Dellin Betances and Luis Garcia head a bumper crop of save vultures

October 2, 2015

Washington Nationals — Felipe Rivero grabbed the first save chance for the post-Papelbon Nationals, delivering two perfect innings and earning praise from Matt Williams. Meanwhile, Bryce Harper and Max Scherzer have honored Papelbon with a new handshake, and Nats fans are pledging thousands of dollars to charity if the team cuts their ex-closer and eats his $11 million 2016 option.

Updated hierarchy: *Rivero | Treinen | Thornton.
* = closer-by-committee

Kansas City Royals — Wade Davis had a sore back on Thursday, so Ned Yost went with Ryan Madson for the save on Thursday night.

Hierarchy remains: Davis | Herrera | Madson.

Arizona Diamondbacks — Daniel Hudson had pitched on three of the last four days, allowing rookie Silvino Bracho to grab his first major league save this season to go with his 16 for the Mobile BayBears (whose mascots can appear at your function!) and three for the Visalia Rawhide (home of Mustache Appreciation Night).

Updated hierarchy: Ziegler | Hudson | Bracho.

New York Yankees — Dellin Betances nailed down the Yankees’ 10,000th win as a franchise, securing a wild card berth. Andrew Miller needed the night off after a two-inning outing on Wednesday.

Hierarchy remains: Miller | Betances | Wilson.

San Diego Padres — Shawn Kelley is at full strength again and pitched the seventh in front of Joaquin Benoit and Craig Kimbrel on Thursday.

Updated hierarchy: Kimbrel | Benoit | Kelley.

Philadelphia Phillies — As we predicted, Ken Giles got a day off and Luis Garcia grabbed the save against the Mets on Thursday.

Hierarchy remains: Giles | Garcia | Hinojosa.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Daniel Hudson, Arizona Diamondbacks — Brad Ziegler remains on paternity leave.
2. Xavier Cedeno, Tampa Bay Rays — Brad Boxberger has pitched in three straight games.
3. Keone Kela, Texas Rangers — Kela won’t be used in consecutive games, but he’s had a few days off and Shawn Tolleson has gone in three straight.
4. Ryan Madson/Kelvin Herrera, Kansas City Royals — Wade Davis might need another day off.

Greg Holland is likely to need Tommy John surgery

September 25, 2015

Kansas City Royals — Former All-Star closer Greg Holland is out for the year with what’s being called a “significant” tear in his right UCL, meaning Tommy John surgery is the likely option. Manager Ned Yost believes that Holland suffered the tear last August, meaning that he pitched through the World Series and most of this year with it. The Royals reportedly asked him to get his elbow checked repeatedly, but he refused until recently. Holland will be out for a good chunk of 2016, too, so Wade Davis is your man for now if you’re in a dynasty league.

Hierarchy remains: Davis | Herrera | Madson.

Tampa Bay Rays — Jake McGee, who had arthroscopic knee surgery in August, will be available to pitch Friday night. After throwing a 30-pitch simulated inning Wednesday, he arrived at the ballpark “feeling good” on Thursday. Meanwhile, Brad Boxberger picked up the save Thursday and has pitched in three straight. Could McGee get thrown into the fire right away?

Updated hierarchy: Boxberger | Cedeno | McGee.

Pittsburgh Pirates — Congratulations are due for Mark Melancon, who converted his major-league-leading 50th save in 52 chances Thursday. Those are a bunch of saves for a guy everyone had concerns about in mid-April. Melancon managed to pitch well all season (1.86 ERA, 0.91 WHIP) despite dips in his K/9 ratio (down to 6.81/9) and pitch velocities.

Hierarchy remains: Melancon | Soria | Watson.

Miami Marlins — Carter Capps — one of the five toughest pitchers David Ortiz has ever faced — threw a successful simulated game on Thursday and could return as early as this weekend.

Hierarchy remains: Ramos | Dunn | Morris.

Baltimore Orioles — Somehow, the Orioles are still in wild card contention, just three games back in the loss column with 10 to go. They’ve played extremely well of late and could find themselves in a bunch of save situations down the stretch. Who would get those chances, however, is less clear. For the third straight day, Darren O’Day did the honors Thursday, converting his sixth save of the season. Regular closer Zach Britton had an MRI on his injured lat earlier this week that revealed no serious damage. He’s still day-to-day with the injury.

