Brad Hand, Edwin Diaz taking over in the ninth

May 26, 2017

San Diego Padres — For the second straight night, Padres manager Andy Green gave a save opportunity to Brad Hand Thursday, electing to use the lefty in the ninth and previously established closer Brandon Maurer in the eighth. Both pitchers allowed one run, but Maurer was able to preserve the lead and Hand was able to save it. There was no indication after the game that Green offered clarity on the situation, though one beat writer mused that Hand — who has interested several other teams and may be the first Padre dealt this season — is the “Padres closer-but-not-really-but-actually-he-probably-is,” for now. Great assessment.

Updated hierarchy: *Hand | Maurer | Buchter.
* = closer-by-committee

Seattle Mariners — Edwin Diaz picked up a save Thursday, his first since May 9. He told reporters after the game that manager Scott Servais told him he would have been called upon earlier had Anthony Rendon come to the plate in the eighth inning. That situation would have been critical, because Bryce Harper was already on base and it would have meant that Ryan Zimmerman and/or Daniel Murphy would have reached as well. Servais said after the game that he likes Diaz in the ninth inning. It’s his job to lose at this point.

Updated hierarchy: *Diaz | Vincent | Pazos.
* = closer-by-committee

Washington Nationals – Dusty Baker made it official late Wednesday night, naming Koda Glover his full-time closer. We’ll remove the asterisk to make it officially official.

Updated hierarchy: Glover | Kelley | Albers.

Colorado Rockies — The Rockies lost Thursday, but the team got a chance to put on display its stable of solid relievers in a tight game. Lately, lefty Mike Dunn (5.79 ERA, 1.57 WHIP) is not one of those pitchers, despite his 10 holds this season. In fact, in his last outing on Wednesday, Dunn allowed two earned runs on a walk and two hits while facing just four batters. We like Chris Rusin, who after another scoreless outing Thursday, has a 2.00 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP. He has recorded a few holds lately, too.

Updated hierarchy: Holland | Ottavino | Rusin.

Philadelphia Phillies – In his first season with the Phillies, Pat Neshek has impressed. After another scoreless outing Thursday, he’s got a 1.04 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with five holds. He has seemed to occupy the seventh inning pretty often lately, unlike Edubray Ramos (3.66 ERA, 1.63 WHIP), who, before Thursday’s extra-inning win, hadn’t pitched in a win since May 1. He also doesn’t have a hold since April 3.

Updated hierarchy: *Neris | Benoit | Neshek.
* = closer-by-committee

Chicago Cubs — In one of the vulturiest vulture saves you’ll see, Mike Montgomery tossed the final four innings and allowed just one hit Thursday for his first career (regular-season) save. We’re offering free Closer Monkey Premium for the first person to prove they started Montgomery Thursday (EDIT: SO MANY OF YOU STARTED MONTGOMERY, CONGRATULATIONS, NOW PLEASE STOP EMAILING US).

Hierarchy remains: Davis | Edwards | Rondon.

Los Angeles Dodgers — In his first major-league relief appearance, Hyun-Jin Ryu tossed the final four innings of the Dodgers’ 7-4 win to pick up a sneaky vulture save. It’s his first save since he was a 19-year-old playing rookie ball in South Korea. There’s no room for Ryu in the rotation, so he may get more opportunities like this in the near future, especially when starter Kenta Maeda pitches, manager Dave Roberts said. Oh, and we bet it’s likely some of you had Ryu left over on your roster from his days as a starter. If so, be the first to snap a photo of him starting for you on Thursday and you’ll get a year of Closer Monkey Premium (EDIT: We’ve got this winner too. Not as many emails as Montgomery, but dang, you people own a lot of weird pitchers).

Hierarchy remains: Jansen | Baez | Fields.

Los Angeles Angels — Former closer Huston Street pitched a perfect inning in Triple-A this week and may be back with the big club as soon as next week.

