Brad Brach to close for Baltimore to end the season

September 21, 2017

Baltimore Orioles — If you missed our alert late last night, Zach Britton will have an injection in his knee and miss the rest of the season with an MCL strain. Brad Brach should get any Baltimore save chances over the final nine games, with Darren O’Day his primary backup.

Updated hierarchy:  Brach | O’Day | Givens.

New York Yankees — Dellin Betances has been struggling, and Joe Girardi has no shortage of high-quality bullpen options to replace him. For now, we think David Robertson will get any save chances if Aroldis Chapman is unavailable but, like Chapman earlier this season, Betances could still earn his job back by the time the Yankees hit the postseason.

Updated hierarchy: Chapman | Robertson | Betances.

Boston Red Sox — The Red Sox are preparing for the playoffs by talking up their new $31 million middle reliever. Don’t be surprised to see David Price get a seventh, eighth, or ninth inning in the next week to prepare him for high-leverage relief work in October.

Updated hierarchy: Kimbrel | Reed | Price.

Cleveland Indians — Bryan Shaw picked up a two-inning save on Wednesday, saving Cody Allen some work heading into the postseason.

Hierarchy remains: Allen | Shaw | Miller.

Oakland A’s — We warned you to expect a deep vulture save from Oakland on Wednesday, but what we didn’t know is that they’d try to ride Ryan Dull for two innings to get it. Dull made things exciting by giving up two quick runs in the ninth, so Aussie Liam Hendriks came on to bail him out and earn his first career save.

Hierarchy remains: Treinen | Hatcher | Casilla.

Houston Astros — Joe Musgrove’s journey to the bullpen is allowing the Astros to give a little more rest to Ken Giles and Chris Devenski ahead of the playoffs. Wednesday night, Musgrove picked up another save in a tight spot, and he could wind up challenging for the closer job next spring.

Hierarchy remains: Giles | Devenski | Musgrove.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Edubray Ramos — Both Hector Neris and Luis Garcia have pitched in three straight and four of five.
2. Josh Hader — Corey Knebel blew a save in his third straight day of work. Anthony Swarzak has also gone three in a row.
3. Tony Barnette — Alex Claudio has pitched in two straight (43 pitches), including two innings on Wednesday.
4. Michael Lorenzen — Raisel Iglesias was out on Wednesday with flu-like symptoms.

Friday:
If Neris, Knebel, or Claudio pitch on Thursday, they’ll almost certainly sit on Friday.

Zach Britton confirmed to be out for the season; Brad Brach takes over

September 20, 2017

Baltimore Orioles — Zach Britton’s balky knee hasn’t gotten much better, so he’ll get an injection of platelet-rich plasma and reassess his condition (and the team’s) in three to five days. With the Orioles five games and six teams out of the wild card race, we’re going to go out on a limb and say they won’t bring him back to save the team’s 75th win next week. (UPDATE: Apparently he agrees, telling reporters he’s done and has an MCL strain.) Cut him loose if you’re in a playoff fight.

Updated hierarchy:  Brach | O’Day | Givens.

Pedro Baez has not been good at pitching lately

September 20, 2017

Los Angeles Dodgers — Pedro Baez continued his dreadful September on Tuesday, allowing four runs on two hits and two walks to blow a one-run lead. His ERA this month is a miserable 22.50, and not only has he pitched himself out of the hierarchy, he probably pitched himself off the playoff roster. Tony Watson and Ross Stripling are the most likely options now in the seventh as the Dodgers get ready for October.

Updated hierarchy: Jansen | Morrow | Watson.

Boston Red Sox – While we did correctly predict a vulture save for the Red Sox, it was not Joe Kelly who got it. Instead, Matt Barnes closed out the 11th inning after Kelly, Addison Reed and Craig Kimbrel all pitched. Also of note is that Carson Smith got the ball in the seventh inning of a scoreless game, less than 24 hours after picking up an 11th-inning save of his own. While it’s still unlikely that he picks up a conventional save this year, Tuesday’s usage suggests the Sox are loosening the reins on Smith and that he may be in line for a hold or two down the stretch.

Hierarchy remains: Kimbrel | Reed | Kelly.

Cleveland Indians — Andrew Miller has pitched three times since returning from the DL, picking up two holds in the process. One of those holds came thanks to a 1-2-3 seventh inning on Tuesday. Cleveland still may be cautious with Miller’s workload ahead of the postseason, but it appears that Miller is not suffering from any setbacks.

Updated hierarchy: Allen | Shaw | Miller.

St. Louis Cardinals — Juan Nicasio kept the score tied in the ninth and then got the ball in the 10th with the Cardinals now ahead by two runs. After allowing a leadoff homer, Nicasio retired the next hitter before ceding the inning to Tyler Lyons in order to take advantage of a lefty-lefty matchup and eventually convert his third save of the season.

Hierarchy remains: *Nicasio | Lyons | Oh.
* = closer-by-committee

New York Yankees — Since Aroldis Chapman regained his job as closer, he has pitched six scoreless innings over five appearances, allowing just two hits during that stretch. Safe to say he’s kicked the asterisk.

