June 13, 2015
Oakland Athletics — Nothing (green and) gold can stay. Switch-pitching Pat Venditte, who started his career with 5.2 scoreless innings, became the latest Oakland player to hit the disabled list, with a frayed right labrum. And no, everyone, he can’t just pitch with his left arm, not if he wants his shoulder to heal right. We’ll toss Eric O’Flaherty in the hierarchy for now, based solely on his history as an above-average reliever, but Billy Beane is probably taking applications if you’re interested.
Updated hierarchy: Clippard | Scribner | O’Flaherty.
New York Mets — Terry Collins apparently bought Bobby Parnell’s explanation for minor league hitters teeing off on him at Binghamton and St. Lucie (.373 average against, one walk per inning); he plans to use Parnell if a save situation arises while Jeurys tends to his Familia on paternity leave.
Updated hierarchy: Familia | Parnell | C.Torres.
New York Yankees — Joe Girardi clarified that lefthander Justin Wilson will move into the primary set-up role now that Dellin Betances has become the Yankees’ closer. Chris Martin could get an occasional look in the eighth too, depending on matchups. Brian Cashman has said that Andrew Miller could be out for a month.
Updated hierarchy: Betances | Wilson | Martin.
Cleveland Indians — Nick Hagadone’s recent usage puts him back behind Bryan Shaw in the Indians’ hierarchy.
Updated hierarchy: Allen | McAllister | Shaw.
Tampa Bay Rays — As foretold by the Vulture Save Watch, Jake McGee was summoned for the save on Friday night, allowing Brad Boxberger to take a night off.
Hierarchy remains: *Boxberger | McGee | Jepsen.
Boston Red Sox — Matt Barnes and Junichi Tazawa had a Friday evening to forget. The Red Sox were up four runs when Barnes began the seventh. He gave up three straight hits, Tazawa yielded four hits and a baserunner via error, and Tommy Layne finished up by surrendering a home run, giving Toronto a seventh-inning cycle and nine straight runs scored. It’s unlikely that this debacle will change Boston’s late-innings approach, but we couldn’t let it pass without comment.
Hierarchy remains: Uehara | Tazawa | Barnes.
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Bobby Parnell, New York Mets — As noted above, the Mets are ready to toss Parnell back into a save situation if needed. Jeurys Familia threw 25 pitches on Friday and could become a father any day.
2. Joe Smith, Los Angeles Angels — Huston Street has pitched back-to-back (45 total pitches).
3. Jason Motte/Pedro Strop, Chicago Cubs — Hector Rondon took an extra-inning loss on Friday and needed 25 pitches to do it. Rondon has pitched in two straight games, and his position isn’t secure right now.
4. Aaron Loup/Roberto Osuna, Toronto Blue Jays — It took the Jays 34 games to get Friday’s save, and it took Brett Cecil 30 pitches to earn it. Osuna threw 24 pitches himself, and Loup has pitched in three of four games, so the Jays are probably hoping lightning doesn’t strike in two straight games.
5. Tony Cingrani, Cincinnati Reds — Aroldis Chapman (who has been linked to a possible trade to Washington) has pitched in two of three, and four of six. J.J. Hoover pitched two innings (30 pitches) on Friday.
6. Yimi Garcia, Los Angeles Dodgers — Kenley Jansen has pitched in three of four games. So has Garcia, but he threw only seven pitches on Friday; Jansen needed almost thrice as many.
