Jake Diekman picks up first career save

June 10, 2016

Texas Rangers — Jake Diekman picked up his first career save Thursday night, retiring three of the four batters he saw in the ninth inning. Rangers manager Jeff Bannister gave closer Sam Dyson a second straight day off after he had pitched in three in a row. In a grueling 30-pitch outing Tuesday, Dyson had some discomfort with a nail on his right index finger, but the injury does not seem serious.

Hierarchy remains: Dyson | Diekman | Bush.

Houston Astros — Asked Thursday morning whether Will Harris is the team’s closer, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said, “Get him in fantasy baseball and see what happens.” While we would have preferred he say, “Check with the Closer Monkey. He knows everything,” we’ll take Hinch’s comment as a public show of confidence in Harris. We’ll remove the closer-by-committee asterisk if Harris gets one more converted save opportunity.

Hierarchy remains: *Harris | Giles | Gregerson.
* = closer-by-committee

Chicago Cubs – The Cubs are by far the best team in the National League (some say they are better than the ’27 Yankees… yeah, OK), and they continued to add ammunition Thursday, inking 40-year-old reliever Joel Peralta to a minor-league deal. Peralta was let go by the Mariners after a rough start to the season (5.40 ERA, 1.33 WHIP). It’ll be a while before he has a chance at bumping his way into the Cubs’ late-inning plans, though he’s being reunited with his former manager, Joe Maddon, who trusted him for years in Tampa Bay.

Hierarchy remains: Rondon | Strop | Grimm.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Fernando Salas, Los Angeles Angels — Huston Street pitched the ninth with a three-run deficit Thursday night. While he didn’t allow any runs, he allowed two hits and a walk, throwing 30 pitches. Having got back recently from injury, he possibly could get a day of rest on Friday.
2. Jake Diekman, Texas Rangers — No reports indicate closer Sam Dyson will be unavailable for a third straight day on Friday, but fingernail issues for pitchers can linger. If he can’t go, Diekman may get another look in the ninth.

Padres ‘pen roughed up in stunning Seattle comeback win

June 3, 2016

San Diego Padres — The Mariners tagged Padres relievers for 10 runs in an amazing 16-13 comeback win after being down 12-2. Brandon Maurer was among the relievers touched up, yielding three runs without recording an out (to be fair, fellow hierarchy mate Ryan Buchter gave up four runs in 0.2 IP). It has been a really, really rough week for Maurer (9 ER in 1.1 IP since May 30), and he now sports a 7.11 ERA and 1.66 WHIP. Padres manager Andy Green said after the game that the club will “re-evaluate” Maurer’s role moving forward. As for other options for holds in San Diego, Carlos Villanueva is probably the best choice from a thin group.

Updated hierarchy: Rodney | Buchter | Villanueva.

Kansas City Royals — Joakim Soria — and not Kelvin Herrera — came out in the ninth in place of Wade Davis, who was unavailable (as the Vulture Save Watch predicted). Soria blew the save and lost the game, giving up a game-tying triple and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth. (Hey, Cleveland needs to smile about something.) It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that Soria got the ninth — Herrera was called in to face the 4-5-6 hitters in the eighth (he didn’t fully get the job done, allowing an earned run). But at the same time, it’s not like the Indians are the 1927 Yankees or the 2016 Red Sox. Soria has pitched really well of late (scoreless outings in 14 of his last 15; 1.35 ERA in May) and deserved a shot. Despite the tough performance (though some say he got jobbed thanks to bad defense), we’ll slide him up in our Royals hierarchy for now.

Updated hierarchy: Davis | Soria | Herrera.

Seattle Mariners — Struggling reliever Joel Peralta was designated for assignment by the Mariners on Thursday. The 40-year-old had a good April (3.00 ERA, .161 BAA) but has struggled mightily since then, allowing five home runs to the tune of a 10.00 ERA over his last nine innings. Keep an eye on Nick Vincent (2.25 ERA, 0.96 WHIP), or perhaps Steve Johnson, who has impressed manager Scott Servais lately.

Updated hierarchy: Cishek | Benoit | Vincent.

Milwaukee Brewers — Welcome to Earth! Will Smith made his 2016 debut, going 1.1 innings with one hit and no runs. He is expected to eventually be eased into the closer’s role, perhaps platooning with current closer Jeremy Jeffress.

Hierarchy remains: Jeffress | Smith | Thornburg.

Texas Rangers — Exiled closer Shawn Tolleson is expected back with the Rangers on Friday after taking some time off to be with his ailing father, who is battling cancer. There was no word yet as to whom he will replace on the active roster. It’s possible that these off-the-field issues may have played a part in his rough year so far (10.13 ERA, 2.00 WHIP). We send our best wishes to Tolleson and his family.

Hierarchy remains: Dyson | Diekman | Bush.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Daniel Hudson/Tyler Clippard, Arizona Diamondbacks — Closer Brad Ziegler may need the night off after pitching 2.2 innings over the last two days (17 pitches each day). Daniel Hudson has also gone two straight, while Tyler Clippard got Thursday off after two straight heavy days. Hudson or perhaps Clippard may be called upon if needed.
2. Tyler Thornburg/Will Smith, Milwaukee Brewers — Jeremy Jeffress has pitched in two straight games, but the workload was relatively light (27 pitches). He has pitched in three straight days just once this season, so if he isn’t able to go on Friday, Thornburg or Smith could get the call.
3. Joaquin Benoit, Seattle Mariners — Steve Cishek has pitched on two straight days, throwing just 20 pitches. Cishek has been used on three straight days only once this season (April 20-22).

