David Robertson earns another save

April 13, 2022

Chicago Cubs –  David Robertson pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his second save of the season. Mychal Givens got the eighth inning, allowing a run but striking out three to preserve the lead. Meanwhile, Rowan Wick hasn’t been seen since Opening Day last week and may not be on this hierarchy much longer.

Updated hierarchy: *Robertson | Givens | Wick.
* = closer-by-committee

Philadelphia Phillies – The Phillies placed Corey Knebel on the COVID IL on Tuesday. Look for them to take a committee approach in his absence, with Seranthony Dominguez being the most likely choice to get a save on any given night.

Updated hierarchy: *Dominguez | Hand | Familia.
* = closer-by-committee

Colorado Rockies – Daniel Bard bounced back from Monday’s blown save by closing out Tuesday’s win. Bard continues to look like the guy to own in Colorado. Carlos Estevez pitched the eighth on Tuesday, as Alex Colome got the day off after throwing 49 pitches over the past three games.

Hierarchy remains: *Bard | Colome | Estevez.
* = closer-by-committee

Tampa Bay Rays — JT Chargois landed on the IL with left oblique tightness. We’ll add Matt Wisler to the hierarchy, but it’s the Rays so we really could have picked anyone.

Updated hierarchy: *Kittredge | Feyereisen | Wisler.
* = closer-by-committee

New York Mets – Edwin Diaz returned from mourning the loss of his grandfather to close out Tuesday’s win. Trevor May is day-to-day after an MRI showed a “very, very low-grade triceps strain,” and he should avoid an IL stint.

Hierarchy remains: Diaz | Lugo | May.

Minnesota Twins – Jorge Alcala won’t be part of the Twins late-inning plans for the next week or so, as he was placed on the IL with right elbow inflammation. Of more concern is that Emilio Pagan, the current leader of our hierarchy, pitched a scoreless seventh and then took the loss in the eighth after walking the only batter he faced in that frame and getting no help from Caleb Thielbar and Jhon Romero. We’ll see how the Twins approach their next save chance, but it seems likely that Jhoan Duran gets an opportunity sooner rather than later.

Hierarchy remains: *Pagan | Duran | Duffey.
* = closer-by-committee

Atlanta Braves – Prior to Tuesday’s game, the Braves purchased the contract of Jackson Stephens, the reigning pitcher of the year in the Venezuelan Winter League. Stephens, making his first MLB appearance since 2018, earned his first career save by pitching the final three innings in a 16-4 Atlanta win. If you had Stephens in your lineup, send us a picture so we can see how good at Photoshop you are.

Hierarchy remains: Jansen | Smith | Matzek.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Ryan Tepera – Raisel Iglesias has pitched in two straight.

Thursday
1. Domingo Acevedo – If Lou Trivino goes today, it’s two straight and three of four
2. Devin Williams/Brad Boxberger – A Wednesday appearance by either Josh Hader, Devin Williams or Brad Boxberger will be two straight and three of four.
3. Genesis Cabrera/Jordan Hicks – If Giovanny Gallegos, Genesis Cabrera or Jordan Hicks pitches on Wednesday, it will be two straight.
4. Chris Stratton/Heath Hembree – The same is true for David Bednar and Chris Stratton.
5. Art Warren/Hunter Strickland – It’s also true for Tony Santillan, Art Warren and Hunter Strickland.
6. Kendall Graveman/Aaron Bummer – Same goes for Liam Hendriks and the rest of the White Sox hierarchy…
7. Jonathan Loaisiga/Chad Green – …as well as Aroldis Chapman and Jonathan Loaisiga.

Jorge Lopez earns first Orioles save

April 12, 2022

Baltimore Orioles – Jorge Lopez picked up the save on Monday, pitching a scoreless 9th inning. Dillon Tate pitched the 7th inning, while Paul Fry didn’t appear, having thrown 42 pitches on Sunday. Lopez doesn’t exactly profile as a closer — he’s a 29-year-old with career a 7.6 K/9 rate who walks almost half as many guys as he strikes out — but one thing he has going for him is that he’s a converted starter, meaning that he might be able to throw a touch harder in his current relief role. At any rate, he’s the only Oriole with a save so far this year, which is enough to move him to the top of this dreadful committee for the time being.

