Jason Grilli best choice for saves in Atlanta

April 6, 2015

San Diego Padres — Craig Kimbrel has moved to San Diego in a blockbuster trade and will immediately step into the closer’s role. With Kevin Quackenbush possibly going to AAA, Shawn Kelley may move into his job.

Updated hierarchy: Kimbrel | Benoit | Kelley.

Atlanta Braves — With the Opening Day salary dump of All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel, the Braves will turn to one of their closer retread insurance policies: Jason Grilli and Jim Johnson. Grilli has the edge, if you want any piece of this action. With Josh Outman starting the year on the DL, Luis Avilan will complete the relief dream team. Long-term, Shae Simmons could be the answer if he can return from Tommy John surgery. Braves GM John Hart also mentioned Juan Jaime as an option down the line.

Updated hierarchy: Grilli | Johnson | Avilan.

Colorado Rockies – In a surprising bit of news, Walt Weiss named Boone Logan the team’s primary 8th inning reliever. Logan is no LOOGY — he’s shown his whole career that he can get both lefties and righties out — and he had an excellent spring, posting a 1.04 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 8.2 IPs. The odd thing is that righty Adam Ottavino has been even MORE dominant (0.00 ERA, 15 Ks, 8.1 IPs), and just a few weeks ago, Weiss said that Ottavino would be the guy when closer LaTroy Hawkins is unavailable. Both things can be true, of course — this might be one of those situations where the 8th inning guy isn’t the one to get the call on nights when the closer is unavailable. But it certainly bears watching, as Hawkins, already no one’s pick to keep his job all year, had a pretty rough spring. In other Rockies bullpen news, John Axford’s son was bitten by a rattlesnake, and the righty is likely to miss a few games to start the season.

Updated hierarchy: Hawkins | Ottavino | Logan.

Texas Rangers – Tanner Scheppers will start the season on the DL, elevating Shawn Tolleson into the set-up role. Roman Mendez slides up to take the 7th inning. Scheppers should be back in a week or two.

Updated hierarchy: Feliz | Tolleson | Mendez.

Washington Nationals – With no timetable on Casey Janssen’s return, the Nationals are expected to use a trio of relievers — Aaron Barrett, Matt Thornton, and Blake Treinen — to get the big outs ahead of Drew Storen. Thornton is more of a LOOGY at this point, and while he could get matchup-based holds here and there, it’s more likely that Barrett or Treinen is elevated into a save spot on when Storen is unavailable. Matt Williams hasn’t given any indication of his favorite so far.

Updated hierarchy: Storen | Barrett | Treinen.

New York Mets – Vic Black, still fighting off a sore shoulder, will open the season on the disabled list. Black is expected to rejoin the team after the first road trip of the season, but in the meantime, Carlos Torres will pick up the slack.

Updated hierarchy: Mejia | Familia | Torres.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Grant Balfour, Tampa Bay Rays – With every bullpen well rested and ready for the season, the Vulture Save Watch opens 2015 populated with relievers who are in the mix for 9th inning chances, but not their team’s projected first option. In Tampa, that’s Grant Balfour…
2. Andrew Miller, New York Yankees – …in New York, that’s Andrew Miller…
3. Chris Hatcher/JP Howell, Los Angeles Dodgers – …and in Los Angeles, that’s Chris Hatcher and JP Howell. We think, anyway.

Craig Kimbrel traded in Opening Day blockbuster

April 5, 2015

San Diego Padres — Craig Kimbrel has moved to San Diego in a blockbuster trade and will immediately step into the closer’s role. With Kevin Quackenbush possibly going to AAA, Shawn Kelley may move into his job.

Updated hierarchy: Kimbrel | Benoit | Kelley.

Atlanta Braves — With the Opening Day salary dump of All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel, the Braves will turn to one of their closer retread insurance policies: Jason Grilli and Jim Johnson. Grilli has the edge, if you want any piece of this action. With Josh Outman starting the year on the DL, Luis Avilan will complete the relief dream team. Long-term, Shae Simmons could be the answer if he can return from Tommy John surgery. Braves GM John Hart also mentioned Juan Jaime as an option down the line.

Updated hierarchy: Grilli | Johnson | Avilan.

Dellin Betances’s awful spring has forced him into a committee

April 3, 2015

New York Yankees – Dellin Betances has one more outing scheduled before the regular season starts, and it better be a good one, because the stories about his bad spring are becoming increasingly critical. Given his rough March — which included a 6.14 ERA and a fastball that didn’t seem to have as much life as last year — Joe Girardi has been forced to hold off on declaring a closer. This means Andrew Miller might see a few chances in the early going, and could take over the job entirely if Betances’s struggles spill over to the regular season.