 

Matt Bush could make a difference in the Texas bullpen

May 14, 2016

Texas Rangers — Matt Bush was the first overall pick as a shortstop in the 2004 draft, but his once-promising career was derailed by a series of alcohol-related arrests, culminating in a 39-month prison sentence for critically injuring a 72-year-old motorcyclist in a drunken hit-and-run accident. After his release, Bush was working as a baker at Golden Corral when the Rangers — very familiar with the work needed to support a recovering addict — offered him one final chance at baseball. Friday night, Bush made his major league debut, striking out reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson and hitting 99 on the radar gun. He could be relevant right away in the late innings for Texas.

Hierarchy remains: Tolleson | Dyson | Diekman.

San Francisco Giants — Santiago Casilla apologized to Bruce Bochy for his outburst Thursday night, and the closer handled it much better Friday night when a lefty was called on to face Jake Lamb. Of course, it probably helped that Josh Osich came in to start the ninth, allowing Casilla to finish things off and earn his eighth save.

Hierarchy remains: Casilla | Osich | Gearrin.

Oakland A’s — Ryan Madson has now loaded the bases in an astonishing four straight appearances, escaping each time without a run allowed. With Sean Doolittle rounding into form, a five-game streak could see Madson’s Houdini act moved to an earlier showing.

Hierarchy remains: Madson | Doolittle | Axford.

Seattle Mariners — Joel Peralta and Steve Cishek each allowed two runs for a rare 2016 Seattle blown save.

Hierarchy remains: Cishek | Peralta | Vincent.

Los Angeles Angels — After Seattle blew the save, Fernando Salas came in for the ninth and picked up a save.

Hierarchy remains: Smith | Salas | Alvarez.

Washington Nationals — Dusty Baker used lefty Felipe Rivero to start the ninth to maximize the platoon advantage, then went to Jonathan Papelbon for the last two outs and the save. Nothing to see here.

Hierarchy remains: Papelbon | Kelley | Rivero.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Cory Gearrin/Hunter Strickland, San Francisco Giants — Casilla has now pitched in three straight, as has Osich.
2. Bryan Shaw/Zach McAllister, Cleveland Indians — Cody Allen has pitched in three of four (72 pitches). So has Shaw (51 pitches), so we’re not sure which set-up guy will get the call if Allen needs a rest.

Gavin Floyd is rising in the Toronto bullpen

May 12, 2016

Toronto Blue Jays — The Blue Jays emptied their bullpen in a 13-inning game last night, and among the pitchers used was Gavin Floyd. Floyd is a converted starter who has been seeing some high-leverage use for the Blue Jays this past week. His ERA sits at a tidy 1.65, and we think his recent performance has moved him slightly ahead of Jesse Chavez. We’re also watching Joe Biagini, a 25-year-old with only one run allowed in eight appearances so far.

Updated hierarchy: Osuna | Storen | Floyd.

Seattle Mariners — The Vulture Save Watch knew that Steve Cishek would need a night off, but it turns out Joel Peralta needed one too — which left a save opportunity for Nick Vincent. He blew the tough save, but has pitched well enough that he may keep seeing high-leverage work even after Joaquin Benoit returns from the DL, which may happen as soon as next week.

Hierarchy remains: Cishek | Peralta | Vincent.

Texas Rangers — As predicted by the Vulture Save Watch, Shawn Tolleson was unavailable last night, allowing Sam Dyson to pick up his first save of the year. Tolleson, who has a 2.19 ERA since his five-run debacle in early April, should be ready for the next save opportunity.

Hierarchy remains: Tolleson | Dyson | Diekman.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Brandon Maurer, San Diego Padres — Fernando Rodney threw 33 pitches to earn saves in both games of a doubleheader on Wednesday.
2. Addison Reed, New York Mets — Jeurys Familia has pitched on four of the last five days.

Josh Osich is holding the Giants’ bullpen together

May 3, 2016

San Francisco Giants – Josh Osich has been getting the nod in the 8th inning more consistently than Hunter Strickland of late. Though he’s a lefty and his splits are rather skewed, he regularly goes an inning or more and has been consistently better than Strickland. We expect Osich to be the more likely saves candidate if Casilla were unavailable.

Updated hierarchy: Casilla | Osich | Strickland.

Seattle Mariners – Nick Vincent grabbed his fourth hold of the season last night, pitching in the seventh inning. The Mariners have not been using the flamethrower Tony Zych as much as we anticipated, and with Vincent getting holds chances with increasing frequency, we will flip them in the hierarchy for now.

Updated hierarchy: Cishek | Peralta | Vincent.

San Diego Padres – In the last week, Kevin Quackenbush has thrown only 4 in-game pitches, while Ryan Buchter has thrown 57, all in the 7th inning, lowering his ERA to 0.71 in the process. It is hard to imagine that Andy Green would not ride the hot hand going forward.

Updated hierarchy: Rodney | Maurer | Buchter.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Michael Blazek, Milwaukee Brewers – Jeremy Jeffress has gone on back to back days including a rather taxing, 28-pitch outing last night. He has yet to pitch in three straight games this year, so Blazek could get an opportunity.