Instant emails for every closer change. Closer depth charts to keep you ahead.
September 4, 2023
St. Louis Cardinals – While there’s been no official word from the team, MLB’s transactions page showed that the Cardinals have placed JoJo Romero on the IL, retroactive to Sept. 2. Look for Ryan Helsley and Giovanny Gallegos to share save opportunities in his absence.
Updated hierarchy: *Helsley | Gallegos | Pallante.
* = closer-by-committee
September 4, 2023
St. Louis Cardinals – JoJo Romero got a second day off after throwing 35 pitches on Friday, as did Ryan Helsley, who made his first appearance off the IL in the same game. That left the save chance to Giovanny Gallegos, who converted for his 10th of the season.
Hierarchy remains: *Romero | Helsley | Gallegos.
* = closer-by-committee
Los Angeles Dodgers – After throwing 1.2 innings last night, Evan Phillips was apparently unavailable on Sunday, so Dave Roberts turned to Brusdar Graterol for the save. Graterol converted for his 7th of the year.
Hierarchy remains: Phillips | Graterol | Ferguson.
Colorado Rockies – Daniel Bard was placed on the IL over the weekend; we’ll see if this means more high-leverage chances for Tyler Kinley, who was recently activated and got a save on Saturday.
Updated hierarchy: Lawrence | Koch | Kinley.
Tampa Bay Rays – With Jason Adam hitting the IL over the weekend, look for Robert Stephenson — who picked up a hold on Sunday — to get more late inning chances.
Updated hierarchy: Fairbanks | Poche | Stephenson.
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Jake Bird/Brent Suter – The Rockies’ top three arms are all likely down today, so we’re looking off hierarchy for the vulture save chance.
2. Andrew Kittredge/Chris Devenski – The Rays’ top three are also all likely down today, so here are two possible options for the 9th.
3. Lucas Erceg – Trevor May has gone back to back.
Tomorrow
1. Joel Payamps – If Devin Williams goes today, it’s three of four.
2. Lucas Sims – If Alexis Diaz goes today, it’s back to back and three of four.
3. Jordan Hicks – Same for Jordan Romano.
4. Jose Alvarado – If Craig Kimbrel goes today, it’s back to back.
5. Austin Cox/Taylor Clarke – Same for Carlos Hernandez and Austin Cox…
6. Scott Barlow/Nick Martinez – …and Josh Hader and Scott Barlow…
7. Aaron Bummer – …and Gregory Santos…
8. Chris Martin – …and Kenley Jansen…
9. Danny Coulombe/Shintaro Fujinami – …and Yennier Cano and Danny Coulombe.
September 2, 2023
Atlanta Braves – With only 4 games on the schedule on Thursday, there weren’t ever going to be many vulture save possibilities, but we picked Kirby Yates as one of them. With both Raisel Iglesias and AJ Minter unavailable, Yates indeed got the save chance and converted for his 3rd save on the year. Expect Iglesias and Minter to be back in action over the weekend.
Hierarchy remains: Iglesias | Minter | Yates.
St. Louis Cardinals — Ryan Helsley was activated before Friday’s game and immediately pitched a clean 8th inning in a tie game. JoJo Romero took the loss in extra innings, which may be just the crack in the door that Helsley needs. It’s a bit too early to hand him the top of the committee, but Helsley makes for a great speculative add in leagues where you’re chasing saves as he has an excellent chance to be in the mix for the rest of the season.
Updated hierarchy: *Romero | Helsley | Gallegos.
* = closer-by-committee
Chicago Cubs — In the first game of a doubleheader the Cubs brought Keegan Thompson on to protect a 3 run lead in the 8th inning. When the Cubs extended the lead to 5 he stuck around for the 9th to earn his first save on the season. Thompson has exactly one save in each of his first 3 years in the majors, and with a month left in the season he has a chance to achieve a career high if he can get another opportunity, but it would likely have to be a similar situation to last night.
Hierarchy remains: Alzolay | Leiter Jr. | Merryweather.
New York Mets – When the Mets took a 1 run lead in the bottom of the 8th it was Drew Smith who got the call to try to shut the door. Smith had given up solo homers in each of his last 2 appearances, but Buck Showalter felt good enough to run him out there again, and he delivered. Things looked dicey after a leadoff walk, but he picked off the pinch runner and got the last two outs to earn his 3rd save on the year. This is about as pure a committee as you could find right now, but given Smith’s most recent save he bumps up to first in line.
Updated hierarchy: *Ottavino | Smith | Raley.
* = closer-by-committee
Vulture Save Watch:
For Sunday:
August 29, 2023
Texas Rangers – After Aroldis Chapman worked in back-to-back games over the weekend, he was apparently unavailable Monday. But that meant Will Smith did the job in a save situation, right? Well, no. Enter old friend Jose Leclerc, who mixed in a walk with two strikeouts to earn his second save. Reading between the lines, recent usage would indicate Chapman is the committee leader and Leclerc is a part of the mix with Smith. Smith not being used in an obvious situation for a closer Monday is very telling. It’s also worth noting Rangers beat writer Evan Grant said that Leclerc got the save chance after Chapman and Brock Burke had worked in the previous two days — and he did not mention Smith. We’ll make the swap in our hierarchy now and this situation is definitely worth monitoring.
Updated hierarchy: *Chapman | Smith | Leclerc.
* = closer-by-committee
New York Mets – For the first time since undergoing patellar tendon surgery, Edwin Diaz threw a bullpen session. He maintains that his goal is to return to pitch for the Mets before the end of the season even though the club is out of contention, so if he happens to be available in your league (only 16% rostered in Yahoo!, for example), he could be worth stashing if you have IL space.
