June 15, 2015
Tampa Bay Rays – Kevin Jepsen picked up another save for the Rays on Sunday. Brad Boxberger had thrown 28 pitches Saturday, while Jake McGee had pitched in three of the last four. Still, the way this bullpen is managed, any of these three guys could get a save on any given night at this point.
Hierarchy remains: *Boxberger | McGee | Jepsen.
* = closer-by-committee
Boston Red Sox – Matt Barnes was sent back to the minors to work on his stuff; Alexi Ogando will see more hold opportunities as a result. Barnes will be joined in AAA by the possible closer of the future for the Red Sox, Pat Light, who has shot through the minors after being converted to a reliever this year.
Updated hierarchy: Uehara | Tazawa | Ogando.
Oakland Athletics – The A’s don’t expect Sean Doolittle to return any time soon; they just transferred him to the 60-day DL to clear a roster spot.
Hierarchy remains: Clippard | Scribner | O’Flaherty.
Arizona Diamondbacks – Daniel Hudson picked up the save on Sunday, as Arizona gave Brad Ziegler the day off after the closer had pitched on two straight. It’s interesting that this opportunity went to Hudson rather than Addison Reed, who has been decent since moving out of the closer role and hadn’t pitched in five days. But if Chip Hale was playing the hot hand, it certainly makes sense — Hudson has only allowed one earned run in his past 13 innings. We’ll monitor usage going forward to see if Hudson has surpassed Reed for good.
Hierarchy remains: Ziegler | Reed | Hudson.
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Pedro Strop, Chicago Cubs – The Cubs are still in all-out committee mode (Hector Rondon got the 8th in a tie game yesterday; Jason Motte got the 9th), but if Rondon isn’t used for the save chance tonight, it’ll almost certainly be Strop, as Motte is likely unavailable after pitching in three straight.
2. Hansel Robles, New York Mets – Jeurys Familia was used across multiple innings again yesterday, and has now thrown 58 pitches over the last four days. Bobby Parnell, meanwhile, probably won’t go in a third straight game this soon after his activation. That likely leaves the Mets in mix-and-match mode tonight, with Robles being the most likely candidate to snag a save chance.
3. Joaquin Benoit, San Diego Padres – Craig Kimbrel has pitched in two straight and three of four (51 total pitches).
4. Jake McGee, Tampa Bay Rays – Anything goes in the Tampa bullpen.