Hierarchy remains: Britton | O’Day | Brach.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Brad Brach, Baltimore Orioles — Darren O’Day has pitched in three straight days, so if Zach Britton isn’t ready to go, Brach could get the opportunity.
2. Xavier Cedeno/Jake McGee, Tampa Bay Rays — McGee is scheduled to return Friday night, but would manager Kevin Cash give him the ball in the ninth right away? Either Cedeno or Alex Colome could also pick up the save chance Friday if Brad Boxberger, who has pitched in three straight days, isn’t available.
3. Kelvin Herrera, Kansas City Royals — On Thursday, the Royals clinched the division for the first time in 30 years, but also learned that they will be without Greg Holland for the forseeable future. Holland’s replacement, Wade Davis, has pitched in two straight days, so with KC clinching, he could be held out of action on Friday night. Look for Herrera to possibly get the chance.
4. Justin Miller, Colorado Rockies — OK, hear us out here. John Axford pitched Thursday, and has now thrown 41 pitches over back-to-back games. Jairo Diaz, who took the loss Thursday, has now pitched in three straight days. So let’s turn to Miller, who picked up a vulture save earlier this month.
5. Joaquin Benoit, San Diego Padres — Craig Kimbrel grabbed his second win in as many nights, and has thrown 40 pitches over that span. If he’s not able to go on Friday night, Benoit could get the chance.

Royals, Tigers name new closers

September 23, 2015

Kansas City Royals – Manager Ned Yost announced on Tuesday that Wade Davis will close for the Royals for the remainder of the season and the playoffs. Greg Holland will miss time with elbow soreness, and Yost doesn’t have a defined role for him right now. In the meantime, Yost said that Kelvin Herrera will get the 8th inning, with Ryan Madson, Luke Hochevar and Danny Duffy likely to all get some time in the 7th.

Updated hierarchy: Davis | Herrera | Madson.

Detroit Tigers –After Bruce Rondon was sent home (and lunch was presumably cancelled) because of his “effort level,” Neftali Feliz got the first save chance on Tuesday and had a combined no-hitter on the line to boot. Feliz promptly blew the no-no and then blew the save before the Tigers won in the 10th. Both Feliz and Alex Wilson will handle save situations, with Wilson likely to get the next shot.

Updated hierarchy: *Wilson | Feliz | Hardy.

Baltimore Orioles — Darren O’Day collected his fourth save of the season on Tuesday, and after the game Zach Britton revealed that he is day-to-day with a sore left lat muscle. Britton said it’s not a longterm thing, but O’Day, who has been excellent all season, will get the 9th while Britton recovers.

Hierarchy remains: Britton | O’Day | Brach.

Los Angeles Angels — An MRI on Joe Smith’s ankle revealed just a sprain, and Smith hopes to pitch again this season as the Angels fight for a playoff spot. Trevor Gott and Huston Street combined to get four outs each and preserve the win on Tuesday. With Smith sidelined for the time being, Fernando Salas slides into the hierarchy behind Street and Gott.

Updated hierarchy: Street | Gott | Salas.

Minnesota Twins — Glen Perkins is back, and he pitched out of an inherited jam on Tuesday to get the Twins out of the 8th inning with their two-run lead intact. Trevor May was unavailable with a lingering left hip/back issue, and the Twins are willing to let May “get it right” instead of rushing him back. Perkins now has three straight clean appearance since his cortisone shot, and with May potentially out a few more days, the former closer is in line for some more high-leverage work.

Updated hierarchy: Jepsen | Perkins | May.

St. Louis Cardinals – Trevor Rosenthal had pitched in back-to-back games, leading to Steve Cishek grabbing his fourth save of the season on Tuesday. Mike Matheny was encouraged by Cishek’s outing, and he may play a role in the late innings if Matheny rests some arms in a crowded bullpen, like he had to tonight with both Rosenthal and Jonathan Broxton needing a night off.

Hierarchy remains: Rosenthal | Siegrist | Broxton. 

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Dellin Betances, New York Yankees – Andrew Miller needed 42 pitches after blowing the save and staying on for the win in Toronto on Tuesday.
2. Darren O’Day, Baltimore Orioles – Zach Britton is day-to-day with a sore left lat.

