It’s not getting any better for Greg Holland

May 23, 2018

St. Louis Cardinals – Mike Matheny continued his quest to get Greg Holland right on Tuesday when he called on the righty in the top of the ninth to keep the Cardinals down by just two. Holland failed to even record an out, allowing a walk and three singles as the Royals pushed their lead to 5-1. After the game, Matheny said that the issues don’t appear to be injury-related, and he seemed to mostly feel bad for Holland. They’ll keep trying to find spots for him to pitch and regain his old form, but those spots aren’t likely to be when the Cardinals have a lead. With Matt Bowman, Luke Gregerson and Tyler Lyons all on the DL, Sam Tuivailala is probably the best bet to get the ball to Jordan Hicks and Bud Norris. Lefty Brett Cecil should also grab some holds if the matchups are right.

Updated hierarchy: Norris | Hicks | Tuivailala.

Baltimore Orioles — Last time we checked in with the Orioles, Darren O’Day was moving closer to a return from the DL. Well, that’s taking longer than the Orioles thought. O’Day had a catch yesterday and will throw a bullpen today. Hopefully for Baltimore, O’Day’s bullpen goes well and he is back sometime this week.

Hierarchy remains: Brach | Givens | Bleier.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Jeremy Jeffress – Corey Knebel has pitched in two straight games and Josh Hader tossed 30 pitches over two innings on Tuesday.

Tomorrow
1. Joe Kelly – Craig Kimbrel threw 33 pitches on Tuesday, so he may get Thursday off if he has another lengthy outing on Wednesday.
2. Josh Hader/Jeremy Jeffress – If Knebel gets the call on Wednesday, it’s very unlikely he’d pitch on a fourth straight day.
3. Juan Nicasio – Should Edwin Diaz pitch on Wednesday, that will be two straight and three of four.

Hector Neris still a prominent part of Phillies committee

May 22, 2018

Philadelphia Phillies – After a few outings in non-save situations, Hector Neris got the 9th inning with a three-run lead on Monday night, converting for his 9th save. Seranthony Dominguez threw a scoreless 8th, allowing his first baserunner of the season but extending his scoreless streak to 7.2 innings to start his career. Since Gabe Kapler started his no-defined-roles approach, it’s been these two — along with Edubray Ramos — who are most often stirring in the bullpen when the Phillies have a lead late in games.

Hierarchy remains: *Neris | Ramos | Dominguez.
* = closer-by-committee

Milwaukee Brewers – Two weeks after coming off the DL, Corey Knebel finally got a save opportunity, converting for only his second save of the year. Knebel and Josh Hader should continue to lead this bullpen, and it remains to be seen whether they’ll split opportunities, or whether Knebel will get the bulk.

Hierarchy remains: Knebel | Hader | Jeffress.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Addison Reed – Fernando Rodney has gone back to back (and hasn’t pitched in three straight all year).

Tomorrow
1. Robert Gsellman – If Jeurys Familia goes today, it’ll be back to back and four of five.

Blake Parker finding his form; Jordan Hicks hits 105 mph

May 21, 2018

Washington Nationals – After appearing in exactly half of the team’s first 42 games, Ryan Madson was placed on the disabled list with a sore pectoral muscle. Brandon Kintzler should be the main set-up man in his absence, while old friend Shawn Kelley returns to the hierarchy for the first time since last June.

Updated hierarchy: Doolittle | Kintzler | Kelley.

Los Angeles Angels – Amidst the turmoil in the Angels bullpen as of late, Blake Parker has quietly found his form. On Sunday, he logged his 9th straight scoreless outing, picking up his second save of the year. If he gets another one, he’ll jump to the top of this perpetually-in-flux hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: *Anderson | Parker | Johnson.
* = closer-by-committee

Chicago White Sox – With Nate Jones getting the afternoon off, Jace Fry picked up his first save of the year on Sunday, and it was yet another scoreless, hitless inning. Fry, a lefty with crazy-deceptive stuff, has now stretched his hitless-innings streak to 8.1 and jumps his way up to the handcuff position.

Updated hierarchy: *Jones | Fry | Rondon.
* = closer-by-committee

Texas Rangers – Chris Martin was activated from the disabled list, and looked strong in his return outing, striking out two hitters in a clean inning. We’ll move him back up to his former position behind Keone Kela until he gives us a reason to do otherwise.

Updated hierarchy: Kela | Martin | Diekman.

