May 15, 2016
San Francisco Giants — As expected, Santiago Casilla got the night off on Saturday. Cory Gearrin picked up his first save in almost three years. Josh Osich has gone less than one inning in his last six appearances, so Gearrin could continue to see save chances when Casilla is unavailable.
Updated hierarchy: Casilla | Gearrin | Osich.
Philadelphia Phillies – David Hernandez benefited from an incredible double play to end the game and picked up his first save of the season. Jeanmar Gomez and Hector Neris were both unavailable after appearing in two straight and three of the past four.
Hierarchy remains: Gomez | Neris | Hernandez.
Baltimore Orioles — Brad Brach recorded his first save of the season last night. Brach came on for the eighth inning with the Orioles up 2, and stayed on for the ninth after the Orioles added five more runs in the bottom of the eighth. Brach is still behind Britton and O’Day when it comes to saves for the Orioles.
Hierarchy remains: Britton | O’Day | Brach
Oakland A’s — Bob Melvin confirmed what we already knew when he announced that Ryan Madson is the A’s closer. Madson has received the majority of save chances and has converted each one so far this season. Sean Doolittle is pitching better recently, but he will need Madson to slip up before he has a chance to regain the closer’s role.
Hierarchy remains: Madson | Doolittle | Axford.
San Diego Padres — Carlos Villanueva got the call in the bottom of the twelfth inning and notched his first save of the season. Fernando Rodney, Ryan Buchter, and Brandon Maurer all worked earlier in the game.
Hierarchy remains: Rodney | Buchter | Maurer.
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Jose Alvarez, Los Angeles Angels – Joe Smith has pitched in three of four while Fernando Salas has gone in four in a row.
2. Chad Qualls, Colorado Rockies – Jake McGee has appeared in two straight and three of the last four.
3. Pat Neshek, Houston Astros – Gregerson, Harris, and Giles have all pitched in two straight and three of four.
4. Junichi Tazawa/Carson Smith, Boston Red Sox – Craig Kimbrel and Koji Uehara have each pitched in two in a row.
5. Nick Vincent, Seattle Mariners – Steve Cishek has blown two saves and thrown a total of 55 pitches over the past two days. Joel Peralta has also appeared in two straight.
