August 10, 2015
Oakland A’s – Edward Mujica’s time as closer for the A’s may have already come to an end. Staked to a 2-run lead against the Astros, Mujica threw 10 pitches, allowing two singles and a go-ahead 3-run home run. The A’s bailed him out by rallying in the bottom half of the inning, but Bob Melvin implied after the game that someone else might get the next save chance. At the very least, Mujica is now in a committee, and Drew Pomeranz or Fernando Rodriguez could end up the full-time stopper in the near future.
Updated hierarchy: *Mujica | Pomeranz | Rodriguez.
* = closer-by-committee
Colorado Rockies – John Axford finished off the 7th inning of a tie game, and then stayed on to pitch the 8th, ultimately earning the win when the Rockies pushed a couple runs across against Drew Storen. In a bullpen as shaky as this, that’s good enough for a place on the hierarchy — Axford moves back ahead of Rafael Betancourt, who coughed up the lead in the 6th.
Updated hierarchy: Kahnle | Miller | Axford.
Tampa Bay Rays – Jake McGee picked up his 6th save of the year on Sunday, as Brad Boxberger got the night off after pitching in five of the previous seven games. McGee continues to have tremendous value in holds leagues and is only a Boxberger misstep or two away from full time closer role.
Hierarchy remains: Boxberger | McGee | Geltz.
Los Angeles Dodgers – Jim Johnson was already off to a very rocky start to his Dodgers career, and that was before Sunday night’s historically bad outing. After a shellacking like that, it’s hard to picture Don Mattingly giving Johnson any more high-leverage chances for a good while. The only two Dodgers middle relievers who have been doing their jobs as of late are Pedro Baez and Juan Nicasio, and we’ll slot them in to the hierarchy for the time being.
Updated hierarchy: Jansen | Baez | Nicasio.
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jeanmar Gomez, Philadelphia Phillies – Ken Giles has pitched in three straight.