Bullpen Report: August 31, 2014

– We have a committee! Santiago Casilla is no longer the lone dog at the backend of San Francisco’s bullpen, but rather, Sergio Romo will also get some save opportunities. Manager Bruce Bochy was quoted as saying, “I’m going to try to keep these guys fresh… I’m going to try to ham and egg it with those two the rest of the way in the eighth and ninth.” Aside from making fantasy owners think twice about skipping brunch this weekend, Bochy’s comments pave the way for an uptick in Romo’s value and a downturn in Casilla’s. Romo’s peripherals aren’t what they once were, but he and Casilla are neck-and-neck in the xFIP department, so expect both to be useful pieces as co-closers. Hopefully Casilla owners have the roster space to scoop up Romo to take the stress of guessing out of the equation, though.

– Casey Janssen got back on the wagon, notching a save in his first appearance since his meltdown against the Red Sox a few nights ago. It wasn’t picture perfect — Janssen faced four batters, allowing a hit, striking out none, and allowing a 3/1 fly ball/ground ball ratio. That aside, it was at least a step in the right direction for the righty who has struggled lately, and, correspondingly, seen his ownership plummet. I still have some concerns about the quality of contact he is giving up, but if you desperately need saves and his owner gave up on him last week, feel free to snag him. He has some leash, even if his peripherals aren’t gaudy right now.

– Jenrry Mejia tallied another “SV” today, although it didn’t come easy. Tasked with holding down a 2-run game, the Mets closer gave up a single and hit Chase Utley. Thankfully (for him), Ryan Howard hit into a double play. Even though Grady Sizemore singled in a run, Mejia induced a Dominic Brown groundout to end the threat. The righty continues to pitch through a hernia, and, although his K% is up and BB% down since the all-star break, it wouldn’t be wholly unsurprising for the out-of-contention Mets to shut him down sometime in September. Jeurys Familia should be the handcuff if you are worried about losing a few saves down the stretch.

– Quick hits: Chad Qualls rebounded nicely with a save in Houston. He’s unspectacular, but the Astros don’t have much else. Trevor Rosenthal was able to wrap up a 3-run save against the Cubbies. He continues to be somewhat unsteady, but, like Qualls, there aren’t any arms putting up elite enough numbers to cause a great deal of concern for his owners. Aroldis Chapman, Craig Kimbrel, and Fernando Rodney all locked down saves. All should be green-lit all the way through the end of the season. Joakim Soria is going to try and throw Monday. He’s progressing, but still a couple weeks out. Jonathan Broxton was traded to the Brewers for a couple players to be named later. His ERA is good but the SIERA/xFIP aren’t so cheery. He’s not really worth speculating on.

Closer Grid:

[Green light, yellow light, red light: the colors represent the volatility of the bullpen order.]