Wander Suero secures first MLB save

June 22, 2019

Washington Nationals — Sean Doolittle had thrown 33 pitches over the last two days, so the Nationals rested him on Friday night. That allowed Wander Suero, who also pitched in each of the last two games, to collect his first big-league save.

Hierarchy remains: Doolittle | Suero | Rainey.

Tampa Bay Rays — Diego Castillo had thrown 41 pitches over the last two days, including 28 in a blown save on Thursday. Emilio Pagan (45 pitches) had also been busy over the last two games, but he relieved Oliver Drake with one on and one out in the ninth and ultimately earned his fourth save of the season. With Jose Alvarado still not available, Drake and Chaz Roe combined to get the ball to Pagan on Friday. Pagan has pitched well over his last four outings and will continue to split save chances in Alvarado’s absence.

Hierarchy remains: *Castillo | Pagan | Alvarado.
* = closer-by-committee

Chicago Cubs — Joe Maddon insisted that he’s not worried about Pedro Strop, saying that Strop just needed an extra day of rest on Thursday. Craig Kimbrel pitched again in AAA on Friday and is inching closer to joining the Cubs. While it’s unclear when exactly Kimbrel will be in the majors, it is clear that Maddon will continue to be cautious with both his new closer and his interim closer as the Cubs prepare for a run to the postseason. 

Hierarchy remains: *Strop | Cishek | Kintzler.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Tayron Guerrero/Nick Anderson — Sergio Romo has pitched four straight days. Guerrero got yesterday off after three consecutive days of work, so he could potentially get a second straight day of rest.
2. Anthony Bass — Roenis Elias has gone in three straight and four of five.
3. Blake Parker — Taylor Rogers threw 21 pitches over two innings on Friday, though he hadn’t pitched since Tuesday. Parker was just reinstated from family medical emergency leave.
4. Zack Britton — Aroldis Chapman has gone in two straight and three of the last four.

Sunday:
1. Brandon Workman/Ryan Brasier/Marcus Walden — Matt Barnes has pitched in three of four, so if he goes again today it’s likely he gets Sunday off. Workman threw 20 pitches on Friday so he also could be in line for some rest on Sunday, which means Brasier or Walden could vulture a save depending on workload/how Alex Cora is feeling on Sunday.
2. Nick Wittgren — Saturday would be a third straight appearance for Brad Hand.
3. Jose Leclerc — Same goes for Shawn Kelley.

Ken Giles returns for Toronto; Jose Alvarado should be back soon

June 21, 2019

Toronto Blue Jays — Ken Giles was activated from the injured list and will immediately resume his role as closer. He pitched a clean inning in a tie game Thursday in his return.

Updated hierarchy: Giles | Biagini | Hudson.

Tampa Bay Rays Tampreal ExRays — Jose Alvarado is still working his way back after an extended time on the restricted and bereavement lists. Kevin Cash is hoping for a swift return, saying Thursday, “We need him.” That would appear to be true. Given a three-run lead in the ninth on Thursday, Diego Castillo coughed up four runs to take the loss. Castillo and Emilio Pagan will continue to split save chances until Alvarado’s return. 

Updated hierarchy: *Castillo | Pagan | Alvarado.
* = closer-by-committee

Philadelphia Phillies — Pat Neshek went right back on the IL Thursday with a hamstring injury, after three weeks on the shelf with shoulder trouble. There is no timetable for his return. Are there any healthy Phillies relievers these days? Vince Velasquez’s move to the starting rotation could be permanent, apparently leaving Cole Ervin (7.82 ERA, 1.58 WHIP) and Jose Alvarez (4.26 ERA, 1.50 WHIP) to back up Hector Neris and JD Hammer. Juan Nicasio could also play a part, as well as Adam Morgan when he’s activated today.

Updated hierarchy: Neris | Hammer | Alvarez.

Colorado Rockies — When the Rockies took the lead in the tenth inning on Thursday, manager Bud Black stuck with Scott Oberg for a second inning, and he slammed the door to earn the win. Where was struggling Wade Davis? Apparently unavailable, which Black mentioned before stressing that Oberg is not the new closer. Davis has allowed runs in every appearance since returning from the IL, and has a WHIP (1.80) more than 50 points higher than Hyun-Jin Ryu’s ERA (1.26)! Okay, that might not be fair — Ryu is nasty. Anyway, this Oberg-Davis situation bears watching, so stay tuned.

Hierarchy remains: Davis | Oberg | Shaw.

Texas Rangers — Shawn Kelley remains the top option for saves in Texas; he retired the side around a solo home run to earn his ninth on Thursday. Manager Chris Woodard has recently hinted that Jose Leclerc is close to recapturing his role in the ninth inning, but every time Leclerc gets close, he endures a rough stretch on the mound. Leclerc hasn’t pitched since Monday and has allowed five earned runs over his last six appearances. We’ll drop the asterisk for now. 

Updated hierarchy: Kelley | Leclerc | Martin.

Chicago Cubs — Craig Kimbrel is scheduled to pitch his second outing in AAA on Friday. With the future closer still shaking out the cobwebs, Steve Cishek stepped in Thursday for his seventh save. Pedro Strop hasn’t pitched since allowing two runs in an outing on Tuesday, but let’s not read too much into it yet. 

