Two days, two saves for Matt Brash

August 18, 2023

New York Mets – With Adam Ottavino and Brooks Raley getting the day off, the Mets used Drew Smith to get out of a tight spot in the 7th inning. That left the save chance to Trevor Gott, who converted for his first of the season.

Hierarchy remains: *Ottavino | Raley | Smith.
* = closer-by-committee

Seattle Mariners – As we suspected, Andres Munoz got another night off, allowing Matt Brash to collect his second save in as many nights. Munoz should slot back in to the highest-leverage role going forward.

Hierarchy remains: Munoz | Brash | Topa.

Arizona Diamondbacks – We figured that almost every relevant reliever would get the night off here, but we didn’t think that Justin Martinez, who prior to last night had a 13.50 ERA across 4.2 innings, would be the one getting the 9th inning. But good on you, Justin, who struck out three in his 1.1 innings of work to pick up his first career save.

Hierarchy remains: Sewald | Ginkel | McGough.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Hunter Harvey – Kyle Finnegan has gone back to back.
2. Kevin Ginkel – Paul Sewald pitched in four out of five from Saturday to Wednesday and might need a second day off.

Tomorrow
1. Brooks Raley/Drew Smith – Adam Ottavino and Brooks Raley have seen heavy workloads lately; if either goes today they’re probably off tomorrow.
2. Brusdar Graterol – If Evan Phillips goes today, it’s back to back.
3. Austin Cox – Same for Carlos Hernandez.

Gregory Santos has forgettable outing

August 17, 2023

Seattle Mariners – Matt Brash picked up his third save of the year, with Andres Munoz getting the day off. Ring the bell for the VSW.

Hierarchy remains: Munoz | Brash | Topa.

San Diego Padres – Scott Barlow has had a rough start to his Padres career, allowing 9 runs across his first four appearances, and while he’s settled down since (three scoreless innings this week), the Padres are still using Robert Suarez as their primary setup man. Barlow could ascend there if he gets himself sorted, but for now, we’ll bump him down a few notches until he sees some higher-leverage work.

Updated hierarchy: Hader | Suarez | Wilson.

Chicago White Sox – Gregory Santos entered the 9th inning with a 2-run lead and ended up taking the loss without recording a single out (double, walk, home run). With a dearth of options for this bullpen, Santos is still committee leader for the time being, but maybe the White Sox shake things up next time.

Hierarchy remains: *Santos | Bummer | Shaw.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Justin Topa/Tayler Saucedo – Andres Munoz might need another day off after 42 pitches on Tuesday, while Matt Brash has gone in three of four.
2. Drew Smith – Adam Ottavino and Brooks Raley have gone three of four.
3. Scott McGough – Paul Sewald and Kevin Ginkel have both gone back to back and four of five.

Tomorrow
1. Hunter Harvey – If Kyle Finnegan goes today, it’s back to back.
2. Robert Suarez/Steven Wilson – Same for Josh Hader and Robert Suarez.

Hunter Harvey, Jordan Romano return from the IL

August 16, 2023

Washington Nationals – Hunter Harvey returned from the IL on Tuesday, pitching a perfect ninth inning with the Nationals trailing by a run. Manager Davey Martinez said that Kyle Finnegan will remain as the team’s closer while Harvey slots into a setup role.

Updated hierarchy: Finnegan | Harvey | Weems.

Toronto Blue Jays – Jordan Romano was also activated from the IL on Tuesday and immediately returned to the closer’s role, striking out two in a perfect ninth inning to seal a 2-1 victory.

Updated hierarchy: Romano | Hicks | Swanson.

Seattle Mariners – The Mariners called upon Andres Muñoz to record the final five outs on Tuesday, but after a clean eighth inning, he promptly blew a three-run lead in the ninth. When Seattle went back on top in the 10th, Tayler Saucedo needed just six pitches to earn his first MLB save. Muñoz has allowed a run in each of his last three appearances, but only one of those runs has been earned. 

Hierarchy remains: Muñoz | Brash | Topa.

Los Angeles Dodgers – Ryan Yarbrough entered the seventh inning with a 6-1 lead and gave up a home run to the first batter he faced. That was his only blemish, however, as he retired the next nine hitters in a row to earn his first MLB save.

Hierarchy remains: Phillips | Graterol | Ferguson.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Matt Brash (SEA) – Andres Muñoz threw 42 pitches on Tuesday while Brash had the night off.
2. Daniel Bard (COL) – Justin Lawrence has gone back-to-back, including last night’s 21-pitch blown save.
3. Scott McGough (ARI) – Both Paul Sewald and Kevin Ginkel have gone in three of four.

Tomorrow
1. Chris Martin/Josh Winckowski (BOS) – If Martin or closer Kenley Jansen pitch today, that’s two straight and three of four.
2. Trevor Stephan/Enyel De Los Santos (CLE) – If Emmanuel Clase goes today that will be two in a row, which is also true of both Stephan and De Los Santos.
3. Matt Brash (SEA) – Andres Muñoz may need two days off after Tuesday’s 42-pitch outing.
4. Kevin Ginkel/Scott McGough (ARI) – If Paul Sewald does pitch today, that will be two straight and four of five. Same will be true of Ginkel.

