AJ Ramos dealing with a jammed finger

August 8, 2016

Miami Marlins – A.J. Ramos has been dealing with a jammed finger, and while the Marlins have not discussed a stint on the disabled list, Ramos was apparently unavailable for the weekend. On Sunday, Fernando Rodney picked up his 18th save of the season — and first for the Marlins — in Ramos’s stead.

Hierarchy remains: Ramos | Rodney | Barraclough.

Seattle Mariners – Edwin Diaz got the night off after pitching in four of the last five, so Tom Wilhelmsen picked up the save in his stead. Meanwhile, the Vulture Save Watch patted itself on the back.

Hierarchy remains: Diaz | Wilhelmsen | Storen.

Baltimore Orioles – Ubaldo Jimenez picked up a three-inning save in a blowout yesterday. Did you have him in your lineup? Send us a screenshot as proof and we’ll give you Closer Monkey Premium for a year!

Hierarchy remains: Britton | O’Day | Brach.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Justin Wilson/Shane Greene, Detroit Tigers – Francisco Rodriguez has pitched in three straight and four of five.
2. Fernando Rodney, Miami Marlins – A.J. Ramos is day-to-day with a sore finger.
3. Jake Diekman, Texas Rangers – Both Sam Dyson and Jeremy Jeffress have pitched back to back games and three of four (and neither was particularly good yesterday), so Diekman could get a save opp if they both get the night off.
4. Pat Neshek, Houston Astros – Ken Giles threw 36 pitches last night in an effort that spanned the 8th and 9th innings.

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.

Dominating performances from new closers Cam Bedrosian and Edwin Diaz

August 3, 2016

Los Angeles Angels — Before Tuesday night’s game, Mike Scioscia clarified that Fernando Salas and J.C. Ramirez would serve alongside Cam Bedrosian in the Angels’ new closer committee. Ramirez got the eighth with a three-run lead, but he struggled, giving up two runs. Bedrosian, though, looked right at home in the ninth, striking out the side to pull within 183 saves of his old man. We expect him to shed the committee tag by the end of the week. Meanwhile, Huston Street’s MRI showed inflammation, but no structural damage.

Updated hierarchy: *Bedrosian | Salas | Ramirez.
* = closer-by-committee

Houston Astros — As announced on Tuesday evening, Ken Giles will replace Will Harris as the Astros closer going forward. With Luke Gregerson hitting the DL with a left oblique strain, Pat Neshek should see more high-leverage innings. A.J. Hinch said that Harris will still be used in important spots, and also name-checked rookie Chris Devenski.

Updated hierarchy: Giles | Neshek | Harris.

San Francisco Giants — Will Smith was brought in to pitch the eighth in a tie game on Tuesday, after Hunter Strickland had been used in the sixth up a run. Smith opened with a strikeout, then gave up a single and a double; both runners scored after he was replaced by Sergio Romo. Smith had been with the team only five hours before entering the game, enough time to shake hands with his catcher, if nothing else. Despite tonight, he could be in the mix for saves going forward, especially in lefty-heavy ninths.

Updated hierarchy: Casilla | Romo | Smith.

St. Louis Cardinals — When Seung Hwan Oh pulled a six-pitch Houdini in the eighth (escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam with no runs allowed), Mike Matheny decided to let Oh bat with the bases loaded in the St. Louis half of the ninth. After the inevitable strikeout in what was evidently his third professional plate appearance, Oh came back out for the save chance and gave up two singles and a walk-off dinger. Although Oh wasn’t in the mood to talk afterward, his job is safe.

Hierarchy remains: Oh | Siegrist | Broxton.

Toronto Blue Jays — As expected, Roberto Osuna got the night off and Jason Grilli picked up the vulture save. The Jays bullpen was so fatigued that rookie Danny Barnes made his MLB debut to pick up a “phenomenal” eighth-inning hold. AL ERA leader Aaron Sanchez will be joining the bullpen soon, although his precise role remains unclear.

