Chris Martin out with a cramped forearm

May 3, 2018

Texas Rangers — When you try your best, but you don’t succeed, well, you’re probably the Rangers, and you’re placing Chris Martin on the disabled list with forearm irritation. It’s unclear whether the treatment plan will involve bone ignition or just a humble jade gemstone, but we’re fully confident that they will try . . . to fix him. Jake Diekman (hit by a 112 mph line drive on Tuesday), Jose Leclerc, and Kevin Jepsen should get more play in Martin’s absence.

Updated hierarchy: Kela | Claudio | Diekman.

St. Louis Cardinals — Bud Norris is hanging onto the closer’s role for now, picking up his sixth save on Wednesday. Maybe it shouldn’t be that big a surprise: St. Louis has a long history of preferring Bud to the products of Holland.

Hierarchy remains: *Norris | Holland | Hicks.
* = closer-by-committee

Milwaukee Brewers — Jeremy Jeffress isn’t nearly as dominant as Josh Hader, but he’s suddenly piling up multi-inning saves like the lefty. The Brewers bullpen has been phenomenal even without Corey Knebel, ranking #1 in MLB in ERA after the seventh inning.

Hierarchy remains: *Hader | Jeffress | Albers.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Santiago Casilla — After not pitching for nine days, Blake Treinen threw 37 pitches last night.
2. Joe Kelly — Craig Kimbrel has gone in three of four, and Kelly had a successful return on Wednesday.
3. Warwick Saupold — Who? Check this out: Shane Greene has pitched in three straight and four of five. Joe Jimenez has gone in two straight, four of five, and six of eight! Alex Wilson has pitched in three of four, as has Daniel Stumpf. The Tigers’ bullpen needs a vacation, and we hear Warwick is lovely this time of year. Plus the Aussie pitcher is pretty well-rested and has a weird vulture save already.
4. Juan Nicasio/Nick Vincent — Nicasio and Edwin Diaz have each pitched in three of four.

Friday:
1. Addison Reed — Fernando Rodney has gone in two straight.
2. Josh Fields — So has Kenley Jansen.

Mark Melancon hits the DL; Keone Kela will start off as closer in Texas

March 29, 2018

San Francisco Giants – It’s official: Mark Melancon will start the season on the DL. No word yet on who will close, though Sam Dyson, Tony Watson, and Hunter Strickland are all in the mix.

[UPDATE: Bruce Bochy announced that Hunter Strickland will serve as closer for now.]

Updated hierarchy: Strickland | Watson | Dyson.

Texas Rangers – Keone Kela will be the Rangers’ primary closer, Jeff Banister announced. In a bit of a surprise, Banister mentioned Kevin Jepsen as the player who will spell Kela when he needs a break. Alex Claudio could ascend if they falter.

Updated hierarchy: Kela | Jepsen | Claudio. 

The Nationals’ bullpen is still bad

June 30, 2017

Washington Nationals – As predicted in yesterday’s Vulture Save Watch, Matt Albers and Enny Romero each enjoyed an off day. They had good seats to watch Blake Treinen fall behind all seven hitters he faced in the ninth inning en route to blowing a two-run lead. While the Nats are probably still a couple weeks out from going after some legitimate help, they did continue to rummage through MLB’s version of Building 19 and signed Kevin Jepsen to a minor league deal. Because you can never have too many mediocre former closers in the system.

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

Los Angeles Dodgers – Brandon Morrow has gone back and forth between the minors and the big leagues, but since first arriving in Los Angeles in late May, he’s quietly allowed zero runs while amassing 14 Ks and just one walk in 11.2 innings of work. That includes a pair of strikeouts on Thursday to help the Dodgers escape an eighth-inning, bases-loaded jam with their four-run lead in tact. Don’t be surprised if Morrow begins to see some more high-leverage work.

