Closer Hot Seat: May 16, 2016

Welcome to our weekly Hot Seat column! Each week — usually on Mondays — we’ll update this space to give you an easy-to-reference guide on who might be closest to losing their jobs. Note that this isn’t necessarily a ranking of the best closers; rather, it’s a guide to job security.

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Latest update: May 16, 2016

Cincinnati continues to be a dumpster fire for relief pitching, but Tony Cingrani has edged his way into the lead — a couple more saves and he might kick the committee label which would elevate him from “committee leader” to “terrible closer.” Elsewhere, the closers to watch are Kevin Jepsen, Shawn Tolleson, and Steve Cishek, all of whom have had rough stretches. Jepsen is probably the most vulnerable, as he’s got Trevor May breathing down his neck and Glen Perkins is on the mend. Tolleson, meanwhile, has lost the feel for his change-up, which has made him less effective, and Cishek has quickly fallen back to earth after a surprising start to the year.

Hottest: In a committee or on the verge of losing their job right now.
30. Tony Cingrani (Handcuff: Ross Ohlendorf)

Hot: Guys who could be in danger after their next blown save.
29. Kevin Jepsen (Handcuff: Trevor May; DL return: Glen Perkins)
28. Shawn Tolleson (Handcuff: Sam Dyson)
27. Steve Cishek (Handcuff: Joel Peralta, Joaquin Benoit [DL])

Warmish: Two blown saves in a row and these players might be in trouble.
26. Santiago Casilla
25. Jeanmar Gomez
24. Luke Gregerson
23. Alex Colome

Cool: These players would have to blow 3 consecutive saves for their jobs to be in jeopardy.
22. Cody Allen
21. Fernando Rodney
20. Jeremy Jeffress
19. Francisco Rodriguez
18. Ryan Madson
17. Arodys Vizcaino
16. A.J. Ramos
15. Roberto Osuna
14. Joe Smith
13. Jake McGee
12. Hector Rondon
11. Jonathan Papelbon
10. Mark Melancon
9. Brad Ziegler
8. Jeurys Familia
7. Craig Kimbrel
6. Aroldis Chapman
5. Trevor Rosenthal
4. Wade Davis
3. David Robertson

Sub-zero: These players would have to blow 4+ consecutive saves for their jobs to be in jeopardy.
2. Zach Britton
1. Kenley Jansen

Sam Dyson, bullpen linebacker

May 16, 2016

Texas Rangers – Though Rougned Odor stole all the headlines for his right cross to Jose Bautista, Sam Dyson was a hero (or villain, depending on your perspective) in his own right for treating us to this perfect form tackle of Russ Martin. Adding insult to injury, Dyson also retired Martin to end the game, picking up his second save of the year in the process. With Shawn Tolleson struggling, Dyson is a great speculative add if you have the roster space.

Hierarchy remains: Tolleson | Dyson | Diekman.

Detroit Tigers – Alex Wilson got the 8th inning ahead of Francisco Rodriguez on Sunday, picking up his fourth hold of the season. He got a brief look at closer last year down the stretch, and could factor in again on nights when K-Rod needs a break.

Updated hierarchy: Rodriguez | J.Wilson | A.Wilson.

San Francisco Giants – Over his last 8.2 innings, Hunter Strickland has only allowed 1 run, lowering his ERA from 5.40 to 3.18 and establishing himself as a reliable option in the Giants bullpen. Yesterday, he got the 8th inning in a tie game and earned the win. Josh Osich continues to pitch very effectively but has largely been used as a LOOGY in recent weeks, so he drops down behind Strickland for now.

Updated hierarchy: Casilla | Gearrin | Strickland. 

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Fernando Salas, Los Angeles Angels – Joe Smith has pitched in three straight.
2. Koji Uehara, Boston Red Sox – Craig Kimbrel has pitched in three straight.
3. Chasen Shreve, New York Yankees – Traditionally, Joe Girardi has abstained from using any reliever for three straight days before the All Star break, which might put him in a hole tonight, as Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, and Dellin Betances have all gone in back-to-back games. But if he holds form, they could all get the night off, making Chasen Shreve a candidate for a save.

