June 6, 2018
Chicago White Sox – Joakim Soria was the last of four White Sox pitchers to take the mound in the eighth, and after he recorded the final out of the inning, he stayed on for the ninth to convert his first save since April 27. No, that’s not a typo. Joakim Soria got the save after Jace Fry and Bruce Rondon combined for one out in the eighth. Where was Nate Jones? He blew the save in game one when he allowed four runs on three hits. Soria has not allowed an earned run in each of his last seven outings, picking up two holds and a save over his last three appearances. That’s good enough to return Soria to the hierarchy and make him one of four White Sox relievers currently in the mix for high-leverage work.
Updated hierarchy: *Jones | Fry | Soria.
* = closer-by-committee
Cleveland Indians — With Cleveland clinging to a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning, Terry Francona called upon Neil Ramirez to maintain the status quo. He did just that, needing just nine pitches to pick up his second hold of the season. With Andrew Miller still on the DL, Cleveland doesn’t have too many great options to get the ball to Cody Allen, but Ramirez has now put together four straight scoreless appearances. With both Dan Otero and Tyler Olson presumably healthy and available on Tuesday, it’s telling that Francona went to Ramirez first. We’ll see if Ramirez keeps trending in the right direction.
Updated hierarchy: Allen | Otero | Ramirez.
Miami Marlins — Brad Ziegler surprisingly pitched the eighth inning of a three-run game Tuesday night. Even more surprisingly, it went well, as he needed just seven pitches to get the ball to Kyle Barraclough for the save. Adam Conley is better than Ziegler and even earned his first hold of the year during last night’s sixth inning. However, if Don Mattingly somehow trusts Ziegler in the eighth inning with a lead, then it’s more likely than not that Ziegler would get the ninth inning if both Barraclough and Drew Steckenrider were unavailable. Sorry, Adam, but the hierarchy doesn’t necessarily feature a team’s three best relievers. This is one of those times.
Updated hierarchy: Barraclough | Steckenrider | Ziegler.
Colorado Rockies – Bryan Shaw has not been good lately in place of the injured Adam Ottavino. In his last eight appearances, Shaw owns a 16.71 ERA. That includes Tuesday’s disastrous ninth inning in which he allowed three runs on five hits before Wade Davis bailed him out to clinch a 9-6 win. Shaw will probably still get some high-leverage work in Ottavino’s absence, but the slightly less worse Jake McGee has surpassed Shaw for now in the Colorado bullpen.
Updated hierarchy: Davis | McGee | Shaw.
Atlanta Braves – Back with the Braves after Julio Teheran was placed on the DL, Luke Jackson pitched the final three innings of a 14-1 victory at San Diego on Tuesday to pick up his first career save.
Hierarchy remains: *Vizcaino | Minter | Winkler.
* = closer-by-committee
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Tomorrow
1. Addison Reed – If Fernando Rodney pitches today that will be two straight and three of four.
2. Kyle Crick – Should Felipe Vazquez get the ball today, the Pirates may not want to put him out there for a third straight day on Thursday.
3. Chris Martin/Jake Diekman – Keone Kela threw 21 pitches on Tuesday. If he has a taxing outing on Wednesday, Chris Martin or Jake Diekman (depending on Martin’s Wednesday) could get the ninth on Thursday.
