July 4, 2021
Philadelphia Phillies — With the Phillies up two runs heading into the 9th inning, manager Joe Girardi called on Ranger Suarez to try and close out the game. Suarez responded with a clean inning to earn his first career save. Girardi said that Jose Alvarado was available but he went with Suarez instead because he felt better about Suarez facing the heart of the Padres order in Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth, and Manny Machado. Jose Alvarado has really struggled recently so Suarez’s perfect inning last night against a tough lineup jumps him straight to the top of this committee.
Updated hierarchy: *Suarez | Alvarado | Bradley.
* = closer-by-committee
Kansas City Royals — We mentioned yesterday that Scott Barlow was likely to get the next save chance for the Royals and sure enough, after Greg Holland allowed a run in the 8th to make it a save chance, Barlow came out for the 9th. He pitched a scoreless inning to pick up his fourth save of the season. Barlow was recently named the Royals pitcher of the month for June and has a chance to run away with this job.
Hierarchy remains: *Barlow | Holland | Staumont.
* = closer-by-committee
Cincinnati Reds — As the Vulture Save Watch predicted, Brad Brach and Amir Garrett got the day off yesterday and that left Heath Hembree for the 9th inning. Hembree struck out a pair in a scoreless inning for his third save of the season and second in two nights. We still think Brach is the best option out of the Reds’ bullpen right now but if Hembree gets the next save chance, we will likely make a move since it’s not always a team’s best reliever who gets the ninth inning and this could be one of those situations.
Updated hierarchy: *Brach | Hembree | Garrett.
* = closer-by-committee
San Francisco Giants – Jake McGee pitched a perfect inning yesterday to record his 16th save of the season. McGee has recorded the last three saves for the Giants and Tyler Rogers has gotten the 8th inning ahead of McGee in each of those saves. We are not ready to remove the asterisk quite yet, but McGee has 11 straight scoreless appearances to go with those three straight saves and seems to be settling into the closer’s role as he did at the beginning of the season when he recorded the Giants first six saves.
Hierarchy remains: *McGee | Rogers | Leone.
* = closer-by-committee
Toronto Blue Jays — Adam Cimber got the win yesterday as he got the last out of the 6th inning with the game tied. Cimber ended up with a scoreless inning of work in the Blue Jays win ahead of Tim Mayza and closer Jordan Romano and the recently acquired reliever should continue to see time in the later innings.
Updated hierarchy: Romano | Mayza | Cimber.
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Jake Diekman (OAK) – Lou Trivino has pitched in two straight and three of four.
2. Carlos Estevez (COL) – Daniel Bard has pitched in three of four and four of six.
3. Brooks Raley/Christian Javier (HOU) – Ryan Pressly has pitched in three straight while Ryne Stanek has gone in two straight.
4. Josh Staumont (KC) – Scott Barlow has pitched in three straight and Greg Holland has gone in two straight.
5. Mike Mayers (LAA) – Raisel Iglesias has pitched in back-to-back games and three of the last four.
6. Chad Green/Jonathan Loaisiga (NYY) — The Yankees have a doubleheader . . .
7. Seth Lugo (NYM) — . . . against the Mets.
8. Jose Alvarado (PHI) – Ranger Suarez has pitched in two straight, including 1.2 innings on Friday.
Monday
1. Emmanuel Clase (CLE) – James Karinchak threw 37 pitches yesterday so if he pitches again on Sunday, he will likely get Monday off.
2. Blake Treinen (LAD) – If Kenley Jansen pitches on Sunday, it will be back-to-back and the Dodgers have been cautious with Jansen’s usage this season so he likely wouldn’t pitch in three straight.
