No trust in Hector Rondon…yet

April 5, 2017

Chicago Cubs — The Cubs are two games into their season and Hector Rondon’s name hasn’t been called yet. The Cubs never led on Sunday, but with a one-run lead on Tuesday, it was Koji Uehara and Pedro Strop serving as the bridge to Wade Davis. Joe Maddon wasn’t ready to panic this past weekend over Rondon’s rough spring, but it certainly looks like he is hoping to ease Rondon into the season with some low-leverage work. Expect more of Uehara, Strop and Carl Edwards Jr. in the late innings until Rondon can find his groove again.

Updated hierarchy: Davis | Strop | Uehara.

Colorado Rockies — Mike Dunn pitched a clean eighth inning ahead of Greg Holland on Tuesday. This comes after a strong seventh inning on Monday. He has struck out five of the seven batters he has faced and has yet to allow a hit this season. This has come after an outstanding spring. Meanwhile, Jake McGee’s 2017 debut on Tuesday consisted of one batter faced and one hit allowed.

Updated hierarchy: Holland | Ottavino | Dunn.

Arizona Diamondbacks — Randall Delgado made his 2017 debut on Tuesday…in the fifth inning. It was just a 3-2 deficit for the D-Backs before Delgado allowed a leadoff homer as part of a five-hit, five-run inning for the Giants. Needless to say, not exactly setup material. We’ll see what happens when Arizona actually has a lead to protect, though some good news is that Jake Barrett is expected to throw live batting practice on Wednesday.

Updated hierarchy: Rodney | Hoover | Delgado.

Oakland A’s — For the second straight night, Ryan Madson got the eighth inning and the task of facing the heart of the Angels’ order. He retired Mike Trout and got Albert Pujols to ground into a double play. However, unlike Monday, Bob Melvin tabbed Ryan Dull and not Santiago Casilla for the ninth. Melvin liked the matchups for Dull, though it didn’t work out, as Dull allowed a three-run homer. Melvin, who said Casilla was unavailable, looks committed to playing matchups when the A’s hold a late lead, with Madson likely getting the toughest assignments no matter the inning. Good luck, everybody.

Hierarchy remains: *Madson | Casilla | Doolittle.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Adam Ottavino, Colorado Rockies — All three of the Rockies’ big arms have pitched two straight games, but Greg Holland is unlikely to go in three straight, so Ottavino may get that honor.
2. Bryan Shaw, Cleveland Indians — Cody Allen and Andrew Miller have both pitched in the last two games, which means Shaw is likely to get the call. It is worth noting, however, that Miller only threw 21 pitches over the two games.
3. Will Harris, Houston Astros — Both Ken Giles and Luke Gregerson have thrown in two straight games.

Thursday (new feature):
1. Will Harris, Houston Astros — If Giles and Gregerson both go on Wednesday, definitely don’t expect them to pitch in Thursday’s series finale.
2. Andrew Bailey, Los Angeles Angels — Cam Bedrosian may not get three straight games this early in the season, and Mike Scioscia may share closing duties anyway.
3. Bruce Rondon, Detroit Tigers — Rondon may get a look if K-Rod throws a heavy ninth on Wednesday.

Cam Bedrosian might have to share save chances

April 4, 2017

Los Angeles Angels – Despite his excellent spring training, Cam Bedrosian will share closing duties while Huston Street is out. Mike Scioscia shied away from calling the arrangement a “committee,” saying instead that he wants to retain the flexibility to use his ‘closer’ earlier in the game if matchups require. Wise though this might be, the downside to fantasy owners requires us to brand this ‘pen with the committee asterisk.

Updated hierarchy: *Bedrosian | Bailey | Parker.
* = closer-by-committee

Oakland A’s — The A’s played matchups in the late innings, deploying Sean Doolittle against Kole Calhoun, then bringing in Ryan Madson to face Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. This left Santiago Casilla to grab the save in the ninth. Bob Melvin has talked about doing things a little differently in the bullpen, and this looks like the makings of a full-fledged closer committee.

Updated hierarchy: *Madson | Casilla | Doolittle.
* = closer-by-committee

Toronto Blue Jays — With Roberto Osuna on the DL, the Blue Jays have slotted 40-year-old Jason Grilli at closer in the meantime. Seizing the opportunity, Grilli gave up a walk-off home run on Opening Day. Blue Jays fans can console themselves with the knowledge that Osuna will be back in five days, and the performance of Joe Biagini, who kept the game tied in the seventh and eighth. Manager John Gibbons has spoken highly of Biagini, even suggesting that he may get some save chances with Osuna out.

