Seung Hwan Oh leaves with groin trouble again

September 29, 2016

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Boston Red Sox — Boston clinched a division title when Toronto lost to Baltimore, but Craig Kimbrel and Joe Kelly couldn’t protect a three-run lead in the ninth, allowing the Yankees to remain barely alive in the wild card race. Kimbrel really struggled, yielding a line-drive single before sprinkling three walks around a wild pitch. John Farrell retains confidence in all three of his top relievers, and Kimbrel could be used in a more unorthodox, stopper-type role in the playoffs. But with the team’s playoff fate sealed, he might get some more rest.

Hierarchy remains: Kimbrel | Uehara | Ziegler.

St. Louis Cardinals — Seung Hwan Oh left last night’s game as a precaution to avoid further injury to his balky groin. Consider him day-to-day, with Kevin Siegrist ready to fill in if needed.

Hierarchy remains: Oh | Siegrist | Bowman.

Los Angeles Angels — Just when we thought it was safe to remove Andrew Bailey’s committee asterisk, the Angels turned to J.C. Ramirez in the ninth inning. The asterisk stays, but the next chance should still go to Bailey.

Hierarchy remains: *Bailey | Ramirez | Guerra.
* = closer-by-committee

Colorado Rockies — Boone Logan got the first shot at Wednesday’s save, against a lefty-heavy lineup, but when he put two men on, Adam Ottavino was summoned for the last out.

Hierarchy remains: Ottavino | Logan | McGee.

San Diego Padres — Ryan Buchter hasn’t pitched in nine days, and although there’s been no explanation that we can find, it’s possible the rookie might be done for the season.

Updated hierarchy: Maurer | Hand | Quackenbush.

Seattle Mariners — If the Mariners miss the playoffs, it certainly won’t be Evan Scribner’s fault. After missing the first five months of the season with a strained right lat, he joined the team in the September roster expansion and has been fantastic — 12.1 scoreless IP over 10 games, with 14 Ks and only eight baserunners. Wednesday afternoon, Scribner escaped a Nick Vincent jam on his way to two more scoreless innings. He can’t crack the hierarchy, but he deserves a little love.

Hierarchy remains: Diaz | Cishek | Vincent.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Hector Rondon, Chicago Cubs — Aroldis Chapman has gone in three of four, and the Cubs are home free.
2. Jason Grilli, Toronto Blue Jays — Roberto Osuna blew a save yesterday, his fourth day of work in the last five.
3. Kelvin Herrera, Kansas City Royals — It’s been four of five for Wade Davis as well.
4. Kevin Siegrist, St. Louis Cardinals — See above.
5. Koji Uehara/Brad Ziegler, Boston Red Sox — Kimbrel struggled through 28 pitches Wednesday night.

2016 AL West preview

February 29, 2016

Houston Astros — Ken Giles finally became the closer in Philadelphia after the Jonathan Papelbon trade, and he excelled, collecting 15 saves and striking out 87 hitters in 70 innings. Now the 25-year-old should get the chance at his first full season as a closer — although Luke Gregerson isn’t too pleased about losing his job. Gregerson hasn’t thrown off a mound yet this spring due to a sore oblique. Pat Neshek could grab some vulture saves during the season.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Giles | Gregerson | Neshek.
Holds candidates: Gregerson, Neshek, Tony Sipp.

Los Angeles Angels — The consistent Huston Street returns as Angels closer after another 40-save season. The 32-year-old didn’t have his strongest season in 2015, as his ERA, WHIP, and BAA all rose above career averages, while his K/9 number dropped. Behind Street is Joe Smith, who will be entering his third year in LA and the final year of his contract. Also entering his third year with the team is Fernando Salas, who’s coming off an up-and-down campaign.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Street | Smith | Salas.
Holds candidates: Smith, Salas, Mike Morin, Al Alburquerque.

Oakland A’s — Sean Doolittle, who missed the majority of last season with a shoulder injury, will begin 2016 as the A’s closer. He flashed some promising signs at the end of 2015, collecting four saves over his final six appearances. Oakland also signed two veteran relievers to add some depth behind Doolittle — Ryan Madson and John Axford. Watch out for Australian flame-thrower Liam Hendriks, who found success in Toronto as a relief pitcher after years as a mediocre starter.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Doolittle | Madson | Axford.
Holds candidates: Madson, Axford, Marc Rzepczynski.

Seattle Mariners — The Mariners traded away Carson Smith and Tom Wilhelmsen in the offseason, leaving an already fragile bullpen in shambles. Steve Cishek will close for now; he has closing experience, but struggled in Miami last year and lost his job quickly. 38-year-old Joaquin Benoit will back up Cishek; he comes off a strong season setting up Craig Kimbrel in San Diego. Keep an eye on September call-up Tony Zych, whom the Mariners received from the Cubs for only $1 last year. Zych, 25, has a fastball that can touch 99 and a wicked slider. His star will rise if he can calm his control issues.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Cishek | Benoit | Zych.
Holds candidates: Benoit, Charlie Furbush, Evan Scribner.