Hierarchy remains: Norris | Hernandez | Parker.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Brandon Maurer — Brad Hand has pitched in three straight games.

Saturday:
1. Nick Vincent –Edwin Diaz has pitched in two straight games and a Friday appearance would make three in a row.
2. Joaquin Benoit/Pat Neshek — If Hector Neris pitches Friday, that’s three out of four for him. Joaquin Benoit, meanwhile, has already pitched in two straight, so a chance for him Saturday is contingent on a day off for him Friday. If both are unavailable, we’ll get a clearer look if Pat Neshek really is second-in-line.

Padres give Brad Hand a chance to close as they look to deal him

May 25, 2017

San Diego Padres — Struggling Brandon Maurer got the eighth with a one-run lead over the Mets, leaving the ninth for lefty trade target Brad Hand. Not content with the normal degree of difficulty, Hand loaded the bases (on two weak singles and a walk) before escaping the inning unscathed through two strikeouts and a fly ball. Hand now has 35 strikeouts in 26 innings, and is probably the best lefthanded reliever on the market. After the game, Andy Green said that Hand is not the closer, but that the team will “bounce guys around and utilize them the best way possible going forward right now.” We’ll call that a committee and keep Maurer up top for now, since Hand will likely be moving on soon.

Updated hierarchy: *Maurer | Hand | Buchter.
* = closer-by-committee

Texas Rangers — Sam Dyson entered Wednesday’s game with two on, one out, a two-run lead, and — for the first time all year — an ERA below 10. RBI single. RBI single (and throwing error). Intentional walk. Run-scoring wild pitch. 2-RBI single. Ground-rule double. Intentional walk. RBI walk. Sam Dyson left Wednesday’s game with three on, one out, a four-run deficit, and a WHIP  (2.65) higher than last year’s ERA (2.43). There’s something very wrong with Sam Dyson. Don’t wait for him to figure it out on your roster.

Updated hierarchy: Bush | Kela | Barnette.

Minnesota Twins — Matt Belisle has an 7.80 ERA and only one appearance since May 12. Taylor Rogers has earned the eighth-inning role for Minnesota, and it looks like it’s Ryan Pressly, not Belisle, backing him up.

Updated hierarchy: Kintzler | Rogers | Pressly.

Atlanta Braves — We can only predict the vulture opportunities; we can’t convert them. We told you that the Braves’ top two would likely have Wednesday off — and they did — but Jose Ramirez blew the shot at his first major-league save. The Pirates scored a touchdown off Josh Collmenter in the tenth to complete the indignity.

Hierarchy remains: Johnson | Vizcaino | Ramirez.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Andrew Miller/Bryan Shaw — Cody Allen blew a save Wednesday night and has thrown 52 pitches over the last two days. Both Miller and Shaw have also been used in two straight, so it might come down to which guy is freshest.
2. Tyler Clippard — Dellin Betances has pitched in three of four and the Yankees play a day game Thursday.
3. C.J. Edwards — Wade Davis didn’t make it easy on Wednesday, earning the save on 34 pitches after giving up a homer. It was his first outing in a while, but it was a rough one.

Friday:
1. Archie Bradley — Fernando Rodney has gone in two straight.

Hansel Robles sent to the minors

May 24, 2017

New York Mets — The Mets demoted the struggling Hansel Robles to Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday. We expect that Fernando Salas, who has three holds over his last five appearances, will be the primary set-up man for Addison Reed. Salas pitched a perfect 1.1 innings to close out Tuesday’s 9-3 win.

Updated hierarchy: Reed | Salas | Blevins.

Miami Marlins – A.J. Ramos struggled through a second straight poor outing as the clock neared 2 a.m., eventually locking down an 11-9 win after he entered the game with a five-run advantage. Ramos, who was warming while the Marlins extended their lead in the 8th, has now allowed four hits and five earned runs over the last two games, neither of which were save situations. We’ll see if Ramos can right the ship, though the Marlins have provided him few save chances so far this season.