Addison Reed getting important work for the surging Mets

September 12, 2015

New York Mets — With Hansel Robles in the Dominican Republic for his grandfather’s funeral, the Mets turned to former Diamondbacks closer Addison Reed in the seventh inning of a one-run game. Reed, who has a 0.00 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in seven appearances as a Met, struck out the side. Robles has been excellent, but Reed has experience that the team might value even more down the stretch.

Updated hierarchy: Familia | Clippard | Reed.

Kansas City Royals — Kelvin Herrera is pitching again, and he got a key strikeout to close out the seventh inning with a one-run lead on Friday. Although he later got touched for three earned runs in a ten-run eighth, it was due to an error and an infield single that set up a grand slam — and when Franklin Morales relieved Herrera, Morales pitched even worse. We think Herrera keeps the seventh inning role going forward.

Updated hierarchy: Holland | Davis | Herrera.

Colorado Rockies — Justin Miller, who spent July and much of August getting high-leverage work for Colorado, has been moved back into that role since returning from Albuquerque. Miller pitched the seventh after Scott Oberg on Thursday, and entered a tight eighth on Friday night to strike out Nelson Cruz.

Updated hierarchy: Axford | Diaz | Miller.

Los Angeles Dodgers — Jim Johnson pitched the fourth down 10, which is enough to elevate Chris Hatcher past him in the Dodger pecking order.

Updated hierarchy: Jansen | Hatcher | Johnson.

Toronto Blue Jays — Brett Cecil set a Blue Jays record with his 26th consecutive scoreless appearance on Friday night.

Hierarchy remains: Osuna | Sanchez | Cecil.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Mike Dunn, Miami Marlins — A.J. Ramos has pitched in three of four (50 pitches).
2. Antonio Bastardo, Pittsburgh Pirates — Stay with us here. Mark Melancon has gone in three of four (57 pitches). Joakim Soria has pitched in three straight and Tony Watson has thrown 60 pitches in three days. Arquimedes Caminero has been used in four of five, and he gave up two hits in his brief Friday appearance. Bastardo got a vulture save back in July, so don’t be surprised to see him ring up another.
3. Tyler Clippard/Addison Reed, New York Mets — Terry Collins is riding Jeurys Familia hard in the playoff push, using him on four of five days (55 pitches). If Hansel Robles is back, he might get this chance, since both Clippard and Reed have been used a lot too.
4. Jairo Diaz, Colorado Rockies — John Axford has gone in two straight and threw 27 pitches yesterday.

Kelvin Herrera has chickenpox

September 2, 2015

Kansas City Royals — It was reported on Tuesday that Kelvin Herrera and Alex Rios both have chickenpox and will miss at least two weeks, which is bad news for the Royals and bad news for Herrera owners who were hoping for some late-season holds. Franklin Morales had two holds in Tampa last weekend, and more importantly, escaped virus-free. We’ll slide him into Herrera’s spot for now.

Updated hierarchy: Holland | Davis | Morales.

Arizona Diamondbacks – With Brad Ziegler nursing a sore ankle and needing a day off after back-to-back poor outings, two different Diamondbacks earned a save as Arizona swept a doubleheader. Not surprisingly, Daniel Hudson closed out the first game. However, Josh Collmenter, who earned his first hold of the year in the opening tilt, pitched the final two innings of the nightcap for his second career save. David Hernandez had pitched in three of the last four days prior to Tuesday, but perhaps the 7th inning has become more crowded in Arizona, especially with the September call-up of Enrique Burgos.

Hierarchy remains: Ziegler | Hudson | Hernandez.

Detroit Tigers – Bruce Rondon hadn’t seen a save opportunity since Aug. 15, but he made the most of his chance on Tuesday, throwing a scoreless ninth to preserve a 6-5 win. It was his third save in four chances, and it came at a good time considering his last outing was a disaster during a game the Tigers were already losing. Despite Rondon’s recent struggles, it appears as if the closer’s job is still his for the time being.

Hierarchy remains: *Rondon | Wilson | Hardy.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Daniel Hudson, Arizona Diamondbacks – Brad Ziegler may get an extra day of rest, as manager Chip Hale was concerned about his fatigue following 52 pitches over a two-day span.
2. Aaron Sanchez, Toronto Blue Jays – Roberto Osuna may get a breather after a 27-pitch blown save on Tuesday.