Carter Capps to open season on DL

April 3, 2017

San Diego Padres — Carter Capps will begin the season on the DL, though his stay there is not expected to be long. Brad Hand was mentioned by manager Andy Green as someone that will see some late-inning work in Capps’ absence.

Updated hierarchy: Maurer | Buchter | Hand.

Toronto Blue Jays — In case you missed our alert yesterday, Roberto Osuna will start the season on the new 10-day DL (cervical spasm), leaving Jason Grilli to open the season as Toronto’s closer. Osuna can return on April 9.

Updated hierarchy: Grilli | Smith | Howell.

Los Angeles Angels – Blake Parker was a non-roster invitee to camp and made the roster anyway after a terrific spring in which he posted a 0.73 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 12.1 innings. It may be worth taking a flier on him as someone who could get some work in the late innings to start the season. Meanwhile, Huston Street will resume some light throwing on Tuesday.

Updated hierarchy: Bedrosian | Bailey | Parker.

Atlanta Braves — Mauricio Cabrera will begin the season on the 10-day DL, paving the way for some other guys to potentially be the bridge to the 8th and 9th innings. We like lefty Ian Krol as perhaps the best option, with Eric O’Flaherty being another lefty that pitched his way onto the roster this spring and could see some high-leverage work to start the season.

Updated hierarchy: Johnson | Vizcaino | Krol.

Arizona Diamondbacks — The Diamondbacks were one of the six teams that opened the season on Sunday, and JJ Hoover looked sharp in the 8th inning as part of Arizona’s comeback win. He pitched with the D-Backs trailing by a run, but struck out two guys and kept the game in reach. Hoover made the roster out of spring training as a non-roster invitee and could see some more high-leverage innings ahead of Fernando Rodney.

Updated hierarchy: Rodney | Delgado | Hoover.

2017 AL East Preview

February 27, 2017

Baltimore Orioles – The Orioles once again project to have one of the best bullpens in baseball thanks to dominant closer Zach Britton, who dealt with oblique soreness last week. You may see the O’s practice a little caution with Darren O’Day, who spent time on the DL last season, but he will once again be a top setup guy. Brad Brach, who is already 1-0 against AL East opponents this year, will handle the seventh. Plenty of reliability, at least on paper, for the Baltimore bullpen entering 2017.

Starting 2017 hierarchy: Britton | O’Day | Brach.
Holds candidates: O’Day, Brach.

Boston Red Sox – The Red Sox will once again lean on Craig Kimbrel in the ninth inning, but the bridge to him will look a little different than last year. Power is the name of the game for the Sox with Koji Uehara and Brad Ziegler gone. Boston acquired Tyler Thornburg from the Brewers, and he will be the likely setup man despite an ugly spring debut. Converted starter Joe Kelly enters his first full season as a reliever and also can reach 100 on the radar gun. Robbie Ross, Jr., will be the first lefty out of the pen, and don’t forget about Carson Smith, due back sometime this summer following Tommy John surgery.

Starting 2017 hierarchy: Kimbrel | Thornburg | Kelly.
Holds candidates: Thornburg, Kelly, Ross Jr.

New York Yankees — Aroldis Chapman is back with the Yankees after winning a World Series with the Cubs. That means that Dellin Betances will slide back to an eighth-inning role. As for the seventh? Tyler Clippard is the frontrunner to start the season.

Starting 2017 hierarchy: Chapman | Betances | Clippard.
Holds candidates: Betances, Clippard.

Tampa Bay Rays — Alex Colome will resume his duties as closer for the Rays, with a crowded group behind him on the depth chart. 2015 closer Brad Boxberger probably has the inside edge for the eighth inning given his experience, but the seventh inning is a different story. Danny Farquhar, lefty Xavier Cedeno and former Rangers closer Shawn Tolleson will all battle for time in the late innings. If everyone remains healthy, Kevin Cash can mix and match in the late innings as he sees fit.

Starting 2017 hierarchy: Colome | Boxberger | Cedeno.
Holds candidates: Boxberger, Cedeno, Farquhar, Tolleson, Tommy Hunter.

