Aaron Sanchez returns to bullpen for Blue Jays

July 26, 2015

Toronto Blue Jays — Aaron Sanchez was activated from the DL on Saturday and immediately inserted into an important spot for the Blue Jays’ bullpen.  He pitched a scoreless 8th in a tie game and ended up getting the win after the Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the 9th.  Roberto Osuna pitched a scoreless 9th for his 5th save of the season.  With Steve Delabar getting sent down, Sanchez will replace him on the Blue Jays’ hierarchy and could be an option to close games if Osuna struggles at all.

Updated hierarchy: Osuna | Schultz | Sanchez

St. Louis Cardinals — Randy Choate recorded the last two outs of a 1-0 Cardinals win on Saturday to pick up his 1st save of the season.  Seth Maness started the 9th, but the lefty-specialist Choate was brought on to face a couple of lefties to finish the game.  Kevin Siegrist recorded a 25 pitch save on Friday so he was likely unavailable yesterday, and manager Mike Matheny gave regular closer Trevor Rosenthal a second night off in a row, after he was convinced to pitch him a third consecutive day on Thursday.

Hierarchy remains: Rosenthal | Siegrist | Maness.

Seattle Mariners — We finally remove the asterisk from Carson Smith and how does he repay us?  He has his worst outing of the season.  Smith allowed two runs on two hits and two walks without recording an out and took the loss on Saturday.  Luckily for Smith, Fernando Rodney also allowed two runs on Saturday.  However, another outing like this one from Smith, and Rodney and Mark Lowe could enter the conversation for save chances moving forward.

Hierarchy remains: Smith | Rodney | Lowe.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Fernando Rodney/Mark Lowe, Seattle Mariners – Carson Smith has pitched in three straight.  Rodney could get the call on Sunday if necessary but he has pitched in two of the last three, including a 21 pitch outing where he gave up 2 runs yesterday.
2. Keone Kela/Tanner Scheppers, Texas Rangers – Shawn Tolleson has appeared in two straight and four of the last five games

Bo Schultz, Tom Wilhelmsen pick up first saves; Koji Uehara on trade block

July 24, 2015

Toronto Blue Jays — As predicted in our Vulture Save Watch, Roberto Osuna didn’t get the save opportunity on Thursday. Instead, that honor went to Bo Schultz, who got the final two outs for his first career save after R.A. Dickey tossed the first 8 1/3 innings for the win. Schultz has pitched well of late (1.75 ERA in 25.2 IP), and belongs ahead of Steve Delabar (7 ER in last 4.1 IP) in the hierarchy. After a second rehab outing Thursday at Syracuse, Aaron Sanchez will slide into second in line when he rejoins the team this weekend.

Updated hierarchy: Osuna | Schultz | Delabar.

Boston Red Sox — Losers of seven straight since the All-Star Break after Thursday’s 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Astros, the last-place Red Sox would appear to be in sell mode. The selling could start this coming week, and could even include closer Koji Uehara. The Boston Globe is reporting teams have inquired about Uehara, and the Red Sox could receive a significant haul if they’re willing to deal him. Signed to a relatively reasonable 2-year, $18 million deal that expires after 2016, Uehara, 40, has been one of the lone bright spots for Boston, with 22 saves, a 2.67 ERA and a nasty 0.89 WHIP. Junichi Tazawa would likely get the first crack at closing if Uehara is dealt.

Hierarchy remains: Uehara | Tazawa | Ogando.

Seattle Mariners — Extra-inning games tend to stretch out a bullpen, and that was the case Thursday, when all of the Mariners relievers in the late-innings hierarchy got a crack. All pitched well, with Mark Lowe tossing a scoreless eighth and ninth, Carson Smith getting all three outs in the tenth, and Fernando Rodney managing to throw a scoreless eleventh. Rodney earned the win when Tigers reliever Ian Krol gave up the go-ahead run in the top half of the twelfth, and old friend Tom Wilhelmsen pitched a clean bottom half for his first save of the year. The team’s former closer, Wilhelmsen will not factor into the team’s ninth-inning plans moving forward.

Hierarchy remains: *Smith | Rodney | Lowe.
* = closer-by-committee

Oakland A’s — Sean Doolittle, who was pitched in just one game this year, said this week he is working extremely hard to pitch again this season. “It looks like there’s a really good chance I’ll be pitching this year,” Doolittle said. We don’t envision Doolittle getting a save opportunity this year, but him getting in a few games this August or September could go a long way in helping you keeper-leaguers decide if he’s worth holding onto.

Hierarchy remains: Clippard | Mujica | Pomeranz.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Bruce Rondon, Detroit Tigers — Joakim Soria threw 30 pitches in Wednesday’s game and another 16 pitches Thursday, so he could get a breather Friday night.
2. Kevin Siegrist, St. Louis Cardinals — Closer Trevor Rosenthal has pitched in three straight games, so look for Kevin Siegrist to get the call if needed on Friday.

Andrew Miller to be activated Wednesday

July 8, 2015

New York Yankees — Andrew Miller will be activated today and immediately take over the closer role he ceded to Dellin Betances, who will slide back to the 8th inning after going 5-of-6 in save opportunities during Miller’s absence. Justin Wilson and Chasen Shreve will likely combine for a majority of the holds ahead of Miller and Betances.

