Twins’ Jorge Lopez picks up his third save

May 12, 2023

Minnesota Twins — Jhoan Duran did not pitch in a save situation Thursday, presumably because he tossed 2.0 innings (just 17 pitches) the night before, though that Wednesday appearance was his first since the previous Friday. Jorge Lopez, instead, struck out two for his third save. There’s a committee label here for a reason, folks.

Hierarchy remains: *Duran | Lopez | Jax.
* = closer-by-committee

Cincinnati Reds — In a bullpen game Thursday, four Reds relievers combined to shut out the Mets 5-0. The last reliever to appear, Kevin Herget, tossed the final three innings for his first career save. We don’t expect Herget to factor much in the saves discussion moving forward.

Hierarchy remains: Diaz | Sims | Gibaut.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Jose Leclerc (TEX) – Will Smith threw just four pitches Thursday, but he has now gone in back-to-back days and three of four.

Saturday:
1. Tyler Rogers (SF) – If he goes Friday, that would be two straight and three of four for Camilo Doval.
2. Reynaldo Lopez (CWS) — Kendall Graveman will have gone in three of five with an appearance Friday.

Jose Alvarado claiming the job in Philly

April 27, 2023

Philadelphia Phillies — It was Seranthony Dominguez in the seventh, Craig Kimbrel in the eighth, and Jose Alvarado with the save in the ninth for Philadelphia and, aside from vulture opportunities, it looks more and more like that’s the team’s preferred arrangement. We bid adieu to Jose Alvarado’s asterisk.

Updated hierarchy: Alvarado | Kimbrel | Dominguez.

Cincinnati Reds — Ian Gibaut got the vulture save chance we predicted, but after getting two outs in the eighth, he put two men on to start the ninth and needed Lucas Sims to bail him out (albeit after a run scored on a sac fly). Reds fans are complaining that David Bell should have gone to an already warm Sims to start the ninth, and that might well be the move next time. Sims has looked good in the week since he returned from the IL, and we’ll slot him in at first in line.

Updated hierarchy: Diaz | Sims | Gibaut.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. John Brebbia/Taylor Rogers (SF) — Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers have each pitched in two straight and three of four.

Friday:
1. Craig Kimbrel (PHI) — Jose Alvarado threw 22 pitches on Wednesday, so he presumably wouldn’t go in three straight.

Dylan Floro secures another save for Marlins; Reds bullpen taking shape

September 16, 2022

Miami Marlins — Dylan Floro allowed a run in the ninth but closed things out Thursday for his fifth save. Tanner Scott pitched a scoreless eighth inning ahead of him as part of what is becoming a trend. Floro now has two consecutive Marlins saves and is one save away from the asterisk being dropped.

Hierarchy remains: *Floro | Scott | Okert.
* = closer-by-committee

Cincinnati Reds – Buck Farmer tossed scoreless seventh and eighth innings Thursday with three strikeouts for his fourth hold of the year. He now has a respectable 3.43 ERA, much lower than the unseemly 5.94 ERA Joel Kuhnel has. We’ll appropriately make the swap in this hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Diaz | Gibaut | Farmer.

Minnesota Twins – Jhoan Duran allowed two hits, struck out two and held the Royals scoreless in the ninth on Thursday for his seventh save. Jorge Lopez pitched the previous day and manager Rocco Baldelli apparently avoided going to him in a back-to-back situation as Minnesota hopes to keep their top late-inning arms fresh for a potential playoff run.

Hierarchy remains: Lopez | Duran | Fulmer.

Houston Astros – As the Vulture Save Watch correctly called, Ryan Pressly was unavailable Thursday, leaving Rafael Montero to pitch a scoreless ninth inning for his 13th save.

Hierarchy remains: Pressly | Montero | Neris.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Ian Gibaut (CIN) – The Reds could rest Alexis Diaz today, given that he’s gone in two of three and the team has a doubleheader Saturday.

Saturday:
1. Ian Gibaut/Buck Farmer (CIN) – If he goes Friday, it would be three of four for Alexis Diaz. Plus, the Reds have a doubleheader…
2. Giovanny Gallegos (STL) – … against the Cardinals.
3. Rafael Montero (HOU) – A Ryan Pressly outing Friday would be three of four for him.
4. Tanner Scott (MIA) – A Friday appearance for Dylan Floro would be two straight and three of five for him.
5. Yimi Garcia (TOR) – A Friday outing would be three of five for Jordan Romano.
6. Jonathan Hernandez (TEX) – The above is also true for Jose Leclerc.
7. James Karinchak/Trevor Stephan (CLE) – If he goes Friday, that would be three of five for Emmanuel Clase. Plus, the Guardians have a doubleheader…
8. Jhoan Duran (MIN) – … against the Twins.

Michael Fulmer earns save for Twins; Reds reliever gets his first MLB save

September 9, 2022

Cincinnati Reds – Alexis Diaz pitched for the first time in six days on Thursday, entering a tied game in the eighth inning. He allowed a go-ahead home run but otherwise was sharp in recording five outs across the seventh and eighth innings. When the Reds took the lead in the ninth, that put Diaz in line for the win. But who took the ninth? Enter Ian Gibaut, who allowed a hit but retired the side on 12 pitches for his first big-league save. After Diaz, this bullpen is a bit of a disaster, so it doesn’t take much to enter the hierarchy. So, we’ll add Gibaut (4.33 ERA, 1.48 WHIP) in place of Reiver Sanmartin (7.04 ERA, 1.78 WHIP).