Hierarchy remains: *Betances | Miller | Carpenter.
*closer-by-committee

Cincinnati Reds – Despite being a candidate to set up for Aroldis Chapman, Sam LeCure appeared to have lost some velocity on his fastball this spring and didn’t make the big league club. Tony Cingrani, the young lefty who earlier was vying for a spot in the rotation, has transitioned well to the bullpen, posting a 1.42 spring ERA (14 Ks vs 3 BBs) in 12.2 innings pitched, and could step into a prominent late inning role alongside Jumbo Diaz. J.J. Hoover is another candidate for high-leverage holds.

Updated hierarchy: Chapman | Diaz | Cingrani.

Los Angeles Dodgers – Speculation continues to swirl around who might be handed the keys to the 9th inning in Los Angeles. A committee still seems like the most likely outcome, at least in the early going, and we continue to believe that Joel Peralta is the best reliever to own. Sergio Santos, meanwhile, gave up a HR to Mike Trout last night in his final bid to make the club. He still could earn a spot, but probably won’t be a top option in the late innings.

Updated hierarchy: *Peralta | Hatcher | Howell.
*closer-by-committee

Luke Gregerson confirmed as Astros closer

March 31, 2015

Houston Astros – Luke Gregerson will close for the Astros to start the season, manager AJ Hinch said this afternoon. Gregerson was the frontrunner for the job after signing a 3-year, $18.5 million contract with the Astros in the offseason, and solidified his status with a strong spring. Chad Qualls and Pat Neshek also had excellent springs, and will fill the 7th and 8th innings. It isn’t apparent who would fill in on nights when Gregerson is unavailable, but we’ll give the edge to Qualls, who closed last season.

Hierarchy remains: Gregerson | Qualls | Neshek.

Chicago White Sox – Jake Petricka has been battling forearm and elbow soreness for the past week and will open the season on the disabled list. Petricka was the heavy favorite to set up for David Robertson (who was battling a sore forearm himself earlier this spring), and the White Sox may have to mix and match until his return. Zach Putnam has had an awful spring, though he’s come around as of late; given his brief experience in the closer role, we’ll move him to first in line by default. Javy Guerra and Zach Duke will likely see their roles increase as well.

Updated hierarchy: Robertson | Putnam | Guerra.

Washington Nationals – The injury bug has been buzzing around the Nats clubhouse all spring, and their top two relievers have gotten bit. Drew Storen left a game yesterday after popping a blister on his foot. He doesn’t expect to miss any regular season time, but Casey Janssen might — the set-up man has been battling shoulder tendonitis. Craig Stammen stands to inherit 8th inning duties if Janssen is out.

Hierarchy remains: Storen | Janssen | Stammen.

Los Angeles Dodgers – We’re continuing to look for some clarity in the Los Angeles bullpen, but it seems more and more likely that Don Mattingly will head into the regular season with a closer-by-committee. The two leading candidates for the job, Joel Peralta (5.68 ERA in 6.1 spring IPs) and Chris Hatcher (7.36 ERA in 7.1 IPs) have done little to distinguish themselves; meanwhile, once-darkhorse Sergio Santos had a rough outing the other day and saw his own spring ERA jump to 4.70. Santos is still an interesting candidate, as he’s got the past experience and is consistently missing bats (10 Ks in 7.2 IPs). But given his contract status, he’s not even a lock to make the team. Those in deep leagues or leagues with holds may want to look at the only reliever who has been dominant for the Dodgers this spring: lefty Paco Rodriguez (9.1 IPs, 0.00 ERA, 0.32 WHIP, 12 Ks, 0 BBs). Given J.P. Howell’s pedestrian spring (6.2 IPs, 8.10 ERA), Rodriguez could jump him as the go-to lefty in the Dodgers pen, and potentially snag an occasional save when matchups are right.

Hierarchy remains: Peralta* | Hatcher | Santos.
*closer-by-committee

Boxberger and Mujica expected to see save chances to start season

March 30, 2015

Tampa Bay Rays — The Rays have several options to close while Jake McGee is out.  Grant Balfour should be ready for the start of the season after missing a couple weeks due to the passing away of his father.  However, it looks like Brad Boxberger will see the most save chances.  Boxberger had over 100 strikeouts last year and could thrive in the closer’s role to start the season.

Updated hierarchy:  Boxberger* | Balfour | Jepsen.
* – closer-by-committee

Boston Red Sox — It looks like closer Koji Uehara will not be ready to close at the beginning of the season for the Red Sox.  Manager John Farrell has said that Edward Mujica will close if Uehara is unavailable.

Updated hierarchy: Mujica | Ogando | Tazawa.

Oakland A’s — Manager Bob Melvin confirmed that Tyler Clippard will begin the season as their closer.  Sean Doolittle is still working his way back from a shoulder injury and felt good after his first throwing session on Friday.

Hierarchy remains: Clippard | O’Flaherty | Otero.

New York Mets — Bobby Parnell could be back for the Mets sooner than the original May 1st target date.  Parnell’s velocity has been down so far but he is not concerned by the radar gun readings as he works his way back.  Parnell could challenge Mejia for the closer’s job when he returns.

Hierarchy remains: Mejia | Familia | Black.