Trevor Rosenthal throwing gas, nearing return

September 13, 2016

St. Louis Cardinals — Trevor Rosenthal, who has been injured since July 24, is nearing his return to the Cards’ bullpen. He has reportedly been reaching 100 mph on the radar gun during bullpen sessions, so we would expect him to at least make a case for regaining the closer role for the home stretch. However, current closer Seung Hwan Oh has pitched phenomenally in Rosenthal’s absence.

Hierarchy remains: Oh | Siegrist | Bowman.

Cincinnati Reds — Raisel Iglesias pitched the 8th and 9th innings last night and picked up a save in a 3-0 game, his third of the year. The Reds are one of the worst teams in baseball this year, and teams with nothing to lose often test people out at the end of the year. We still expect Tony Cingrani to get the majority of chances, but don’t be surprised when he gets a rest.

Hierarchy remains: *Cingrani | Iglesias | Lorenzen.
* = closer-by-committee

Texas Rangers — Jake Diekman picked up an extra-inning save after Sam Dyson failed to close the door in the 9th. It was a much-needed scoreless outing for Diekman, who had been struggling prior to Monday.

Hierarchy remains: Dyson | Bush | Diekman.

Oakland A’s — Zach Neal picked up his second three-inning save of the season on Monday, moving him into a tie with John Axford and Ryan Dull for third on the A’s in saves this season.

Hierarchy remains: Madson | Axford | Doolittle.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Luke Gregerson, Houston Astros – Ken Giles pitched two innings last night. He was quite efficient, only throwing 26 pitches, but we doubt he will be used tonight.
2. Ryan Buchter, San Diego Padres – Brandon Maurer has pitched in three straight.

Hunter Strickland could stabilize volatile Giants bullpen

September 12, 2016

Miami Marlins – It was only a one-out save, but A.J. Ramos showed he was up to the task despite his troublesome finger. He remains the most likely choice for saves for the Marlins down the stretch.

Hierarchy remains: *Ramos | Rodney | Barraclough.
* = closer-by-committee

San Francisco Giants – The San Francisco closer roulette wheel on Sunday landed on Hunter Strickland, who pitched the final 1.1 innings for his third save of the season. Sergio Romo and Will Smith bridged the gap to Strickland, though Romo had a forgettable outing, allowing a home run and a hit while only retiring one man. All things considered, this pushes Strickland to the top of the Giants closer committee. If he’s given (and converts) the next opportunity, he could seize hold of the job.

Updated hierarchy: *Strickland | Romo | Nathan.
* = closer-by-committee

Colorado Rockies – Jake McGee got the 9th inning of a tie game on Sunday, and pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. He’s now logged seven straight scoreless appearances and has fought his way back on to the Rockies hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Ottavino | Logan | McGee.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Shawn Kelley, Washington Nationals – Mark Melancon has pitched in three straight.
2. Kelvin Herrera, Kansas City Royals – The Royals may take it easy on Wade Davis today, who has pitched in two straight and thrown over 20 pitches in each appearance.

A.J. Ramos battling finger injury

September 11, 2016

Miami Marlins — A.J. Ramos is dealing with discomfort in the finger he fractured in early August.  Fernando Rodney hasn’t been pitching well, but the injury to Ramos means both All-Stars should be in the mix for saves the rest of the season.

Hierarchy remains: *Ramos | Rodney | Barraclough.
*  = closer-by-committee

Seattle Mariners — Tom Wilhelmsen returned from the disabled list yesterday.  He pitched in a Mariners’ blowout victory and gave up a couple runs.  Nick Vincent hasn’t allowed a run since Wilhelmsen went on the disabled list in late August and has picked up three holds during that time.  We will leave Vincent on the hierarchy for now and watch how the Mariners use the veteran Wilhelmsen down the stretch.

Hierarchy remains: Diaz | Cishek | Vincent.

Milwaukee Brewers – Corey Knebel got the call in the eighth inning last night to protect a one run lead.  Unfortunately for Brewers’ fans (and fans of any other NL team battling with the Cardinals for the wild card), Knebel was unable to get the job done, as he gave up four runs while only recording one out.  Knebel has really struggled recently and Carlos Torres will likely see more time in the set-up role as a result.