Updated hierarchy: Diaz | Kuhnel | Gibaut.

Minnesota Twins – Jorge Lopez was called into the eighth inning Thursday, but the situation certainly called for it given the two-run lead and Aaron Judge due up. Judge doubled and another man reached before Lopez allowed a fielder’s choice and a run-scoring wild pitch. Caleb Theilbar struck out Giancarlo Stanton to end the threat, but the Twins still had to get through the final inning. Theilbar stayed on to start the ninth with a one-run lead, yielding a groundout and allowing a single before he was yanked for Michael Fulmer. Fulmer loaded the bases on a double and an intentional walk of Judge but retired the next two hitters for his third save.

Hierarchy remains: Lopez | Duran | Fulmer.

Washington Nationals — After a rough outing Wednesday, Kyle Finnegan was called into Thursday’s game in the eighth inning to face the 7-8-9 hitters with a three-run lead. He retired the side to earn a hold, and the game got out of reach in the ninth so no save was to be had. The usage is notable because it wasn’t the ninth inning, and while the game was within three runs, the bases were empty when he entered and he was tasked with taking care of the bottom of the order, so not exactly the game’s tightest spot. He’s the top guy, but there some days when he won’t pitch the ninth. We’ll monitor his usage the next several days to see if an asterisk is needed for this hierarchy.

Hierarchy remains: Finnegan | Edwards | Harvey.

Chicago Cubs — Brandon Hughes entered Thursday’s game with a slim 2-1 lead in the seventh inning to face the 4-5-6 hitters and allowed a hit and a walk but recorded two outs, earning a hold. Later on, Rowan Wick was called into a 2-1 game with two men on in the eighth and walked two straight to let in a run before inducing an inning-ending groundout. After Seiya Suzuki gave the Cubs the lead, Mark Leiter Jr. was given the save opportunity in the ninth, and it did not go as planned. Leiter allowed a walk, a triple and a single to give up the lead. We’ll keep the hierarchy as is for now because a) Hughes is the team’s best reliever and might be called into tough situations earlier than the ninth, and b) the Cubs have lost 13 of 18 so it’s hard to get a good read on this bullpen.

Hierarchy remains: *Hughes | Wick | Rucker.
* = closer-by-committee

Oakland A’s – Oakland might have something in this Sheldon Neuse character. He pitched a scoreless ninth on Thursday in a 14-2 laugher, his third appearance of the year (0.00 ERA, 0.27 WHIP).

Hierarchy remains: *Puk | Acevedo | Moll.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Hunter Harvey (WAS) – Kyle Finnegan and Carl Edwards Jr. have each gone in two straight.
2. Jhoan Duran (MIN) – Jorge Lopez has pitched in two straight.
3. Jose Alvarado (PHI) – David Robertson threw 21 pitches Thursday and has gone in two of three and three of five.

Saturday:
1. Taylor Rogers (MIL) – A Friday outing would be two straight and three of five for Devin Williams.
2. Joel Kuhnel (CIN) – Alexis Diaz was well-rested entering Thursday’s action, but he threw 27 pitches over 1.2 IP. If he goes again Friday, he’d likely need Saturday off.
3. Jonathan Loaisiga (NYY) – A Friday appearance would be four of six for Clay Holmes.
4. Kendall Graveman (CHW) – If he goes Friday, that would be three of five for Liam Hendriks.

Alexis Diaz moves to the top in Cincinnati

August 11, 2022

Cincinnati Reds — David Bell responded to Hunter Strickland’s recent struggles by announcing that Strickland would be moved out of the ninth inning for a while. Alexis Diaz is the best alternative in the Reds’ bullpen, but Bell likes to use him flexibly to face the middle of the lineup, so Joel Kuhnel, Reiver Sanmartin, and Buck Farmer could also see some chances.

Updated hierarchy: *Diaz | Kuhnel | Sanmartin.
* = closer-by-committee

Philadelphia Phillies — That’s back-to-back saves for Seranthony Dominguez, with David Robertson not appearing in Wednesday’s game. These two relief aces look to keep splitting save chances, but for now, it’s the 27-year-old with the slight edge.

Updated hierarchy: *Dominguez | Robertson | Alvarado.
* = closer-by-committee

Seattle Mariners — Diego Castillo returned from the injured list for Wednesday’s game and was immediately used in the eighth inning with a one-run lead. Castillo retired the Yankees in order with one strikeout and should immediately reassume his high-leverage role.

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

Pittsburgh Pirates — Derek Shelton tried to get a two-inning save out of Wil Crowe on Wednesday, but Crowe loaded the bases in the ninth and departed after a confusing, run-scoring double play cut the Pirates’ lead to one. Enter lefty Eric Stout, likely summoned to avoid Arizona bringing in Josh Rojas as a pinch-hitter. Stout got a flyout and earned his first career save.

Hierarchy remains: Crowe | de los Santos | Underwood.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Trevor Stephan (CLE) — Emmanuel Clase has pitched on four of the last five days.
2. Rafael Montero (HOU) — Ryan Pressly has pitched in two straight.
3. Yerry de los Santos (PIT) — So has Wil Crowe.
4. David Robertson (PHI) — Sure, Seranthony Dominguez has two straight saves, but he’s also pitched in three of four.

Friday:
1. Dillon Tate (BAL) — If Felix Bautista pitches Thursday, it’ll be three out of four.
2. Brandon Hughes (CHC) — An appearance today will be three of four for Rowan Wick.