Enny Romero becomes fourth National to earn a save this season

May 5, 2017

Washington Nationals — With current closer Shawn Kelley still sick (and no guarantee he’ll be ready today), the Nationals opted to play the matchups to get through the ninth after Matt Albers pitched a scoreless eighth. They first turned to Joe Blanton, who coughed up a home run, throwing only two pitches before he was yanked. Enny Romero came on to close the door for his first save. He’s actually the fourth National with a save already this season. One writer called Albers (0.00 ERA) the team’s new setup man over Blake Treinen, and we agree, at least until Koda Glover returns from injury. Glover’s return could be as early as this weekend.

Updated hierarchy: Kelley | Albers | Treinen.

Chicago White Sox – The White Sox got some tough news Thursday, as righty Nate Jones was placed on the 10-day disabled list (retroactive to May 1) with elbow neuritis. Expect Anthony Swarzak (0.00 ERA, two holds, just three hits and one walk allowed in 14 innings with 16 Ks) to get more looks in the late innings.

Updated hierarchy: Robertson | Kahnle | Swarzak.

Cincinnati Reds — Raisel Iglesias garnered his fifth save in as many tries Thursday, and may be emerging as the clear leader of the Reds bullpen. He has for more saves than anyone else on the team (Michael Lorenzen had a save three weeks ago and Drew Storen picked one up in the third game of the year) and his numbers are impressive: 1.10 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 19 Ks in 16.1 IP.  We’ll remove the asterisk for the time being, but be prepared for Bryan Price to potentially use Iglesias for multiple innings and in the highest-leverage spot no matter the inning.

Updated hierarchy: Iglesias | Storen | Lorenzen.

Toronto Blue Jays — Toronto’s bullpen has been shameful to start the year, so the team claimed righty Neil Ramirez off waivers from the Giants. Ramirez, too, has had a rough start (13.06 ERA, 1.94 WHIP), but the peripheral numbers suggest he may have been a victim of some bad luck — 18 Ks and 4 BBs in 10.1 IP. His FIP is solid, too, at 3.53. Keep an eye on him – he could start picking up holds by the end of the month.

Hierarchy remains: Osuna | Biagini | Smith.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Matt Albers/Blake Treinen — If Shawn Kelley is still sick Friday, Albers or a well-rested Treinen could get a try in the ninth, unless Dusty Baker opts to “play the matchups” again.
2. Hector Rondon — Wade Davis has appeared in three straight games.

Saturday
1. Drew Storen — A Friday appearance for Raisel Iglesias would be his third straight day of work. If that happens, Storen would likely get the call Saturday.
2. Brad Brach — Zach Britton has pitched in two of the last three days and is coming back from injury. If he goes Friday, Brach may get another shot at a save.
3. Danny Farquhar –Alex Colome has pitched in three of the last four days, but threw only five pitches Thursday to get the save. The monkey suspects he’d be available on Friday. If he goes Friday, though, look for Farquhar to get a shot if the Rays have a lead Saturday.

Sean Doolittle is back on the DL

May 4, 2017

Oakland A’s — Tough news for the A’s, who announced that Sean Doolittle has yet another shoulder strain, his third in three years. The early speculation is that Doolittle could be out for a while. As a result, Ryan Dull moves into the hierarchy, Santiago Casilla kicks his asterisk, and potential future closer Bobby Wahl joins the big club — although Wahl’s first major league appearance on Wednesday was shaky, with two hits and a hit batsman.

Updated hierarchy: Casilla | Madson | Dull.

Washington Nationals — Shawn Kelley has been unavailable the last two games with an illness, so the Nationals let Jacob Turner finish a 2-1 win with his fourth strong inning in relief. Kelley has made only one appearance since Koda Glover went on the DL last week, and with Glover returning this weekend, we foresee a return of the committee asterisk.

Hierarchy remains: Kelley | Treinen | Albers.

Colorado Rockies — Mike Dunn is back with the Rockies and should return to his seventh-inning role.

Updated hierarchy: Holland | Ottavino | Dunn.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Heath Hembree/Joe Kelly — Craig Kimbrel has gone in two straight and three of four, and Matt Barnes threw 35 pitches last night.

Friday
1. Matt Barnes — Kimbrel hasn’t thrown that many pitches, so he might go again Thursday; if he does, he’ll likely be off on Friday.
2. Hector Rondon — Wade Davis has gone in two straight.
3. Nick Vincent — So has Edwin Diaz.
4. Matt Belisle — Brandon Kintzler threw 29 pitches on Wednesday and probably wouldn’t be able to go in three straight.

Shawn Kelley finally gets the Nationals’ closer role all to himself

April 27, 2017

Washington Nationals — Shawn Kelley will have the chance to run with the Nationals’ closer job now that Koda Glover is headed to the DL with pain in his left hip, the same one that troubled him at the end of last season. Matt Albers and Joe Blanton will rise in Glover’s absence, and Blanton’s early struggles (10.13 ERA) give Albers the edge.

Updated hierarchy: Kelley | Treinen | Albers.

Arizona Diamondbacks — One bright spot for Arizona is that only a record-low 12,215 fans saw Fernando Rodney blow Wednesday’s night save (5 runs, 6 hits). Another has been the work of young Archie Bradley, whose three-inning, five-strikeout outing appeared to be an effort to stretch him out for the rotation with Shelby Miller hurt. If Bradley does stay in the bullpen, he could be ideal in the Andrew Miller stopper role.

Hierarchy remains: Rodney | de la Rosa | Hoover.

Colorado Rockies — Back spasms sent Mike Dunn to the 10-day DL, backdated to Sunday. Chad Qualls was activated to replace him, but it looks like Jake McGee will slide into his role, with Qualls and Carlos Estevez also late-inning hold options.