Hierarchy remains: Osuna | Grilli | Benoit.

Baltimore Orioles — Darren O’Day retired one man with the bases loaded to finish off the eighth with a three-run lead. After Baltimore scored, he stuck around to pick up the save Zach Britton wasn’t eligible to earn.

Hierarchy remains: Britton | O’Day | Brach.

Arizona Diamondbacks — In his last 15 appearances (covering 9.2 innings), Daniel Hudson has allowed 31 runs (26 earned) and 33 hits. His ERA over that span (28.86) rounds up to his age. Daaaamn, Daniel. Arizona has the worst bullpen in baseball.

Updated hierarchy: *Barrett | Burgos | Loewen.
* = closer-by-committee

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Tom Wilhelmsen, Seattle Mariners — Edwin Diaz struck out the side for a hot, sticky sweet first career save. He has now pitched in three of four games, however (59 pitches).

Jonathan Papelbon’s struggles continue

July 27, 2016

Washington Nationals – Jonathan Papelbon suffered his second loss in as many outings, blowing a three-run lead in the ninth without recording an out. He has now allowed six earned runs in his last two appearances, raising his ERA from 2.56 to 4.45. After the game, Papelbon’s confidence in himself hasn’t wavered, but manager Dusty Baker may not share that same confidence. He said it was “too soon after the loss” to think about removing Papelbon from the closer’s role, but with the Nationals having lost six of eight and still clinging to first place in the NL East, they may begin to look elsewhere for help before August 1.

Hierarchy remains: Papelbon | Kelley | Rivero.

Toronto Blue Jays — After designating Drew Storen for assignment on Sunday, the Jays traded him to Seattle for Joaquin Benoit, who sports a 5.18 ERA and troubling walks-per-nine rate of 5.5. Benoit actually faced Toronto in his last outing on July 24 and he retired all three batters he faced. Manager John Gibbons thinks Benoit can help Toronto in the late innings, much like Jason Grilli, another veteran the Jays acquired this year. Gibbons said Benoit may be available Wednesday, but no matter when he officially joins the club, he should see high-leverage spots ahead of Grilli and Roberto Osuna.

Updated hierarchy: Osuna | Grilli | Benoit. 

Seattle Mariners — The Mariners traded Joaquin Benoit to Toronto for the recently DFA’d Drew Storen late Tuesday night. Storen comes to Seattle with a 6.21 ERA, though GM Jerry Dipoto is confident that Storen can get back on track over the next two months. Tom Wilhelmsen picked up his fifth hold of the season on Tuesday in a Mariners win and should see more of the seventh inning with Benoit heading north of the border.

Updated hierarchy: Cishek | Diaz | Wilhelmsen.

Oakland A’s – With Ryan Madson unavailable after pitching in two straight and three of four, John Axford got the final two outs of the ninth to preserve a 6-3 win. Prior to the game, manager Bob Melvin maintained that Madson, who blew a save on Monday (his third in his last eight outings), is still the closer. However, Melvin also clarified that Axford, and not Ryan Dull, will close when Madson is unavailable.

Updated hierarchy: Madson | Axford | Dull.

Atlanta Braves — Chris Withrow now has eighth-inning holds in each of the last two Atlanta wins and has surpassed Dario Alvarez in the Braves hierarchy. Meanwhile, Mauricio Cabrera is still throwing gas, as he hit 102 twice on Tuesday.

Updated hierarchy:  Johnson | Cabrera | Withrow.

Detroit Tigers – With Justin Wilson getting some rest Tuesday after throwing 45 pitches over the last two games, Bruce Rondon and Shane Greene were each sharp in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively. After the game, manager Brad Ausmus singled out Rondon, who reached triple digits with his fastball, saying that he needed to see more of that from the righty. Greene has been great of late as well, however, having allowed just one run in 8.2 innings during July. Based on recent usage, we’ll move Greene up in the hierarchy, though he and Rondon should both see chances for holds.

Updated hierarchy: Rodriguez | J.Wilson | Greene.

