Rafael Soriano signs with Cubs; another save for Carson Smith

June 10, 2015

Miami Marlins — Mike Dunn pitched the 8th inning ahead of AJ Ramos in a one-run game. Ramos couldn’t hold on to the lead, giving up a two-run walkoff bomb. Ramos has pitched well enough since taking over the closer’s role, but Dunn seems to have worked his way back into the late-inning mix, as this is his second straight 8th inning appearance.

Updated hierarchy: Ramos | Dyson | Dunn.

Seattle Mariners — Carson Smith continues to look like the lead arm in the Seattle committee; he was handed the 9th inning in a two-run game on Tuesday, his second straight save opportunity. This time it didn’t go quite as smoothly for him, with a leadoff home run and a single preceding the final out. The young righthander’s phenomenal season continues, and a couple more clean save opportunities could see him kick the asterisk.

Hierarchy remains: *Smith | Lowe | Furbush.

Boston Red Sox — Manager John Farrell reportedly had a long closed-door meeting with closer Koji Uehara before Tuesday’s game. Afterward, Farrell insisted that it was only a checkup after Uehara pitched in three straight games, but the timing is curious since the pitcher is a couple days removed from the heavy workload. Uehara has been as effective as ever this year, and even after his disaster outing on June 4, Koji got the ball for two straight save opportunities. This was probably nothing, but it may be worth keeping an eye on Junichi Tazawa, who has quietly put up six straight scoreless appearances, and has a 1.40 ERA on the season.

Hierarchy remains: Uehara | Tazawa | Barnes.

Chicago Cubs — The Cubs sought some bullpen help by signing former major league closer Rafael Soriano to a minor-league deal on Tuesday. Normally a minor-league signing isn’t newsworthy, but Soriano earned 32 saves in 2014 and will walk into one of the most unsettled bullpens in the league. Once he makes it to the show, expect him to be handed high-leverage situations, especially given his pro-rated $4 million salary (with $4 million more in incentives).

Hierarchy remains: *Rondon | Strop | Motte.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Darren O’Day, Baltimore Orioles — Zach Britton threw 28 pitches in a five-out save yesterday, and may need a night off.
2. Jonathan Broxton, Milwaukee Brewers — Francisco Rodriguez has pitched in two straight and three of the last four.
3. Kelvin Herrera, Kansas City Royals — Both Greg Holland and Wade Davis have pitched in three straight games.
4. Jim Johnson, Atlanta Braves — Jason Grilli has pitched in two straight, throwing 50 pitches over that span.
5. Pedro Strop/Jason Motte, Chicago Cubs — The Cubs are running a committee until Rondon figures himself out.

Addison Reed struggles; Kenley Jansen’s return impending

May 14, 2015

Arizona Diamondbacks –Addison Reed has had a woeful start to the year, and yesterday was no different. He came in to protect a one-run lead, and left after giving up a grand slam, blowing the save and boosting his ERA to an ugly 7.20. Reed has just two saves this year, but after the game he got a half-hearted vote of confidence from Chip Hale. For now, with Hale backing his man, Reed still has the job but is on a blazing hot seat, especially with Brad Ziegler sporting a tidy 1.26 ERA after another scoreless inning on Tuesday.

Hierarchy remains: Reed | Ziegler | Perez.

Los Angeles Dodgers – Kenley Jansen was due back on Saturday, but his return may get moved up a day after Pedro Baez left Wednesday’s game with a right pectoral injury. Don Mattingly said Jansen won’t be activated Thursday, but if Baez’s MRI on Thursday isn’t promising, that Friday return seems extremely likely. If Baez does indeed hit the DL, keep an eye on rookie Adam Liberatore. He took the loss on Wednesday, but had entered the game with 9.2 scoreless innings, retiring 28 of the first 29 batters he faced.

Hierarchy remains: *Garcia | Hatcher | Baez.
* = closer-by-committee.

Miami Marlins -A.J. Ramos picked up his first save as the head of the Marlins committee, pitching a scoreless ninth inning and striking out two. Dunn and Morris both got holds in the game, so the new committee is off to a great start. It’s a committee that won’t be adding Rafael Soriano, however, as the Marlins are no longer considering Soriano for their bullpen despite multiple reports earlier in the week.

Hierarchy remains: *Ramos | Dunn | Morris.

