Ryan Helsley ascends, while Cole Sulser and Corey Knebel struggle

May 31, 2022

St. Louis Cardinals – With all of the top Cardinal arms well rested, and with the team nursing a two-run lead in the 6th inning against the Padres, on came Giovanny Gallegos, who got the last out of the inning after allowing an inherited run to score. Gallegos would get two more outs in the 7th before giving way to Genesis Cabrera, who had a similar outing, getting out of the 7th and then getting the first two outs of the 8th. By now, it was no longer a save situation, but either way, it seems certain that this was meant to be Ryan Helsley’s game to finish, which he did so, albeit while giving up his first earned run of the season, but finished the job. He’s your committee leader now, though we already know Oliver Marmol is going to rest him frequently. We’ll see if his usage becomes consistent enough to remove the asterisk.

Updated hierarchy: *Helsley | Gallegos | Cabrera.
* = closer-by-committee

Philadelphia Phillies – It’s been a rough couple of days for Corey Knebel. On Sunday, the righty blew the 9th inning save chance against the Mets and then took the loss in the 10th after allowing the automatic runner to score; and yesterday, he came in to a tie game in the 9th and allowed the go-ahead home run to Evan Longoria in a game the Phillies would again lose in extra innings. Seranthony Dominguez (2.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, no runs allowed in his last 9 appearances) and Brad Hand (1.29 ERA despite a 1.50 WHIP) both could lay claim to this job soon.

Hierarchy remains: Knebel | Hand | Dominguez.

Miami Marlins – We weren’t certain which way the Marlins would go with Anthony Bender out and Dylan Floro struggling, but Cole Sulser certainly didn’t make a good case for himself on Monday, allowing four earned runs in the 7th inning and ultimately taking the loss. Tanner Scott wasn’t much better, as he allowed three additional runs in the 9th after the game was out of reach. We’ll move Anthony Bass back up for lack of better options, while also noting that, following a couple disastrous outings off the IL, Dylan Floro now has six straight scoreless appearances.

Updated hierarchy: *Bass | Sulser | Floro.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Devin Williams – Maybe Josh Hader was offended by us calling JP Feyereisen possibly the best reliever in the game, because he went out and saved BOTH games of yesterday’s doubleheader (while maintaining his 0.00 ERA). Anyway, he’ll have today off and maybe tomorrow, too.
2. Giovanny Gallegos – For all his dominance, Ryan Helsley has yet to pitch in back to back games, so until that happens, you’ll see a Cardinal reliever in this spot following all his appearances.
3. Daniel Hudson – Craig Kimbrel has gone back to back, including a blown save loss last night.
4. Chris Stratton – David Bednar threw 50 pitches across two innings yesterday and will probably need two days to recover.
5. Michael Fulmer – Gregory Soto has gone back to back.

Tomorrow
1. Trevor Stephen – If Emmanuel Clase goes today, it’s back to back and three of four.
2. Matt Bush/Dennis Santana – If Joe Barlow or Matt Bush go today, it’s back to back.

Finally, a song of Feyereisen

May 30, 2022

Tampa Bay Rays – The best reliever in the Tampa bullpen — and maybe the best in baseball so far this season — finally got his first save of the season on Sunday, as JP Feyereisen needed only 5 pitches to set the Yankees down in order in the 9th. Feyereisen, who still has a 0.00 ERA (and 0.39 WHIP!) on the year, moves up a slot on the hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: *Poche | Feyereisen | Raley.
* = closer-by-committee

Toronto Blue Jays – The Jays didn’t have Jordan Romano available on Sunday — he had gone in three straight games — so veteran David Phelps got the call, closing out a wild 11-10 ballgame with a scoreless 9th inning. We’ll see if the 35-year-old gets more high leverage spots as a result before we put on the hierarchy, but he’s had a solid season thus far (2.41 ERA across 18.2 IP).

Hierarchy remains: Romano | Cimber | Garcia.

New York Mets – Drew Smith took a grounder off of his throwing hand on Sunday night, appearing to suffer a dislocated pinky finger. He’s day to day for now, so we’ll swap Seth Lugo into the handcuff spot and see if Smith needs an IL stint.

Updated hierarchy: Diaz | Lugo | Smith.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Rowan Wick/Robert Gsellman/Devin Williams/Brad Boxberger – The Cubs and Brewers have a doubleheader, and the Cubs, in particular could be especially shorthanded, as David Robertson and Mychal Givens have both already gone two straight.