Hierarchy remains: *Strop | Cishek | Kintzler.
* = closer-by-committee

Los Angeles Dodgers — With Rich Hill out at least a month and Julio Urias’s spot start a smashing success, the young lefty may be headed to the rotation soon.

Hierarchy remains: Jansen | Baez | Urias.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Nick Anderson — Sergio Romo has pitched in three straight, while Tayron Guerrero has gone in four of five. 
2. Carlos Martinez — Jordan Hicks has pitched in two straight and three of four. 
3. Anthony Bass — Roenis Elias has gone in two straight and three of five. 

Saturday:
1. Zach Britton — A Friday appearance would be three of four for Aroldis Chapman.
2. Ty Buttrey — Same as above for Hansel Robles. Buttrey has already gone in three of four entering Friday, but he’s thrown just 17 pitches. 
3. Jose Alvarado? — The Rays bullpen has been very busy lately. Friday outings for Diego Castillo and Emilio Pagan would be three in a row for each of them. It’s unclear who would step in on Saturday if Alvarado isn’t ready — maybe Chaz Roe or Adam Kolarek.
4. Wander Suero/Tanner Rainey — A Friday outing for Sean Doolittle would be three in a row. Suero and Rainey have also pitched in two straight, so if someone in this trio gets Friday off, he should be well-rested enough to go on Saturday.
5. Wily Peralta — A Friday outing would be four of six for Ian Kennedy.

Craig Stammen secures a save

June 20, 2019

San Diego Padres — As we predicted in yesterday’s Vulture Save Watch, Kirby Yates got Wednesday afternoon off after earning a save each of the last three days, so Craig Stammen navigated a nervy ninth inning for his third save of the year.

Hierarchy remains: Yates | Stammen | Wingenter.

Los Angeles Dodgers — Julio Urias will make a spot start on Thursday against the Giants, but Dave Roberts said that Urias will return to the bullpen and not remain part of a six-man rotation. 

Hierarchy remains: Jansen | Baez | Urias.

Colorado Rockies – The struggling Wade Davis got a chance to right the ship on Wednesday when he entered the ninth inning with a three-run lead. He struck out the first batter he faced before allowing a solo home run. Davis bounced back with another strikeout and then stranded a runner at second to end the game, but he has now allowed an earned run in four straight appearances. Meanwhile, Scott Oberg cruised through 1.2 innings of work to get the ball to Davis. The Rockies pay Davis a lot of money to close games, but if he keeps giving up runs they soon could find it more productive to pay him a lot of money to watch Oberg close games instead.

Hierarchy remains: Davis | Oberg | Shaw.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. John Gant — Jordan Hicks only threw 21 pitches yesterday, but it was over two innings. Carlos Martinez needed 30 pitches to get through his 1.2 innings of work on Wednesday, so John Gant may sneak a save chance today.

Friday:
1. Tayron Guerrero/Nick Anderson — If Sergio Romo pitches today, that will be his third straight day of work. Tayron Guerrero enters today having pitched in two straight and three of four.
2. Anthony Bass/Austin Adams — Roenis Elias threw 21 pitches yesterday and may get Friday off if he has another heavy workload today. Anthony Bass had a 20-pitch outing on Wednesday, so he may be in the same boat as Elias on Friday.

Raisel Iglesias no longer a lock for the ninth in Cincinnati

June 19, 2019

Cincinnati Reds — Well, it happened again. Raisel Iglesias entered a one-run game with one on and one out in the eighth, and struck out two in the heart of the order. With his spot coming up third in the ninth, he was never going to finish the game, so it was Michael Lorenzen with his second save in as many days. In his postgame news conference, manager David Bell said that the eighth inning “was the game” and the team couldn’t afford to save Iglesias for the ninth. Although Bell denied any permanent change in the pecking order, this kind of matchup-based fireman-style swap is enough to get Iglesias the asterisk of uncertainty. Those in desperate need of relief might try the speculative Lorenzen add anyway, in hopes that Iglesias gets traded.

Updated hierarchy: *Iglesias | Lorenzen | Garrett.
* = closer-by-committee

New York Mets — Mickey Callaway found a new way to sound like a crazy person on Tuesday, explaining that he went to Robert Gsellman in garbage time to (a) save Jacob deGrom’s ERA somehow, and (b) ensure the team didn’t blow the lead. The Mets bullpen was without Jeurys Familia, who returned to the IL with a recurrent bone spur in his shoulder, but we’d expect even Robinson Cano could have earned two outs before the Braves scored eight.

Hierarchy remains: Diaz | Lugo | Gsellman.

Boston Red Sox — Matt Barnes got the ninth again — in a tie game that didn’t end till the 17th — after two straight appearances in the eighth. He’s still at the top of the Boston bullpen.

Hierarchy remains: *Barnes | Workman | Brasier.
* = closer-by-committee

Miami Marlins — Adam Conley’s recent struggles have allowed Tayron Guerrero and Nick Anderson to dislodge him from the late innings in Miami.

Updated hierarchy: Romo | Guerrero | Anderson.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Craig Stammen — Kirby Yates has gone in three straight.
2. Wily Peralta — Ian Kennedy (59 pitches in two days) might get a second day off.

Thursday:
1. Daniel Hudson — An appearance on Wednesday would be three in four days for Joe Biagini.
2. Michael Lorenzen/Amir Garrett — All three of the Reds’ top options have pitched in two straight games.
3. Tony Watson/Reyes Moronta — Will Smith has gone in three of five.