Toronto Blue Jays — Roberto Osuna is back for another season as the Jays’ closer, and he should be even stronger this season. Behind him on the depth chart will be 40-year-old Jason Grilli, who will likely have his innings monitored even though he’s not really that tired. Toronto also acquired Joe Smith, who closed a bit last year with the Angels, as well as reliable lefty JP Howell. Those two should fight for holds depending on matchups ahead of Grilli and Osuna.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Osuna | Grilli | Smith.
Holds candidates: Grilli, Smith, Howell.

Blue Jays bullpen in shambles as playoffs approach

September 27, 2016

Seattle Mariners – In a game with significant playoff implications, Edwin Diaz got torched by the Astros in the 9th inning, blowing his third save of the season. Luckily for Diaz, his team was able to bail him out by scratching out a run in the 11th to take the lead. In the bottom of the 11th, Nick Vincent kept Mariners fans on edge as he wobbled his way through the last three outs, earning his third save of the season. Down the stretch, we expect the Mariners to stick with Diaz, who has been solid lately, boasting a sub-1.00 WHIP in his last 30 appearances.

Hierarchy remains: Diaz | Cishek | Vincent.

Toronto Blue Jays – Thirty-nine year old Jason Grilli was tapped to finish off the Yankees in the ninth innings with the Jays up one run. He was only able to record one out before being replaced, but in the meantime he had surrendered 2 home runs and the lead. His outing last night was Grilli’s 65th appearance of the season, a career high, and John Gibbons may be hesitant to use ol’ Grilled Cheese in big spots down the stretch. But if he wants to look elsewhere, he may not have the services of Joaquin Benoit, who didn’t even pitch yesterday but still managed to get injured in one of the bench-clearing incidents during the game. If Benoit can’t serve as Roberto Osuna’s handcuff as a result, perhaps Grilli will get another chance, or Gibbons could look to platoon Joe Biagini and (gulp) Brett Cecil in the 8th.

Updated hierarchy: Osuna | Benoit | Grilli.

New York Yankees – Following Grilli’s “melt-down” *ducks*, Tommy Layne nabbed his first save of the season. He is not expected to be among the Yankee’s late inning plans for the end of the season.

Hierarchy remains: Betances | Clippard | Warren.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Luke Gregerson, Houston Astros – Ken Giles has pitched in two straight and three of four. He has thrown 96 pitches over his last four appearances.

Adam Ottavino could be closing very soon for Colorado

August 6, 2016

Colorado Rockies — Carlos Estevez had a rough outing last night, giving up four runs and recording only one out while trying to protect a two-run lead. This meltdown, which snapped a six-game scoreless streak for Estevez, was his second blown save in 13 attempts, and has led to speculation that Adam Ottavino will get the next save opportunity. Ottavino has been outstanding in 14 scoreless appearances since his return from Tommy John surgery; in fact, he hasn’t given up a run in exactly 23 months (25.1 IP). Walt Weiss said in July that he wanted to work Ottavino back into the closer’s role, and this game may serve as a catalyst. This may be your last shot to grab Ottavino before he officially takes over as the closer.

Hierarchy remains: Estevez | Ottavino | Logan.

Miami Marlins — After 50 appearances from the bullpen, David Phelps returned to the starting rotation Friday, pitching 4.1 scoreless innings on 70 pitches. Kyle Barraclough has earned three holds this week and will be Miami’s main seventh-inning man.

Updated hierarchy: Ramos | Rodney | Barraclough.

Toronto Blue Jays — Roberto Osuna was unavailable last night, so when the Jays took the lead in the ninth, they turned to the already-warm Joaquin Benoit to protect it. Benoit worked around an error and a single to pick up his first save of the year. Osuna should be back in action tonight.

Hierarchy remains: Osuna | Grilli | Benoit.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Adam Ottavino, Colorado Rockies — Even if Carlos Estevez doesn’t lose his job permanently, he has thrown 40 pitches over the past two days, and could need a break.
2. Tom Wilhelmsen/Drew Storen, Seattle Mariners — New closer Edwin Diaz has pitched in three of four (and five of seven).
3. Kevin Siegrist, St. Louis Cardinals — Seung Hwan Oh has pitched on three of the last four days.
4. Peter Moylan, Kansas City Royals — Kelvin Herrera threw 29 pitches in a loss yesterday, while Joakim Soria has gone back-to-back. This could open the door for Peter Moylan to pick up his first save of the year.