2018 AL Central Preview

February 26, 2018

Chicago White Sox – The White Sox have a few different options for closer to start the season.  Veteran closer Joakim Soria was signed this offseason and would be happy to accept the job.  Juan Minaya finished last year as the closer, including converting all six of his save chances in September.  Nate Jones was stellar in 2016, but missed most of last season with injuries.  Jones says that he will be ready for opening day, and should challenge for the role if healthy.  We think Soria gets the first shot at closing, but one long shot to keep an eye out for is Thyago Vieira, who can touch 102 with his fastball.

Starting 2018 hierarchy: Soria | Minaya | Jones.
Holds candidates: Minaya, Jones, Luis Avilan.

Cleveland Indians – The Indians will bring back closer Cody Allen and ace reliever Andrew Miller in 2018.  However, they lost Brian Shaw, who was a workhorse out of the bullpen last year, and Joe Smith, who was a key contributor after he was acquired midseason.  The Indians re-signed Dan Otero and he could step into the seventh-inning role.  Lefty Tyler Olson should also see time in the later innings, after he posted a 0.00 ERA in 30 games last year for the Tribe.  

Starting 2018 hierarchy: Allen | Miller | Otero.
Holds candidates: Miller, Otero, Olson.

Detroit Tigers — Shane Greene finished last year as the closer and it’s his job to lose heading into spring training.  Behind Greene, the Tigers have a lot of question marks.  Alex Wilson should fill a role in the back end of the bullpen, but he is also fighting for a spot in the rotation this spring.   Lefty Daniel Stumpf joins Greene and Wilson as established members of the bullpen, but Joe Jimenez is more exciting from a fantasy perspective.  Jimenez has stellar numbers in Triple-A, and although he struggled in the majors last year, he is hoping his off-season work will pay off this year.  

Starting 2018 hierarchy: Greene | Wilson | Stumpf.
Holds candidates: Wilson, Stumpf.

Kansas City Royals – The Royals’ bullpen, which was a major strength during their World Series runs, will be a big question mark going into 2018.  Kelvin Herrera started 2017 as closer, but finished the year with the highest ERA of his career and was removed from the role late in the season.  Still, Herrera is probably the best bet to start 2018 as the closer after the Royals lost Mike Minor and Joakim Soria in the off-season — if Herrera doesn’t get traded.  Brandon Maurer will also be an option to close after recording 22 saves last year between the Padres and Royals.  Don’t let the save numbers fool you on Maurer, though; he finished last year with an ERA over 6.50 — it was over 8 in his 26 games with the Royals.  Wily Peralta will be a guy to keep an eye on as the Royals could try to convert him from a starter into a late-inning guy like they did with Wade Davis and Luke Hochevar.

Starting 2018 hierarchy: Herrera | Maurer | Peralta.
Holds candidates: Maurer, Peralta.

Minnesota Twins — The Twins have revamped their bullpen for 2018.  Fernando Rodney is the closer, while Addison Reed will fill an important role at the back end of the bullpen.  Trevor Hildenberger pitched well for the Twins last year, and he should split seventh-inning duties with newly acquired lefty Zach Duke.

Starting 2018 hierarchy: Rodney | Reed | Hildenberger.
Holds candidates: Reed, Hildenberg, Zach Duke.

The Angels return to a closer-by-committee

September 11, 2017

Los Angeles Angels – Sporting a three-run lead, the Angels went Bedrosian-Parker-Petit to get through the final three innings. So the committee is back — maybe it never really left — though we still think Parker is the best bet at this point to get a save on any given night.

Updated hierarchy: *Parker | Bedrosian | Petit.
* = closer-by-committee

Arizona Diamondbacks – A day after Fernando Rodney got smacked around, Archie Bradley got the 9th inning and picked up his first save of the season. However, after the game, Torey Lovullo was quick to say there was no closer controversy — Rodney was just getting the day off. Still, given how dynamite Bradley has been all season, we think that the would-be controversy may be on if Rodney has another bad outing or two.

Hierarchy remains: Rodney | Bradley | Hernandez.

Toronto Blue Jays – Luis Santos got his first career save on Sunday afternoon, pitching the final three innings of a Blue Jays blowout win. Through three big league outings, Santos has been rock solid (8.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 7 Ks, 1 BB), and given that the Blue Jays bullpen isn’t exactly a model of consistency, they might be willing to give him a look in some higher leverage spots down the stretch.