Royals bullpen continues to sputter

August 15, 2023

Tampa Bay Rays – Everyone remembers their MLB debut. And everyone remembers the first time they were mentioned on Closer Monkey. But while it almost never happens simultaneously, Jacob Lopez managed the feat, making his big-league debut with a 3-inning save in a 10-2 Rays victory. Lopez allowed one earned run and struck out two, so he starts his career with a tidy 3.00 ERA. Congrats, Jacob! Incidentally, this is also the first non-Fairbanks save of the second half for Tampa, so we’ll also take this opportunity to remove the asterisk.

Updated hierarchy: Fairbanks | Adam | Poche.

Kansas City Royals – Committee leader Carlos Hernandez scuffled his way through the 8th inning on Monday, allowing the Mariners to plate a few inherited runs along with two of his own. Austin Cox wasn’t much better, surrendering the lead and blowing the save in the 9th. Nick Wittgren actually ended up with the win here after the Royals rallied in the bottom half thanks to a walkoff bunt, but there certainly isn’t any more clarity as to their late inning plans. We’ll continue to monitor.

Hierarchy remains: *Hernandez | Cox | Coleman.
* = closer-by-committee

Colorado Rockies – Matt Koch continued his run of excellence with a scoreless 8th inning, earning the win when the Rockies rallied in the bottom half. The journeyman, who has posted a 1.64 ERA and 0.64 WHIP since his callup in late June, has made his way on to the hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Lawrence | Bard | Koch.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Yennier Cano – Felix Bautista has pitched in two of three (49 total pitches) and is likely down today.
2. Brooks Raley – Adam Ottavino has gone back to back.
3. Dylan Coleman – Carlos Hernandez and Austin Cox both threw 22 pitches yesterday, so it might be Coleman’s chance for a save opportunity.

Tomorrow
1. Tanner Scott – If David Robertson goes today, it’s back to back.
2. Daniel Bard – Same for Justin Lawrence.
3. JoJo Romero/Andre Pallante – If Giovanny Gallegos or JoJo Romero go today, it’s back to back and three of four.

Blown-save-a-palooza hits bullpens across baseball

August 14, 2023

New York Yankees – Clay Holmes has been great lately, but yesterday was bad, as he coughed up a 4-run lead and then took the loss after Tommy Kahnle was unable to stem the damage. Holmes was in and out of a committee earlier this season, and we’ll see if this outing changes the way the Yankees approach the 9th inning. Our guess is it won’t… yet. In other news, Michael King is being stretched out to potentially start games, so we’ll swap Wandy Peralta into the hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Holmes | Kahnle | Peralta.

Oakland A’s – Trevor May had also been going well, having allowed just 1 earned run in his last 10.2 innings. But he coughed up an even bigger lead than Holmes, allowing five baserunners to reach while only recording two outs. Kirby Snead (and the A’s defense) did him no favors, as the Nats plated six runs in the inning to walk it off. May is still likely the closer here but we’ll watch to see if he falters again.

Hierarchy remains: May | Felipe | Long.

Texas Rangers – In the least awful — but perhaps most consequential — blown save of the evening, Will Smith had the Giants down to their final out, but then served up a walkoff 2-run home run to Patrick Bailey. Given how good Aroldis Chapman has been, this could push Bruce Bochy back to a committee. We’ll see how it plays out.

Hierarchy remains: Smith | Chapman | Sborz.

Baltimore Orioles – With Felix Bautista getting the day off, the Orioles still used setup man Yennier Cano in the 8th inning, leaving the 9th to Mike Baumann, who promptly blew the save. Shintaro Fujinami ended up shutting the door in extra innings for his first career save. (By the way, Cedric Mullins was the real story of this game, as he robbed a homer then hit a go-ahead homer minutes later, but we don’t really care about hitters that much.)

Hierarchy remains: Bautista | Cano | Fujinami.

New York Mets – Adam Ottavino pitched a perfect 9th inning, inducing three groundouts, to pick up his 7th save. Brooks Raley had a forgettable outing in the 8th, allowing a home run and a walk before Drew Smith bailed him out. We’ll switch up the committee accordingly, though this is still a fluid situation.

Updated hierarchy: *Ottavino | Raley | Smith.
* = closer-by-committee

Pittsburgh Pirates – Carmen Mlodzinski was placed on the IL over the weekend, so we’ll welcome Angel Perdomo to this hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Bednar | Holderman | Perdomo.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Tommy Kahnle – Clay Holmes has gone two of three, including the aforementioned 23-pitch blown save yesterday.
2. Matt Brash – Andres Munoz has gone back to back.
3. Scott McGough – Same for Paul Sewald and Kevin Ginkel.

Tomorrow
1. Yennier Cano – If Felix Bautista goes today, he’s likely off tomorrow given his recent workload and pattern of usage.
2. Reynaldo Lopez – If Carlos Estevez goes today, it’s back to back.
3. Tyler Rogers – Same for Camilo Doval.
4. Aroldis Chapman/Josh Sborz – If Will Smith or Aroldis Chapman go today, it’s back to back and three of four.
5. Colin Holderman/Angel Perdomo – The whole Pirates hierarchy — plus a few others — pitched yesterday so monitor usage today for a potential vulture tomorrow.