Tomorrow
1. Rafael Montero – If Ryan Pressly goes today, it’s back to back.
2. AJ Puk – If Dany Jimenez goes today, it’s back to back and three of four.
3. Will Smith – If Kenley Jansen goes today, it’s back to back and three of four.
4. Seth Lugo – If Edwin Diaz goes today, it’s back to back and three of four.
5. Daniel Hudson – If Craig Kimbrel goes today, it’s back to back and three of four.
6. Kyle Finnegan – If Tanner Rainey goes today, it’s back to back.
7. Brad Hand/Seranthony Dominguez – If Corey Knebel, Brad Hand, or Seranthony Dominguez goes today, it’s back to back; monitor usage to see who’ll be available tomorrow.
8. Michael Fulmer/Andrew Chafin – If Gregory Soto, Michael Fulmer, or Andrew Chafin goes today, it’s back to back; monitor usage to see who’ll be available tomorrow.

Colin Poche records another save for Rays

May 29, 2022

Tampa Bay Rays — Colin Poche pitched a perfect ninth yesterday for his second save of the season.  Poche has now recorded the last two Rays’ saves while Brooks Raley hasn’t recorded a save in over two weeks.  That’s enough to move Poche to the head of the committee but we are all too familiar with this game.  A Rays’ reliever gets a couple of saves, Closer Monkey moves that reliever to the head of the committee, and then the Rays inevitably use somebody not on our hierarchy for the next couple of save chances.  Jason Adam is a good candidate to fill that role so if you believe in the curse of the Monkey, we won’t blame you for looking at somebody like him instead of Poche.  Rays gonna Rays!

Updated hierarchy: *Poche | Raley | Feyereisen.
* = closer-by-committee

Boston Red Sox – We got a Red Sox doubleheader yesterday to try and see what they will do with their bullpen after Hansel Robles was placed on the IL.  The Red Sox won the first game 5-3 and showed how they would probably prefer to use their bullpen at this point, which is not at all.  Nathan Eovaldi pitched a complete game for what he thought was the first time in his life.  It turns out he did it twice in High-A but that doesn’t change the fact that the Red Sox preferred to let a guy who had never pitched a complete game in 210 starts finish out the win rather than send somebody from their bullpen out there.  In a game two loss, the Red Sox used Jake Diekman and Matt Barnes while John Schreiber and Matt Strahm did not pitch.  It’s hard to read too much into one game, but Alex Cora had good things to say about Schreiber the other day so we will slide him up to the head of the committee for now.

Updated hierarchy: *Schreiber | Strahm | Diekman.
* = closer-by-committee

Baltimore Orioles – Jorge Lopez got the last four outs of a 4-2 Orioles victory yesterday to pick up his 6th save of the season.  Lopez has recorded both Orioles’ saves since returning from the IL and that’s enough to kick the asterisk.  Lefty Cionel Perez got the hold ahead of Lopez and lowered his ERA to 0.60 (although his 1.40 WHIP suggests that might not be sustainable).

Updated hierarchy: Lopez | Bautista | Perez.

Cincinnati Reds – Tony Santillan recorded his 3rd save of the season yesterday while Alexis Diaz picked up a 7th inning hold.  Art Warren got the day off after recording the save on Friday.   We will move Tony Santillan up one spot in the hierarchy but this is still very much a committee

Updated hierarchy: *Warren | Santillan | Diaz.
* = closer-by-committee

Miami Marlins — Cole Sulser struck out a pair in a scoreless 9th inning for his second save of the season.  Sulser has a chance to establish himself as the primary closer for the Marlins if he can string together a few saves.

Hierarchy remains: *Sulser | Bass | Scott.
* = closer-by-committee

Los Angeles Dodgers — Craig Kimbrel wasn’t feeling well last night so the Dodgers went with Daniel Hudson to close out their 3-2 win.  Kimbrel should be fine moving forward.

Hierarchy remains: Kimbrel | Hudson | Graterol.

Toronto Blue Jays – The Blue Jays used Jordan Romano for the third straight day for the first time all season and it did not go well.  Romano loaded the bases with two outs after already allowing a run to score to cut the Blue Jays lead to 1.  Ross Stripling replaced Romano and he was able to get Andrew Velazquez to ground out to end the game and pick up his first save of the season.

