Wily Peralta and Blake Parker record saves

April 14, 2019

Kansas City Royals — Wily Peralta pitched a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the season yesterday.  Ian Kennedy pitched a perfect eighth inning with two strikeouts ahead of Peralta.  Kennedy got the ninth inning in the Royals’ win on Friday and even though it wasn’t a save opportunity the Royals clearly wanted to use their best pitchers to finish the game off and end their ten-game losing streak.  Kennedy has been the better pitcher so far this year and while Peralta is still in the mix for saves as evidenced by yesterday’s outing, we like Kennedy better and will leave him atop the committee for now.

Hierarchy remains: *Kennedy | Peralta | Diekman.
* = closer-by-committee

Minnesota Twins — Protecting a one-run lead, the Twins again went with Taylor Rogers in the eighth inning and Blake Parker got the save in the ninth.  Rogers has not seen a save opportunity since the first game of the season and Parker is close to kicking the committee asterisk.  Trevor Hildenberger pitched a scoreless seventh inning ahead of Rogers and Parker and has yet to allow a run on the season.

Updated hierarchy: *Parker | Rogers | Hildenberger.
* = closer-by-committee

San Francisco Giants – Will Smith and the rest of the Giants’ hierarchy got the night off yesterday after the 18 inning marathon on Friday. That left Reyes Moronta for the eighth, where he struck out the side, and our old friend Sam Dyson for the ninth, where he recorded his first save of the season. The Vulture Save Watch correctly predicted Will Smith would get the night off and we mentioned that Dyson was the most well-rested so hopefully that helped a few people steal a save.

Hierarchy remains: Smith | Watson | Melancon.

Milwaukee Brewers — Former starter Junior Guerra has been solid out of the Brewers’ bullpen this season and that continued on Saturday. Guerra pitched the final two innings of a three-run Brewers’ victory to earn his first save of the season. We will reward Guerra’s good work with a spot on the hierarchy, but it probably won’t last long. Jeremy Jeffress made what could be his last rehab appearance yesterday and could re-join the Brewers soon.

Updated hierarchy: Hader | Wilson | Guerra.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Craig Stammen – Kirby Yates has pitched in two straight and three of four.
2. Joe Biagini – Ken Giles has appeared in two of three, throwing a total of 46 pitches.
3. Kyle Barraclough – Sean Doolittle has pitched in two straight and the Nationals might be cautious with him this early in the season.
4. Paul Fry – Mychal Givens has pitched in two of three, including 1.2 innings yesterday

Monday
1. Ty Buttrey – Cody Allen threw 33 pitches on Saturday so if he pitches again on Sunday, he would likely get Monday off.
2. Wily Peralta/Jake Diekman – If Ian Kennedy pitches on Sunday, it will be three in a row.