Drew Pomeranz considered day-to-day with shoulder tightness

August 21, 2020

Slam Diego Padres – Manager Jayce Tingler said Drew Pomeranz is suffering from shoulder tightness and is considered day-to-day. Expect Emilio Pagan to step in for save chances in the interim. This is a situation worth monitoring closely.

Hierarchy remains: *Pomeranz | Pagan | Stammen.
* = closer-by-committee

Detroit Tigers – Joe Jimenez was roughed up Thursday, giving up four runs over one-third of an inning in a 9-0 loss. He was pitching for the first time since Sunday, so he was likely just getting some work to keep fresh. Meanwhile, Buck Farmer was activated from the IL and will return to his role of setting up Jimenez.

Updated hierarchy: Jimenez | Farmer | Soto.

New York Yankees – Zack Britton was placed on the 10-day IL with a strained left hamstring. He underwent an MRI Thursday, but the severity of the injury – and a timetable for a return – weren’t immediately known.

Updated hierarchy: Chapman | Ottavino | Green.

Los Angeles Dodgers — Pedro Baez suffered a groin strain and was moved to the 10-day IL Thursday. Expect some late-inning hold chances for Brusdar Graterol, Caleb Ferguson and Jake McGee. 

Updated hierarchy: Jansen | Treinen | Graterol.

Tampa Bay Rays – Diego Castillo entered Thursday’s game in the fifth inning and allowed a run in one-third of an inning, but he earned the win when the Rays retook the lead in the next half inning. The recent usage for Castillo followed a pattern that seems to indicate he’s not likely to get the team’s next save chance should Nick Anderson be unavailable. That opportunity might go to Chaz Roe instead, so we’ll make that swap in the hierarchy. 

Updated hierarchy: *Anderson | Roe | Castillo.
* = closer-by-committee

Buffalo Blue Jays – A.J. Cole allowed an RBI single but recorded a strikeout in the seventh inning of the second game of a Thursday’s doubleheader to earn his first save. The Blue Jays were trailing by five entering the sixth before tacking on seven runs to take the lead. Anthony Kay, who had already entered the game, stayed in to finish it but ran into some trouble after allowing a pair of two-out hits before Cole saved things. Anthony Bass did not pitch. He was suffering from some back tightness earlier this week and tossed 2.0 innings Tuesday (29 pitches), so perhaps he was getting an extra day of rest. Meanwhile, Blue Jays GM Ross Adkins said he was “extremely encouraged” with the progress injured closer Ken Giles has been making.

Hierarchy remains: *Bass | Dolis | Romano.
* = closer-by-committee

Milwaukee Brewers – Corey Knebel (9.45 ERA, 2.25 WHIP), who we removed from the Brewers’ hierarchy earlier this week, has been placed on the 10-day IL with a strained left hamstring. 

Hierarchy remains: Hader | Phelps | Williams.

Cincinnati Reds – Pedro Strop threw to live hitters on Wednesday and is scheduled to do so again Friday as he continues to recover from an injured groin. If all goes well, he should be activated soon.

Hierarchy remains: Iglesias | Jones | Garrett.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today

1. Emilio Pagan – Drew Pomeranz is day-to-day with shoulder tightness.
2. Nate Jones – Raisel Iglesias has gone in two of three, including a rough outing Thursday (3 ER, 0.1 IP) in which he threw 22 pitches. 

Tomorrow
1. Craig Stammen – If Emilio Pagan goes Friday, that will be three out of four for him. Drew Pomeranz, meanwhile, could still be held out with the aforementioned shoulder tightness. 
2. Joakim Soria – If Liam Hendriks pitches Friday, that will be his third straight day off work.
3. Blake Taylor – A Friday appearance would be three of four for Ryan Pressly.
4. James Karinchak – Same as above for Brad Hand.
5. Chaz Roe – Ditto for Nick Anderson.

Kirby Yates could be back today

August 12, 2020

San Diego Padres – The Padres had a 6-1 lead entering Tuesday’s ninth inning but still had to call upon Drew Pomeranz for the save, as the Dodgers  had the tying run on deck after cutting their deficit to 6-2. Pomeranz needed just one pitch to preserve the victory. After the game, Jayce Tingler explained why he went to Pomeranz and not Kirby Yates and said that we could see Yates, who has been experiencing soreness, today if needed.

Hierarchy remains: Yates | Pomeranz | Pagan.

Texas Rangers — We said we’d remove the asterisk next to Rafael Montero’s name after he notched one more save, which happened on Tuesday night. Edinson Volquez got the final out of the fifth inning in the win, with Joely Rodriguez striking out the side in the sixth before pitching a 1-2-3 seventh inning to pick up his third hold in his last three appearances. That’s good enough to move him past Volquez in this hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Montero | Hernandez | Rodriguez.

Cincinnati Reds – Pedro Strop landed on the 10-day IL Tuesday with a right groin strain. We immediately got a look at how the Reds will navigate the late innings in Strop’s absence, as Nate Jones faced the top of the order in the seventh inning before Amir Garrett pitched the eighth and gave up a two-run home run that tied the game.

