Bud Norris is restoring order to the Angels’ bullpen

July 6, 2017

Los Angeles Angels — Miracle of miracles, the Angels actually had a low-drama save, courtesy of Bud Norris. One more and we jettison the asterisk. Meanwhile, Huston Street’s twingy groin will put him back on the disabled list until the season restarts on July 14.

Hierarchy remains: *Norris | Hernandez | Bedrosian.
* = closer-by-committee

Texas Rangers — Jeff Banister confirmed that Texas will be using a three-man committee to close: Jose Leclerc, Alex Claudio, and Matt Bush. Ernesto Frieri was recently designated for assignment to make room for Jeremy Jeffress.

Hierarchy remains: *Leclerc | Claudio | Bush.
* = closer-by-committee

Atlanta Braves — Arodys Vizcaino strained the index finger on his throwing hand and will require a stint on the DL. The Braves don’t expect the injury to be serious, but it’s at least a slight blow to his status as a second-half save sleeper. Sam Freeman, one of three lefties in the Atlanta bullpen, should see more work in the late innings through the All-Star break. Jason Motte and Rex Brothers are also hanging around for the Braves.

Updated hierarchy: Johnson | Ramirez | Freeman.

New York Yankees — Dellin Betances’s ERA has octupled in the past two weeks, which will happen when you’re walking guys at a rate of 23 per nine innings. Wednesday’s debacle saw him walk the bases loaded against Toronto’s 7-8-9 hitters, strike out Jose Bautista, get squeezed on a 2-2 curve, and then walk in the eventual winning run. Repeated collapses from the Yankees’ bullpen have been a huge factor in their wretched 6-16 stretch.

Hierarchy remains: Chapman | Betances | Green.

Baltimore Orioles — Zach Britton got a low-leverage seventh to help him shake off some rust.

Hierarchy remains: Britton | Brach | O’Day.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. David Phelps — The top three for Miami have all pitched in three out of four, but Phelps needed only five pitches on Wednesday.
2. Brad Brach — Zach Britton may not be ready to go back-to-back yet.

Friday:
1. Juan Nicasio — Felipe Rivero has pitched in two straight games; so has Nicasio, but he’s thrown fewer pitches.
2. Ryan Tepera — Roberto Osuna has gone in two straight.
3. Trevor Rosenthal — So has Seung Hwan Oh.
4. Pedro Baez — And Kenley Jansen.
5. Jake McGee — If Greg Holland pitches Thursday, it will be his third game in four days.
6. Taylor Rogers — The same is true of Brandon Kintzler.

Keone Kela placed on the DL

July 4, 2017

Texas Rangers — Keone Kela went on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to Friday with a sore shoulder. The good news for the Rangers is he won’t necessarily miss a ton of action due to the All-Star break. In the meantime, Jose Leclerc should take charge of the committee, with Alex Claudio, Matt Bush and Ernesto Frieri all right behind him.

Updated hierarchy: *Leclerc | Claudio | Bush.
* = closer-by-committee

Kansas City Royals – As predicted in yesterday’s Vulture Save Watch, Joakim Soria got the call for the Royals in the ninth and converted his first save of the season.

Hierarchy remains: Herrera | Soria | Minor.

Washington Nationals – Another game, another blown save. Sammy Solis started the ninth with two lefties due up to begin the inning, but sure enough when he was removed in favor of Matt Albers, the Mets pinch hit left-handed Curtis Granderson against Albers and Granderson hit a game-tying two-run homer. After the game, which the Nationals won in their half of the ninth, Dusty Baker said that they’re going to get the bullpen fixed. So they have that going for them. Which is nice.

Hierarchy remains: *Albers | Romero | Treinen.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Tommy Kahnle — David Robertson is still on paternity leave and will also be unavailable Wednesday.
2. Alex Claudio — Jose Leclerc has pitched in back-to-back games and three of the last four.

Wednesday:
1. Tommy Kahnle — See above.
2. Taylor Rogers — If Brandon Kintzler pitches today that will be two straight and three of four.
3. Dellin Betances/Tyler Clippard — Same for Aroldis Chapman. If Betances also goes on Tuesday, Clippard may get the ball on Wednesday.
4. Alex Claudio — Should Leclerc make a third straight appearance today, Claudio will almost certainly get the call on Wednesday unless the Texas committee goes in a different direction.
5. Enny Romero — Matt Albers will have pitched in three straight games if he appears on Tuesday.

