Sure looks like a committee in Toronto

August 3, 2023

Toronto Blue Jays – Erik Swanson earned the first save for the Blue Jays in the Jordan Hicks era, but it comes with the caveat that Hicks faced the heart of Baltimore’s order in the eighth. No swap to this hierarchy yet, but we’ll keep an eye on it.

Hierarchy remains: *Hicks | Swanson | Garcia.
*=closer-by-committee

Chicago White Sox — The White Sox announced that Liam Hendriks underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, which will require 12 to 14 months of healing and rehabilitation before he can pitch again. Chicago is likely to decline Hendriks’s $15 million team option for 2024, leaving his MLB future uncertain, but this is not a man to bet against.

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

Detroit Tigers — Alex Lange struck out the first two hitters in the ninth inning with a four-run lead, but then things went off the rails; three walks and a single brought the winning run to the plate. Rookie lefty Tyler Holton entered the game and secured his first career save with a strikeout. 

Hierarchy remains: *Lange | Foley | Cisnero.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. AJ Puk (MIA) — David Robertson has pitched in three of the last four games.
2. Seranthony Dominguez (PHI) — Gregory Soto and Craig Kimbrel pitched last night and have gone in three of four.
3. Elvis Peguero (MIL) — Devin Williams blew the save on Wednesday in his second straight day of work, while Joel Payamps has pitched in three of four.
4. Taylor Rogers (SF) — Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers have each pitched in four of five.

Friday:
1. Justin Topa (SEA) — An appearance for Andres Muñoz tonight would be three of four and five of seven.

Recapping a relatively calm Deadline Day

August 2, 2023

Kansas City Royals – As expected, the Royals dealt closer Scott Barlow, sending him to the Padres. We expect Carlos Hernandez to lead a committee that includes Taylor Clarke and Dylan Coleman.

Updated hierarchy: *Hernandez | Clarke | Coleman.
* = closer-by-committee

San Diego Padres — The Padres traded for Royals closer Scott Barlow on Tuesday, giving them an experienced option for saves should Josh Hader be unavailable. We’ll see if the Padres simply deploy Barlow in the eighth or use him in a high-leverage spot regardless of inning.

Updated hierarchy: Hader | Barlow | Suarez.

Philadelphia Phillies – With Craig Kimbrel unavailable, Gregory Soto pitched the eighth with the Phillies trailing by a run. Seranthony Dominguez came on once the Phillies took a 3-1 lead in the ninth and earned his first save of the season. Both Dominguez and Soto are candidates to fill in for Kimbrel in the ninth, as they have now each recorded a save since Dominguez returned from the IL last week.

Hierarchy remains: Kimbrel | Soto | Dominguez.

Arizona Diamondbacks – The Diamondbacks traded Andrew Chafin to the Brewers on Tuesday. Scott McGough, who secured a save on Monday, returns to the hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Sewald | Ginkel | McGough.

Colorado Rockies — The Rockies shipped Brad Hand to the Braves on Tuesday, which means Jake Bird returns to the hierarchy. One name to keep an eye on is Tyler Kinley, who was activated from the IL on Tuesday after recovering from Tommy John surgery. Kinley was one of the Rockies’ best relievers last season before his injury and may very well return to high-leverage situations this year.

Updated hierarchy: *Lawrence | Bard | Bird.
* = closer-by-committee

Chicago White Sox – The White Sox dealt one final reliever on Tuesday, sending Keynan Middleton to the Yankees. It’s a pretty underwhelming group behind Gregory Santos and Aaron Bummer. Bryan Shaw  joins the hierarchy by default.

Updated hierarchy: *Santos | Bummer | Shaw.
* = closer-by-committee

San Francisco Giants – The entire Giants hierarchy received a day off after some heavy lifting the previous three games. Ryan Walker got the seventh in a tie game and stayed on for the eighth when the Giants grabbed a one-run lead. He remained in the game for the first two batters of the ninth before making way for Sean Manaea. The lefty induced a fly out before his catcher, Patrick Bailey, ended the game with a fantastic snap throw to first to ensure Manaea recorded his first MLB save.