Updated hierarchy: Grilli | Smith | Biagini.

Minnesota Twins — Despite cruising to a 7-1 victory, the Twins took no chances in the ninth, calling on closer Brendan Kintzler to slam the door. In the eighth, veteran righty Matt Belisle needed just 11 pitches to retire the side, and won plaudits for his high socks. Belisle could be the veteran presence Minnesota needs to help stabilize its bullpen.

Updated hierarchy: Kintzler | Pressly | Belisle.

Philadelphia Phillies — After Jeanmar Gomez (ranked as our #30 preseason closer) gave up a two-run homer in his 2017 debut, manager Pete Mackanin allowed that he was “concerned.” With several superior arms backing Gomez up — Hector Neris, Joaquin Benoit, Edubray Ramos, and Pat Neshek — Mackanin should probably go ahead and act on that concern.

Hierarchy remains: Gomez | Neris | Benoit.

Boston Red Sox – In a bit of a surprise, Joe Kelly didn’t see action in Boston’s opener, even though the situation seemed to call for him. The Sox won, but Boston writers are already nervous.

Hierarchy remains: Kimbrel | Kelly | Barnes.

Baltimore Orioles – Darren O’Day has been suffering from the flu and was unavailable on Monday. The Orioles have today off, but if O’Day isn’t healthy by Wednesday, Buck Showalter says he might go to the disabled list.

Updated hierarchy: Britton | Brach | O’Day.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Jeremy Jeffress, Texas Rangers — Sam Dyson had a rough time on Monday, giving up three runs on 23 pitches. Jeffress wasn’t used. If Dyson does get the call again tonight, look for Jeffress or Matt Bush on Wednesday.

Wednesday (new feature):
2. Randall Delgado/J.J. Hoover, Arizona Diamondbacks — Fernando Rodney threw 30 pitches on Monday. If he’s used in Tuesday night’s game, we don’t expect to see him on Wednesday.
3. Adam Ottavino, Colorado Rockies — Greg Holland isn’t likely to go in three straight, so expect a pending vulture if he pitches this evening.
4. Andrew Miller/Bryan Shaw, Cleveland Indians — If Cody Allen or Miller pitch on Tuesday, they probably won’t go again on Wednesday.

Carter Capps to open season on DL

April 3, 2017

San Diego Padres — Carter Capps will begin the season on the DL, though his stay there is not expected to be long. Brad Hand was mentioned by manager Andy Green as someone that will see some late-inning work in Capps’ absence.

Updated hierarchy: Maurer | Buchter | Hand.

Toronto Blue Jays — In case you missed our alert yesterday, Roberto Osuna will start the season on the new 10-day DL (cervical spasm), leaving Jason Grilli to open the season as Toronto’s closer. Osuna can return on April 9.

Updated hierarchy: Grilli | Smith | Howell.

Los Angeles Angels – Blake Parker was a non-roster invitee to camp and made the roster anyway after a terrific spring in which he posted a 0.73 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 12.1 innings. It may be worth taking a flier on him as someone who could get some work in the late innings to start the season. Meanwhile, Huston Street will resume some light throwing on Tuesday.

Updated hierarchy: Bedrosian | Bailey | Parker.

Atlanta Braves — Mauricio Cabrera will begin the season on the 10-day DL, paving the way for some other guys to potentially be the bridge to the 8th and 9th innings. We like lefty Ian Krol as perhaps the best option, with Eric O’Flaherty being another lefty that pitched his way onto the roster this spring and could see some high-leverage work to start the season.

Updated hierarchy: Johnson | Vizcaino | Krol.

Arizona Diamondbacks — The Diamondbacks were one of the six teams that opened the season on Sunday, and JJ Hoover looked sharp in the 8th inning as part of Arizona’s comeback win. He pitched with the D-Backs trailing by a run, but struck out two guys and kept the game in reach. Hoover made the roster out of spring training as a non-roster invitee and could see some more high-leverage innings ahead of Fernando Rodney.

Updated hierarchy: Rodney | Delgado | Hoover.