Updated hierarchy: Jansen | Baez | Morrow.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Andrew Miller/Boone Logan — This would be a long shot. Cody Allen should be available after he got a much-needed day off on Thursday after pitching in three straight and four of five. However, if Cleveland has a comfortable three-run lead in the ninth, Terry Francona may opt to rest Allen again. He may also give some time off to Andrew Miller (two straight) and Bryan Shaw (three of four) if at all possible.

Saturday:
1. Pedro Baez — Kenley Jansen needed just 11 pitches for a four-out save on Thursday, but a lengthy outing on Friday may lead to an off day on Saturday.
2. Darren O’Day — If Brad Brach pitches on Friday that will be his third appearance in four days.
3. Juan Nicasio/Daniel Hudson — Same for Felipe Rivero, though unlike Brach, Rivero rested Thursday.

Pirates, Nationals, and Braves deep in trade deadline drama

July 30, 2016

Pittsburgh Pirates — The Pirates are fielding offers from the Nationals, Indians, and Giants for closer Mark Melancon. Although Pittsburgh is in the playoff hunt and Melancon has been one of the most effective closers in the game, the team may be looking to improve other areas of its roster while trusting some combination of Neftali Feliz and Tony Watson in the ninth. Watson, a lefty, has owned the eighth most of the year, while Feliz has 98 career saves and better peripherals, including a 10.3 K/9 ratio. We still give Feliz a slight edge, but both could be excellent speculative adds; the Pirates are a good team that plays a lot of close games.

Hierarchy remains: Melancon | Feliz | Watson.

Washington Nationals — After the Nationals’ bullpen was rescued in the eighth by a triple play, Felipe Rivero headed out for the save situation. Jonathan Papelbon was unavailable after pitching in four of the last six games. Rivero got the first two outs before giving up a single and being pulled for Shawn Kelley, who secured the vulture save. Although GM Mike Rizzo gave Papelbon a vote of confidence after the game, Dusty Baker suggested that the righthander would be examined after the game and could be headed to the DL. Whether it’s an injury, trade, or straight-up demotion, either way Papelbon is sitting on a burning hot seat.

Hierarchy remains: Papelbon | Kelley | Rivero.

Atlanta Braves — Jim Johnson picked up his fifth save of the year by successfully protecting a one-run lead last night. With Atlanta in selling mode, however, teams like the Mets are inquiring about Johnson, and the Braves could be close to moving him. If he gets traded, it seems that Mauricio Cabrera — who pitched another clean eighth for his third straight hold — would get the first crack at saves.

Hierarchy remains: Johnson | Cabrera | Withrow.

Tampa Bay Rays — Former All-Star closer Brad Boxberger was activated from the disabled list on Friday. Although he’s unlikely to unseat Alex Colome, he should immediately enter the late-inning conversation, just ahead of Kevin Jepsen and Erasmo Ramirez.

Updated hierarchy: Colome | Cedeno | Boxberger.

Texas Rangers — Three holds over the last week entitles Keone Kela to return to the Rangers hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Dyson | Diekman | Kela.

San Diego Padres — The Padres acquired Carter Capps in a seven-player deal with Miami. Capps is out for the year after Tommy John surgery, but is a strong candidate to close in San Diego next season.

Hierarchy remains: Maurer | Buchter | Hand. 

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Chris Withrow, Atlanta Braves — Both Jim Johnson and Mauricio Cabrera have pitched in three of four games.

Wade Davis and Kevin Siegrist return; Arodys Vizcaino down with injury

July 16, 2016

Atlanta Braves — In an attempt to shake off nine days of rust, Brian Snitker called on Arodys Vizcaino in the ninth with the Braves down five. The move backfired terribly when Vizcaino exited after three pitches with what appeared to be a right oblique injury. After the game, Snitker announced that Vizcaino had injured a side muscle and was expected to hit the DL. Although 22-year-old Mauricio Cabrera has the “future closer” tag and a 100+ MPH fastball, Jim Johnson has closing experience and should have the edge for save chances over the short term. Johnson got the last save opportunity on July 10, and the Braves may want to boost his trade value. Vizcaino’s absence will allow more room in the late innings for lefthanded strikeout machine Dario Alvarez (23 K, 10.2 IP).