Kansas City Royals — Kelvin Herrera returned from his six-game suspension on Wednesday, allowing one hit in a scoreless ninth inning. He will slide back into his usual seventh-inning role.

Updated hierarchy: Holland | Davis | Herrera.

Oakland A’s –Sean Doolittle is set to begin a rehab assignment today. Manager Bob Melvin didn’t say how many minor-league outings Doolittle will need, but the sooner the A’s bullpen can get him back, the better. He should slide back into the closer’s role upon his return.

Hierarchy remains: Clippard | Scribner | Otero.

Baltimore Orioles — Darren O’Day picked up his first save of the season in a 6-1 Baltimore win.

Hierarchy remains: Britton | O’Day | Hunter.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Steve Geltz, Tampa Bay Rays – Both Brad Boxberger and Kelvin Jepsen have pitched in back-to-back games, and Geltz may snag a save in the Rays’ committee.

Kelvin Herrera begins his suspension; Edward Mujica demoted

May 8, 2015

Kansas City Royals — Reliever Kelvin Herrera’s combined suspensions were reduced to six games, a penalty he began serving on Thursday. He’s eligible to return next Wednesday. In the meantime, Luke Hochevar returned from the disabled list after a rough rehab assignment and pitched a scoreless sixth inning against Cleveland. Comeback kid Ryan Madson pitched the seventh inning, though, so he gets the edge in our hierarchy for now, with Herrera out and Hochevar (who hasn’t pitched on two straight days all season) still working his way back. Oh, and did we mention that Greg Holland got his first save since returning from the DL? It truly was a busy night for the Royals ‘pen.

Updated hierarchy: Holland | Davis | Madson.

Boston Red Sox — The Red Sox were off Thursday, but made two significant moves in designating former setup man Edward Mujica for assignment and firing pitching coach Juan Nieves. Mujica’s departure likely means the call-up of prospect Matt Barnes, who may begin in the Boston bullpen. Barnes throws hard, which is more than you can say about most of the Red Sox pitching staff. He could enter the late-innings mix in the coming weeks.

Hierarchy remains: Uehara | Tazawa | Ogando.

St. Louis Cardinals — Jordan Walden will be out for 6 to 10 weeks with an injury to his pitching shoulder. Kevin Siegrist slides into the Cardinal hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Rosenthal | Maness | Siegrist.

Los Angeles Angels — Given a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning Thursday night, Angels closer Huston Street coughed it all up, surrendering three runs to take the loss against his namesake. Street allowed four singles and a walk, but the winning run came only when the speedy Jose Altuve beat out a double play that would have ended the inning.

Hierarchy remains: Street | Smith | Morin.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Mike Morin/Fernando Salas, Los Angeles Angels — After his blown save, Huston Street has pitched on three straight days (as has his lieutenant, Joe Smith). If the Angels get a save chance, we might learn whether Fernando Salas has nosed ahead of Mike Morin to be second in line.
2. Chris Hatcher, Los Angeles Dodgers — Yimi Garcia is still the top option, but Chris Hatcher recorded a save this week, proving the volatility of the situation. Rehabbing closer Kenley Jansen wants to come back next week, but Don Mattingly reigned that in a bit. For now, we’re dealing with a committee situation in LA.
3. Seth Maness, St. Louis Cardinals — Trevor Rosenthal has pitched on 5 of the last 7 days, and could be due for a night off Friday. He was called into action last night when Maness and Kevin Siegrist ran into trouble in the ninth inning of a 5-1 game.

Greg Holland set to return from DL

May 6, 2015

Kansas City Royals — Greg Holland will be activated from the disabled list on Wednesday and rejoin a bullpen that had done its part without its closer. While Ryan Madson moves off our hierarchy for the moment, he will still be an important part of the Royals’ late-inning plans, especially with a ruling on Kelvin Herrera’s pair of suspension appeals due any day.

Updated hierarchy: Holland | Davis | Herrera.

Seattle Mariners – Danny Farquhar picked up his second blown save of the season on Tuesday, giving up two runs in the eighth inning. Since his last hold on April 18, Farquhar is 0-1 with two blown saves and just one hold, bumping his ERA up to 5.02. Manager Lloyd McClendon did not say much about Farquhar specifically after the game, but he may be pitching his way out of a chance to get saves when Fernando Rodney is unavailable.