Updated hierarchy: Iglesias | Jones | Garrett.

Washington Nationals – Tanner Rainey continued his terrific 2020 campaign on Tuesday with a perfect 1.2 innings of work to set up Daniel Hudson’s third save of the season. Rainey has allowed just one hit, a solo homer, all season.

Updated hierarchy: Hudson | Rainey | Guerra.

San Francisco Giants – After Trevor Gott kept the game tied in the ninth inning, the Giants scored in the 10th and opened the door for Tyler Rogers to earn his first career save. We’ll slide Rogers past Tony Watson in the hierarchy, especially since Watson’s last appearance was a one-pitch, one-out hold on Saturday.

Updated hierarchy: Gott | Rogers | Watson.

Colorado Rockies – The Rockies seemingly had Tuesday’s game locked up after a six-run eighth inning spotted them an 8-2 lead, but Phillip Diehl and Jairo Diaz could only muster one out apiece as Arizona cut the lead to 8-7. That set the stage for Daniel Bard to come in and strike out Stephen Vogt to strand two runners and earn his first save since June 5, 2011, when Bard was with the Red Sox. 

Hierarchy remains: *Diaz | Estevez | Bard.
* = closer-by-committee

Baltimore Orioles – In a wild game on Tuesday in Philadelphia, Travis Lakins bailed out Paul Fry by recording the final out of the 10th inning to collect his first career save. Lakins can thank Miguel Castro and Cole Sulser for the opportunity, as they combined to allow five earned runs in the final two innings.
 
Hierarchy remains: Sulser | Castro | Givens.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH/BLOWN SAVE REPORT
Today

1. Blake Taylor – Ryan Pressly struggled Tuesday in a 26-pitch blown save. He’s now thrown 44 pitches over the last two days.
2. Sergio Romo – Taylor Rogers didn’t blow a save but he did pick up the loss yesterday in his second straight day of work.
3. Adam Morgan – Hector Neris threw 30 pitches last night in a blown save.
4. Rafael Dolis/Jordan Romano – Anthony Bass tossed 31 pitches last night in a blown save.
5. Mychal Givens – Both Cole Sulser (28 pitches) and Miguel Castro (23 pitches) struggled yesterday as they each recorded a blown save.

Tomorrow
1. Miguel Castro/Mychal Givens – If Cole Sulser pitches today he should be in line for a day off on Thursday.

Rowan Wick posts second save in three days

August 4, 2020

Cincinnati Reds – Nate Jones was on the cusp of closing for several years in Chicago, and after finding a new home in Cincinnati in the offseason, he’s quickly earned the trust of David Bell, who has pitched him ahead of Raisel Iglesias in his last two outings, including in the 8th inning last night.

Updated hierarchy: Iglesias | Strop | Jones.

Chicago Cubs – After Rowan Wick cleaned up a messy 9th inning for the Cubs on Saturday, David Ross wouldn’t commit to giving Craig Kimbrel the next save chance, and yesterday, he followed through on that not-committing, again turning to Wick for the last 4 outs of the game. That doesn’t mean Wick is the new closer — afterwards, Ross cited matchups and rest, saying that “every game will be different” — but look for him to share opportunities with Kimbrel and Jeremy Jeffress going forward. We’ll monitor to see if anyone takes a clear lead.

Updated hierarchy: *Kimbrel | Wick | Jeffress.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today

1. Adam Ottavino – Zack Britton has gone back to back.
2. Sergio Romo – Taylor Rogers has gone in three of four.
3. Pedro Strop – Raisel Iglesias has gone back to back and three of four.

Tomorrow
1. Aaron Bummer – If Alex Colome goes today, it’ll be two straight.
2. Drew Pomeranz/Emilio Pagan – Kirby Yates, Pomeranz, and Pagan all pitched last night; monitor usage tonight to see who’s available tomorrow.

2020 NL Central Preview

February 26, 2020

Chicago Cubs — The Cubs, for better or worse, will get their first full season of Craig Kimbrel as closer in 2020, as Kimbrel is currently on schedule to be ready for the season opener. It will be a new-look, low-cost bullpen after Kimbrel, as the Cubs lost Pedro Strop, Brandon Kintzler and Steve Cishek to free agency, and Brandon Morrow still isn’t any nearer to a return. The Cubs signed Jeremy Jeffress to a one-year deal in hopes the former Milwaukee closer bounces back after a rough 2019. Rowan Wick, who was a closer-by-default at times last year, is back and will join Kyle Ryan as part of the Cubs’ late-inning plans. Ryan Tepera and Dan Winkler are new to Chicago and will be fighting for a spot in the bullpen as well.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Kimbrel | Wick | Jeffress.
Holds candidates: Wick, Jeffress, Ryan
.

