Mike Minor becoming an intriguing trade target

June 20, 2017

Kansas City Royals – Mike Minor got into a bit of a mess in the 8th inning last night, allowing two hits and a walk before getting himself out of it with a big strikeout. It was the lefty’s 8th hold on the season, and it came against the Red Sox, a team that might be employing him by the end of July. If Minor is traded, then from a fantasy perspective, it’s unlikely that he’ll be very interesting for the remainder of 2017. But if he stays in Kansas City, there’s a good case to be made that he, and not Joakim Soria, should inherit the closer role from Kelvin Herrera, should Herrera be dealt. We’ll keep an eye on his usage going forward.

Hierarchy remains: Herrera | Soria | Minor.

Texas Rangers – Matt Bush’s recent struggles continued last night, as he blew the save and took the loss against the Blue Jays. In his past seven outings, Bush has allowed 7 runs (6 earned) in 6.1 IP, vaulting his ERA from 0.96 to 2.88, and you won’t find much sympathy for him on Twitter. Keone Kela (20 Ks in his last 12.2 IP) and Jose LeClerc (14 Ks in his last 6.1 IP) are lurking.

Updated hierarchy: Bush | Kela | LeClerc. 

Toronto Blue Jays – Joe Smith was placed on the disabled list yesterday. Set-up roles in the Blue Jays bullpen have been a bit nebulous all season, but with Smith on the shelf, our best guess for 8th inning duties is Ryan Tepera, with Danny Barnes spelling him when necessary.

Updated hierarchy: Osuna | Tepera | Barnes. 

Los Angeles Dodgers – For two months, Josh Fields toiled in obscurity, racking up strikeouts and posting awesome ratios while mostly pitching when the game wasn’t especially close. But maybe the Dodgers knew something we didn’t, as Fields started to unravel when he was given higher-leverage opportunities, and yesterday, the Dodgers sent him down so he could work out the issues. In a corresponding move, Sergio Romo returns to the bullpen, and will make his way on to the hierarchy if he can prove he’s effective again.

Updated hierarchy: Jansen | Baez | Avilan.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Keone Kela – Matt Bush has gone back to back games, including a 28-pitch blown save yesterday.
2. Drew Storen – Raisel Iglesias has gone back to back games and hasn’t gone three straight all year, while Michael Lorenzen is likely unavailable after pitching 2 innings yesterday, his second straight day of work.

Tomorrow
1. Ryan Tepera – If Roberto Osuna goes today, it’ll be three straight.
2. Nick Vincent – If Edwin Diaz goes today, it’ll be three straight.
3. Joakim Soria – If Kelvin Herrera goes today, it’ll be three straight.
4. Kyle Barraclough – If AJ Ramos goes today, it’ll be back to back and three of four with a high pitch count.
5. Keone Kela – See above. If Bush goes today, he’ll definitely be off tomorrow.
6. Michael Lorenzen/Drew Storen – See above and monitor usage for who will be available for the Reds tomorrow.

All of a sudden, we have a committee in Cleveland

June 19, 2017

Cleveland Indians – After Andrew Miller got the save in yesterday afternoon’s 5-2 victory, Terry Francona said that Allen and Miller would be temporarily trading roles. Apparently, this was Allen’s idea, and Francona was on board because, as the league’s thought leader in progressive bullpen usage, he’s fully aware that Miller usually enters in a higher stress spot than Allen, even though the latter is the one racking up the saves. Since this move appears temporary, we’ll keep Allen in the closer role for now with the understanding that he might not reclaim his job for a while.

Updated hierarchy: *Allen | Miller | Shaw.
* = closer-by-committee

Philadelphia Phillies – Hector Neris blew another save yesterday, leading to an eventual Phillies loss, and now has just three saves in the past 46 games, and might not get the next save chance. But given recent usage, and the notion that Pat Neshek actually prefers a set-up role, suggested here, it might be Joaquin Benoit that gets the next opportunity. If you’re the type of person who values a save chance every two weeks, then this is a situation to watch closely.

Hierarchy remains: *Neris | Neshek | Benoit.
* = closer-by-committee

Oakland A’s – A day after being hit with a foul ball, Santiago Casilla got the afternoon off, and Sean Doolittle picked up his third save of the season. Score one for the Vulture Save Watch, and know that all signs still point to Casilla being fine going forward.

Hierarchy remains: Casilla | Doolittle | Madson.