Matt Bush could be out of a job very, very soon

July 1, 2017

Texas Rangers — Matt Bush blew his third save in the last five chances, the league-leading 16th blown save for Texas this season. After the game, the normally taciturn Jeff Banister kept repeating, “We’ve got to find a way to close baseball games out.” Complicating that search immensely is Keone Kela’s struggle with shoulder soreness. If Kela were healthy, he’d probably have the job already, but now Bush may get one more chance to right the ship. If there’s a committee in the Rangers’ future, it will probably include Kela, Jose Leclerc, Alex Claudio, and maybe even Ernesto Frieri.

Hierarchy remains: Bush | Kela | Leclerc. 

Los Angeles Angels — Bud Norris returns from the disabled list today to a closer situation that lacked any clarity in his absence. Given Norris’s success in the job this season, we expect him to take over immediately. He’ll keep the committee asterisk for a little while though. Behind him, anything can happen among (*deep breath*) David Hernandez, Cam Bedrosian, Huston Street, Blake Parker, Keynan Middleton, and Yusmeiro Petit.

Updated hierarchy: *Norris | Hernandez | Bedrosian.
* = closer-by-committee

Baltimore Orioles — Zach Britton threw a scoreless inning in his second straight day of work on a rehab assignment. He’ll pitch at AAA on Monday and should return to the Orioles on Wednesday.

Hierarchy remains: Brach | O’Day | Givens.

New York Yankees — Bryan Mitchell, who was brought up from AAA yesterday, immediately found himself pitching the last three innings of a blowout win (outdueling Nori Aoki in the ninth). Mitchell was deployed as a starter in AAA and figures to be used in long relief as long as he remains in the Yankees bullpen.

Hierarchy remains: Chapman | Betances | Green.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Darren O’Day — Brad Brach has pitched back-to-back and three of the last four, including a blown save last night.
2. Joe Kelly — It’s been two in a row for Craig Kimbrel.

Sunday:
1. Jacob Barnes — Corey Knebel has gone in two out of three, each over 20 pitches.

Jumbo Diaz highlights Ohio’s bullpen troubles

April 30, 2015

Cincinnati Reds – Jumbo Diaz had another tough outing on Wednesday, highlighted by a Ryan Braun grand slam that put the game out of reach. Diaz didn’t blow a lead, as he entered the eighth inning with the Reds down a run, but he did run his ERA to a bloated 9.72. Tony Cingrani has been the Reds’ best pitcher ahead of Aroldis Chapman this season, and despite manager Bryan Price’s confidence in Diaz, it’s hard to ignore Cingrani’s success.

Updated hierarchy: Chapman | Cingrani | Diaz.

Cleveland Indians – Zach McAllister entered the seventh with a two-run lead and struck out three in two innings to earn his first hold of the season. The Cleveland bullpen has struggled mightily this season and it may be due to a heavy workload. If manager Terry Francona wishes to rest guys more often, pitchers like McAllister may see more hold opportunities. This may also mean that both Bryan Shaw and Nick Hagadone see time in the eighth, but time will ultimately tell.

Hierarchy remains: Allen | Shaw | Hagadone.

Tampa Bay Rays –Ernesto Frieri picked up the save in a 13-inning game after committee colleagues Kevin Jepsen and Brad Boxberger had already pitched.

Hierarchy remains: *Boxberger | Jepsen | Frieri.
* closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Danny Farquhar, Seattle Mariners — Fernando Rodney has pitched in four consecutive games.
2. Joba Chamberlain, Detroit Tigers — Joakim Soria has a save in four of the last five games and he threw 27 pitches on Wednesday.

Joe Nathan out for year; Mark Melancon picks up save despite continued low velocity

April 24, 2015

Detroit Tigers – Former closer Joe Nathan, the active leader in saves and the second-oldest player in the AL, is out for the season with a torn UCL in his pitching elbow. Nathan suffered the injury on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday morning. Although Nathan will require a second Tommy John surgery, he insists that he will return to pitch another day. Joakim Soria, with 5 saves in 5 chances this season, should be secure in the closer role from this point forward. Ian Krol, meanwhile, got sent to the minors to work on his delivery, which will likely lead to more holds opportunities for Al Alburquerque.

Updated hierarchy: Soria | Chamberlain | Alburquerque.

