the season, but right now, Smith has the better chance of taking the job and running with it. He’s been great so far this spring, and Jeffress, recovering from an injury, hasn’t pitched much.

Hierarchy remains: *Smith | Jeffress | Knebel.
* = closer-by-committee

Atlanta Braves – Jason Grilli made his spring debut yesterday, but the Braves still haven’t committed to him — or anyone else — as closer just yet. Grilli, Arodys Vizcaino, and Jim Johnson are still being considered.

Hierarchy remains: *Grilli | Vizcaino | Johnson.
* = closer-by-committee

Toronto Blue Jays – Drew Storen and Roberto Osuna are both looking pretty good so far this spring, which hasn’t helped the Blue Jays make any decisions about their closer role. Storen remains the early favorite, though.

Hierarchy remains: Storen | Osuna | Cecil.

Sean Doolittle activated and could see save chances immediately

August 22, 2015

Oakland A’s – Sean Doolittle has been activated from the disabled list. None of the Oakland beat writers have reported on his usage, as they haven’t been able to talk to Bob Melvin yet, so this is purely a hunch. However, we think he’s the best bet to close for the rest of the year and we’re immediately moving him to the top of Oakland’s committee. Drew Pomeranz has been the best reliever in the bullpen, but the A’s have continually used him for multiple-inning outings, which is a role he seems more suited for as a former starter (and a role that Doolittle has never filled), and we think that’s where he’s headed as soon as Doolittle gets his feet under him. For what it’s worth, Doolittle allowed only three baserunners in 6 innings while logging 13 strikeouts in the heavy-hitting Pacific Coast League during his rehab.

Updated hierarchy: *Doolittle | Pomeranz | Mujica.
* = closer-by-committee.

Drew Pomeranz seems fine after forearm scare

August 18, 2015

Oakland A’s – A few days after complaining about the dreaded forearm tightness, A’s left-hander Drew Pomeranz was back in the mix last night, working a scoreless 6th inning with two strikeouts. We will keep an eye out for any injury news, but for the time being Pomeranz will bump Fernando Abad out of the hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: *Mujica | Rodriguez | Pomeranz.
* = closer-by-committee.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Brian Duensing/Ryan O’Rourke, Minnesota Twins – The Twin’s bullpen is absolutely gassed. Glen Perkins, Kevin Jepsen, and Casey Fien have all pitched in three straight. How Paul Molitor uses his bullpen tonight is anyone’s guess.
2. Sam Dyson/Jake Diekman, Texas Rangers – Shawn Tolleson has pitched on four of the last five days.

Sean Doolittle is almost back to save Oakland’s bullpen

August 15, 2015

Oakland A’s — Edward Mujica pitched the seventh and eighth innings with Oakland down two runs, and after the A’s tied the score, Fernando Rodriguez pitched the ninth. As the game stretched on, Drew Pomeranz worked the eleventh and twelfth, then suffered an apparent elbow injury in the thirteenth. The good news is that Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect eighth for Nashville on a rehab assignment; until he gets back, we’ll move the streaking Fernando Abad into the hierarchy, assuming that Pomeranz takes some time off. The A’s are one intradivisional trade away from the world’s first all-Fernando hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: *Mujica | Rodriguez | Abad.

Detroit Tigers — Bruce Rondon has moved ahead of Alex Wilson in the Detroit closer committee, and should see the most save opportunities going forward, as the team tries to figure out if he can be the long-term solution. Manager Brad Ausmus added that lefthander Blaine Hardy will also see use in the eighth and ninth innings, based on matchups.

Updated hierarchy: *Rondon | Wilson | Hardy.
* = closer-by-committee

Milwaukee Brewers — In between plans to launch a Fresh Prince reboot, Will Smith has kept pulling up to the mound in the seventh and eighth, nudging aside Jeremy Jeffress, who has made only one appearance since August 5.

Updated hierarchy: Rodriguez | Smith | Jeffress.

Atlanta Braves — Arodys Vizcaino is cementing his role as the Braves closer, and David Aardsma seems to be his chief lieutenant, although the relief roles officially remain fluid. Aardsma got the seventh and eighth in front of Vizcaino on Friday night.

Updated hierarchy: Vizcaino | Aardsma | McKirahan.

Minnesota Twins – A trip to the disabled list for Phil Hughes has forced Paul Molitor to move Trevor May back into the Minnesota rotation, perhaps permanently. May had been successful as a reliever, and with Blaine Boyer also hitting the DL (elbow inflammation), the Twins will now be forced to rely heavily on Casey Fien and Kevin Jepsen to set up Glen Perkins.

Updated hierarchy: Perkins | Jepsen | Fien.

Los Angeles Dodgers — After two months, the Dodgers activated Chris Hatcher from the disabled list, only to see Juan Nicasio take his place with an abdominal strain. Yimi Garcia, recently recalled from Triple-A, should return to a higher-leverage role.

Updated hierarchy: Jansen | Baez | Garcia.

San Francisco Giants — Frisbee champion Javier Lopez got the last out of a three-run win by retiring Bryce Harper. He didn’t get a save, but we needed an excuse to link to that GIF.

Hierarchy remains: Casilla | Romo | Strickland.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Wade Davis, Kansas City Royals — Greg Holland bounced back from his horrible Thursday outing to grab the save on Friday, but now he’s up to 45 pitches in two days.
2. Dellin Betances/Justin Wilson, New York Yankees — Justin Wilson needed 28 pitches to get Friday’s save and threw 18 on Thursday.
3. Kevin Siegrist, St. Louis Cardinals — Trevor Rosenthal has pitched in three of four (42 pitches).