Cincinnati Reds — Raisel Iglesias feels “more prepared” for 2020 after an up-and-down 2019 campaign in which he saved 34 games but also went 3-12 with a 4.16 ERA. Iglesias didn’t always pitch the ninth inning last year, as manager David Bell wanted to deploy his top arm in the highest-leverage situation possible, even if it came earlier in the game, and that may have had an impact on Iglesias. It remains to be seen if Bell employs that strategy again. After Iglesias, familiar faces Amir Garrett and Michael Lorenzen will continue to see time in the late innings, as will newcomer Pedro Strop, who signed a one-year deal earlier this month following seven years with the Cubs. Strop was not healthy and not particularly effective in 2019, but if he recaptures what has made him so good in the past, then the Reds will have one of the top bullpens in the division.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Iglesias | Strop | Garrett.
Holds candidates: Strop, Garrett, Lorenzen
.

Milwaukee Brewers – Josh Hader will be the most coveted reliever for fantasy owners entering 2020 and should continue to function in the same role as he did last season. After Hader, the rest of the bullpen becomes a little murkier. Brent Suter, who dazzled in the bullpen last September after his return from Tommy John surgery, avoided arbitration with the club and signed a two-year deal, but the incentives in that deal indicate he may see time as a starter. Speaking of Tommy John, Corey Knebel remains on track to return during the first half of the season, and David Phelps joined the squad on a one-year deal. Alex Claudio will be back, as will fireballer Ray Black. It remains a mystery for now as to who will supplement Hader in the late innings, but the Brewers certainly have some options.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Hader | Suter | Phelps.
Holds candidates: Suter, Phelps, Claudio, Black.

Pittsburgh Pirates – The Pirates wasted little time naming Keone Kela as closer, which wasn’t too much of a surprise. Kyle Crick, who spent most of 2019 tipping his pitches and getting into fights with sex criminals, is healthy and will likely be the eighth-inning guy for new manager Derek Shelton. Richard Rodriguez and Michael Feliz are also back and should compete for the seventh inning. One intriguing arm to watch is Edgar Santana, who missed all of last season due to Tommy John surgery. Santana showed flashes of brilliance at the end of the 2018 campaign and could pitch his way into the late innings this season.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: Kela | Crick | Rodriguez.
Holds candidates: Crick, Rodriguez, Feliz, Santana.

St. Louis Cardinals — There is plenty of uncertainty as to who will close games for the Cardinals in 2020. Jordan Hicks is out until at least the summer as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. Carlos Martinez, the Cardinals’ closer after Hicks’ injury, is trying to earn a spot in the rotation. Andrew Miller says he’s a lot better than he was last year, while Giovanny Gallegos has nasty stuff and joins Miller as a frontrunner for the ninth inning. Be sure to keep an eye on Ryan Helsley, who could either start or be a high-leverage option out of the ‘pen with his triple-digit fastball. A lot of what the Cardinals’ late-inning plans entail depends on Martinez; for now, we’ll assume he makes the rotation and expect a committee of Gallegos and Miller to start the season.

Starting 2020 hierarchy: *Gallegos | Miller | Brebbia.
* = closer-by-committee
Holds candidates: Gallegos, Miller, Brebbia, Helsley.

Edwin Diaz continues to falter; Braves turn back to Luke Jackson

August 12, 2019

Atlanta Braves – After a string of failures led by all the relievers they acquired at the deadline, the Braves went back to Ya Boy for the 9th inning on Sunday. It wasn’t pretty, as Jackson allowed three singles and didn’t strike anyone out, but despite spilling water all over himself before the outing, he got the job done, stranding the bases loaded and preserving the 1-run victory. We’ll move him back on to the hierarchy, with designs on putting him back on top if he gets and converts the next opportunity.

Updated hierarchy: *Melancon | Jackson | Greene.
* = closer-by-committee


Chicago Cubs – With pretty much every other high-profile reliever on the Cubs on the IL, Joe Maddon went to Pedro Strop for the 9th inning yesterday. Strop converted for his 10th save of the year; David Phelps and Rowan Wick were used to bridge the gap to him. We’ll adjust the hierarchy accordingly.

Updated hierarchy: *Strop | Wick | Phelps.
* = closer-by-committee


New York Mets – Sunday provided another disappointing outing from Edwin Diaz, who allowed two runs in a non-save situation. Though Diaz will continue to get high-leverage innings, we have a feeling that Seth Lugo gets the next save chance here. Lugo will probably never be a full time closer, since the Mets tend to avoid using him on back to back nights, but he should be good for some saves down the stretch.

Updated hierarchy: *Lugo | Diaz | Wilson.
* = closer-by-committee


St. Louis Cardinals – As mentioned in the Vulture Save Watch, Carlos Martinez had gone in back to back and three of four going into Sunday, so he was given the night off and Andrew Miller got the save.

Hierarchy remains: Martinez | Miller | Gant.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today

1. Zack Britton/Shawn Armstrong – The Orioles and Yankees play a doubleheader today, which can mean unorthodox bullpen usage.

Tomorrow
1. Ty Buttrey – If Hansel Robles goes tonight, it’ll be three straight.
2. Nick Wittgren – Brad Hand labored through 25 pitches yesterday; another extended outing and he’ll have Tuesday off.
3. Ryan Pressly – If Roberto Osuna goes tonight, it’ll be back to back and three of four.
4. Fernando Rodney – Same for Sean Doolittle.