Kenley Jansen leaves game with injury

August 24, 2023

Boston Red Sox – Kenley Jansen left Wednesday’s game with right hamstring tightness after retiring the first batter he faced in the ninth inning. If Jansen misses any time, Chris Martin will be the frontrunner to close games for Boston. Martin pitched the eighth inning of a tie game on Tuesday, so Josh Winckowski closed out the win in the 10th.

Hierarchy remains: Jansen | Martin | Winckowski.

San Francisco Giants – Camilo Doval’s struggles continued on Wednesday, as he became the first player in franchise history to blow a save in four straight appearances. Thankfully for the Giants, they retook the lead in the 10th and eventually Ryan Walker came on to record the final out and lock up his first MLB save. Manager Gabe Kapler, who said after Tuesday’s game that Doval needed to mix his pitches better, said on Wednesday that the game is moving fast for Doval. The Giants are off on Thursday, but we’ll see how Kapler uses Doval this weekend against Atlanta.

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

St. Louis Cardinals — JoJo Romero pitched the final two innings of last night’s 6-4 win over Pittsburgh and now has the Cardinals’ last two saves, albeit over 10 days apart. In addition, Romero has pitched the ninth in his other three appearances between those two saves. We’ll swap him and Giovanny Gallegos accordingly.

Updated hierarchy: *Romero | Gallegos | Pallante.
* = closer-by-committee

Colorado Rockies – Justin Lawrence’s rough stretch continued on Wednesday, as he suffered his third blown save over his last five appearances. Lawrence may have been a bit unlucky on Tuesday, but he’s now allowed eight earned runs over his last three outings. We’ll see just how long a leash the Rockies give Lawrence, but you have to imagine it’s getting shorter and shorter.

Hierarchy remains: Lawrence | Bard | Koch.

San Diego Padres – Robert Suarez is facing a 10-game suspension after being ejected from Wednesday’s game following a foreign substance check. We’ll let you know when the suspension becomes official.

Hierarchy remains: Hader | Suarez | Wilson.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. John Schreiber (BOS) – Kenley Jansen is likely unavailable today after his injury on Wednesday. Chris Martin threw 29 pitches yesterday and Josh Winckowski has gone in two straight, combining for 46 pitches.
2. Aaron Bummer/Jimmy Lambert (CHW) – Gregory Santos threw 36 pitches in yesterday’s blown save. Aaron Bummer tossed 28 pitches of his own on Wednesday while Bryan Shaw has thrown 47 pitches over the last two days.
3. Griffin Jax (MIN) – Jhoan Duran threw 34 pitches yesterday.
4. Hector Neris (HOU) – Both Ryan Pressly and Bryan Abreu have gone in three of four.
5. Buck Farmer (CIN) – Alexis Diaz has gone in two straight, Lucas Sims threw 31 pitches last night and Ian Gibaut has pitched back-to-back nights.
6. Daniel Bard (COL) – Justin Lawrence threw 25 pitches yesterday and may get a breather today.
7. Brusdar Graterol (LAD)/Trevor Stephan (CLE) – The Dodgers and Guardians will complete last night’s suspended game before playing their regularly scheduled contest today, which means there could be a vulture save opportunity for one or both teams.

Friday:
1. Jason Adam (TB) – If Pete Fairbanks pitches today that will be back-to-back days of work.
2. Tyler Rogers (SF) – The Giants are off today but Camilo Doval may get another day of rest to get himself right.
3. Mark Leiter Jr. (CHC) – If Adbert Alzolay goes doay that will be two in a row.
4. Kevin Ginkel/Scott McGough (ARI) – If either Paul Sewald or Ginkel pitches today that will be three of four.

Jose Alvarado returns from injury

August 22, 2023

Philadelphia Phillies — Jose Alvarado has returned from the injured list and will resume a high-leverage role right away.

Updated hierarchy: Kimbrel | Alvarado | Dominguez.

Chicago Cubs — Our only vulture save projection for Monday was successful, as Mark Leiter Jr. indeed came on to finish the job for the Cubs. 

Hierarchy remains: Alzolay | Leiter Jr. | Merryweather.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Hector Neris (HOU) — Ryan Pressly has gone in two straight.
2. Josh Sborz (TEX) — Will Smith blew the save Monday and picked up a loss in his second straight day of work. Aroldis Chapman pitched two earlier innings and needed 32 pitches.