Hierarchy remains: Doval | Ty. Rogers | Ta. Rogers.

New York Mets – The Mets lost in extra innings to the Royals on a walk-off balk.

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

VULTURE SAVE WATCH

Today:
1. Yennier Cano (BAL) – Felix Bautista threw 35 pitches Monday and may get a second day off today.
2. Jason Adam (TB) – Pete Fairbanks only threw four pitches yesterday but it was a second straight day of work.
3. Taylor Clarke (KC) – Carlos Hernandez has pitched in four of five.
4. A.J. Puk (MIA) – David Robertson threw 24 pitches in a blown save on Tuesday.

Thursday:
1. Erik Swanson (TOR) – Jordan Hicks threw 15 pitches in his Toronto debut on Tuesday and if he goes again today it’s unlikely they pitch him three straight days.
2. Griffin Jax (MIN) – An appearance today would be two in a row for Jhoan Duran.
3. Joel Payamps/Elvis Peguero (MIL) – Same is true of both Devin Williams and Joel Payamps.
4. Colin Holderman (PIT) – It’s also true for David Bednar.

Andres Munoz takes over as Mariners closer; more deals likely on MLB Trade Deadline Day

August 1, 2023

Arizona Diamondbacks – The Diamondbacks traded for Paul Sewald on Monday afternoon, and he said after the deal was made that he’s “excited” to go to a team that wanted him more. While he heads to Arizona, Scott McGough earned the save Monday and now looks to become one of a number of setup men in the desert.

Updated hierarchy: Sewald | Ginkel | Chafin.

Seattle Mariners – Paul Sewald is now gone, and Andres Munoz will look to take over as the primary saves option for Seattle. Munoz pitched in a high-leverage situation on Monday. With the Mariners up 2-1 in the eighth, the Red Sox had two runners on with two outs. Munoz was called in to face Alex Verdugo and struck him out on six pitches. He possibly would have come out to complete the save in the ninth, but after the Mariners tacked on four runs in the bottom half of the inning, Munoz was pulled in favor of a lower-leverage reliever.

Updated hierarchy: Munoz | Topa | Brash.

Los Angeles Angels – The recently acquired Reynaldo Lopez picked up his first save with the Angels on Monday, securing five outs (three via a strikeout). Carlos Estevez threw more than 34 pitches in a two-inning outing on Sunday, so as the Vulture Save Watch predicted, he theoretically was unavailable Monday. But instead of Jose Soriano we saw Lopez, who with this usage will slot in right behind Estevez and we’ll see how the two are deployed moving forward.

Updated hierarchy: Estevez | Lopez | Moore.

Atlanta Braves – A.J. Minter was activated from the injured list Monday and slots right into the setup role for Atlanta. 

Updated hierarchy: Iglesias | Minter | Yates.

Oakland A’s — Sam Moll was traded to the Reds. Lucas Erceg may see more late-inning looks as a result.

Updated hierarchy: May | Long | Ecerg.

Cincinnati Reds – Cincinnati acquired lefty Sam Moll on Monday, but he shouldn’t figure too much into the late-inning plans for the Reds.

Hierarchy remains: Diaz | Sims | Farmer.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH

Today:
1. Gregory Soto (PHI) – Craig Kimbrel has gone in two straight, three of four and four of six.
2. Mason Thompson (WAS) – Kyle Finnegan has gone in two of three and three of five. Mason Thompson has had the same workload, but we’re mostly listing the Nationals situation here as Finnegan has been the subject of trade rumors, so he could be moved.
3. Brad Hand (COL) – Justin Lawrence and Daniel Bard have both worked in two straight.
4. Justin Topa (SEA) – Andres Munoz has gone in three of four.

Wednesday:
1. Yennier Cano (BAL) – Felix Bautista threw 35 pitches Monday and if he goes again Tuesday he very likely won’t go out there Wednesday.
2. Tyler Rogers (SF) – If he goes Tuesday, that would be three of four for Camilo Doval.
3. Nick Martinez/Robert Suarez (SD) – A Tuesday outing would be three of four for Josh Hader. Nick Martinez has been busy lately, too (three of four entering Tuesday).