News and Notes From Around the Bullpen
- David Hernandez got the save for the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, but Putz had been unavailable that particular night. Putz has since pitched twice and recorded a win and a save, so I'm not too worried about him.
- Jonny Venters got a save on Wednesday night, but Craig Kimbrel had pitched the previous 3 days before that.
- Huston Street was placed on the disabled list on Friday night, and it isn't clear yet who will be closing in Colorado. It appears that Rafael Betancourt would be the most likely candidate, so we'll have to keep watching to be sure.
- Greg Holland got a save on Friday night for the Royals, but the team scored 3 runs to make it a 5 run lead while Holland was pitching. I wouldn't worry about this at all for Soria.
- Francisco Rodriguez managed to hurt himself on Friday night legging out an infield hit. Yes, you read that correctly. Definitely don't see that everyday from a reliever.
- Mariano Rivera has had a bit of a rough last few outings, as he has allowed 4 earned runs and taken a loss and a blown save in his last 3 appearances. It's still Mariano Rivera, and I wouldn't put that much stock into it.
- Ryan Madson has apparently settled the question in the back of the Phillies bullpen, as he recorded 3 saves in a row at the start of the week. You can safely drop Bastardo and Lidge if you need the roster spot.
- Chris Sale got the save for the White Sox on Saturday, but it doesn't seem clear why Sergio Santos was not available. He had pitched in 3 of the previous 4 games, but thrown a total of 34 pitches in those games. My Rankings for the Remainder of the Season After the Jump...
Closer Rankings from Today Forward [Change from Last Week]
- Brian Wilson (Giants)
- Heath Bell (Padres)
- Mariano Rivera (Yankees)
- Joel Hanrahan (Pirates) [+1]
- Craig Kimbrel (Braves) [+4]
- Leo Nunez (Marlins)
- Jonathan Papelbon (Red Sox)
- Joakim Soria (Royals)
- Neftali Feliz (Rangers) [+1]
- Jose Valverde (Tigers) [+1]
- Drew Storen (Nationals) [+1]
- Carlos Marmol (Cubs) [+1]
- Andrew Bailey (Athletics) [+1]
- Francisco Cordero (Reds) [+1]
- Brandon League (Mariners) [+1]
- John Axford (Brewers) [+1]
- Sergio Santos (White Sox) [+3]
- Joe Nathan (Twins)
- Chris Perez (Indians)
- Kyle Farnsworth (Rays) [+1]
- Jordan Walden (Angels) [+1]
- Fernando Salas (Cardinals) [+1]
- J.J. Putz (Diamondbacks) [+1]
- Jason Isringhausen (Mets) [+1]
- Jon Rauch (Blue Jays) [+3]
- Javy Guerra (Dodgers) [+3]
- Ryan Madson (Phillies) [+3]
- Rafael Betancourt (Rockies) [-24]
- Kevin Gregg (Orioles) [-2]
- Mark Melancon (Astros) [-5]
Top Non-Closing Relievers Most Likely to Get Saves
- Mike Adams (Rangers)
- Francisco Rodriguez (Brewers)
- David Hernandez (Diamondbacks)
- Jonny Venters (Braves)