Mark Melancon about to return for the Giants, but will his elbow hold up?

August 12, 2017

San Francisco Giants – Mark Melancon should be activated from the DL on Saturday, but Bruce Bochy doesn’t sound terribly confident in his abilities yet, calling him merely “pitchable.” Although Bochy stresses that Melancon will close again soon, for now the $62 million man will start in lower-leverage roles. We want to be sure his elbow is up to snuff before we tell you Sam Dyson is out of a job.

Updated hierarchy: Dyson | Strickland | Melancon.

Los Angeles Angels — The committee is in full effect for the Angels. Friday night, it was Keynan Middleton who faced the heart of the Mariner lineup in a tied eighth, and Yusmeiro Petit who closed the game. Petit has put up impressive numbers in a middle-inning role, but with Cam Bedrosian, Middleton, and Blake Parker fighting for opportunities, and Andrew Bailey about to make a DL return, it will be hard for him to elbow out a niche.

Hierarchy remains: *Bedrosian | Parker | Middleton.
* = closer-by-committee

Oakland A’s — No more asterisk for Blake Treinen, who has established himself above Santiago Casilla over the last two weeks.

Updated hierarchy: Treinen | Casilla | Dull.

St. Louis Cardinals — The Vulture Save Watch told you that the Cardinals’ bullpen was stretched thin, and that was on full display last night. Holding onto a one-run lead with two outs in the seventh, Mike Matheny turned to Zach Duke to get Freddie Freeman out. He did, then stuck around for the eighth, leaving the ninth to Matt Bowman, who converted his second save of the year. Bowman is not usually part of the late-inning mix, but Seung Hwan Oh and Trevor Rosenthal needed rest, and Duke had already been used in the highest-leverage spot.

Hierarchy remains: Rosenthal | Oh | Duke.

Cincinnati Reds — Rookie lefthander Wandy Peralta has held batters to a .210 average and is seeing high-leverage use for the Reds.

Updated hierarchy: Iglesias | Lorenzen | Peralta.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Luis Garcia — Three out of four and five out of seven for Hector Neris.
2. Jose Leclerc — Alex Claudio threw 35 pitches last night and has gone in two of three.
3. Michael Lorenzen/Drew Storen — Raisel Iglesias threw 41 pitches in a two-inning save, his second straight day of work. Lorenzen has gone in two of three and three of five, and Wandy Peralta three in a row, so maybe the Reds would reach to Storen in a save opp today.
4. Jake Petricka/Juan Minaya — Tyler Clippard has pitched in three of four.
5. Phil Maton — Brad Hand has gone in three of four, and Kirby Yates is out on leave.

Sunday:
1. Juan Nicasio — Felipe Rivero has pitched in two straight, three of four, and four of six.
2. Nick Vincent — If Edwin Diaz pitches Saturday, that will be four of five.