Updated hierarchy: Miller | Betances | Wilson.

Cleveland Indians — Cody Allen has been suffering from a stiff back, and it kept him out of Tuesday’s game, which Bryan Shaw saved in the ninth. Manager Terry Francona said that he expects Allen to be available out of the bullpen on Wednesday.

Hierarchy remains: Allen | Shaw | McAllister.

Seattle Mariners – After a stretch of nine-straight scoreless appearances, Fernando Rodney was up to his old tricks again, allowing a solo shot in the 8th inning to blow a one-run lead. In Rodney’s defense, it was Yoenis Cespedes who crushed a 98-mph fastball over the centerfield fence. Carson Smith pitched the 9th and 10th in a tie game and struck out five of the six batters he faced. With manager Lloyd McClendon unavailable to manage the series with Detroit, bench coach Trent Jewett said that both Smith and Rodney will be used as the team’s closer. After 36 pitches from Smith on Tuesday, Rodney is all but a lock for the next chance.

Hierarchy remains: *Rodney | Smith | Lowe.
* = closer-by-committee

Toronto Blue Jays – Roberto Osuna grabbed another save on Tuesday and with Brett Cecil and Steve Delabar nowhere to be found last night in a 2-1 game, it’s safe to say the asterisk can be removed.

Hierarchy remains: Osuna | Delabar | Cecil.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jim Johnson, Atlanta Braves — Jason Grilli has pitched in three straight, and Johnson got a crucial night off on Tuesday.
2. Hector Rondon/Pedro Strop, Chicago Cubs — Jason Motte threw 21 pitches during Tuesday’s doubleheader, while Rondon and Strop only appeared in one of the two tilts.
3. Sergio Romo, San Francisco Giants — Santiago Casilla, who had a tired arm last week, has pitched in two straight. Romo struggled in his last outing, but is still the most likely to get the nod if Casilla is held out.

Fernando Rodney enjoying a nice stretch; Roberto Osuna pulling away

July 6, 2015

Seattle Mariners – Fernando Rodney put two men on in the 9th inning, but managed to earn the save. Despite our continued whining about Lloyd McClendon’s refusal to give the job to Carson Smith, Rodney has been effective lately, and Sunday was his 9th straight scoreless appearance. His ratios are still pretty bad — he’s had 6 Ks and 5 BBs during his scoreless stretch — so the wheels could fall off again at any moment. But he’s likely to continue to get chances if he continues to put up zeroes.

Hierarchy remains: *Rodney | Smith | Lowe.
* = closer-by-committee

New York Mets – Logan Verrett picked up a three-inning save in a blowout on Sunday. Verrett has been solid, but he remains a longshot for holds at this point.

Hierarchy remains: Familia | Parnell | Robles.

St. Louis Cardinals – Trevor Rosenthal had pitched in three straight, so Kevin Siegrist filled in on Sunday, earning his fourth save. The Vulture Save Watch snags another one.

Hierarchy remains: Rosenthal | Siegrist | Maness.

Toronto Blue Jays – On a day when no other Toronto reliever pitched particularly well, Roberto Osuna picked up his third save of the year. The four-out save came a day after Steve Delabar — his prime competition for the closer role — got roughed up. One more save and we might be ready to get rid of Osuna’s asterisk.

Hierarchy remains: *Osuna | Delabar | Cecil.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Tony Watson, Pittsburgh Pirates – Mark Melancon has pitched in back to back games and three of four.

J.P. Howell records save, Melancon pitching well

July 5, 2015

Los Angeles Dodgers — J.P. Howell recorded his first save since 2011 last night, as Kenley Jansen was given the night off after pitching in three of the last four days.  Pedro Baez got the last out of the 8th and stayed on to get the first two outs of the 9th, before Howell came on to strike out the only batter he faced.  If Baez had been able to pitch a cleaner 9th inning he would have gotten the save, and since Yimi Garcia was used for one out in the 8th, it looks like Baez could be the go-to righty on days when Jansen is not available.

Updated hierarchy: Jansen | Baez | Garcia.

Pittsburgh Pirates — Remember all the concern over Mark Melancon back in April when his velocity was down?  Well there isn’t any reason for concern now as Melancon recorded his 26th save yesterday, and hasn’t given up any earned runs in last 25 appearances.  Jared Hughes wasn’t needed on Saturday so instead he got to celebrate being the only active player born on the 4th of July with a day off.

Hierarchy remains: Melancon | Watson | Hughes.

Toronto Blue Jays — Steve Delabar had another rough outing on Saturday, giving up 2 runs while only recording 1 out.  Brett Cecil, on the other hand, now has five scoreless appearances since being demoted from the closer’s role.  The Blue Jays bullpen is still unsettled at this point but with Delabar struggling, Roberto Osuna could have a chance to solidify himself as the closer.

Updated hierarchy: *Osuna | Delabar | Cecil.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Justin Wilson, New York Yankees – Dellin Betances has pitched in two straight, and three of the last four.
2. Kevin Siegrist, St. Louis Cardinals – Trevor Rosenthal has appeared in three games in a row.
3. Jake McGee, Tampa Bay Rays – Brad Boxberger took the loss yesterday and has pitched in three straight.