April 12, 2018

Los Angeles Angels — Another save for Keynan Middleton, this one of the five-out variety. Middleton entered up four and got two more runs in the top of the ninth, but still managed to make things exciting with a walk, two singles, and a hit batsman. After 37 pitches, we don’t expect him to get a save chance tomorrow, but he’s consolidating his position at the top of the Angels committee.

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

Milwaukee Brewers — After Dan Jennings retired five batters to get the Brewers into the seventh, Craig Counsell called on Josh Hader to pitch a clean eighth, then start the ninth. Hader gave up a leadoff home run and collected his third strikeout before getting pulled in favor of Matt Albers. Albers didn’t make things easy, giving up two straight singles, but a pop-up and a strikeout followed to earn him his first save of the season. Right now, this looks like a legitimate committee; we wouldn’t bet on anyone in particular winning the job outright. Especially Kato Kaelin’s nemesis, J.J. Hoover, who was designated for assignment Wednesday.

Hierarchy remains: *Albers | Barnes | Hader.
* = closer-by-committee

Chicago White Sox — Nate Jones grabbed a save Wednesday, confirming our suspicions that this situation is still fluid. Jones had a great spring, but his truly impressive injury history — which includes Tommy John surgery, an outpatient operation on his back, and surgery to reposition the nerves in his throwing elbow — makes him a risky bet.

Hierarchy remains: *Soria | Jones | Farquhar.
* = closer-by-committee

Boston Red Sox — Yodeling aficionado turned cold-blooded enforcer Joe Kelly seems likely to face a suspension. Kelly drilled Tyler Austin in the ribs last night in retaliation for a questionable slide, sparking a benches-clearing scuffle that ended with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton guiding Kelly to the Red Sox dugout like Secret Service agents.

Hierarchy remains: Kimbrel | Kelly | Barnes.

San Francisco Giants — Bruce Bochy seems to still trust Sam Dyson, bringing him in for a tight spot in a tied game in the sixth. He gave up a go-ahead double, then came back out for the seventh and got tagged for two more, winding up with three earned runs. Cory Gearrin is pitching better than Dyson right now, but we can’t move Dyson out of the hierarchy until Bochy shows he’s noticed.

Hierarchy remains: Strickland | Watson | Dyson.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Bud Norris — The Cards may not wish to use Greg Holland back-to-back yet.

Friday:
1. Ryan Madson — If Sean Doolittle pitches on Thursday, he’ll have gone in four of five.
2. Addison Reed — Fernando Rodney has gone in two straight.
3. Jared Hughes — Raisel Iglesias pitched two innings on Wednesday. Hughes has gone in three straight and most everyone else in the bullpen pitched on Wednesday too, so Iglesias might go again on Thursday — but if he does, he’d get Friday off.