Hierarchy remains: Osuna | Tepera | Leone.

Washington Nationals – Sean Doolittle got a second consecutive day off after pitching four of the previous five, so the Nationals instead clinched the NL East on the back of an extremely shaky Ryan Madson save. But the fact that Madson converted — and the fact that Brandon Kintzler was ostensibly available and stayed on the bench — suggests that Madson will get future chances when Doolittle is unavailable.

Updated hierarchy: Doolittle | Madson | Kintzler. 

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Joe Smith – The Indians are probably invested in keeping their record-long win streak alive, but since they have a 13-game lead in the division, they might give Cody Allen a day off after his back to back outings on Saturday and Sunday.

Tomorrow
1. Joe Smith – See above. If Cody Allen goes tonight, it’ll be three straight.
2. Anthony Swarzak – If Corey Knebel goes tonight, it’ll be back to back and three of four.

Cam Bedrosian pitching like closer for Angels

August 13, 2017

Los Angeles Angels — Cam Bedrosian converted his second straight save opportunity since Bud Norris was removed as closer.  Keynan Middleton got the win, and Blake Parker struck out two in a scoreless eighth inning.  Bedrosian could be on his way to asserting himself as the primary closer for the Angels, but we will see how things play out in the next couple days before we pull the committee.

Hierarchy remains: *Bedrosian | Parker | Middleton.
* = closer-by-committee

Philadelphia Phillies — After Hoby Milner got the first out of the ninth, Luis Garcia came on and recorded the last two outs for his second save of the season.  As we mentioned in the Vulture Save Watch, Hector Neris had pitched a lot recently, and it looks like the Phillies will use Milner and Garcia in the ninth when Neris is not available.

Hierarchy remains: Neris | Garcia | Milner.

Arizona Diamondbacks – When Fernando Rodney entered the ninth inning yesterday, it was not a save opportunity, but when he left, it was.  Rodney, who had not pitched since August eighth, started the ninth with a 6-0 lead, but got pulled after giving up four hits and two runs.  David Hernandez came on to get the last out and record his first save since getting traded to the Diamondbacks.  Rodney had not given up a run in over a month prior to Saturday, and his job as closer should be safe for now.

Hierarchy remains: Rodney | Bradley | Hernandez.

Toronto Blue Jays — Dominic Leone struck out three in 1.2 scoreless innings for his sixth hold of the season.  It was Leone’s fourth hold in the month of August, and he seems to have settled into a role at the back-end of the Blue Jays’ bullpen

Updated hierarchy: Osuna | Tepera | Leone

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Blake Parker/Yusmeiro Petit – Cam Bedrosian has pitched in two of three and the Angels have been cautious with him since coming back from his injury. Parker has pitched in three of four, and Keynan Middleton has pitched in four of five.
2. Tony Watson/Pedro Baez – Kenley Jansen has pitched in three of the past four.

Monday
1. Michael Lorenzen – If Raisel Iglesias pitches on Sunday, it will be three of four, including a 41 pitch outing on Friday.
2. Junichi Tazawa – Brad Ziegler has pitched in two straight.

Seung Hwan Oh, yes! Final Boss grabs his first save in weeks

July 7, 2017

Arizona Diamondbacks — Before Sunday, Fernando Rodney hadn’t allowed an earned run since April, if you can believe that. Thursday marks his second straight blown save, however. Entering the game with a 4-1 lead in the ninth, Rodney allowed this sequence: single, walk, walk, bases-loaded walk, two-run single, intentional walk. His fourth and final charged run came when T.J. McFarland allowed a walk-off single on his first pitch. Rodney’s seat was white-hot at the end of April, and it could be heating up again as Archie Bradley (four outs on nine pitches Thursday; 1.15 ERA) continues to mow hitters down. Jake Barrett, Arizona’s most reliable reliever for much of 2016, also returned from a bout of shoulder stiffness, and could recapture the seventh-inning role.

Hierarchy remains: Rodney | Bradley | J. de la Rosa.

