Greg Holland out for 2016; Matt Albers finishing strong

October 3, 2015

Chicago White Sox – Matt Albers got the 8th inning ahead of David Robertson on Friday night, pitching a clean frame to earn his 6th hold and lower his ERA to 1.21. Nate Jones, meanwhile, hasn’t pitched in over a week.

Updated hierarchy: Robertson | Albers | Jones.

Kansas City Royals – Greg Holland underwent a successful Tommy John surgery; he will miss all of 2016. Adjust Wade Davis’s dynasty value accordingly — he’s now one of the top stoppers to own going into next season.

Hierarchy remains: Davis | Herrera | Madson.

Texas Rangers – Sam Dyson has been one of the best relievers in baseball since joining the Texas bullpen, and on Friday, he pitched his third straight game ahead of closer Shawn Tolleson. He’ll be the 8th inning man for the Rangers in the playoffs.

Updated hierarchy: Tolleson | Dyson | Kela.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Keone Kela, Texas Rangers – Shawn Tolleson and Sam Dyson have both pitched in four straight games.
2. Tyler Clippard, New York Mets – The Mets and Nats have a double header today.
3. Blake Treinen/Matt Thornton, Washington Nationals – See above.

Matt Thornton frontrunner for saves with Jonathan Papelbon suspended

September 29, 2015

Washington Nationals – Jonathan Papelbon has been suspended for for games by the Nationals — essentially the rest of the season due to the three-game MLB suspension he’s about to serve for a separate incident — after getting into a dugout altercation that involved him choking Bryce Harper. As mentioned yesterday, a committee including Blake Treinen, Felipe Rivero, Casey Janssen, and Matt Thornton. Thornton finished yesterday’s game with a 4-run lead (and was warming in a 3-run game before the Nats extended it in the 9th), so we’ll start him off at the top of the closer-by-committee.

Updated hierarchy: *Thornton | Treinen | Janssen.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Pat Neshek, Houston Astros – Luke Gregerson has pitched in three straight.
2. Sergio Romo, San Francisco Giants – Santiago Casilla has pitched in three straight.

Phillies will keep Jonathan Papelbon out of the playoffs again

September 26, 2015

Washington Nationals — Jonathan Papelbon was handed a three-game suspension for throwing at Manny Machado’s head on Wednesday night. Papelbon’s pending appeal will allow him to be on the bench — or maybe even the mound! — when his old team eliminates Washington from the playoffs, as early as Saturday. When Papelbon finally does sit out, the Nats have a vast array of mediocre options to take his spot. Matt Thornton has been seeing more LOOGYish usage lately, so we’d put him a hair behind Blake Treinen, Felipe Rivero, and Casey Janssen at this point. You’ll probably be better off avoiding the whole lot.

Updated hierarchy: Papelbon | Treinen | Rivero.

Detroit Tigers — With Bruce Rondon out of the picture, it looks like the Tigers are riding with Neftali Feliz, Proven Closer™, regardless of his 6.00+ ERA. Alex Wilson might get the next save chance to give Feliz a rest, but with the Tigers out of the playoffs, Brad Ausmus plans to go easy on him and Blaine Hardy.

Updated hierarchy: Feliz | Wilson | Hardy.

Oakland A’s — Pitching for the first time in nine days, Sean Doolittle entered in the eighth inning with a man on first. He let the first three men reach (single, single, walk), got a foul popout, then labored through the ninth for a grueling 38-pitch save. Ryan Dull got the seventh and eighth before him and (although he was touched for his first earned runs) seems to have moved ahead of Drew Pomeranz.

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

Miami Marlins — Guess we spoke too soon on that whole Carter Capps return. The simulated game went fine, but he woke up the next day with “discomfort,” and decided to shut it down for the year. If Bill James and Rob Neyer have their way, Capps’s funky delivery could be outlawed in the offseason. The Marlins are suffering without him, giving back five runs from a six-run lead in the seventh and eighth on Friday night. Bryan Morris and Mike Dunn pitched to three batters and put each one on base.

Hierarchy remains: Ramos | Dunn | Morris.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jairo Diaz, Colorado Rockies — With a three-run lead in the ninth, Walt Weiss used John Axford in his third straight game, because the most important thing is chalking up that save. If Diaz has recovered from going in three straight from Tuesday to Thursday, he might get a shot on Saturday.
2. Ryan Dull/Drew Pomeranz, Oakland A’s — Sean Doolittle threw a ton of pitches on Friday.
3. Joakim Soria, Pittsburgh Pirates — Mark Melancon has pitched in three of four (and five of seven).
4. Alex Wilson, Detroit Tigers — Neftali Feliz has pitched in three of four also.
5. Kyle Barraclough, Miami Marlins — A.J. Ramos has gone in three straight, although he’s only needed a total of 31 pitches. Mike Dunn and Bryan Morris have also pitched in three straight, poorly. Barraclough (pronounced like the pastry) got the Marlins out of Friday’s jam, and he’s looked impressive in his two months with the team.