Colorado Rockies — John Axford, back from dealing with his son’s snake bite, earned his second save of the season on Thursday, shutting down the Padres in the 9th. After the game, regular closer Adam Ottavino said that he had asked for the day off due to “usual pitcher soreness.” All indications are that Ottavino is fine and will remain the closer moving forward, but Axford will play an important role as well. In other news, former closer LaTroy Hawkins has been placed on the DL with tendinitis in his biceps. This is Hawkins’s final season in what has been a $47 million career; his next appearance in one of our updates may be as part of a front office.

Updated hierarchy: Ottavino | Axford | Betancourt.

Los Angeles Dodgers — LA continues to have the most volatile closing situation in the league. On Thursday, after Chris Hatcher and Joel Peralta had already pitched, Pedro Baez got the chance at his first career save, but promptly coughed up the one-run lead, allowing a leadoff single and a game-tying triple. Although Baez managed to strand that runner on third, the Dodgers went on to lose 3-2 against the Giants. The Baez move, which puzzled the great Vin Scully, shows how wide-open things are now in the Dodgers’ ninth. The uncertainty should end soon, with Kenley Jansen scheduled to begin a rehab assignment next week.

Hierarchy remains: *Peralta | Hatcher | Baez.
*closer-by-committee

New York Yankees — Andrew Miller picked up his AL-leading sixth save Wednesday; Miller, who has not allowed a run, has 15 strikeouts in 7 games this season. Joe Girardi hasn’t confirmed that Miller is the full-time closer, but we’re sure enough to remove the committee asterisk. Dellin Betances, meanwhile, has overcome his early control issues and allowed only one walk in his last five appearances. He’ll be the guy should Miller falter or get hurt.

Hierarchy remains: Miller | Betances | Carpenter.

Kansas City Royals — On Saturday, injured closer Greg Holland will be evaluated by team doctors, who will decide when he can begin a throwing program. Holland has not thrown a baseball since feeling discomfort in his pectoral muscle, but said he “feels a lot better.” He’s eligible to return from the DL on May 3, but it will take longer if his evaluation goes poorly. Wade Davis has done a fine job filling in for Holland, and he picked up the save Thursday night after a wild night in Chicago, where a bench-clearing brawl led to five ejections.

Hierarchy remains: Davis | Herrera | Frasor.

Pittsburgh Pirates — With his velocity still down, embattled Pirates closer Mark Melancon managed to shut down the Cubs 1-2-3 in the ninth inning Thursday, finishing with a strikeout of über-prospect Addison Russell. Melancon’s cut fastball hovered in the 85-90 mph range, down from the low-to-mid-90s range he reached for most of last season. Melancon remains Pittsburgh’s primary closer, but his seat ought to be feeling very warm…

Hierarchy remains: Melancon | Watson | Hughes.

Texas Rangers — Rangers manager Jeff Bannister will use Tanner Scheppers in lower-leverage situations for the time being after some rough outings. Bannister likes the righty’s stuff, so don’t be surprised to see Scheppers return to the eighth-inning role soon.

Updated hierarchy: Feliz | Tolleson | Scheppers.

Toronto Blue Jays – Liam Hendricks was ineffective in a 7-2 game, creating a save situation for Blue Jays committee head Miguel Castro. Castro made things even more interesting by giving up a three-run homer, but escaped with a fly out and a strikeout to end it. This poor outing notwithstanding, Castro remains the most likely closer on any given day.

Hierarchy remains: *Castro | Osuna | Cecil.
*closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Roberto Osuna/Brett Cecil, Toronto Blue Jays — Castro has pitched in two straight games and leads a committee, so Osuna or Cecil could see a chance Friday.
2. Chris Hatcher/Paco Rodriguez, Los Angeles Dodgers — It’s a closer-by-committee system until Jansen returns. It could be Hatcher’s turn on Friday, or they could turn to Rodriguez, one of the few relievers who didn’t pitch for the Dodgers last night.
3. Ernesto Frieri, Tampa Bay Rays — Manager Kevin Cash has made it clear that he’ll use his best reliever, Brad Boxberger, in the most important moments of a game, sometimes earlier than the ninth inning. This is a wise move for the Rays, but a headache for fantasy owners. Kevin Jepsen has pitched in two straight, so keep an eye on Frieri.
4. Jordan Walden, St. Louis Cardinals — Trevor Rosenthal has pitched in two straight games and could be in line for a night off Friday.
5. Jonathan Broxton, Milwaukee Brewers — Save opportunities are few and far between for the bad Brewers, but closer Francisco Rodriguez has pitched in two straight games (and on three days out of four). Look for Broxton to fill in if K-Rod needs a breather.