Updated hierarchy: Thornburg  | Torres | Knebel.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Fernando Rodney, Miami Marlins – Manager Don Mattingly has said he doesn’t know who will get the call for the next save chance and while Ramos has been pitching better than Rodney, the injury to Ramos complicates things
2. Shawn Kelley, Washington Nationals – Mark Melancon has pitched in two straight.  Shawn Kelley has as well but he has only been asked to get one out each night.
3. Anybody but Santiago Casilla, San Francisco Giants – Bruce Bochy will likely mix and match in the ninth inning so it could be a righty in Sergio Romo, Joe Nathan, or Hunter Strickland, or a lefty in Will Smith or Javier Lopez, who ends up getting the last out in a save opportunity.  It won’t be Santiago Casilla.

 

Santiago Casilla burns Bruce Bochy for the last time

September 10, 2016

San Francisco Giants — Turns out Bruce Bochy wasn’t kidding when he said that the Giants’ new closer committee could include the struggling Santiago Casilla — it was Casilla himself who got the very first save chance, in the tenth inning of Friday’s game. Casilla blew the save when Jake Lamb hit his third home run in three at-bats against the righty this season, and Bochy admitted Casilla probably won’t get the next opportunity: “I’ve touched that hot stove enough.” The Giants took the lead in the twelfth, and Cory Gearrin wound up with a unique save that saw him retire a batter, move to left field, then return to the mound. San Francisco has no shortage of save options: Derek Law probably has the inside track when he returns from the DL early next week, but other qualified candidates include lefties Will Smith and Javier Lopez, ex-closers Sergio Romo and Joe Nathan, and eternal closer-in-waiting Hunter Strickland. Or Bochy could grab that stove again.

Updated hierarchy: *Romo | Nathan | Strickland.
*  = closer-by-committee

Miami Marlins — Fernando Rodney has struggled recently as head of the Miami committee, giving up six runs over four September appearances. On Friday, he gave up a leadoff homer and two singles before being pulled with no outs — but A.J. Ramos came in and set down three straight to record the save. We think Ramos is back ahead in the Miami ‘pen.

Updated hierarchy: *Ramos | Rodney | Barraclough.
*  = closer-by-committee

Texas Rangers — Matt Bush picked up a win last night after recording the last out of the seventh and staying on for the eighth. Bush has been getting eighth innings ahead of Sam Dyson lately, while Jake Diekman has struggled mightily in three September appearances (45.00 ERA, 7.00 WHIP). Keone Kela has looked good lately and could pass Diekman soon.

Updated hierarchy: Dyson | Bush | Diekman.

Chicago Cubs — Hector Rondon looked solid in a high-leverage eighth-inning hold Friday night, and should see vulture save chances over young C.J. Edwards going forward.

Updated hierarchy: Chapman | Rondon | Edwards.

Minnesota Twins — Trevor May returned from the DL on Friday, but because he didn’t get the benefit of any minor league rehab appearances, he isn’t expected to get any high-leverage use right away.

Hierarchy remains: Kintzler | Pressly | Rogers.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Andrew Miller, Cleveland Indians — Cody Allen has pitched in three straight and Miller got last night off.
2. Felipe Rivero, Pittsburgh Pirates — Tony Watson has pitched in four of five, and Neftali Feliz is still out.
3. Steve Cishek/Nick Vincent, Seattle Mariners — Edwin Diaz has gone in three straight, and Cishek has pitched in three of four himself.
4. Fernando Salas, New York Mets — The Mets may well keep riding their workhorse Jeurys Familia, but both he and Addison Reed have pitched in three of four and five of seven.

Derek Law could be the best bet for Giants saves going forward

September 9, 2016

San Francisco Giants — Bruce Bochy announced before Friday’s game that the Giants will move to a closer-by-committee setup. Derek Law might be the best bet for saves through the end of the season, but for now, any of several different options might get the call in the ninth — including Casilla himself. We’ll elevate Sergio Romo to the committee head for now, but keep in mind that Law is due back from the DL Monday.

Updated hierarchy: *Romo | Casilla | Nathan.