Texas Rangers — Shawn Tolleson returns to the fold after a very solid 2015 season, which included 35 saves and 3 scoreless innings in the ALDS. Tolleson is followed closely by Keone Kela, who turns 23 in April and will likely close in Texas one day. For now, he’s a filthy setup man in a strong bullpen. In the offseason, the Rangers picked up former closer Tom Wilhelmsen, who has had tremendous success against division rivals, including the Angels (Mike Trout is 1-12, Albert Pujols is 3-16) and Astros (Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, Evan Gattis and George Springer are a combined 1-21).

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Tolleson | Kela | Wilhelmsen.
Holds candidates: Kela, Wilhelmsen, Sam Dyson.

 

Bruce Rondon throws first major-league pitch in two years; two closers make returns

June 26, 2015

Detroit Tigers – Bruce Rondon is back, and the timing couldn’t be any better for the Tigers. Rondon struck out the only two batters he faced to close the sixth inning. Bullpen mate Joba Chamberlain was not nearly as impressive, coughing up three runs to put the game out of reach. Chamberlain is still in the late-innings conversation, but it’s probably time for Rondon to enter it, too, as manager Brad Ausmus said he will not hesitate to use Rondon in high-leverage situations. Apologies to Al Alburquerque, of course.

Updated hierarchy: Soria | Chamberlain | Rondon.

Oakland Athletics — Tyler Clippard did his job, recording the save, but it’s who pitched ahead of him that caught our eye. In the seventh inning, we saw Drew Pomeranz, and in the eighth, we saw Edward Mujica, who returned from the DL last week and may start getting more looks in the late innings. Mujica closed for the Cardinals a couple years ago, and started this year as the Red Sox closer while Koji Uehara was hurt. Don’t forget that Clippard has been prominently mentioned in some trade rumors recently, and that Evan Scribner has recorded as many home runs allowed as he has strikeouts (three) over his last eight appearances (5.2 IP). Add it all up, and Mujica belongs in the hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Clippard | Mujica | Pomeranz.

New York Mets — Pitching for the first time in almost a full week, closer Jeurys Familia nailed down the save with a clean ninth inning. Familia had been battling groin tightness, but it appears his groin has loosened up a bit.

Hierarchy remains: Familia | Parnell | Robles.

Cincinnati Reds — Closer Aroldis Chapman returned from paternity leave on Thursday, and threw a scoreless 11th inning in a 5-4 extra-innings win.

Hierarchy remains: Chapman | Hoover | Parra.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Zach Duke/Jake Petricka, Chicago White Sox
— David Robertson allowed two runs and threw 31 pitches Thursday night, so he could need a breather on Friday night.
2. Steve Delabar, Toronto Blue Jays — In a very unsettled bullpen situation, manager John Gibbons could turn to Delabar or Robert Osuna on any given night.
3. Pedro Strop/Jason Motte, Chicago Cubs — As long as Joe Maddon is in charge and Rafael Soriano is in the minor leagues, expect the committee to reign supreme in Chicago.
4. Jake McGee/Kevin Jepsen, Tampa Bay Rays — Death, taxes and the Tampa Bay Rays employing a closer committee.

Tyler Clippard blows a save; Keone Kela ascends

April 27, 2015

Oakland A’s — Oakland’s bullpen has been struggling lately, turning Evan Scribner into an eighth-inning fixture, and leading Bob Melvin to give Ryan Cook the seventh-inning role in his season debut. Cook pitched well, but Tyler Clippard blew the save. Clippard has enough good will built up, though, that he’s not on the Hot Seat yet. Sean Doolittle is throwing from flat ground, but he still isn’t expected back until June.

Updated hierarchy: Clippard | Scribner | Cook.

Texas Rangers — While Tanner Scheppers sorts things out in the earlier innings, Keone Kela will be counted on in higher-leverage spots. He pitched a scoreless ninth in a tie game on Sunday. Kela’s performance has been a source of inspiration at a difficult time for the scout who signed him.

Updated hierarchy: Feliz | Tolleson | Kela.

New York Yankees — David Carpenter has been absent from close games lately; maybe he’s not tall enough for Joe Girardi’s liking. In a bullpen full of literal giants, 6-foot-8 Chris Martin stands as tall as any — and the five straight outs he recorded during last night’s two-run win over NY (NL) gets him into a hierarchy that’s now only an inch short of 20 feet tall.

Updated hierarchy: Miller | Betances | Martin.

Chicago White Sox — After making some mechanical adjustments recently, Jake Petricka was used in a tight seventh, and should continue to get important innings for the Sox.

Updated hierarchy: Robertson | Duke | Petricka.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Keone Kela/Roman Mendez, Texas Rangers — Neftali Feliz threw 38 pitches on Sunday and Shawn Tolleson was heavily used as well. Kela and Mendez are next in line.
2. Zach Duke, Chicago White Sox — David Robertson picked up a win and a save on Sunday, and needed 37 total pitches to do it. If he can’t go on Monday, Duke should get the nod.
3. Roberto Osuna/Brett Cecil, Toronto Blue Jays — The Jays’ relievers are being used situationally.