Josh Hader returns, earns save and keeps ERA at 0.00

May 27, 2022

Milwaukee Brewers – Josh Hader returned Thursday from the family medical emergency list and picked up where he left off. He allowed a hit and a walk but kept things scoreless again to earn his 16th save. He’s awesome.

Updated hierarchy: Hader | Williams | Boxberger.

Seattle Mariners — Drew Steckenrider and his 5.65 ERA were sent to Triple-A on Thursday. He was quite effective last year (2.00 ERA over 67.2 IP with 14 saves), but things have not gone right so far in 2022. He could re-emerge in this messy hierarchy later in the season, of course. Diego Castillo (7.80 ERA) has been worse, but he enters the hierarchy with two saves and a hold to his credit. 

Updated hierarchy: *Sewald | Muñoz | Castillo.
* = closer-by-committee

Kansas City Royals – Amir Garrett was placed in the injured list Thursday with no injury designation, which suggests it could be a COVID-19 situation. He could be active as soon as the next day or it could take a week or two if he tests positive and/or has symptoms. We’ll promote Collin Snider to the hierarchy in his place. He hasn’t been great (5.29 ERA, 1.47 WHIP), but he leads the team in holds (6). 

Updated hierarchy: *S.Barlow | Staumont | Snider.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Michael Fulmer (DET) – Gregory Soto has pitched in two straight games.
2. Matt Bush (TEX) – Joe Barlow has also gone in two straight.
3. Josh Staumont (KC) – Scott Barlow threw 41 pitches over 2 IP to earn the save Thursday.

Saturday:
1. Michael King (NYY) – If Clay Holmes pitches Friday, that would be three of four for him.
2. A.J. Puk (OAK) – Same as above for Dany Jimenez.
3. Jhoan Duran (MIN) – A Friday outing would be three of five for Emilio Pagan.

Holmes, King, and Castro, just like the Yankees planned it

May 26, 2022

New York Yankees — The Yankees’ season-opening hierarchy has been reunited, but this time on the injured list. Jonathan Loaisiga (right shoulder discomfort) joined Aroldis Chapman and Chad Green on the shelf Wednesday, leaving Miguel Castro and Wandy Peralta as the team’s top seventh-inning options. Rookie Ron Marinaccio pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts last night and could also be in line for some holds.

Updated hierarchy: Holmes | King | Castro.

Cincinnati Reds – Well, the Reds used their hierarchy in our prescribed order on Wednesday: Tony Santillan to Alexis Diaz to Art Warren. Only problem is that left the ninth inning for Hunter Strickland, the fourth member of the closer committee. It’s possible that Strickland entered to be the designated plunker after some Rowan Wick-Joey Votto drama in the previous half-inning. Whatever the explanation, this remains the absolute last team you want to roster a reliever from.

Hierarchy remains: *Warren | Diaz | Santillan.
* = closer-by-committee

Tampa Bay Rays — J.P. Feyereisen (0.00 ERA, 0.43 WHIP, 23 K in 21 IP) struck out the 2-3-4 hitters in the eighth against Miami, leaving the ninth for Colin Poche. The save didn’t come easy, with two infield singles, a walk, and an error, but the lefty came through. This means nothing for Tampa’s hierarchy, because nothing ever means anything for Tampa’s hierarchy. Anyone can and will pitch at any time, and there’s not a dang thing we, you, or Goose Gossage can do about it.

Hierarchy remains: *Raley | Feyereisen | Beeks.
* = closer-by-committee

Miami Marlins — Miami’s first game with Anthony Bender sidelined saw putative committee leader Cole Sulser pitch down two in the sixth, with Dylan Floro appearing in the eighth. Those two guys are pretty much in a dead heat with Anthony Bass and Tanner Scott; if you must speculate, Bass and Sulser have the best numbers, Scott has the strikeouts (but also the walks), and Floro has the recent pedigree (but also some bad outings since his injury). 

Updated hierarchy: *Sulser | Bass | Scott.
* = closer-by-committee

Detroit Tigers — Andrew Chafin picked up the 10th-inning save for Detroit on Wednesday after Gregory Soto and Michael Fulmer had already been used. Alex Lange has also been excellent in 20 appearances this season and is battling for a hierarchy role.

Hierarchy remains: Soto | Fulmer | Chafin.

Oakland A’s — Zach Jackson grabbed his ninth hold of 2022 in the eighth inning last night, and he and A.J. Puk have leapt over Domingo Acevedo (and Lou Trivino) in the A’s pecking order.

Updated hierarchy: Jimenez | Puk | Jackson.

Chicago White Sox — Aaron Bummer is back from the injured list and back in the seventh for Chicago.

Updated hierarchy: Hendriks | Graveman | Bummer.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Michael King (NYY) — Aaron Boone likes to avoid using relievers in three straight games.
2. Jhoan Duran (MIN) — Emilio Pagan has thrown 49 pitches over three days (two appearances).
3. Brad Boxberger/Trevor Gott (MIL) — Devin Williams has pitched in three straight.

Friday:
1. Michael Fulmer (DET) — Gregory Soto threw 25 pitches Wednesday and won’t go in three straight.
2. A.J. Puk (OAK) — Dany Jimenez has pitched back-to-back, but with the lowest pitch count of Oakland’s best relievers. If he goes Thursday, though, he’ll be off Friday.

Clay Holmes to close for Yankees while Aroldis Chapman is on IL

May 25, 2022

New York Yankees — Aroldis Chapman was placed on the IL on Tuesday with an achilles injury. Clay Holmes should be the primary option to close while Chapman is out, but Michael King could also be in the mix.

Updated hierarchy: Holmes | King | Loaisiga.

Minnesota Twins – Emilio Pagan threw 28 pitches over two innings on Monday, so Jhoan Duran got the ninth inning on Tuesday and converted his second save over the last three days.  

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

Pittsburgh Pirates — Heath Hembree is on the IL, which means we welcome Duane Underwood Jr. to the hierarchy. Underwood is someone who can throw multiple innings as a bridge to Chris Stratton and David Bednar.

Updated hierarchy: Bednar | Stratton | Underwood Jr.

Chicago Cubs — Robert Gsellman pitched the final three innings of an 11-4 win to earn his first gsave with the Cubs.

Hierarchy remains: Robertson | Wick | Givens.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Alex Colome (COL) – Daniel Bard threw 35 pitches last night.
2. Brad Boxberger (MIL) – Devin Williams has pitched in two straight.
3. Wil Crowe (PIT) – David Bednar has thrown two in a row while Chris Stratton and Duane Underwood Jr. both threw 26 pitches last night. Pittsburgh is off Thursday but still may choose to rest their top relievers on Wednesday.

Tomorrow
1. Ryan Tepera (LAA) – If Raisel Iglesias pitches today it’s two straight and four of five.
2. Domingo Acevedo/A.J. Puk (OAK) – If Dany Jimenez pitches it will be two in a row, while for Acevedo it will be three straight days of work.
3. Will Smith (ATL) – If any member of the Atlanta hierarchy pitches on Wednesday it will be two straight, but Smith should have today off after throwing 29 pitches on Tuesday.
4. Jose Alvarado (PHI) – Joe Girardi said last night he won’t use Corey Knebel (or any reliever) three straight days, but he also may not use Knebel in three of four depending on Wednesday’s usage.