New daddy Luke Gregerson likely back with Astros on Friday

September 18, 2015

Houston Astros — Closer Luke Gregerson will be back with the Astros on Friday after missing Wednesday and Thursday’s games due to the birth of his first child. No word as yet on whether taking only two days off makes Gregerson less of a “wuss” than Trevor Rosenthal.

Hierarchy remains: Gregerson | Neshek | Harris.

Chicago Cubs — The Closer Monkey went bananas Thursday when he correctly predicted a vulture save for the Cubs, but saw Travis Wood performing the honors over Fernando Rodney. Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop had been busy recently, so Joe Maddon elected to go with Wood, who picked up his second save with a clean eighth and ninth (5 Ks). He’s probably the second in line for Maddon for similar situations in the future.

Updated hierarchy: Rondon | Strop | Wood.

Baltimore Orioles — Manager Buck Showalter gave closer Zach Britton another day off after a recent heavy workload, so Darren O’Day was able to corral his third save of the season Thursday. O’Day, whom Showalter called the “leader of that bullpen” and “good people,” has been outstanding this year (1.54 ERA, 0.98 WHIP) and may get some serious looks in free agency in the offseason.

Hierarchy remains: Britton | O’Day | Brach.

Washington Nationals — Jonathan Papelbon was unavailable for Thursday’s game due to a high fever. If Papelbon is unavailable again Friday, look for Matt Thornton, Felipe Rivero or Casey Janssen to get the save chance.

Hierarchy remains: Papelbon | Thornton | Rivero.

Chicago White Sox — Staked to a 2-1 lead in the ninth inning on Thursday, closer David Robertson gave up a three-run home run of sorts to Billy Butler (I bet Avisail Garcia wishes he had that one back) for his seventh blown save. Robertson has allowed seven runs (five earned) in the last four days, and could need a night off to clear his head.

Hierarchy remains: Robertson | Jones | Duke.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Pat Neshek, Houston Astros — There’s a chance new father Luke Gregerson won’t be available Friday, in which case any save opportunity would go to Neshek.
2. Matt Thornton, Washington Nationals — Jonathan Papelbon was unavailable Thursday due to a high fever. If he’s out again, Thornton could get the call for the Nationals. Felipe Rivero or Casey Janssen are candidates, too.
3. Nate Jones, Chicago White Sox — As mentioned above, David Robertson may need a night off after a rough couple of outings. If that’s the case, look for Nate Jones to get the save chance Friday night.
4. Jean Machi, Boston Red Sox — His stint with the Red Sox has been less than impressive, but he has run together a string of scoreless appearances (6 IP over 5 games) and could see another look at closer before the season comes to an end.

Drew Storen likely out for the season

September 13, 2015

Washington Nationals – The Washington Nationals have likely lost Drew Storen for the season after injuring his right thumb.  Matt Williams mentioned several options to replace Drew Storen, including Casey Janssen, Matt Thornton, Blake Treinen and Felipe Rivero.  Janssen has given up nine runs in his last six appearances and taken three loses during that time.  Blake Treinen has also struggled recently, giving up five runs in his last five appearances.  Matt Thornton has made eleven straight scoreless appearances so we will slot him into Storen’s spot for now.

Updated hierarchy: Papelbon | Thornton | Rivero.

Oakland A’s – Ryan Dull pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth inning last night.  He now has eight scoreless innings, with ten strikeouts, to begin his career and should continue to see time in the later innings for the A’s.

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

Toronto Blue Jays — The Blue Jays swept a doubleheader with the Yankees yesterday.  The first game went into extra innings and Ryan Tepera got the last three outs in the eleventh inning to protect a four run lead and pick up his first save of the season.  Brett Cecil, Aaron Sanchez,and Roberto Osuna pitched earlier in the game.  In the second game, Mark Lowe pitched a perfect ninth to record the save.

Hierarchy remains: Osuna | Sanchez | Cecil.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Joe Smith, Los Angeles Angels – Huston Street has pitched in two straight and three of four.
2. Mike Dunn, Miami Marlins – AJ Ramos has pitched in two straight and four of the last five.
3. Addison Reed, New York Mets – Jeurys Familia and Tyler Clippard have both pitched in two straight and four of the last five.