Hierarchy remains: *Ottavino | Raley | Smith.
* = closer-by-committee
St. Louis Cardinals — Ryan Helsley expects to be activated from the injured list on Wednesday. Whether he jumps right back into the saves mix upon his return remains to be seen.
Hierarchy remains: *Romero | Gallegos | Pallante.
* = closer-by-committee
Toronto Blue Jays – As predicted by the Vulture Save Watch, Jordan Romano did not appear Monday after throwing 36 pitches Sunday, leaving Jordan Hicks there to earn his fourth save since being traded to Toronto.
Hierarchy remains: Romano | Hicks | Garcia.
Los Angeles Dodgers – Evan Phillips did not pitch Monday, as projected by the Vulture Save Watch, but it was Caleb Ferguson and not Brusdar Graterol who got the opportunity in the ninth, earning his third save. He has been used as an opener recently, but this save chance proves he still belongs in the hierarchy. Graterol last worked Friday, throwing 31 pitches, so perhaps manager Dave Roberts wanted an additional day of rest to keep him fresh.
Hierarchy remains: Phillips | Graterol | Ferguson.
Minnesota Twins – The Vulture Save Watch correctly predicted an off-day for Jhoan Duran, but it certainly did not foresee Josh Winder pitching three hitless innings to earn his first career save. He won’t normally factor into the late-inning plans.
Hierarchy remains: Duran | Jax | Pagan.
Houston Astros – Jose Urquidy covered the final four innings (4 hits, 1 ER, 2 walks 1 strikeout) of what became a blowout Astros win Monday to earn his first career save.
Hierarchy remains: Pressly | Abreu | Neris.
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Jose Alvarado (PHI) – Craig Kimbrel has pitched in two straight.
2. Taylor Rogers (SF) – Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers have each gone in two consecutive games.
3. Andrew Nardi (MIA) – The Marlins were off Monday but Tanner Scott has been busy lately (he pitched in both weekend games).
Wednesday:
1. Shintaro Fujinami (BAL) – If he goes Tuesday, that would be three of four for Yennier Cano.
2. Brooks Raley (NYM) – Same as above for Adam Ottavino.
3. Griffin Jax (MIN) – The above is also true for Jhoan Duran.
August 28, 2023
Miami Marlins – As we alerted, David Robertson was removed from the closer’s role before Sunday’s game, and the new closer, Tanner Scott, pitched well Sunday to earn his third save of the season.
Updated hierarchy: Scott | Nardi | Puk.
Texas Rangers – Will Smith notched a clutch strikeout against the only batter he faced to finish off the eighth inning in Sunday’s game, leaving Aroldis Chapman to handle the ninth inning in a save situation. Chapman did not deliver, though, allowing the tying run to send the game to extras. The Rangers eventually lost, which is something happening a lot lately. Texas has lost nine of 10, and the struggles in the late innings are a big part of it. It appears manager Bruce Bochy is starting to play the matchups again in the ninth inning, so we’ll slap on the committee tag with Smith still in the lead role, for now.
Updated hierarchy: *Smith | Chapman | Sborz.
* = closer-by-committee
Toronto Blue Jays – Erik Swanson was placed on the injured list with thoracic spine inflammation. Expect Yimi Garcia and maybe Tim Mayza to vie for saves when the Jordans (Romano and Hicks) aren’t available.
Updated hierarchy: Romano | Hicks | Garcia.
Boston Red Sox – Manager Alex Cora said Kenley Jansen was available to pitch Sunday. The Red Sox lost, so there was no save situation and Jansen did not play, but he should be presumed to be available moving forward.
Hierarchy remains: Jansen | Martin | Winckowski.
St. Louis Cardinals — Ryan Helsley resumed a rehab assignment on Sunday after his first one was paused over concerns about continued forearm discomfort. New imaging came back clean, allowing his return to action, though there is no timetable for his return to the majors. For what it’s worth, he did not pitch well in the rehab outing, allowing a couple of runs.
Hierarchy remains: *Romero | Gallegos | Pallante.
* = closer-by-committee
Tampa Bay Rays – The Vulture Save Watch projected a day off Sunday for Pete Fairbanks, but instead of turning to Colin Poche, manager Kevin Cash went with Jason Adam for the third time in four games. Adam nailed down his 12th save of the season.
Hierarchy remains: Fairbanks | Adam | Poche.
Arizona Diamondbacks – Paul Sewald did not pitch Sunday, as forecast by the Vulture Save Watch, but it was Ryan Thompson who earned the save in his first game for Arizona, not Kevin Ginkel, who had already pitched Friday and Saturday.
Hierarchy remains: Sewald | Ginkel | McGough.
VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Brooks Raley (NYM) – Adam Ottavino has gone in two straight.
2. Shintaro Fujinami (BAL) – Yennier Cano has also gone in two in a row.
3. Griffin Jax (MIN) – Same as above for Jhoan Duran.
4. Brusdar Graterol (LAD) – Evan Phillips has pitched in three of four.
5. Jordan Hicks (TOR) – Jordan Romano threw 36 pitches to record five outs Sunday and could need a breather.
Tuesday:
1. Andrew Nardi (MIA) – Miami is off Monday but new closer Tanner Scott might need a second day of rest after pitching Saturday and Sunday.
2. Trevor Stephan (CLE) – If he goes Monday, that would be two straight and three of four for Emmanuel Clase.
3. Matt Brash (SEA) – A Monday outing would be three of four for Andres Munoz.
PageSpeed WordPress theme by SwiftThemes.Com