Hierarchy remains: Ramos | Barraclough | Phelps.

Colorado Rockies — One name to keep an eye on is Chris Rusin. He pitched a scoreless 7th inning in an 8-2 win on Tuesday and has now allowed just one run in his last 11 appearances, striking out 15 and walking just two in that span. The lefty is versatile enough to also serve as a long reliever when necessary, but if he continues to pitch well, don’t be surprised to see him pick up some more high-leverage work.

Hierarchy remains: Holland | Ottavino | Dunn.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Jose Ramirez — Jim Johnson and Arodys Vizcaino have both pitched in two straight, three of the last four, and four of the last five. Ramirez got last night off and will be the freshest option on Wednesday.
2. Nick Wittgren/Brad Ziegler — Both A.J. Ramos and Kyle Barraclough tossed 34 pitches on Tuesday, and David Phelps is away on bereavement leave.

Thursday:
1. Andrew Miller/Bryan Shaw — Cody Allen needed 23 pitches to earn a save Tuesday. He may get Thursday off, with Andrew Miller (25 pitches) also potentially in line for a night off if he pitches again on Wednesday.
2. Felipe Rivero/Juan Nicasio — If Tony Watson gets the ball on Wednesday, that will be his fourth appearance in five games. If Rivero also pitches today, he’d have gone in three of the last four.
3. Trevor Rosenthal — Seung Hwan Oh needed 24 pitches on Tuesday and may be in line for a night off Thursday if he has another strenuous outing.

Michael Lorenzen pitching well in Cincinnati

May 23, 2017

Cincinnati Reds — Michael Lorenzen got the eighth inning ahead of Raisel Iglesias on Monday, and has allowed only one run in his last 12.1 IP. Drew Storen has been solid on the season as well, though less consistent in May (5 ER in 7 IP), and his last six appearances have come with the Reds either losing or tied. It’s possible he’s still Iglesias’s handcuff, given his prior closing experience but, for now, we’ll give the nod to Lorenzen.

Updated hierarchy: Iglesias | Lorenzen | Storen.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. David Hernandez — Bud Norris has gone in back-to-back games and threw 35 pitches yesterday.
2. Adam Warren — Dellin Betances and Tyler Clippard have both gone back-to-back; Joe Girardi tends to shy away from using relievers in three straight games before the All-Star Break.

Wednesday:
1. Arodys Vizcaino/Jose Ramirez — Jim Johnson, Vizcaino, and Ramirez all pitched yesterday and have gone in three of four. Anyone who goes tonight is likely out tomorrow; monitor the game to see who’ll be available.
2. Michael Lorenzen — If Raisel Iglesias goes today, it’ll be back-to-back and four of five.
3. Chris Devenski/Will Harris — If Ken Giles goes today, it’ll be three straight.

Koda Glover cementing himself at the top of the Nationals’ committee

May 22, 2017

Texas Rangers – Matt Bush’s 33-pitch outing on Friday — his third appearance in four days at the time — was apparently tiring enough that the Rangers wanted to give him a second day off on Sunday. So Keone Kela picked up the save, firing a perfect 9th inning with two strikeouts. Kela’s appearance followed another encouraging outing from former closer Sam Dyson, who struck out three in 1.2 clean innings.

Hierarchy remains: Bush | Kela | Dyson.

Washington Nationals – Koda Glover entered Sunday’s game with two outs in the 8th and the tying run on second base, striking out Nick Markakis to maintain the Nationals’ slim lead. He then stayed on for the 9th, wrapping up the 3-2 victory and taking a step towards kicking his asterisk.

Hierarchy remains: *Glover | Kelley | Albers.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Felipe Rivero – Tony Watson has gone three straight.

Tomorrow
1. Tyler Clippard – Dellin Betances went 1.1 innings yesterday, so if he goes today, he’ll probably need Tuesday off.
2. Joakim Soria – If Kelvin Herrera goes today, it’ll be back to back and four of five.