Updated hierarchy: *Lopez | Tate | Fry.
* = closer-by-committee

Colorado Rockies – Ashton Goudeau pitched the 10th inning in Colorado’s win on Monday, earning his first career save. The rest of the hierarchy had already appeared earlier in the game, so this doesn’t figure to amount to much.

Hierarchy remains: *Bard | Colome | Estevez.
* = closer-by-committee

Philadelphia Phillies – Corey Knebel is day to day with “flu-like symptoms,” allowing Brad Hand to pick up the save. Seranthony Dominguez had already pitched, but Hand’s perfect 9th is good enough to move him into the hierarchy. Also, note that if Knebel’s symptoms turn out to be COVID, he could miss a decent stretch of time.

Updated hierarchy: Knebel | Dominguez | Hand.

Minnesota Twins – The Twins are still sorting out their late inning gameplans, but things don’t look great for Tyler Duffey, who was called upon in the 7th inning yesterday after blowing his first save chance of the season in the opener. This wasn’t even really a matchup play — he faced the Tigers 5-6-7 hitters — and it was Jhoan Duran who again flashed impressive stuff in closing out the victory in a non-save situation. With Jorge Alcala also being used in the 7th inning in his last appearance, our best guess is that Emilio Pagan will get the next save chance, but keep an eye on Duran, a rookie whose 102 mph fastball has earned praise from manager Rocco Baldelli.

Updated hierarchy: *Pagan | Duran | Duffey.
* = closer-by-committee

Los Angeles Angels – Ryan Tepera pitched a clean 8th inning ahead of Raisel Iglesias, which is the second consecutive time he’s been used in this fashion. He and Aaron Loup appear to be the main bridges to Iglesias.

Updated hierarchy: Iglesias | Tepera | Loup.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Seth Lugo/Adam Ottavino – Edwin Diaz could return from the bereavement list today; if not, Seth Lugo or Adam Ottavino would be the likely choices for the 9th, as Trevor May is day to day with arm fatigue.
2. Robert Suarez – Taylor Rogers has pitched in three of four.
3. Seranthony Dominguez – Corey Knebel is day-to-day with flu-like symptoms.

Tomorrow
1. Ryan Tepera – If Raisel Iglesias goes today, it’s two straight.
2. Yimi Garcia – If Jordan Romano goes today, it’s two straight and three of four.
3. Bryan Shaw – If Emmanuel Clase goes today, it’s two straight and three of four.
4. Alex Colome – If Daniel Bard goes today, it’s two straight and three of four.
5. Michael Fulmer – If Gregory Soto goes today, it’s two straight.

Tanner Rainey nabs first Nationals save

April 11, 2022

Washington Nationals – Kyle Finnegan finished last year as the Washington closer, but the hard-throwing righty was used in the 8th inning, with the Nats behind by a run. When they rallied in the bottom half, he earned the win, while Tanner Rainey picked up the team’s first save. With little to go on in the postgame, we’ll slap a committee tag on here for now and see if Rainey is the guy to own going forward.

Updated hierarchy: *Rainey | Finnegan | Doolittle.
* = closer-by-committee

Cincinnati Reds – Art Warren picked up the save on Sunday after Luis Cessa and Tony Santillan combined to quickly and effectively keep the Braves scoreless in the 6th through 8th innings. That’s one save each for Santillan and Warren, who appear to be the top two arms for saves in this bullpen.

Updated hierarchy: *Santillan | Warren | Strickland.
* = closer-by-committee

Colorado Rockies – Ty Blach, who hadn’t pitched in the bigs since 2019, earned the rarely-seen four-inning save for the Rockies on Sunday, posting four scoreless frames — at home against the hard-hitting Dodgers, no less. Welcome back to the bigs, Ty!

Hierarchy remains: *Bard | Colome | Estevez.
* = closer-by-committee

San Francisco Giants – After pitching both Friday and Saturday, Jake McGee and Camilo Doval got the day off Sunday, allowing Dominic Leone to pick up the Giants’ first save of the season.

Hierarchy remains: *McGee | Doval | Rogers.
* = closer-by-committee

Boston Red Sox – With Matt Barnes still nursing a back injury, Jake Diekman picked up Boston’s first save of the year on Sunday. The team is hoping Barnes will return today.

Hierarchy remains: *Barnes | Diekman | Robles.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Seth Lugo – Edwin Diaz is on the bereavement list.