Cory Gearrin and David Hernandez record saves

May 15, 2016

San Francisco Giants — As expected, Santiago Casilla got the night off on Saturday.  Cory Gearrin picked up his first save in almost three years.  Josh Osich has gone less than one inning in his last six appearances, so Gearrin could continue to see save chances when Casilla is unavailable.

Updated hierarchy: Casilla | Gearrin | Osich.

Philadelphia Phillies – David Hernandez benefited from an incredible double play to end the game and picked up his first save of the season.  Jeanmar Gomez and Hector Neris were both unavailable after appearing in two straight and three of the past four.

Hierarchy remains: Gomez | Neris | Hernandez.

Baltimore Orioles — Brad Brach recorded his first save of the season last night.  Brach came on for the eighth inning with the Orioles up 2, and stayed on for the ninth after the Orioles added five more runs in the bottom of the eighth.  Brach is still behind Britton and O’Day when it comes to saves for the Orioles.

Hierarchy remains: Britton | O’Day | Brach

Oakland A’s — Bob Melvin confirmed what we already knew when he announced that Ryan Madson is the A’s closer.  Madson has received the majority of save chances and has converted each one so far this season.  Sean Doolittle is pitching better recently, but he will need Madson to slip up before he has a chance to regain the closer’s role.

Hierarchy remains: Madson | Doolittle | Axford.

San Diego Padres — Carlos Villanueva got the call in the bottom of the twelfth inning and notched his first save of the season.  Fernando Rodney, Ryan Buchter, and Brandon Maurer all worked earlier in the game.

Hierarchy remains: Rodney | Buchter | Maurer.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jose Alvarez, Los Angeles Angels – Joe Smith has pitched in three of four while Fernando Salas has gone in four in a row.
2. Chad Qualls, Colorado Rockies – Jake McGee has appeared in two straight and three of the last four.
3. Pat Neshek, Houston Astros – Gregerson, Harris, and Giles have all pitched in two straight and three of four.
4. Junichi Tazawa/Carson Smith, Boston Red Sox – Craig Kimbrel and Koji Uehara have each pitched in two in a row.
5. Nick Vincent, Seattle Mariners – Steve Cishek has blown two saves and thrown a total of 55 pitches over the past two days.  Joel Peralta has also appeared in two straight.

Matt Bush could make a difference in the Texas bullpen

May 14, 2016

Texas Rangers — Matt Bush was the first overall pick as a shortstop in the 2004 draft, but his once-promising career was derailed by a series of alcohol-related arrests, culminating in a 39-month prison sentence for critically injuring a 72-year-old motorcyclist in a drunken hit-and-run accident. After his release, Bush was working as a baker at Golden Corral when the Rangers — very familiar with the work needed to support a recovering addict — offered him one final chance at baseball. Friday night, Bush made his major league debut, striking out reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson and hitting 99 on the radar gun. He could be relevant right away in the late innings for Texas.

Hierarchy remains: Tolleson | Dyson | Diekman.

San Francisco Giants — Santiago Casilla apologized to Bruce Bochy for his outburst Thursday night, and the closer handled it much better Friday night when a lefty was called on to face Jake Lamb. Of course, it probably helped that Josh Osich came in to start the ninth, allowing Casilla to finish things off and earn his eighth save.

Hierarchy remains: Casilla | Osich | Gearrin.

Oakland A’s — Ryan Madson has now loaded the bases in an astonishing four straight appearances, escaping each time without a run allowed. With Sean Doolittle rounding into form, a five-game streak could see Madson’s Houdini act moved to an earlier showing.

Hierarchy remains: Madson | Doolittle | Axford.

