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Folks, we are now firmly in the second half with the trade deadline rapidly approaching. Where has this season gone? Have the new pace of play rules crept into our everyday lives and made time pass us by? Has Rob Manfred found a really, really slow way to time travel into the future that only works while watching baseball games?
This week, we saw a new committee form in one bullpen and we saw a committee boil down to one guy in another. Elsewhere, an injury to a top trade chip gave another possible trade chip a full time closing job, and speaking of chips (you can't skip lunch) trades, a newly acquired bullpen arm looks to be working his way up his new team's hierarchy.
Be sure to also keep an eye on our Fantasy Baseball Closer Depth Charts for saves, holds, and bullpens. They will be updated daily or sometimes even more often throughout the 2023 baseball season.
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Arizona Diamondbacks - Bullpen and Closer News
The Diamondbacks bullpen has been all over the place this season, with five different relievers earning saves, including team leader Andrew Chafin with eight and team runners-up Miguel Castro and Scott McGough with seven. The tides seem to have turned to a new arm in the desert after the All-Star Break though, as Kevin Ginkel picked up two saves in two days, leaping over Scott McGough as the favorite in that bullpen.
Ginkel was my preseason favorite for saves in the Arizona bullpen, so while it took until almost the end of July, it's nice to be right (let me have this one?) Ginkel has been solid this season, putting up a 2.39 ERA and a 34:11 K:BB ratio in 37 2/3 innings. He's not likely to take the job outright, but he does seem to be the committee leader right now and should maintain that role until the Diamondbacks acquire a more experienced closer at the deadline.
Risers: Kevin Ginkel
Fallers: Scott McGough
Washington Nationals - Bullpen and Closer News
The Nationals are clearly going to be sellers at the deadline, and despite up-and-down seasons, two of their high-leverage bullpen arms were expected to draw plenty of attention from contending teams. Hunter Harvey had put up nine saves and a 3.12 ERA paired with a strong 45:12 K:BB ratio in 40 1/3 innings, but an elbow strain landed him on the injured list just after the All-Star Break. While it's unclear how long Harvey will be sidelined, Kyle Finnegan will resume his role as Nationals closer at least until the trade deadline.
Finnegan is a trade candidate himself, but teams would ideally want to see him pitch well before giving up much to acquire him. He has 12 saves and seven blown saves with a 3.32 ERA in 40 2/3 innings. There are some signs of regression (4.72 xERA), but when he's on, Finnegan is a solid reliever who can help a contending team. Right now, he can potentially help your fantasy team too.
Risers: Kyle Finnegan
Fallers: Hunter Harvey
Oakland Athletics - Bullpen and Closer News
The A's made the first of presumably many trades this week, sending Shintaro Fujinami to Baltimore for lefty pitching prospect Easton Lucas. While Fujinami's numbers look rough (8.57 ERA, 51:30 K:BB in 49 1/3 innings), he's actually been a lot better lately and has improved every month.
He started slow (13.00 ERA in April), continued to struggle (10.50 ERA in May), fixed some issues (3.97 ERA in June), and now looks to have figured out a lot more (2.25 ERA in July). If he keeps it up, he could end up working some high-leverage innings for the first-place Baltimore Orioles.
Meanwhile, in Oakland, Trevor May collected his eighth save of the season and looks to be the full-time closer, breaking out of the committee he was heading. May is certain to be traded before the deadline and very unlikely to close for his new team, so any tiny sell-high window in fantasy leagues is about to slam shut. May has a 4.91 ERA and an even 21:21 K:BB ratio, but like his former teammate, he was off to a bad start and has improved drastically since (12.00 ERA in April, 2.75 since). Sam Moll and Sam Long will continue in setup roles, with one of them presumably taking over the ninth after May is dealt.
Risers: Trevor May (temporarily)
Fallers: none
Short Relief - Other Bullpen News
-Aroldis Chapman has turned the Rangers bullpen into a committee. Manager Bruce Bochy said Chapman and William Smith will share the role based on which hitters are due up.
-A.J. Minter was placed on the IL this week, leaving Joe Jimenez and Kirby Yates in higher-leverage roles for the Braves.
-Jordan Romano gave the Blue Jays and his fantasy managers a scare when he left the All-Star Game due to injury, but it turned out to be mostly precautionary, and after a few days off, Romano is fine.
-Alex Lange has had a few blowup games that have forced the Tigers to move things around temporarily in their pen, but it looks like Lange is back on top as either the closer or at least the clear leader of a committee.
-Pete Fairbanks has every Rays save since he came off the IL, but no one would ever call the Rays bullpen anything besides a committee, right?
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