Closer Monkey

Tag: Matt Albers

  • Enny Romero becomes fourth National to earn a save this season

    May 5, 2017 Washington Nationals — With current closer Shawn Kelley still sick (and no guarantee he’ll be ready today), the Nationals opted to play the matchups to get through the ninth after Matt Albers pitched a scoreless eighth. They first turned to Joe Blanton, who coughed up a home run, throwing only two pitches before…

  • Shawn Kelley finally gets the Nationals’ closer role all to himself

    April 27, 2017 Washington Nationals — Shawn Kelley will have the chance to run with the Nationals’ closer job now that Koda Glover is headed to the DL with pain in his left hip, the same one that troubled him at the end of last season. Matt Albers and Joe Blanton will rise in Glover’s…

  • Pedro Strop injures his knee; Ken Giles will go on paternity leave soon

    August 11, 2016 Chicago Cubs — Hector Rondon hasn’t pitched in nine days (sore triceps), but Joe Maddon remains confident that he’ll return soon and avoid the DL. The need became more dire when Pedro Strop left Wednesday’s game with an apparent knee injury, unable to support his own weight. Filling in admirably was 24-year-old C.J. Edwards, who has a…

  • New closers abound as trade deadline looms

    August 1, 2016 Milwaukee Brewers – For the second straight night, Will Smith got the 8th inning ahead of Jeremy Jeffress. Smith and Tyler Thornburg have been flipping back and forth depending on matchups, so if Jeffress is dealt today, a committee is the most likely outcome. If the Brewers want to pick just one man…

  • 2016 AL Central preview

    February 29, 2016 Chicago White Sox – The back end of the White Sox bullpen settled into a nice groove at the end of last season and the good news is that all of the key members will be returning for 2016.  David Robertson has established himself as a solid closer, with the potential to…