Los Angeles Dodgers – Adam Liberatore was unavailable on Tuesday because of a sore right knee, which he injured while covering a base Sunday in St. Louis. If the injury, which is not serious, keeps him out for another couple days, expect Pedro Baez to see more high-leverage opportunities in Liberatore’s stead.

Hierarchy remains: Jansen | Liberatore | Blanton.

VULTURE SAVE WATCH
1. Adam Warren, New York Yankees – Both Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances have pitched in two straight and four of the last five, making them very unlikely to appear Wednesday.
2. Jason Grilli, Toronto Blue Jays – Roberto Osuna has appeared in three straight games.
3. Shawn Kelley, Washington Nationals – Jonathan Papelbon has pitched in four of the last five, including a blown save last night.
4. Justin Wilson, Detroit Tigers – K-Rod has thrown 29 pitches over the last two days while Wilson got Tuesday night off.

2016 AL West preview

February 29, 2016

Houston Astros — Ken Giles finally became the closer in Philadelphia after the Jonathan Papelbon trade, and he excelled, collecting 15 saves and striking out 87 hitters in 70 innings. Now the 25-year-old should get the chance at his first full season as a closer — although Luke Gregerson isn’t too pleased about losing his job. Gregerson hasn’t thrown off a mound yet this spring due to a sore oblique. Pat Neshek could grab some vulture saves during the season.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Giles | Gregerson | Neshek.
Holds candidates: Gregerson, Neshek, Tony Sipp.

Los Angeles Angels — The consistent Huston Street returns as Angels closer after another 40-save season. The 32-year-old didn’t have his strongest season in 2015, as his ERA, WHIP, and BAA all rose above career averages, while his K/9 number dropped. Behind Street is Joe Smith, who will be entering his third year in LA and the final year of his contract. Also entering his third year with the team is Fernando Salas, who’s coming off an up-and-down campaign.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Street | Smith | Salas.
Holds candidates: Smith, Salas, Mike Morin, Al Alburquerque.

Oakland A’s — Sean Doolittle, who missed the majority of last season with a shoulder injury, will begin 2016 as the A’s closer. He flashed some promising signs at the end of 2015, collecting four saves over his final six appearances. Oakland also signed two veteran relievers to add some depth behind Doolittle — Ryan Madson and John Axford. Watch out for Australian flame-thrower Liam Hendriks, who found success in Toronto as a relief pitcher after years as a mediocre starter.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Doolittle | Madson | Axford.
Holds candidates: Madson, Axford, Marc Rzepczynski.

Seattle Mariners — The Mariners traded away Carson Smith and Tom Wilhelmsen in the offseason, leaving an already fragile bullpen in shambles. Steve Cishek will close for now; he has closing experience, but struggled in Miami last year and lost his job quickly. 38-year-old Joaquin Benoit will back up Cishek; he comes off a strong season setting up Craig Kimbrel in San Diego. Keep an eye on September call-up Tony Zych, whom the Mariners received from the Cubs for only $1 last year. Zych, 25, has a fastball that can touch 99 and a wicked slider. His star will rise if he can calm his control issues.

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Cishek | Benoit | Zych.
Holds candidates: Benoit, Charlie Furbush, Evan Scribner.

Texas Rangers — Shawn Tolleson returns to the fold after a very solid 2015 season, which included 35 saves and 3 scoreless innings in the ALDS. Tolleson is followed closely by Keone Kela, who turns 23 in April and will likely close in Texas one day. For now, he’s a filthy setup man in a strong bullpen. In the offseason, the Rangers picked up former closer Tom Wilhelmsen, who has had tremendous success against division rivals, including the Angels (Mike Trout is 1-12, Albert Pujols is 3-16) and Astros (Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, Evan Gattis and George Springer are a combined 1-21).

Starting 2016 hierarchy: Tolleson | Kela | Wilhelmsen.
Holds candidates: Kela, Wilhelmsen, Sam Dyson.