Joe Smith hits the DL

June 8, 2016

Los Angeles Angels — Joe Smith was placed on the 15-day DL Tuesday thanks to a hamstring injury, which he tried to pitch through for three weeks. Smith hopes to be back in 12 days. Fernando Salas will slide up to Smith’s spot in the meantime, with but after that there’s no clear-cut contender for the seventh inning. Greg Mahle and Jose Alvarez are two lefties that have battled for that role, while Mike Morin, called up on Tuesday, pitched well earlier this season and was mentioned by manager Mike Scioscia as someone who will also be in the mix for the eighth. Despite mop-up duty on Tuesday, Morin gets our nod based on Scioscia’s postgame comments.

Updated hierarchy: Street | Salas | Morin.

Pittsburgh Pirates — After a horrible weekend for Tony Watson, which included a blown save, a loss and six earned runs allowed, it looks like Neftali Feliz is the trusted arm in the eighth inning for Clint Hurdle. Feliz pitched the eighth in both games of Tuesday’s doubleheader and his only blemish was a solo home run in the afternoon affair.

Updated hierarchy: Melancon | Feliz | Watson.

Minnesota Twins – Trevor May was one of just two Twins relievers to not appear in an 11-inning win on Tuesday thanks to a lower back/hip issue, though his 5.13 ERA wasn’t exactly missed. Brandon Kintzler pitched the ninth after the Twins tied the game in the eighth while Kevin Jepsen allowed a hit in the 11th and has not recorded a 1-2-3 inning since April 17. In Glen Perkins news, the injured closer claims there’s “light at the end of the tunnel” and manager Paul Molitor said that Perkins will soon get a rehab assignment.

Updated hierarchy: Jepsen | Abad | Kintzler.

New York Yankees – As the Vulture Save Watch predicted, Aroldis Chapman got a night off and Andrew Miller picked up his seventh save of the season.

Hierarchy remains: Chapman | Miller | Betances. 

Atlanta Braves — Jim Johnson got his first high-leverage work since returning from the DL and retired the side on 10 pitches to protect a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning. His ERA is still over 7.00, but at least he can say he had a better night than Arodys Vizcaino, who suffered his second blown save.

Hierarchy remains: Vizcaino | Johnson | Cervenka.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jake Diekman/Matt Bush, Texas Rangers – Sam Dyson has appeared in three straight games, including a 30-pitch outing yesterday. Diekman threw 21 pitches on Tuesday and could also get a night off.
2. Hector Neris, Philadelphia Phillies – Jeanmar Gomez recorded a six-out save on Tuesday, throwing 25 pitches.
3. Tony Watson, Pittsburgh Pirates – Both Mark Melancon (27 pitches) and Neftali Feliz (37 pitches) appeared in each game of yesterday’s doubleheader, while Watson only pitched once.
4. Cory Gearrin, San Francisco Giants – Santiago Casilla threw 25 pitches in 1.1 innings of work on Tuesday, and while he hadn’t worked since June 1, he still may get a night off.