New York Mets – Rather than use Jeurys Familia for the third straight day, the Mets left Robert Gsellman in for the 9th inning after he’d gotten the final two outs of the 8th. Gsellman converted the gsave, and has surpassed AJ Ramos as the most likely man to get an opportunity when Familia is unavailable. Given Ramos’s control problems thus far (10 BBs in 16.2 innings), he might have fallen behind Seth Lugo as well.

Updated hierarchy: Familia | Gsellman | Ramos. 

Miami Marlins – The Braves rallied for 6 runs in a walkoff victory Sunday afternoon, with the first four coming against Brad Ziegler. With Drew Steckenrider and Kyle Barraclough having already pitched, Tayron Guerrero was tasked with getting the game’s final out, and he wasn’t up to the task. Ziegler had converted four straight saves prior to the outing, so we don’t actually think he’s out of a job yet, but at some point, the fact that he has given up literally four times as many earned runs this year as Barraclough (in fewer innings!) has to catch up with him.

Hierarchy remains: Ziegler | Barraclough | Steckenrider. 

Los Angeles Dodgers – Josh Fields came on with the Dodgers up three runs in the 8th, then stayed on for the 9th once they stretched the lead to five. He probably would’ve stayed on regardless, though, since Kenley Jansen was likely unavailable. But you read the Vulture Save Watch yesterday, so you already knew that, didn’t you?

Hierarchy remains: Jansen | Fields | Baez. 

St. Louis Cardinals – Jordan Hicks threw two pitches at 105 mph yesterday. So yeah, that’s a thing that happened.

Updated hierarchy: Norris | Hicks | Holland.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Kyle Barraclough – Brad Ziegler threw 30 pitches yesterday and might not be available tonight.

Tomorrow
1. Kirby Yates/Craig Stammen – If Brad Hand goes tonight, it’ll be back to back and three of four. Yates and Stammen have also seen a lot of work lately, though, so their usage will dictate who gets a possible save opp tomorrow.

Seranthony Dominguez and Nate Jones record saves

May 20, 2018

Philadelphia Phillies — Seranthony Dominguez has had a very impressive start to his major league career and on Saturday, he recorded his first career save.  Dominguez has not allowed a hit or walk in his first six career appearances, the longest such streak to start a career in major league history.  With Gabe Kapler, you never know who is going to get the next save, but Dominguez certainly deserves to be in the mix.

Hierarchy remains: *Neris | Ramos | Dominguez.
* = closer-by-committee

Chicago White Sox — For the second time in three games, the White Sox actually had a lead in the 9th inning and they called on Nate Jones again for the save.  Jones recorded the last two outs of the ninth and has received (and converted) the last two save opportunities for the White Sox. That is enough to push Jones to the top of the committee.  Joakim Soria is close to dropping out of the hierarchy altogether and Jace Fry is a guy to watch.  Fry, a lefty, pitched a perfect eighth and came back out for the first out of the ninth before giving way to Jones.  Fry has not allowed a hit this season, and if the White Sox decide to match up more in the ninth, he could become more of a factor.

Updated hierarchy: *Jones | Rondon | Soria.
* = closer-by-committee

Tampa Bay Rays – Sergio Romo made his first major league start yesterday, and struck out the side in a perfect inning.  Since it went so well, the Rays have decided to start Romo again on Sunday.  Once he stops starting, he should return to his role at the back end of the Rays bullpen, but in the meantime, Jose Alvarado and Chaz Roe should help set-up Alex Colome.

Hierarchy remains: Colome | Romo | Alvarado.

Cincinnati Reds – Amir Garrett picked up his sixth hold on Saturday by pitching a scoreless seventh inning.  He also let out quite a yell after he struck out Javier Baez to end the inning, causing the benches to clear.

Hierarchy remains: Iglesias | Hughes | Garrett.

VULTURE START WATCH
Today:
1. Sergio Romo – Sergio Romo will start for the second straight day on Sunday.  Can he make it three in a row on Monday or will the Vulture Start Watch be gone for good after today?

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Josh Fields – Kenley Jansen saved both games of the doubleheader yesterday and has pitched in two of three.
2. Santiago Casilla/Yusmeiro Petit – Blake Treinen has pitched in two straight, throwing at least 20 pitches in both appearances.
3. Bruce Rondon – Nate Jones has pitched in three of four.

Monday
1. Bruce Rondon – If Jones pitches on Sunday, he should get Monday off