St. Louis Cardinals — Meet the new Final Boss, same as the old Final Boss. After Brett Cecil collected five outs, Seung Hwan Oh entered for his third straight appearance to pick up his first save since June 21. Trevor Rosenthal, who has allowed runs in four of his last six appearances, did not get the call even though he hasn’t pitched since July 4. With Oh presumably tired, Rosenthal should get the Friday save chance, if applicable. Perhaps that was Mike Matheny’s plan all along. Stay tuned.

Hierarchy remains: *Oh | Rosenthal | Cecil.
* = closer-by-committee

Pittsburgh Pirates — Count it as a half-win for the Vulture Save Watch. Marked down to likely be rested Friday, regular closer Felipe Rivero was instead rested Thursday, giving Juan Nicasio a vulture save in his third straight game. Keep an eye on Tony Watson too. The former closer tossed a clean seventh inning on Thursday and has allowed onliy one run since June 18. He’s pushing Daniel Hudson to be second in line and could be traded to a contender soon.

Hierarchy remains: Rivero | Nicasio | Hudson.

Detroit Tigers — Shane Greene and Bruce Rondon continued their recent strong performances in the seventh and eighth innings ahead of Justin Wilson. Struggling Alex Wilson hasn’t pitched since a low-leverage outing six days ago.

Updated hierarchy: J. Wilson | Rondon | Greene.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Trevor Rosenthal — As noted, Oh has appeared in three straight games.
2. Michael Lorenzen — Raisel Iglesias threw two innings yesterday (33 pitches).
3. Danny Barnes/Aaron Loup — Roberto Osuna has gone in three straight, and Ryan Tepera has gone in three of four (22 pitches last night).
4. Taylor Rogers — Brandon Kintzler has pitched in three of four (46 pitches).

Saturday:
1. Brad Boxberger/Tommy Hunter — Alex Colome has appeared in two of the last three, including a 38-pitch outing on Wednesday. Note also that Boxberger has pitched the seventh and Hunter the eighth in the last two setup situations; rest for Colome could shed light on his primary handcuff.
2. Bruce Rondon/Alex Wilson — Justin Wilson has gone in two of three; another outing Friday might give him Saturday off. Rondon has gone in two straight (as has Shane Greene), while Alex Wilson is well-rested.
3. Sean Doolittle — Santiago Casilla has pitched on two of the last three days.
4. Pedro Baez — As has Kenley Jansen.
5. Daniel Hudson/Tony Watson — And Felipe Rivero. Juan Nicasio has gone in three straight.

Felipe Rivero making quick work of Pittsburgh’s alleged committee

June 12, 2017

Pittsburgh Pirates – Sunday’s game made two four-out saves in two days for Felipe Rivero. If this is indeed a committee, Rivero is the clear leader, but let’s make him get one more before we remove his asterisk. And don’t panic if Juan Nicasio gets the save tonight (which he may, per VSW) — Rivero will still be the one to own regardless.

Hierarchy remains: *Rivero | Nicasio | Hudson.
* = closer-by-committee

New York Mets – Jerry Blevins has been the best reliever in the Mets bullpen all season, but we’ve been reluctant to move him to first in line because he’d mostly been pitching to lefties. But he got the full 8th inning yesterday, and will probably get similar looks going forward, mostly because the team doesn’t have another option.

Updated hierarchy: Reed | Blevins | Salas. 

Cleveland Indians – It’s a bit of a slow news day today, so figured we’d just point out that Andrew Miller’s ERA is 0.29. That’s kinda good. Also, did you know that the reliever who holds the record for lowest ERA in a single season is Fernando Rodney?! This happened less than five years ago and we can still hardly believe it. [UPDATE: Oh wait, Zach Britton broke this last year. Still, there was a time when Rodney posted the best relief season ever!]

Hierarchy remains: Allen | Miller | Shaw.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Juan Nicasio – Felipe Rivero has gotten four outs each of the last two nights.
2. Michael Lorenzen – Raisel Iglesias had a long (33 pitches) painful outing yesterday, and might need a night off.

Tomorrow
1. Jerry Blevins – If Addison Reed goes today, it’ll be three straight.
2. Juan Nicasio – See above. If Felipe Rivero does end up going today, he’ll surely be off tomorrow.
3. Michael Lorenzen – See above. If Raisel Iglesias does end up going today, he’ll surely be off tomorrow.