Wednesday:
1. Lucas Erceg (OAK) — Trevor May has pitched in two of three.
2. Julian Merryweather (CHC) — If Adbert Alzolay pitches today, he likely won’t go Wednesday.

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.

Let the Phil Bickford era begin

August 10, 2023

New York Mets — Wednesday night, the save opportunity was all Adam Ottavino’s. But the veteran just didn’t have it, yielding a homer, a single, and a walk to put the go-ahead run on base. Naturally, the Mets turned to journeyman Phil Bickford, he of the 5.96 ERA, most famous for earning a seventh-inning save in a rainout and giving up Albert Pujols’s 700th home run. A bunt, a walk, and two strikeouts later, the Mets had the win, Bickford had his first ninth-inning save, and New York? Well, New York had a brand new hero. 

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

St. Louis Cardinals — It’s been almost two weeks since St. Louis needed a save, but this time Oliver Marmol used JoJo Romero in the seventh and eighth, and Giovanny Gallegos in the ninth. This is more like what we expected after Jordan Hicks moved to Toronto, but don’t be surprised if Romero and Gallegos continue to split opportunities.

Updated hierarchy: *Gallegos | Romero | Pallante.
* = closer-by-committee

Oakland A’s — Dany Jimenez’s return didn’t keep him in Oakland long; he was sent to Las Vegas on Wednesday. Taking his place in the A’s hierarchy is 25-year-old rookie Angel Felipe, who has three holds in his last three appearances. Felipe has struggled with control this season, but has also induced a lot of groundouts and strikeouts.

Updated hierarchy: May | Felipe | Long.

Detroit Tigers — Jose Cisnero’s entry into the game up five with the bases loaded was enough to earn him a save on the strength of a single strikeout. Cisnero was probably second in line Wednesday due to Jason Foley’s temporary placement on the bereavement list.

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

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Yennier Cano (BAL) — Felix Bautista threw 30 pitches on Tuesday and might get two days off.
2. AJ Minter (ATL) — Raisel Iglesias has pitched in three straight.
3. Daniel Bard/Jake Bird (COL) — Justin Lawrence has gone in two straight and three of four.
4. Brusdar Graterol (LAD) — Evan Phillips has gone back-to-back.

Friday:
1. Chris Martin (BOS) — If Kenley Jansen goes today, it’ll be three of four.
2. Erik Swanson (TOR) — Same for Jordan Hicks.
3. Colin Holderman (PIT) — And David Bednar.

Dominic Leone earns a save

August 9, 2023

Los Angeles Angels – All three members of the Angels’ hierarchy were unavailable on Tuesday, which left the save chance to deadline acquisition Dominic Leone. He converted for his first save as an Angel.

Hierarchy remains: Estevez | Lopez | Moore.

Miami Marlins – Andrew Nardi pitched a perfect seventh inning and Tanner Scott followed with a perfect eighth inning in last night’s win, and we’ll adjust the hierarchy accordingly.

Updated hierarchy: Robertson | Scott | Nardi.

Pittsburgh Pirates – Yerry De Los Santos was sent down to Triple-A on Tuesday, making room for Carmen Mlodzinski on the hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Bednar | Holderman | Mlodzinski.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Yennier Cano (BAL) – Felix Bautista threw 30 pitches in last night’s blown save.
2. Colin Holderman/Carmen Mlodzinski (PIT) – David Bednar has gone two straight and four of five. Holderman threw 20 pitches last night and has gone in two of three.
3. AJ Minter (ATL) – Raisel Iglesias has gone back to back.
4. Robert Garcia (WAS) – The entire Washington hierarchy has pitched in four of five, so we’re going off the board with Garcia, who was one of the few relievers who did not pitch during yesterday’s doubleheader.

Tomorrow
1. Jason Adam/Colin Poche (TB) – If either Poche or Pete Fairbanks pitch today, that’ll be two straight.
2. Trevor Stephan/Enyel De Los Santos (CLE) – If either Stephan or Emmanuel Clase pitch today that will be two straight and three of four.
3. Bryan Abreu (HOU) – An appearance today will be two in a row for Ryan Pressly.
4. Seranthony Dominguez/Gregory Soto (PHI) – Same is true for Craig Kimbrel and the rest of the Philadelphia hierarchy…
5. Brusdar Graterol/Caleb Ferguson (LAD) – …as well as Graterol and Evan Phillips.