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Imagine thinking the Jim Mora "PLAYOFFS?" meme is still original in 2024 ... anyway, PLAYOFFS? We're talking about playoffs because some fantasy baseball leagues have already started, and most are at least getting close. Today's article will hopefully help those of you who made it or are trying to!
The thing about fantasy baseball is that one decision or one fluke incident could change an entire season, even with almost 2,500 games played each year. The thing about fantasy baseball playoffs is that one decision or incident making a huge difference is exponentially more likely.
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 2024 baseball season.
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Weekend Quick Hit Closer Updates
-David Bednar has been removed as closer for the Pirates. More details below!
-Emmanuel Clase earned his 150th save and is now the Cleveland franchise leader in the stat.
-Liam Hendriks is targeting an early September return. Assuming he stays healthy, he should be the closer for the Red Sox in 2025.
-Aroldis Chapman got the first save for the Pirates since the Bednar announcement. It was the 326th of his career, tying him for 19th all time.
-Ryan Helsley got his 42nd save, extending his league lead.
-Emmanuel Clase's ridiculous season continues: he got his 40th save, his 27th in a row, and that's now three seasons in a row with 40+ saves.
-Lucas Erceg escaped without a major injury and is considered day-to-day with a hand injury.
-Devin Williams threw 25 pitches on Friday night, but he was right back on the mound on Saturday and earned his eighth save 32 pitches later.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Saves
Manuel Rodriguez, Tampa Bay Rays (Rostered in 4% of Leagues)
Making his second appearance in as many weeks in this section, Manuel Rodriguez is an even stronger add this week than last week. While he'll still share time with Edwin Uceta and Garrett Cleavinger, Rodriguez seems to be the one who has emerged as the go-to choice in place of an injured Pete Fairbanks.
Rodriguez earned his second save this week and has pitched 10 scoreless outings in his last 11 appearances. He has two wins and two saves in August to go along with a 13:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 9 2/3 innings this month, and he's pretty much still available in every league.
Manuel Rodríguez groundout to Caballero#Rays 1 #Yankees 6 🔺8th pic.twitter.com/2un0nYlEE5
— Sᴘᴏʀᴛs 24/7 (@Sports_24x7_) July 20, 2024
Michael Kopech, Los Angeles Dodgers (Rostered in 59% of Leagues)
The Dodgers are the Dodgers and Dave Roberts is Dave Roberts, so while no one should ever truly get comfortable as a closer for Los Angeles, Michael Kopech has looked the part since being traded from the White Sox. Since being traded, Kopech has two wins, three saves, and a 0.68 ERA.
He's been undeniably elite and is still freely available in 41% of fantasy leagues. With playoffs either starting or looming, it's not every season you can pick up a guy with Kopech's upside for free from the wire.
Michael Kopech, 100 MPH four-seam fastball for the strikeout. Electric stuff. When he’s locating pitches, as he did tonight, he’s practically untouchable. pic.twitter.com/8nsztyLQW3
— Positive Residual (@presidual) August 29, 2024
Porter Hodge, Chicago Cubs (Rostered in 18% of Leagues)
Jorge Lopez, Chicago Cubs (Rostered in 22% of Leagues)
The Cubs' closing situation looks like it will be a mix and match of Porter Hodge and Jorge Lopez the rest of the way. Hodge is on a nice hot streak in which he's pitched 10 scoreless games in a row, recording three wins, a save, and four holds. That gives him two saves on the season and nine holds.
Lopez has been solid as well, as he's saved two games as a Cub and earned a win and two holds, all with an ERA of 0.79. It seems like a legitimate 50-50 coin flip chance for who will close out a win any day, but both guys are worth rostering in holds leagues and at least keeping an eye on in saves only.
Jorge López is now sitting at 22 ⅔ innings for the Cubs with a 0.79 ERA, 2.46 FIP, 20.2% K-BB%, and .207 BAA. The stuff jumps out, but most importantly he just looks comfortable with the org. I’d explore if he’d like to re-up prior to the winter.
— Greg Zumach (@IvyFutures) August 24, 2024
More Bullpen and Closer News
Arizona Diamondbacks
If you had asked the Diamondbacks about their closer role before the season started, they likely had no plans of having Justin Martinez even in the conversation. But baseball did baseball things, and now all of a sudden, Martinez has seven saves in his last 11 appearances, with 18 strikeouts and six walks.
Justin Martinez got his first save in style. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/YbKYLc7IRC
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 18, 2023
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates expect much more from closer David Bednar, and they've certainly allowed him plenty of leeway to work through his ineffectiveness this season. In 16 games since returning from an injury, he's blown three saves, taken four losses, and posted a 2.04 WHIP. His seat is getting hotter and hotter.
EDIT: Well, that seat was even hotter than we thought. Pirates manager Derek Shelton announced that Bednar would be removed from the closer's role. They will go with a committee for now that will likely include Aroldis Chapman and Dennis Santana.
Short Relief - Other Bullpen News
-Raisel Iglesias is working on a 17-game scoreless streak that includes a 22:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
-Emmanuel Clase's season ERA is down to 0.58 in 62 1/3 innings. That's silly.
-Lucas Erceg had a rough outing on Thursday which ended with him getting hurt and being forced to leave the game. More updates on this one likely coming soon.
-Mason Miller earned his 23rd save this week, tying him with Huston Street for the second most in Athletics rookie history.
-Edwin Diaz says his slider mechanics are off, and the data proves it: he's getting 20% fewer swings and misses with it this season.
-Seranthony Dominguez had a mini-slump, but the Orioles let him pitch through it while staying in the closer's role.
-Jhoan Duran has been struggling a bit as well, with runs allowed in six of his 14 appearances after the All-Star break. He also has eight losses on the season, tied for most among relievers.
-Others tied with Duran for the most relief losses are Michael Kopech and Fernando Cruz.
-Our saves leader is once again Ryan Helsley, who is the only pitcher (for now) with 40 saves (he has 41). Emmanuel Clase has 39 and Kyle Finnegan has 34, no one else has more than 29.
-The holds leaderboard has Bryan Abreu on top with 32, followed by Andrew Kittredge and Yennier Cano with 31 each, then JoJo Romero with 30.
-Bryan Abreu (90), Ryan Walker (88), and Josh Hader (87) lead the league in strikeouts by relief pitchers.
-As far as strikeout rate (K%), our reliever leaders are Mason Miller (43.4%), Jeremiah Estrada (39.1%), and Josh Hader (38.5%).
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