Hierarchy remains: Rodney | Farquhar | Smith.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Evan Marshall, Arizona Diamondbacks – Arizona and Colorado will play a doubleheader on Wednesday, with the second game being 20-30 minutes after the first one…
2. Rafael Betancourt, Colorado Rockies – …which means if a team is to sweep it may be with a Vulture Save in game two.

Yimi Garcia and A.J. Ramos excelling; complications for Bobby Parnell

April 25, 2015

Los Angeles Dodgers — With 16 strikeouts in nine appearances, rookie Yimi Garcia has been the best pitcher in the Dodgers’ bullpen this season. On Friday night, he finally got a shot at closing — and he mowed down the Padres with two strikeouts and a foul pop. Don Mattingly isn’t ready to abandon the committee system, but Garcia will surely be a huge part of it going forward, and a strong candidate for the setup role after Kenley Jansen returns.

Updated hierarchy: *Peralta | Garcia | Baez.
*closer-by-committee

Miami Marlins — Steve Cishek earned his first save of the year, lowering his ERA to 10.38 in the process. If you’re a Cishek owner, it’s worth noting that his absence would likely create a closer triumvirate of Mike Dunn, A.J. Ramos, and Bryan Morris. We think Dunn’s recent ineffectiveness would give Ramos the inside track at this point.

Updated hierarchy: Cishek | Ramos | Dunn.

New York Mets — The Mets’ success is overshadowing their terrible luck with injuries — on Friday came news that Bobby Parnell’s minor league rehab would be shut down for a week because of forearm soreness. Parnell has been out for a year now after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Hierarchy remains: Familia | C.Torres | A.Torres.

Detroit Tigers – Al Alburquerque had his second putrid outing in three days, giving up two home runs in mop-up duty and running his ERA into double digits. He has now given up more home runs in his last three innings than in his first 80 as a major leaguer. Although his velocity is down, he says he feels fine. Bruce Rondon threw on Tuesday and Thursday, and his return can’t come soon enough for this beleaguered pen.

Hierarchy remains: Soria | Chamberlain | Alburquerque.

San Diego Padres — Kevin Quackenbush and his newly trimmed beard have been recalled from Triple-A, and he could move into the Padres’ hierarchy very quickly. On Friday night, he was used in the eighth and ninth with the Padres narrowly trailing.

Hierarchy remains: Kimbrel | Benoit | Thayer.

Tampa Bay Rays — Matt Andriese gave up his spot in the rotation to Drew Smyly today, but wound up earning a three-inning blowout save instead — and his first Closer Monkey reference. I’d take that deal. While we’re here, we should mention that Jake McGee will throw a bullpen session tomorrow and, if all goes well, will start rehab with the High-A Stone Cutters Crabs.

Hierarchy remains: *Boxberger | Jepsen | Frieri.
* closer-by-committee

Houston Astros — After Luke Gregerson blew a save in the ninth and Pat Neshek gave up two-thirds of a three-run lead in the tenth, Chad Qualls grabbed a vulture save. Josh Fields was also activated from the disabled list; A.J. Hinch says that after a few low-leverage appearances, Fields could be used in “a number of roles.”

Hierarchy remains: Gregerson | Qualls | Neshek.

Colorado Rockies — Adam Ottavino returned from his brief rest and earned an uneventful save on Friday night.

Hierarchy remains: Ottavino | Axford | Betancourt.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Matt Belisle, St. Louis Cardinals — Jordan Walden (45 pitches in four days) and Trevor Rosenthal (pitched in three straight) have gotten a lot of work lately. We think Belisle is next in line.
2. Ken Giles/Luis Garcia, Philadelphia Phillies — Giles got the win in Friday night’s game in a spot that normally would have featured Jonathan Papelbon. After the game, Ryne Sandberg explained that Papelbon was sick in bed all day. If he needs a little more rest, Sandberg could call on Giles again, or Luis Garcia.
3. Joe Smith, Los Angeles Angels — Huston Street needed 26 pitches to get Friday’s save; he threw 15 on Thursday.
4. Jumbo Diaz, Cincinnati Reds — Aroldis Chapman has pitched in three of four games. Jumbo Diaz is better-rested, and poor Tony Cingrani? He hasn’t pitched in 10 days, leading to some (more) criticism of Bryan Price.
5. Tony Watson, Pittsburgh Pirates — Mark Melancon got another 1-2-3 save on Friday, but he’s now pitched on three of four days.