Updated hierarchy:  Johnson | Cabrera | Alvarez.

Kansas City Royals — Closer Wade Davis should be activated from the DL on Saturday morning. One of the best relievers in the game, Davis will likely resume closing immediately, bumping Kelvin Herrera and Joakim Soria back in line. For all the speculation about Davis’s replacement, the Royals managed to record just one save in his absence.

Updated hierarchy: Davis | Herrera | Soria.

Texas Rangers — While it isn’t quite as embarrassing as injuring yourself taking off your shoes, Jake Diekman found his way to the DL after cutting himself on a broken souvenir Cheers mug. Texas immediately inquired about aging Boston prospect Sam “Mayday” Malone, but the deal fell through when Malone failed a physical. It wasn’t all bad news for Texas, which also got Keone Kela back from the 60-day DL. Jeff Bannister said that he will use Kela in the late innings immediately, and that Matt Bush will be used in big spots against left-handed hitters. We give Bush the edge, as Kela hasn’t pitched since April.

Updated hierarchy: Dyson | Bush | Kela.

Colorado Rockies — Adam Ottavino maintained a pristine 0.00 ERA in his third appearance since returning from Tommy John surgery. Walt Weiss has said that Ottavino is a “big league closer,” and that he will try to get Ottavino back into that role, so if you’re looking for a speculative add, you could do a lot worse. He seems to have moved ahead of Jake McGee, but still has some work to do in order to pass Carlos Estevez.

Updated hierarchy: Estevez | Ottavino | McGee.

Boston Red Sox — Craig Kimbrel had a successful knee surgery over the All-Star break, but he was joined officially on the DL by Junichi Tazawa (right shoulder impingement). Koji Uehara continued his perfect run as the leader of the patchwork Boston bullpen, pitching a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his fifth save. Kimbrel is expected to miss 3-6 weeks, while Tazawa will be eligible to return as early as July 19.

Hierarchy remains: Uehara | Ziegler | Barnes.

St. Louis Cardinals — Kevin Siegrist was activated from the DL (mono) and pitched an inning in a Cardinals loss on Friday. When healthy, Siegrist was one of the Cardinals most trusted relievers, so he immediately jumps back into the hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Oh | Siegrist | Broxton.

Cincinnati Reds — Tony Cingrani came in to protect a two-run lead, but gave up a walk and a pair of singles, prompting Bryan Price to get Ross Ohlendorf warming. After a sacrifice bunt, another walk, and a foul out, Cingrani was lifted for Ohlendorf, who picked up the one-out save. Cingrani has been very good since taking the lead in the Cincinnati committee, but the Reds bullpen is still volatile, so don’t be surprised to see Ohlendorf snagging a few saves here and there.

Hierarchy remains: Cingrani | Ohlendorf | Iglesias.

Tampa Bay Rays — Kevin Jepsen, released by the Twins, was picked up by the Rays this week and immediately pitched the ninth with the team down a run. While Jepsen will have to improve on his woeful Minnesota numbers to stick around, he is returning to a team where he saved five games last season — and Kevin Cash has been known to use his best reliever in the highest-leverage moments, not just the ninth inning. If Jepsen can return to the form he showed in 2015, he could climb into the hierarchy, but we’ll wait and see how he gets used before making that move.

Hierarchy remains: Colome | Cedeno | Ramirez.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Kelvin Herrera, Kansas City Royals — If Wade Davis needs a game to get his legs back under him, this may be Herrera’s last shot at a clean save opportunity.
2. Ross Ohlendorf, Cincinnati Reds — Tony Cingrani struggled throwing 27 pitches yesterday. Ohlendorf only needed two to pick up the save, and may be called upon again today.