Updated hierarchy: Holland | Ottavino | McGee.

Texas Rangers — When Sam Dyson returns from the disabled list (as early as Friday), he won’t be anywhere near the ninth inning. It’s Matt Bush’s job now.

Hierarchy remains: Bush | Jeffress | LeClerc.

Boston Red Sox — Matt Barnes will be out of vulture save contention through Saturday; he dropped his appeal of a four-game suspension for throwing a 90 MPH fastball behind Manny Machado’s head.

Hierarchy remains: Kimbrel | Barnes | Hembree.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today:
1. Dellin Betances — Aroldis Chapman struggled through a 33-pitch save on Wednesday and could get Thursday off.
2. Jorge de la Rosa — Rodney’s rough Wednesday could earn him a day off.

Friday:
1. Dellin Betances/Tyler Clippard — If Chapman does go Thursday, he’ll be off Friday. If Betances pitches Thursday, the Friday save should go to Clippard.
2. Danny Farquhar — Although the Rays have Thursday off, Alex Colome still will have pitched on two of the last three days, and four of the last six (87 pitches).
3. Blake Parker — Bud Norris is close to losing the committee asterisk, but if he pitches again on Thursday, he’ll probably get Friday off.
4. Hunter Strickland/Derek Law — Another outing for Mark Melancon would be his third in four days. Both Strickland and Law have been busy too, so this is contingent on a day off for them.

Two saves in two days for Koda Glover

April 24, 2017

Los Angeles Angels – The Angels took a 1-0 lead to the 8th inning, but Deolis Guerra gave up a go-ahead home run and Brooks Pounders allowed considerably more damage, as the Blue Jays rallied to win 6-2. Blake Parker remains our favorite arm in this bullpen, but he was used rather curiously in this game, striking out the side in the 6th inning. That gives him 15 Ks against only 2 BBs (and 0 HRs allowed) in 9.1 innings this year, but given his early usage, we’ll push Bud Norris to the top of the committee. Lefty Jose Alvarez, who got his second hold of the season on Sunday with a clean 7th, slots in behind them for now.

Updated hierarchy: *Norris | Parker | Alvarez.
* = closer-by-committee

Texas Rangers – Though he only picked up his first save of the season on Sunday, it’s probably safe to remove the asterisk on Matt Bush. Since the Rangers put Sam Dyson on the DL, Bush has pitched the 9th inning three times — twice in tie games, and then last night’s appearance, in which he pitched a clean 9th.

Updated hierarchy: Bush | Jeffress | LeClerc.

Washington Nationals – Sunday marked two saves in two days for Koda Glover, though it’s worth mentioning that he was not tasked with starting the 9th inning on either occasion. Yesterday this actually made his job harder, as Oliver Perez allowed a hit to the only batter he faced, meaning Glover started his outing with nobody out and a man on. But with a three-run lead, Glover closed the door, striking out one batter in the process. Shawn Kelley remains at the top of this committee, having picked up three saves in three outings earlier this week, but the Nationals appear to have two players capable of doing this job.

Hierarchy remains: *Kelley | Glover | Treinen.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Jeremy Jeffress – Matt Bush has gone back to back and three of four.

Tuesday
1. Daniel Hudson/Felipe Rivero – Tony Watson pitched Sunday (27 pitches) and Friday (16 pitches).

Bud Norris nabs first Angels save after Cam Bedrosian injury

April 23, 2017

Los Angeles Angels – Cam Bedrosian was placed on the DL yesterday afternoon, and Bud Norris got the first save chance in his absence, converting the opportunity. At least one beat writer thinks this makes Norris the closer going forward, and his successful save makes that a strong possibility. Our choice would still be Blake Parker, though, who was unavailable after throwing 2 innings and 33 pitches on Friday night. We’ll see how things shake out.

Updated hierarchy: *Parker | Norris | Yates.
* = closer-by-committee

St. Louis Cardinals – Matt Bowman picked up his 5th hold of the season on Saturday, pitching a scoreless 7th. Until Kevin Siegrist can get the kinks ironed out (10 BBs in 6.1 IPs so far), Bowman will continue to get late inning looks.

Updated hierarchy: Oh | Rosenthal | Bowman.

Chicago White Sox – Dan Jennings hasn’t gotten a hold yet this season, and pitched the 5th inning yesterday with the White Sox trailing. It’s a little hard to guess how this bullpen would shake out if both David Robertson and set-up man Nate Jones were to go down, but right now we’ll give the edge to Tommy Kahnle, who throws hard and has seen some late-inning work recently.

Updated hierarchy: Robertson | Jones | Kahnle.

Washington Nationals – With Shawn Kelley getting the day off, Koda Glover picked up a one-out save. Hope you’ve been reading your Vulture Save Watch.

Hierarchy remains: Kelley | Glover | Treinen.

Baltimore Orioles – Brad Brach got the day off, so Darren O’Day nailed down his first save of the season. HOPE YOU’VE BEEN READING YOUR VULTURE SAVE WATCH.

Hierarchy remains: Brach | O’Day | Givens.

Oakland A’s – Santiago Casilla and Sean Doolittle both got the night off after pitching back to back games, so Ryan Madson came on for the save chance, striking out the side in the 9th. HOPE YOU’VE BEEN oh wait we missed this one. Nomonkey’s perfect.

Hierarchy remains: *Casilla | Doolittle | Madson.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
Today
1. Trevor Rosenthal – Seung Hwan Oh has pitched in two straight.

Monday
1. Ryan Buchter – Brandon Maurer pitched yesterday, Thursday, and Wednesday.