Seattle Mariners — Joel Peralta and Steve Cishek each allowed two runs for a rare 2016 Seattle blown save.

Hierarchy remains: Cishek | Peralta | Vincent.

Los Angeles Angels — After Seattle blew the save, Fernando Salas came in for the ninth and picked up a save.

Hierarchy remains: Smith | Salas | Alvarez.

Washington Nationals — Dusty Baker used lefty Felipe Rivero to start the ninth to maximize the platoon advantage, then went to Jonathan Papelbon for the last two outs and the save. Nothing to see here.

Hierarchy remains: Papelbon | Kelley | Rivero.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Cory Gearrin/Hunter Strickland, San Francisco Giants — Casilla has now pitched in three straight, as has Osich.
2. Bryan Shaw/Zach McAllister, Cleveland Indians — Cody Allen has pitched in three of four (72 pitches). So has Shaw (51 pitches), so we’re not sure which set-up guy will get the call if Allen needs a rest.

Santiago Casilla is a man on the mound; here comes Big Will again

May 13, 2016

San Francisco Giants — For the second straight night, Santiago Casilla ran into trouble. He faced five batters, and while he did strike out two, he allowed the others to reach base via a walk and two hits. Bruce Bochy then summoned lefty specialist Javier Lopez to face Jake Lamb, enraging Casilla. “It shows the manager didn’t have faith in me,” Casilla told reporters after the game. “Don’t just take the ball and say nothing. It is not a kid. It is a man on the mound.” Bochy’s decision was likely based on Lamb’s complete inability to hit against lefties, not to mention his two career home runs in six at-bats against Casilla. Bochy vowed to talk to Casilla, and it’s unlikely that their spat will impact the closer role going forward.

Hierarchy remains: Casilla | Osich | Gearrin.

St. Louis Cardinals — With the Cardinals up five in the ninth on Thursday, the Angels didn’t give up, getting three runs off Seth Maness to make things interesting. In came Trevor Rosenthal, who walked the bases loaded (14 pitches; only 2 strikes!) before getting pulled for Kevin Siegrist, who finished the game for his first save. Over his last three appearances, Rosenthal has walked as many men as he’s retired. It’s unusual to see a closer with an identical ERA and WHIP (1.64); if Rosenthal’s control issues linger, manager Mike Matheny may have to start mixing in Siegrist more often.

Hierarchy remains: Rosenthal | Siegrist | Oh.

San Diego Padres — The Vulture Save Watch correctly projected a night off for Fernando Rodney, but it was Ryan Buchter — not Brandon Maurer — who earned his first career save Thursday (seemingly surprising Padres beat writers in the process). Buchter has been lights-out this season (0.54 ERA, 23 Ks in 16.2 IP, 0.96 WHIP), and should be considered the favorite to get a save when Rodney is unavailable.

Updated hierarchy: Rodney | Buchter | Maurer.

Milwaukee Brewers — Will Smith’s absence from this year’s Independence Day reboot is starting to make more sense now that we know he’s been cleared to throw off a mound for the first time since tearing his LCL in March. Before the injury, Smith projected as Milwaukee’s closer. Watch your back, y’all.

Hierarchy remains: Jeffress | Thornburg | Blazek.

Los Angeles Angels — Injured closer Huston Street is getting closer to returning; he played catch for the third straight day on Thursday and hopes to have a bullpen session next week.

Hierarchy remains: Smith | Salas | Alvarez.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Kevin Siegrist, St. Louis Cardinals — Trevor Rosenthal is battling control issues and has pitched in two straight games, throwing 36 pitches. Siegrist has also pitched in two straight, but he hasn’t had to work as hard (just 23 pitches).
2. Josh Osich, San Francisco Giants — Santiago Casilla has pitched in two straight, struggling a bit in both games. He threw 38 pitches and may need the night off. Osich and Cory Gearrin have also pitched in two straight, but they’ve worked lower-leverage situations, and Osich has thrown only 10 pitches.