Top Saves+Holds Rest-of-Season Waiver Wire Adds (August 2024)

Hey there, RotoBallers, and welcome back for an August update focused on Saves+Holds reliever adds! We know many of you play in leagues beyond the traditional 5x5 setup, and we've got you covered. This column tries to identify options for fantasy baseball bullpens beyond the ninth who have a lower rostered rate on Yahoo than one might expect.

A closer's role remains critical, but teams keep utilizing fluid bullpen roles that allow them to use their "best" arm earlier while shuffling who gets the save opportunity. Saves+Holds (or Solds, or SV+HLD) leagues help fantasy leagues reward the best arms regardless of the inning, though it still favors closers in a vacuum. And make sure you have our constantly updated fantasy baseball closers and saves depth charts bookmarked!

Reminder: A hold is recorded when a relief pitcher enters with a lead of three runs or less, or with the tying run on deck, at the plate, or on base, and maintains that lead while recording at least one out. Read on for my thoughts on some recent surging players with a focus on stats from the beginning of July through this piece being written on August 8. You may scoff at some but we have to cover a wide range of league sizes!

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2024 Saves+Holds Waiver Adds - Mixed Leagues (August Update)

-Michael Kopech (LAD, SP/RP - 20%) - Since the Dodgers traded for the fireballer, Kopech has two holds over four nearly-perfect innings. He has six strikeouts, zero walks, and only one hit allowed next to a 71.4% groundball rate in that small sample. Dodger magic strikes again!

-Ben Joyce (LAA, RP - 43% rostered) - Whether Ron Washington utilizes Joyce in the ninth or not is irrelevant here, which insulates us from the Hunter Strickland shenanigans. Over the last month, Joyce has one save, five holds, and just six total bases allowed over 12 ⅓ IP. Bring the triple-digit heat and enjoy the show. (Brief update: Crap, Joyce lost his consecutive scoreless streak at 22 ⅔ IP with a solo homer allowed to Oswaldo Cabrera. Hat tip for the heater.)

-Bryan Abreu (HOU, RP - 26%) - Abreu walked a tightrope in June, posting a 12:8 K:BB over 10 ⅔ IP, but he’s back to his expected ways with a 20:6 ratio in 14 July innings and zero walks in August through the first week.

Bryan Abreu just dialed it up to 99.6 MPH, which looks to be the hardest pitch he's thrown in 2024.

— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) August 7, 2024

-Cade Smith (CLE, RP - 23%) - Smith is another RP who might’ve slipped onto some wires with a (relatively) pedestrian June. He allowed a .250/.302/.375 slash after holding batters to .158/.179/.211 in May, with a backslide from an early 40% strikeout rate to 25%. July saw him rebound to the peak ways, but he only had three SOLDs and two wins. He’s still got it.

-Justin Martinez (ARI, RP - 13%) - J-Mart not only continues to work high-leverage innings even after the A.J. Puk acquisition, but he’s seemingly vaulted into the closer conversation. Paul Sewald’s awful July saw him demoted to the middle innings, though he did warm for a save opportunity on Wednesday before Arizona tacked on more runs.

Martinez has two wins, two saves, and four holds with a 26:9 K:BB and 2.45 ERA (1.97 FIP) since July 4. More importantly, he has momentum and the manager’s trust in a winning team.

Justin Martinez I was not familiar with your game holy crap https://t.co/yyqPgkHEd9 pic.twitter.com/J9I0JBWXYB

— RCCola (@RCCola1320) August 6, 2024

-Jose Butto (NYM, SP/RP - 12%) - Butto was already good as a starter, but the Mets couldn’t get him a consistent rotation slot. Now he’s found another gear in the bullpen with a .121/.194/.212 slash line against over 20 ⅔ IP. He’s only given up two runs on two solo homers in that span, with eight total hits against to help maintain a 0.68 WHIP from the ‘pen.

If you only sort by SOLDs you’ll possibly be whelmed by four since the role shift in early July, but he has four victories in that span as well. It’s not his fault the leverage spots have so often come in tie games. Follow the high-leverage and elite performance.

-Lucas Erceg (KC, RP - 9%) - Erceg has only been with Kansas City for just over a week but already has a 0.31 Win Probability Added to easily pace the Royals’ bullpen since July started. For context, closer James McArthur has a -1.14 figure.

It’s no surprise that Erceg not allowing a hit or walk in four frames, but it’s important with McArthur and Hunter Harvey scuffling. With four holds in four games, Erceg is well within the circle of trust and rewarding them with results.

-Tyler Holton (DET, SP/RP - 9%) - Holton joins Ben Joyce and Carlos Estevez as the only relievers with over 10 innings thrown and multiple SOLDs since July 1 to not allow an earned run. I know the qualifiers can be a mouthful, but context is important when dissecting bullpens.