Washington Nationals – The Nationals beleaguered bullpen took another hit on Sunday, with Shawn Kelley going on the DL. Then again, with Kelley and several other Washington relievers performing below replacement level, maybe this won’t actually hurt them very much.

Updated hierarchy: *Romero | Albers | Turner.
* = closer-by-committee

New York Yankees – Aroldis Chapman returned from the DL on Sunday and pitched a scoreless inning. Despite Dellin Betances’s dominance, the Yankees bullpen suddenly really needed him back, as it’ll allow Joe Girardi to move the big righty back to the 8th, and revert to using Tyler Clippard and Chasen Shreve in earlier spots.

Updated hierarchy: Chapman | Betances | Clippard.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Arodys Vizcaino – Jim Johnson has gone back to back games, and has yet to pitch in three straight this year.

Tomorrow
1. Jerry Blevins – If Addison Reed goes today, it’ll be three straight.
2. Mychal Givens – If Brad Brach goes today, it’ll be three straight.
3. Pedro Baez – If Kenley Jansen goes today, it’ll be back to back and three of four.
4. Andrew Miller/Bryan Shaw – If Cody Allen or Andrew Miller go today, it’ll be three straight; monitor usage tonight to see who’s available tomorrow.
5. Arodys Vizcaino – See above. If Johnson DOES pitch tonight, he’ll definitely be off tomorrow.

Enny Romero gets save, Santiago Casilla gets hit with foul ball

June 18, 2017

Washington Nationals – Enny Romero got the last five outs in yesterday’s Nationals’ win to record his second save of the season.  Romero has not given up an earned run in June, and moves to the top of the committee on the virtue of actually converting a save chance.

Updated hierarchy: *Romero | Albers | Kelley.
* = closer-by-committee

Oakland A’s — As predicted in yesterday’s Vulture Save Watch, Santiago Casilla got the day off and the A’s used Sean Doolittle for the save opportunity.  Doolittle responded by striking out the side in a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his second save of the season.  Although Casilla was unavailable yesterday just due to rest, he may be unavailable for a little while longer after getting hit with a foul ball in the dugout.  The A’s say he’s OK, but we will have to wait for more information to see if he is going to miss any time.

Hierarchy remains: Casilla | Doolittle | Madson.

Tampa Bay Rays – Jumbo Diaz picked up the eighth inning hold ahead of closer Alex Colome yesterday.  That was his second eighth inning hold since returning from the disabled list a week ago, and it appears the Rays trust him in the later innings again after his struggles in May.

Updated hierarchy: Colome | Farquhar | Diaz.

San Diego Padres — Phil Maton came on to get the last two outs of the eleventh inning to secure his first career save.  Brandon Maurer, who blew the save in the ninth, and Brad Hand both appeared earlier in the game.  Maton is a young hard throwing righty who had great strikeout numbers in the minors, and could be a guy to keep your eye on later in the season.

Hierarchy remains: Maurer | Hand | Buchter.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Jacob Barnes – Corey Knebel has pitched in two straight and four of the past five games.
2. Sean Doolittle/Ryan Madson – Santiago Casilla got hit with a foul ball yesterday
3. Juan Nicasio – Felipe Rivero has gone in two straight, including 1.2 innings yesterday.

Monday
1. David Phelps – A.J. Ramos threw 34 pitches on Saturday so if he pitches again on Sunday, he will likely get Monday off.
2. Danny Farquhar – Alex Colome pitched 1.2 innings yesterday and the Rays may rest him on Monday if he pitches again on Sunday.

Cam Bedrosian is back; four bullpen losses in a row for the Yankees

June 17, 2017

Los Angeles Angels — Cam Bedrosian comes back from the DL today; although he’ll work in the late innings, he’s not likely to go back to the closer’s role immediately. Bud Norris has been solid while Bedrosian and Huston Street have missed time. Any opportunity for Bedrosian would be short-lived anyway, as Street is on track to return as early as Tuesday. Our read is that Street will assume the closer’s role when he is ready, but will have a short leash as long as Bedrosian and Norris pitch well. In shallow leagues, this might be your last chance to grab either of the two DL activations.

Updated hierarchy: Norris | Bedrosian | Hernandez.

