Carter Capps to open season on DL

April 3, 2017

San Diego Padres — Carter Capps will begin the season on the DL, though his stay there is not expected to be long. Brad Hand was mentioned by manager Andy Green as someone that will see some late-inning work in Capps’ absence.

Updated hierarchy: Maurer | Buchter | Hand.

Toronto Blue Jays — In case you missed our alert yesterday, Roberto Osuna will start the season on the new 10-day DL (cervical spasm), leaving Jason Grilli to open the season as Toronto’s closer. Osuna can return on April 9.

Updated hierarchy: Grilli | Smith | Howell.

Los Angeles Angels – Blake Parker was a non-roster invitee to camp and made the roster anyway after a terrific spring in which he posted a 0.73 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 12.1 innings. It may be worth taking a flier on him as someone who could get some work in the late innings to start the season. Meanwhile, Huston Street will resume some light throwing on Tuesday.

Updated hierarchy: Bedrosian | Bailey | Parker.

Atlanta Braves — Mauricio Cabrera will begin the season on the 10-day DL, paving the way for some other guys to potentially be the bridge to the 8th and 9th innings. We like lefty Ian Krol as perhaps the best option, with Eric O’Flaherty being another lefty that pitched his way onto the roster this spring and could see some high-leverage work to start the season.

Updated hierarchy: Johnson | Vizcaino | Krol.

Arizona Diamondbacks — The Diamondbacks were one of the six teams that opened the season on Sunday, and JJ Hoover looked sharp in the 8th inning as part of Arizona’s comeback win. He pitched with the D-Backs trailing by a run, but struck out two guys and kept the game in reach. Hoover made the roster out of spring training as a non-roster invitee and could see some more high-leverage innings ahead of Fernando Rodney.

Updated hierarchy: Rodney | Delgado | Hoover.

No clarity yet among Glover, Treinen, and Kelley

March 30, 2017

New York Mets — As expected, Jeurys Familia will miss the first 15 games of the year as a result of his offseason domestic violence arrest. Addison Reed will close during Familia’s suspension.

Updated hierarchy: Reed | Salas | Robles.

Washington Nationals — Still no clarity in D.C., where the front office loves what it sees from Koda Glover, but hasn’t been ready to commit to him over sinkerballer Blake Treinen and fragile-armed Shawn Kelley. The latest media speculation is that Treinen’s durability could give him the edge. We may not have an answer until the Nationals take on the Marlins next Monday.

Hierarchy remains: *Glover | Treinen | Kelley.
* = closer-by-committee

Colorado Rockies — It’s a guessing game in Colorado, where neither Greg Holland nor Adam Ottavino is having a lights-out spring. We continue to believe that it’ll be Holland closing out games for the Rockies.

Hierarchy remains: Holland | Ottavino | McGee.

Seattle Mariners — The Mariners’ bullpen has been ravaged by injuries — Tony Zych and Steve Cishek will be on the shelf through at least mid-April, while Shae Simmons could see an even longer absence. 24-year-old Dan Altavilla — who made 28 starts in high-A in 2005 and jumped straight to the bigs from the Jacksonville Suns Jumbo Shrimp — will be counted on to repeat his impressive run from last September.

Updated hierarchy: Diaz | Vincent | Altavilla.

Boston Red Sox – Tyler Thornburg is headed to the disabled list with a controversial shoulder injury. Joe Kelly will slide into the eighth, leaving some combination of Matt Barnes, Robbie Ross, Jr., and Heath Hembree to take the seventh.

Updated hierarchy: Kimbrel | Kelly | Barnes.

Tampa Bay Rays — A lingering lat injury will sideline Brad Boxberger through at least the first few weeks of April. If Erasmo Ramirez isn’t traded soon, he’ll be in line to get some seventh-inning work. Old friends Danny Farquhar, Chase Whitley, and Shawn Tolleson are the other options.

Updated hierarchy: Colome | Cedeno | Ramirez.

Los Angeles Dodgers — Adam Liberatore will start the season in the minors. Grant Dayton, Luis Avilan, and Chris Hatcher are the names to know in his stead.

Updated hierarchy: Jansen | Romo | Dayton.

Koda Glover on the inside track in Washington

March 22, 2017

Washington Nationals — Opening Day is just 12 days away, but Dusty Baker claims to have given no thought whatsoever to who will be closing for Washington. With most of the Nats’ big relievers pitching in minor league games, Koda Glover has been getting the bulk of the ninth innings for the big club — and Jon Heyman has reported that Shawn Kelley is no longer a candidate to close. Glover turns 24 next month, creating some concern about whether he can handle the role, but we think that Baker’s confidence in Glover’s skills (“We like us some Koda. Big time.”) and the manager’s preference for settled bullpen roles gives the youngster the advantage over Blake Treinen. Meanwhile, Joe Nathan’s strong spring might not be enough to allow him to survive Friday’s opt-out date on his contract.

Updated hierarchy: *Glover | Treinen | Kelley.
* = closer-by-committee

Colorado Rockies — Greg Holland has looked healthy so far in his spring training appearances, and local reporters seem confident that he will start the season as the closer, moving Adam Ottavino into an eighth-inning role.

Updated hierarchy: Holland | Ottavino | McGee.

Cincinnati Reds — Presumed committee head Raisel Iglesias was scratched from a Saturday appearance with back problems and a stiff elbow. Bryan Price claims that the issues are minor, but any missed time for Iglesias will be a boon for Drew Storen, Michael Lorenzen, and Tony Cingrani.

Hierarchy remains: *Iglesias | Storen | Lorenzen.
* = closer-by-committee

San Francisco Giants — Those considering Will Smith as a source of holds will need to go elsewhere; Smith might need Tommy John surgery to repair a sprained UCL.

Hierarchy remains: Melancon | Strickland | Law.