August 12, 2020
San Diego Padres – The Padres had a 6-1 lead entering Tuesday’s ninth inning but still had to call upon Drew Pomeranz for the save, as the Dodgers had the tying run on deck after cutting their deficit to 6-2. Pomeranz needed just one pitch to preserve the victory. After the game, Jayce Tingler explained why he went to Pomeranz and not Kirby Yates and said that we could see Yates, who has been experiencing soreness, today if needed.
Hierarchy remains: Yates | Pomeranz | Pagan.
Texas Rangers — We said we’d remove the asterisk next to Rafael Montero’s name after he notched one more save, which happened on Tuesday night. Edinson Volquez got the final out of the fifth inning in the win, with Joely Rodriguez striking out the side in the sixth before pitching a 1-2-3 seventh inning to pick up his third hold in his last three appearances. That’s good enough to move him past Volquez in this hierarchy.
Updated hierarchy: Montero | Hernandez | Rodriguez.
Cincinnati Reds – Pedro Strop landed on the 10-day IL Tuesday with a right groin strain. We immediately got a look at how the Reds will navigate the late innings in Strop’s absence, as Nate Jones faced the top of the order in the seventh inning before Amir Garrett pitched the eighth and gave up a two-run home run that tied the game.
Updated hierarchy: Iglesias | Jones | Garrett.
Washington Nationals – Tanner Rainey continued his terrific 2020 campaign on Tuesday with a perfect 1.2 innings of work to set up Daniel Hudson’s third save of the season. Rainey has allowed just one hit, a solo homer, all season.
Updated hierarchy: Hudson | Rainey | Guerra.
San Francisco Giants – After Trevor Gott kept the game tied in the ninth inning, the Giants scored in the 10th and opened the door for Tyler Rogers to earn his first career save. We’ll slide Rogers past Tony Watson in the hierarchy, especially since Watson’s last appearance was a one-pitch, one-out hold on Saturday.
Updated hierarchy: Gott | Rogers | Watson.
Colorado Rockies – The Rockies seemingly had Tuesday’s game locked up after a six-run eighth inning spotted them an 8-2 lead, but Phillip Diehl and Jairo Diaz could only muster one out apiece as Arizona cut the lead to 8-7. That set the stage for Daniel Bard to come in and strike out Stephen Vogt to strand two runners and earn his first save since June 5, 2011, when Bard was with the Red Sox.
Hierarchy remains: *Diaz | Estevez | Bard.
* = closer-by-committee
Baltimore Orioles – In a wild game on Tuesday in Philadelphia, Travis Lakins bailed out Paul Fry by recording the final out of the 10th inning to collect his first career save. Lakins can thank Miguel Castro and Cole Sulser for the opportunity, as they combined to allow five earned runs in the final two innings.
Hierarchy remains: Sulser | Castro | Givens.
VULTURE SAVE WATCH/BLOWN SAVE REPORT
Today
1. Blake Taylor – Ryan Pressly struggled Tuesday in a 26-pitch blown save. He’s now thrown 44 pitches over the last two days.
2. Sergio Romo – Taylor Rogers didn’t blow a save but he did pick up the loss yesterday in his second straight day of work.
3. Adam Morgan – Hector Neris threw 30 pitches last night in a blown save.
4. Rafael Dolis/Jordan Romano – Anthony Bass tossed 31 pitches last night in a blown save.
5. Mychal Givens – Both Cole Sulser (28 pitches) and Miguel Castro (23 pitches) struggled yesterday as they each recorded a blown save.
Tomorrow
1. Miguel Castro/Mychal Givens – If Cole Sulser pitches today he should be in line for a day off on Thursday.