-Colin Poche (TB, RP - 6%) - Poche got off to a rough start, owning a 6.75 ERA and 1.61 WHIP by the end of April before landing on the IL with back tightness until June. Since returning, the southpaw has only allowed two runs over 21 innings to trim that ERA to 2.67 through August 8. Nine of his last 13 appearances have yielded holds, which one has to appreciate.

A little love for Colin Poche, who’s thrown nine-consecutive scoreless outings. His 0.90 ERA since June 8 is Top 2 among all relievers in baseball during that span.

— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) August 9, 2024

-Mark Leiter Jr. (NYY, RP - 6%) - Out of 166 RPs with at least one SOLD and five IP in the last month, the new Yankee leads them all with a 1.15 SIERA thanks to 21 strikeouts in 12 ⅔ IP. He ran into some horrid BABIP fortune on the Cubs, but the Yankees were wise enough to see through it. Tommy Kahnle leads that same group of 166 RPs with a 20.8% swinging-strike rate, thanks to that nasty changeup.

-Andrew Nardi (MIA, RP - 6%) - Nardi just gave up two runs, but going back to July 1, the southpaw’s 2.03 SIERA crushes the 4.38 ERA with an incredible 46% strikeout rate. That SIERA ranks ninth out of over 100 RPs with at least three SOLDs and five innings thrown since July began. However, that’s not even the best SIERA in that window on his own team.

-Anthony Bender (MIA, RP - 1%) - Bender’s 0.82 ERA there has a 1.66 SIERA thanks to the third-best CSW rate (36.1%) and second-best groundball rate (71.4%). Miami isn't a great team but their bullpen still has strong pieces to utilize.

-Austin Adams (OAK, RP - 3%) - Tyler Ferguson is only 10% rostered and deserves his flowers, but Adams is likely overlooked due to the 1.50 WHIP. Some better spots have led to a 1.00 WHIP since July 1 as the holds keep flowing in. Going into Thursday, Adams was one of 10 relievers with 22 or more holds and the only one of that group with fewer than 44 innings (he’s at 39 ⅓). He’s had plenty of injuries in the past, but they aren’t overtaxing him (cough, Andrew Kittredge, cough).

-Chris Martin (BOS, RP - 5%) - Martin struck out the side in his return from the IL on Wednesday night as he joins newcomer Luis Garcia as the primary setup man for Kenley Jansen. Fenway isn't an ideal pitching environment but Martin has proven capable amidst Boston's muddy water.

-Drew Rasmussen (TB, SP/RP - 4%) - Rasmussen came out firing with two perfect innings in his 2024 debut after missing 15 months recovering from Tommy John surgery. He averaged 97.8 mph on the four-seamer and maxed at 98.7 mph,  Tampa is running him out of the bullpen down the stretch before he returns to the rotation in ‘25.

Drew Rasmussen made his 2024 debut yesterday!

Rasmussen made his return after undergoing TJS in 2023, and it looks like he will be limited to the bullpen this season. His stuff graded out extremely well as his velocity was up and he generated 6 whiffs with 2 K

Welcome back! pic.twitter.com/uNjhrd2AMZ

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) August 8, 2024

-Anthony Banda (LAD, RP - 2%) - Banda has taken over the high-leverage southpaw role for the Dodgers with Alex Vesia suddenly faltering with seven runs (four earned) on six hits and four walks in just 4 ⅓ IP. In the same rough three-week timeframe, Banda has a save and four holds over 7 ⅔ scoreless IP, posting 11 strikeouts against two walks (and three hits).

-Edwin Uceta (TB, RP - 1%) - Get ready for the next run of Ray relievers to emerge following their deadline deals! Uceta bounced around with the Dodgers, D-backs, and Mets in the previous three seasons but struggled with walks. It seems he's found a home.

Through 22 ⅔ IP, Uceta has a 1.19 ERA/0.62 WHIP with a career-low 3.7% walk rate and sky-high 70.4% first-strike rate. Tampa has enabled him to trust his stuff and pound the zone to great success. Manuel Rodriguez is another one with great ratios and four SOLDs since July kicked off, but I will note the .091 BABIP.

Edwin Uceta’s CH has the 3rd highest run value among all CH thrown by RP this season (Min 25 PA) at 5!

CH rankings among All MLB pitchers (Min 25 PA)

BA: .097 (2nd)
SLG: .129 (6th)
wOBA: 0.98 (1st)
Whiff%: 40% (18th)
K%: 41.9% (2nd)#RaysUp

— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) August 8, 2024

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