Hierarchy remains: Chapman | Betances | Robertson.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Pedro Strop – Both Wade Davis and CJ Edwards have pitched in four of the last five.
2. Joe Kelly – Craig Kimbrel and Addison Reed have both pitched in two straight and five of six. Kelly has also pitched in two straight, but is a bit more rested overall than Kimbrel and Reed.
3. Jeurys Familia – AJ Ramos needed 32 pitches during his blown save last night, his third outing over the last four days.
4. Dellin Betances – Aroldis Chapman has gone in back-to-back games and may get a night off.
5. Santiago Casilla/Ryan Dull – Blake Treinen and Chris Hatcher have both pitched in three straight games. It’s only been two straight for Casilla, but he has pitched in three of four and isn’t exactly rested. Ryan Dull may pick up a sneaky vulture save tonight.

Tomorrow
1. CJ Edwards/Pedro Strop – If both Edwards and Davis pitch again on Wednesday, Strop could see Thursday’s save chance.
2. Anthony Swarzak/Josh Hader – Both Corey Knebel and Swarzak have pitched in two straight. If they both go again Wednesday, Hader may get a look on Thursday.
3. Luis Garcia/Edubray Ramos – Both Hector Neris and Ramos enter Wednesday having pitched in two straight and three of four. If both pitchers get the ball tonight, Ramos may get a save chance on Thursday.

Brad Ziegler healthy and available again

September 19, 2017

Boston Red Sox – After Doug Fister only managed to get six outs, the Red Sox emptied their bullpen amidst a slugfest against the Orioles. The game went to extras, and after the Sox took the lead in the 11th, Carson Smith earned his first save of the season. Smith was the 10th Boston pitcher of the game and is unlikely to get any additional save chances down the stretch.

Hierarchy remains: Kimbrel | Reed | Kelly.

Miami Marlins – Before Monday night’s game, the Marlins said that Brad Ziegler was available to pitch, having apparently recovered from a nagging back injury. But the team wouldn’t need him, as they ran out to a huge lead against the Mets, allowing Vance Worley to pitch the final three innings and earn his first save of the year. Worley does not figure into the usual late inning plans in Miami.

Hierarchy remains: Ziegler | Barraclough | Steckenrider.

San Diego Padres – While the Padres remain hopeful that Phil Maton can be the team’s future closer, he hasn’t pitched in many high-leverage spots lately. Instead, Craig Stammen and Buddy Baumann have been sharing the 7th inning, bridging the gap between the starters and set-up man Kirby Yates. If you’re in a super-deep league and are looking for holds, we’re guessing these guys are available.

Updated hierarchy: Hand | Yates | Stammen.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Brad Brach – Zach Britton has gone back to back games (2.1 IP).
2. Joe Kelly – Craig Kimbrel and Addison Reed have both pitched in four of five.

Tomorrow
1. Brad Brach/Mychal Givens/Darren O’Day – See above. Britton, Brach, Givens, and O’Day have all gone in back to back games, so monitor who is used tonight to see who will be available tomorrow.
2. Addison Reed/Joe Kelly – See above. Monitor tonight’s usage to see who will be available tomorrow.
3. Chris Hatcher/Santiago Casilla – If Blake Treinen and Chris Hatcher go tonight, it’ll be three straight. Monitor usage to see who will be available tomorrow.
4. Dellin Betances/David Robertson – Aroldis Chapman pitched 1.2 innings last night, and Dellin Betances has gone in back to back games. Monitor usage to see who will be available tomorrow.
5. Kirby Yates/Craig Stammen/Buddy Baumann – Brad Hand, Kirby Yates, and Craig Stammen have all gone back to back. Monitor usage to see who will be available tomorrow.

Chris Hatcher becoming a reliable set-up man

September 18, 2017

Cincinnati Reds – Raisel Iglesias got a second day off after throwing 42 pitches on Friday, so Michael Lorenzen got his second save with a clean 9th inning. He remains Iglesias’s handcuff going into the season’s final two weeks.

Hierarchy remains: Iglesias | Lorenzen | Shackelford.

Oakland A’s – Chris Hatcher finished off the seventh and then pitched a clean 8th inning ahead of Blake Treinen on Sunday. We don’t know for certain that he’d get the save chance if Treinen needs a night off, but given his success since coming to Oakland (2.81 ERA over 16 IP), he’s now a better bet than Santiago Casilla, who has mostly been pitching in losses.

Updated hierarchy: Treinen | Hatcher | Casilla.

Texas Rangers – After a solid 7th inning from Keone Kela, Matt Bush came out for the 8th inning, but immediately got into trouble, allowing a solo HR and a base hit. Jake Diekman came on and bailed him out, then stayed on for the 9th to earn his first save of the season. Committee leader Alex Claudio is still the go-to lefty in this pen, but this was a very nice outing for Diekman, who throws hard and could be in the mix for holds next season.

Hierarchy remains: *Claudio | Barnette | Bush.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Jeurys Familia – With AJ Ramos having gone twice in a row and the Mets playing for nothing, they might give Jeurys Familia a crack at the 9th inning tonight.

Tomorrow
1. Jeurys Familia – See above. If AJ Ramos goes tonight, it’ll be three straight.
2. Brad Brach – Zach Britton threw 1.1 innings last night and could get a day off if he has another long outing tonight.