Tomorrow
1. Devin Williams – If Josh Hader goes today, it’s two straight.
2. Domingo Acevedo – If Lou Trivino goes today, it’s two straight.

Daniel Bard looks like the man to own in Colorado while Matt Barnes is dealing with an injury

April 10, 2022

Colorado Rockies – Daniel Bard struck out the side in a perfect 9th inning to record the Rockies’ first save of the season.  Alex Colome struggled in the 8th inning ahead of Bard and manager Bud Black acknowledged he would prefer Colome to pitch at a faster pace.  Bard moves to the head of the committee and at least one beat writer thinks Bard will be the closer going forward.  We are a little skeptical given Bard’s struggles in the role last year, but if he can convert a couple more saves early in the season, he will kick the asterisk.  

Updated hierarchy: *Bard | Colome | Estevez
*= closer-by-committee

Boston Red Sox — Matt Barnes is dealing with a tight back and won’t pitch until Monday at the earliest.  Jake Diekman and Hansel Robles should see save chances while Barnes is unavailable, and we will alert you if Barnes ends up needing a stint on the IL. 

Hierarchy remains: *Barnes | Diekman | Robles
* = closer-by-committee

Atlanta Braves – As the Vulture Save Watch predicted, Kenley Jansen got the day off after a 30 pitch blown save on Friday and that allowed Will Smith to record his first save of the season. 

Hierarchy remains: Jansen | Smith | Matzek

Miami Marlins – Anthony Bender blew his first save chance of the season on Friday, but the Marlins stuck with him on Saturday and he was able to close out a one-run victory.  We will see if Bender can settle into the role while Dylan Floro is sidelined.

Hierarchy remains:  *Bender | Sulser | Bass
* = closer-by-committee

Seattle Mariners — Drew Steckenrider picked up the save on opening day with Paul Sewald getting the 8th inning ahead of him.  Both relievers then got Saturday off and the third member of the Mariners’ committee, Diego Castillo, struck out a pair in a perfect 9th for his first save of the season.  The Mariners have a very strong bullpen and they showed last year that they are not afraid to use multiple guys to close out games.

Hierarchy remains: *Steckenrider | Sewald | Castillo
* = closer-by-committee

Tampa Bay Rays — Andrew Kittredge recorded his first save of the season in the Rays’ 5-3 victory yesterday.  We all know what the Rays do with their bullpen at this point, but it’s encouraging for fantasy owners that drafted Kittredge to see him get a save.  

Hierarchy Remains: Kittredge* | Chargois | Feyereisen
* = closer-by-committee

Toronto Blue Jays – Yimi Garcia has picked up an 8th inning hold and a 7th inning hold ahead of two Jordan Romano saves to start the season and it looks like he will be an important piece setting up Romano this year.

Updated hierarchy: Romano | Garcia | Cimber

San Diego Padres — Pierce Johnson pitched a scoreless 8th inning ahead of closer Taylor Rogers yesterday.  Johnson now has two 8th inning holds and that is enough to get him onto our hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Rogers | Suarez | Johnson

Chicago White Sox — Aaron Bummer gave up singles to the first two batters he faced in the ninth inning, but then he struck out the side to pick up his first save of the season.  Closer Liam Hendriks and set-up man Kendall Graveman were both rested yesterday.  

Hierarchy remains: Hendriks | Graveman | Bummer

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Seth Lugo – Edwin Diaz is on the bereavement list
2. Jonathan Loaisiga – Aroldis Chapman has pitched in two straight
3. Jake Diekman/Hansel Robles – Matt Barnes will be unavailable today
4. Adam Cimber – Jordan Romano and Yimi Garcia have both pitched in two straight
5. J.T. Chargois – Andrew Kittredge has pitched in two straight
6. Archie Bradley – Raisel Iglesias picked up a save yesterday and Joe Maddon has said he doesn’t want to use his relievers on back-to-back games early in the season
7. Anthony Bass – Anthony Bender and Cole Sulser have both pitched in two straight
8. Jose Alvarado – Corey Knebel has also pitched in two straight
9. Robert Suarez – Taylor Rogers has also pitched in two straight
10. Tyler Rogers – Jake McGee and Camilo Doval have both pitched in two straight

Monday
1. Will Smith – If Kenley Jansen pitches on Sunday, it will be two of three, including his 30 pitch effort on Friday.
2. Seth Lugo/Trevor May – Edwin Diaz will miss Monday’s game as well