Hierarchy remains: Romano | Cimber | Garcia.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Felix Bautista (BAL) – Jorge Lopez has pitched in two straight, including a four-out save yesterday.
2. Adam Cimber/Yimi Garcia (TOR) – Jordan Romano has pitched in three straight while Adam Cimber has pitched in two of three.
3. Luis Garcia (SD) – Taylor Rogers has pitched in two straight, including a 25-pitch blown save yesterday.

Monday
1. Trevor Stephan (CLE) – Emmanual Clase threw 20 pitches yesterday so if he pitches again today he could get Monday off.
2. Anthony Bass (MIA) – Cole Sulser threw 23 pitches yesterday so if he pitches again today he could get Monday off.

Robles to IL

May 28, 2022

Boston Red Sox – Hansel Robles was placed on the IL this morning with back spasms. The move is retroactive to May 25, and a combination of Jake Diekman, John Schreiber, and Matt Strahm will take over the committee.

Updated Hierarchy: *Diekman | Schreiber | Strahm
*Closer by Committee

Jake McGee returns from the IL, kind of.

May 28, 2022
San Francisco Giants — Jake McGee was activated from the IL on Friday, but when the Giants tried to put him into the 8th inning down by 2, Reds manager David Bell noted that he wasn’t included on the lineup card, and McGee left the game without throwing a pitch. McGee will jump right back into the hierarchy, but Camilo Doval is up to 7 saves on the year compared to McGee’s 2, so until we see McGee in the saves conversation consistently, we will keep the asterisk off. 

Updated hierarchy: Doval | McGee | Rogers. 

Philadelphia Phillies — The Phillies optioned Jose Alvarado to AAA yesterday to make room for last night’s starter, Bailey Falter. Alvarado had hit a rough stretch, giving up runs in 4 of his last 6 games and ballooning his ERA to 7.62. This leaves Brad Hand as the only left handed option in the Phillies’ bullpen. Seranthony Dominguez has put together 7 straight scoreless appearances and will take Alvarado’s place in the hierarchy. 

Updated hierarchy: Knebel | Hand | Dominguez.

St. Louis Cardinals – After a save situation materialized in the 9th inning, the Cardinals turned to Ryan Helsley, not Giovanny Gallegos, to shut the door. He got 2 outs in 7 pitches to lock up his 3rd save of the year. This is the second time in a week that Helsley has appeared in a more traditional closers spot compared to Gallegos. In Gallegos’ defense, he pitched a clean inning Thursday, and last night was not a save situation until Kodi Whitley gave up a 2 run homer in the 9th inning. However, Helsley has been the  best reliever in baseball for the first 2 months, he’s more than earned a committee designation at this point. 

Hierarchy Remains: *Gallegos | Helsley | Cabrera.
*Closer by Committee.  

Texas Rangers — With Joe Barlow getting the night off, the Rangers turned to Dennis Santana to secure the win. He pitched a perfect 9th to earn his first career save. Both Barlow and Matt Bush had pitched on Thursday, which led to the Santana Save op. Santana has been excellent this year, and has found himself in more high leverage situations recently. Especially after last night’s performance in earning the save, he has bumped himself ahead of Brett Martin in Texas. 

Updated Hierarchy: Barlow | Bush | Santana.

Vulture Save Watch:

  1. A.J. Puk (OAK) – Dany Jiminez has pitched in 3 of 4, including 24 pitches last night.
  2. Adam Cimber (TOR) – Jordan Romano has pitched in back to back games, throwing 34 pitches during that time.
  3. Michael King (NYY) – Clay Holmes has pitched in 3 of 4, throwing 30 pitches in that span.
  4. Alex Colome (COL) – The Rockies play a doubleheader…
  5. Kyle Finnegan (WAS) – … against the Nationals.
  6. Felix Bautista (BAL) – The Orioles play a doubleheader…
  7. Jake Diekman/Matt Barnes (BOS) – … against the Red Sox.

For Sunday:

  1. Daniel Hudson/Brusdar Graterol (LAD) – Today would be back to back for Craig Kimbrel and the rest of the Dodgers hierarchy, so whoever rests today could see a save chance tomorrow.
  2. Alexis Diaz/Tony Santillan (CIN) – Today would be back to back and 3 of 4 for Art Warren and Alexis Diaz.