Joe Biagini (who?) earns a Blue Jays save over Drew Storen

May 20, 2016

Toronto Blue Jays — Rule 5 pick (and aspiring comedian) Joe Biagini picked up his first career save with a clean eleventh inning against the Twins. Closer Roberto Osuna had pitched two scoreless frames earlier in a tie game. Nowhere to be found was Drew Storen, who has an 8.36 ERA and has pitched in four straight losses, including 13-2 and 12-2 blowouts this week. Biagini, meanwhile, has allowed just 1 earned run in 15.1 innings this season. With six walks, his control is a bit of a concern, but Biagini clearly has earned John Gibbons’s trust in the early going.

Updated hierarchy: Osuna | Biagini | Storen.

Milwaukee Brewers — Jeremy Jeffress got the day off Thursday, opening the door for setup man Tyler Thornburg. He labored a bit in the ninth inning (2 walks, 30 pitches), but managed to retire the side for his first career save.

Hierarchy remains: Jeffress | Thornburg | Blazek.

Los Angeles Angels — Greg Mahle is consistently getting late-inning work for the Angels, often (like on Thursday) coming in for fellow lefthander Jose Alvarez. We’ll swap the two at the end of the Los Angeles hierarchy.

Updated hierarchy: Smith | Salas | Mahle.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Kirby Yates, New York Yankees — Joe Girardi steadfastly tries to avoid using his big three on three straight days; if he follows that policy in a Friday night save situation, we think it will be the impressive Kirby Yates (19 K in 15.1 innings) who gets the call.
2. Joe Biagini/Drew Storen, Toronto Blue Jays — As we mentioned, Osuna tossed two innings (22 pitches) and might be unavailable Friday night. In that case, Gibbons could go back to Biagini or return to Storen, who has two saves this year.

Jesse Chavez and Cory Gearrin are moving up

May 7, 2016

Toronto Blue Jays — After the Jays called on a shaky Drew Storen to finish off a 5-2 win over the Dodgers, John Gibbons explained that Roberto Osuna was unavailable with a mild groin strain. Osuna, speaking through a translator (to the bafflement of Blue Jay Twitter), said he’d be fine for Saturday, but Gibbons wasn’t ready to commit. Meanwhile, Brett Cecil continues to be used primarily as a lefty specialist, while Jesse Chavez has impressed (16 K in 10.2 IP). As long as Chavez stays in the bullpen, he has a chance at high-leverage work.

Updated hierarchy: Osuna | Storen | Chavez.

San Francisco Giants — Cory Gearrin isn’t striking guys out, but he’s retiring them nonetheless, and Bruce Bochy appreciates his calm demeanor in the late innings. He finished the eighth last night in a tight win over the Rockies. Gearrin, whose last save came three years ago (but was still predicted by the Vulture Save Watch), is definitely in the mix to pick up another if Santiago Casilla needs a rest.

Updated hierarchy: Casilla | Osich | Gearrin.

Cincinnati Reds — The Reds finally grabbed their second save of the year, after only 30 games. Tony Cingrani earned it by escaping an eighth-inning jam, then finishing things up in the ninth while Ross Ohlendorf warmed. With four scoreless innings, the bullpen’s record streak of consecutive games allowing a run ended at 23. After the game, Bryan Price praised Cingrani, but confirmed that he is not the team’s sole closer.

Hierarchy remains: *Ohlendorf | Cingrani | Cotham.
* = closer-by-committee

Miami Marlins — As we predicted, A.J. Ramos got a break on Friday, and David Phelps nailed down his second vulture save for the red-hot Fish.

Hierarchy remains: Ramos | Phelps | Barraclough.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Drew Storen, Toronto Blue Jays — If Osuna’s groin stays balky, Storen could get another save chance.
2. Brandon Maurer, San Diego Padres — Fernando Rodney has fired arrows in four of five (and five of seven) and might get Saturday off to replenish his quiver.
3. Dellin Betances/Chasen Shreve, New York Yankees — Andrew Miller needed 36 pitches and a Big Papi hissyfit to escape the ninth on Friday (by the way, that ugly 3-1 pitch was somehow a strike). The Yankees haven’t needed a closer too often lately, but Betances or Shreve could get the call Saturday. Remember: on Monday, Aroldis Chapman comes back.
4. Pedro Strop, Chicago Cubs — Hector Rondon hasn’t thrown many pitches, but he’s been used on three straight days.

Britton day to day with ankle injury, David Phelps records save

May 1, 2016

Baltimore Orioles — Zach Britton left yesterday’s game with an ankle injury, and is considered day to day.  Darren O’Day should close if Britton misses any games.

Hierarchy remains: Britton | O’Day | Brach.

Miami Marlins — As expected, A.J. Ramos got the night off on Saturday, and David Phelps recorded his first save of the season. Kyle Barraclough pitched a scoreless 8th inning ahead of Phelps, and those two, along with closer Ramos, are forming a very solid back end of the bullpen for the Marlins.

Hierarchy remains: Ramos | Phelps | Barraclough.

Toronto Blue Jays – Brett Cecil started the 9th inning last night in a tie game and gave up 3 hits and a run without recording any outs.  Cecil finished April with an 0-5 record,  Jesse Chavez pitched 1.1 scoreless innings yesterday to lower his ERA under 2.00 and could see some time in the later innings if Cecil continues to struggle.

Hierarchy remains: Osuna | Storen | Cecil.

Oakland A’s — Ryan Madson made it interesting yesterday, as he loaded the bases with one out in the 9th, but got a game ending double play to earn the save.  Madson is now 8 for 8 in save opportunities and we don’t see this as a committee anymore.  John Axford pitched 1.1 scoreless innings ahead of Madson yesterday and lowered his ERA under 1.00 on the season.  Axford could challenge Doolittle for saves when Madson is unavailable.

Hierarchy remains: Madson | Doolittle | Axford.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Darren O’Day/Brad Brach, Baltimore Orioles – Zach Britton could be unavailable on Sunday due to his ankle injury.  Darren O’Day would normally get the save opportunities when Britton is out but he has pitched in two straight and three of four so Brach might get the call instead.
2. Sean Doolittle/John Axford, Oakland A’s – Ryan Madson has pitched in three straight.  Sean Doolittle’s usage has been all over the place so it’s possible he is used before the 9th, and then Axford would likely get a shot.
3. Nate Jones, Chicago White Sox – Closer David Robertson could return to the team Sunday but if he doesn’t, Nate Jones should continue to fill in.

David Phelps moving up in Marlins ‘pen; Roberto Osuna day-to-day

April 19, 2016

Toronto Blue Jays – While a broken nail may not seem like a devastating injury, it was severe enough to keep Roberto Osuna on the bench in yesterday’s Patriot’s Day game at Fenway. Information is scarce on Osuna’s timetable to return — he’s day-to-day at the moment — but in the meantime, Drew Storen is likely to be tapped in save situations, as he was yesterday.

Hierarchy remains: Osuna | Storen | Cecil.

Miami Marlins – Don Mattingly recently told the media that he is looking to use David Phelps later in games. We will take Donny Baseball at his word for now and slip Phelps into the hierarchy, and we also wouldn’t be surprised if he eventually takes over the set-up man role.

Updated hierarchy: Ramos | Morris | Phelps.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Brett Cecil, Toronto Blue Jays – Roberto Osuna might need another day off, while Drew Storen has pitched in back-to-back games, including a shaky 26-pitch outing yesterday afternoon.