Pittsburgh Pirates — Felipe Rivero pitched a clean eighth inning with a one-run lead, facing the lefty-heavy top of the Cubs lineup. This gave Juan Nicasio his first chance to close — but Nicasio imploded (with a little help from former closer Tony Watson), allowing four runs without recording an out. Rivero was close to kicking the asterisk even before last night, so now that his main competition has fallen apart, he should have the job free and clear.

Updated hierarchy: Rivero | Nicasio | Hudson.

New York Yankees — Adding to the Yankees’ sudden bullpen woes, Adam Warren went on the 10-day DL with tightness near his shoulder. Last night’s loss — courtesy of Chasen Shreve and Jonathan Holder — was the fourth straight caused by relief ineptitude. Help is on the way, though, with Aroldis Chapman — throwing 102 with questionable control in rehab at Trenton — set to be activated Sunday.

Updated hierarchy: Betances | Clippard | Shreve.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Adam Ottavino/Jake McGee — Greg Holland has pitched in three straight games, and Ottavino has gone in three out of four.
2. Sean Doolittle — Santiago Casilla has gone in two in a row (48 pitches).
3. Pedro Baez — Kenley Jansen hasn’t thrown a lot of pitches, but has pitched in three of four.
4. Carlos Torres — Both Corey Knebel and Jacob Barnes have appeared in three of four games.

Sunday:
1. Archie Bradley — Fernando Rodney has pitched in three of four.
2. Koji Uehara — Wade Davis threw 31 pitches on Friday.
3. Joakim Soria — If Kelvin Herrera pitches today, it’ll be three in the last four.

K-Rod complains about role, gets high-leverage chance, blows it

June 16, 2017

Detroit Tigers – This week, manager Brad Ausmus declared he would try former closer Francisco Rodriguez in high-leverage situations again after he complained a bunch. Ausmus wasn’t lying, as it was 3-2 in the eighth inning when K-Rod came trotting out to the hill. He picked up another blown save (his sixth) after allowing a game-tying home run, leading to a smattering of boos and cursing from the Detroit crowd. Justin Wilson owners were pleased by that development, as the current closer picked up the win with a clean ninth after the Tigers walked off in the bottom half. As for K-Rod, it’s hard to believe he’ll already be in the dog house, but he can’t be trusted until he earns it back.

Hierarchy remains: J. Wilson | A. Wilson | Greene.

Philadelphia Phillies – In a tight 1-0 win Thursday, the Phillies turned to Pat Neshek… in the eighth inning (1 H, 1 K, 0 R, 1 W) and Hector Neris in the ninth (1 BB, 2 Ks, 0 R, 1 SV). Don’t sound the alarm, but it’s starting to look like it’s Neris’s job again — and perhaps he never lost it. The Phillies are auditioning Neshek to boost his trade value, but if Neris gets the next save or two for Philly, we’ll remove the asterisk.

Hierarchy remains: *Neris | Neshek | Gomez.
* = closer-by-committee

Milwaukee Brewers – Oliver Drake picked up his first career save with a scoreless ninth inning for Milwaukee. Corey Knebel and Jacob Barnes were apparently unavailable after each pitched in two straight games, and Carlos Torres was called upon to get crucial outs with the game tied in the eighth inning. If we listed a third-in-line, it would likely be Drake, and definitely not former closer Neftali Feliz, who recently got DFA’d.

Hierarchy remains: Knebel | Barnes | Torres.

New York Yankees – Injured closer Aroldis Chapman is set to start for Double-A Trenton and if all goes well, he’ll rejoin the Yankees this weekend and reclaim his job, though Dellin Betances has been Fernando Rodney 2012-like in his absence, posting 41 K in 21.2 IP, a 0.42 ERA and 6 saves. (Yes, we’re testing to see if this works again.)

Hierarchy remains: Betances | Clippard | Warren.

Los Angeles Angels – Former closer Cam Bedrosian appears ready to rejoin the big club this weekend, but we’ll wait to see how he fits in given that Bud Norris has pitched pretty well in his absence.

Hierarchy remains: Norris | Hernandez | Parker

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Jake McGee – Greg Holland has pitched in two straight. He hasn’t gone in three straight days yet this season.
2. Tyler Clippard – Dellin Betances threw 39 pitches over 1.2 IP Thursday, but he had rest prior to that appearance and could conceivably be available Friday.

Tomorrow
1. Alex Wilson – Justin Wison has pitched in three of the last five games, including Thursday. If he goes again Friday, that’d be 3 out of 4 and 4 out of 6 for him.