June 27, 2021
Cincinnati Reds — With the Reds up 3-0 heading into the 8th inning, Brad Bach came on to face the 2-3-4 hitters in the Braves lineup. Brach struggled a little bit, allowing a run on a pair of walks and a hit, but he was able to keep the Reds in front 3-1. That left Amir Garrett for the 9th inning and he was able to finish off the win with a strikeout of Freddie Freeman to pick up his fifth save of the season. Since Brach got the heart of the order in the 8th, we will leave him at the top of the committee for now but Amir Garrett converting the save and riding a modest 5 appearance scoreless streak could allow him to jump Brach if he can keep it up.
Updated hierarchy: *Brach | Garrett | Hembree.
* = closer-by-committee
Detroit Tigers – In the first game of their doubleheader yesterday, the Tigers sent Jose Cisnero out there in the 7th inning to protect a two-run lead. He locked down his third save of the season with a perfect inning. In the second game of the doubleheader, Michael Fulmer allowed a pair of homers and took the loss. This is still very much a committee with the three-headed back of the bullpen of Fulmer, Cisnero, and Gregory Soto allowing manager AJ Hinch to mix and match to finish games. We will leave Michael Fulmer at the top of the committee for now as he has been getting the 9th inning most consistently since returning from the IL. However, Jose Cisnero has been pitching extremely well and if he gets the next save chance over Fulmer, we will likely make a change.
Hierarchy remains: *Fulmer | Cisnero | Soto.
* = closer-by-committee
Philadelphia Phillies — With Jose Alvarado and Archie Bradley throwing a lot of pitches on Friday, manager Joe Girardi said that ex-closer Hector Neris could get the save chance again on Saturday. Sure enough, after the Phillies scored to take a one-run lead in the top of the 9th, Neris was summoned for the bottom of the 9th. Unfortunately, Neris walked in the tying run after loading the bases on an error, walk, and hit and then allowed a walk-off sac fly to take the loss. We will throw Neris back on the hierarchy but we don’t expect him to see many save chances behind Alvarado and Bradley.
Updated hierarchy: Alvarado | Bradley | Neris.
Boston Red Sox – As the Vulture Save Watch predicted yesterday, Matt Barnes got the day off and Adam Ottavino recorded the last four outs of a Red Sox win to pick up his fifth save of the season. Ottavino will continue to see save chances when Barnes is unavailable.
Hierarchy remains: Barnes | Ottavino | Taylor.
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Yusmeiro Petit (OAK) – Lou Trivino and Jake Diekman both threw 27 pitches yesterday and have gone in two of the past three and three of the past five.
2. Dominic Leone (SF) – Jake McGee and Tyler Rogers have both pitched two straight and three of four.
Monday
1. Adam Ottavino (BOS) – If Matt Barnes pitches on Sunday, it will be three of the last four and four of the last six.