September 1, 2017

David Marcillo looks at Week 22 closer performances around MLB, including bullpen changes. He identifies fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and adds for saves

Week 22 is here and both fantasy and "real life" teams are starting to realize the playoffs are much closer than they appear.

With September here and teams able to expand their active rosters up to 40, there will be many more bullpen arms tossing innings over the next few weeks. Still, most of these guys won't be tossing the significant innings that apply to fantasy bullpens.

Let's take a look at some of the guys who will be tossing significant innings and will matter in fantasy playoff races.

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Bullpen News for Week 22

Los Angeles Angels

The Angles bullpen has been a source of frustration for fantasy owners all year long. Scioscialism, the bullpen managing philosophy employed by Angels manager Mike Scioscia, has been a thorn in many sides this season. Cam Bedrosian, widely regarded as the best reliever on the Angels roster, routinely pitches in low-leverage situations before suddenly seeing a couple of save chances in a row. That excites owners, who start picking up and playing Bedrosian en masse, only to see him enter in the seventh inning of a game that the Angels are already losing by three runs. This time around, it's not even Bud Norris' fault. Scioscia seemed to fall in love with Bud Norris as his closer, but then Norris hit a slump and got hurt, giving Bedrosian a chance to shine. And shine he didn't. Bedrosian was unable to pitch in back-to-back games because of the groin injury that sent him to the disabled list earlier this season. When he was on the mound, he was more than solid though. Still, Norris wouldn't be gone forever.

Bud Norris came back, and almost immediately starting getting significant innings, moving Bedrosian into earlier-game situations. But then, Norris got hurt again. He was placed on the DL this week with a recurrence of the knee inflammation that sent him there the first time. While all of the Bedrosian/Norris noise was going on, Blake Parker has quietly emerged as the leader of the Angles committee. Parker has picked up three consecutive saves, and for the season has a sparkling 2.14 ERA with 11.44 strikeouts per nine innings. He's a high-upside guy if he's given the closer role outright, as he should provide solid ratios while earning saves. He can be added in deeper formats and all fantasy players looking for bullpen help should at the very least be keeping an eye on him.

New York Mets

The Marlins traded A.J. Ramos for a Loria-favorite: salary relief. It was strange that the Mets were the team to take him, but he's been working as their closer since he was acquired. He's picked up six saves and put up a 3.55 ERA with 13.50 strikeouts per nine innings in a Mets uniform. He's long been a solid, underappreciated fantasy (and real life) closer. Worrying some fantasy owners, however, is the return of Jeurys Familia to the mound.

Familia threw six scoreless innings in his minor league rehab work, but was awful in his return to a major league mound. He ended up tossing an inning, but allowing three runs on four hit and two walks without recording a strikeout. He was better his second time out, getting five outs without allowing a hit, recording three strikeouts and just one walk. Still, he won't be used as the team's closer right away, and as long as Ramos is doing a good job, there's no reason to believe Mets manager Terry Collins will pull Ramos from the ninth inning.

Colorado Rockies

Rockies closer Greg Holland has struggled mightily of late. While there has been no official move made just yet, it has been implied more than once by the team that Holland will either need to get better or get out of the ninth inning. Most fantasy players assumed Pat Neshek would be the reliever to take over the ninth inning if Holland were removed, but now it seems Jake McGee is the more likely choice. McGee earned a save this week when Holland was unavailable due to a scheduled rest day, not Neshek. McGee has closing experience and would allow Neshek to stay in a setup role, where he has absolutely thrived. McGee is not a must-add just yet, but he'd be a solid enough closer if given the chance that owners with a spare bench spot could do worse than making a speculative add now.

Odds and Ends

Cleveland Indians reliever Andrew Miller started throwing again this week. He's on the disabled list for the second time this year with a knee issue. He's expected to be back before the playoffs, but he'll likely be used so sparingly that he's essentially droppable in most formats.

Baltimore Orioles closer Zach Britton is also dealing with a knee issue. He's been given a few days off, but looks like he won't be placed on the DL. Brad Brach will get the ninth inning whenever Britton is unavailable.

Roster Moves of the Week

Adds

Blake Parker, Los Angeles Angels- As mentioned above, it looks like Parker is the guy in Anaheim, at least for now. He's a high-strikeout guy that should be leading the committee for the Angels. He's worth an add in most formats right away, players in shallower formats should keep an eye on him for now.

Jake McGee, Colorado Rockies- This is more of a speculative add than Parker, but McGee looks like the next guy up in Colorado if Greg Holland keeps struggling. He's worth adding in deep formats right away and in holds leagues, but standard league players can keep an eye on him while we all see what happens in the Rockies bullpen.

Drops

There are no obvious drops this week, but Andrew Miller should probably be let go in non-keeper/dynasty formats.

Best of the Week

 Fernando Rodney, Arizona Diamondbacks- 5 IP, 5 K, 5 SV, 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP

When Fernando Rodney is good, he's good, but when he's bad, he's bad. It's been quite a ride for Rodney's owners, but this week was a great one. In five innings, he allowed just one run on two hits and two walks, striking out five and becoming one of the few closers to earn five saves in a week this season.

Shane Greene, Detroit Tigers- 5 IP, 7 K, 3 SV, 1.69 ERA, 0.75 WHIP

Owners of Tigers closer Shane Greene were worried he'd never see another save chance as recently as last week. This week, he comes in as one of the best closers of the week, tossing five innings while striking out seven, earning three saves, and only allowing one run on three hits and a walk.

Blake Parker, Los Angeles Angels- 3 IP, 6 K, 3 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.30 WHIP

Angels reliever and presumed closer-committee-leader Blake Parker burst onto the scene this week, saving three games in a row while striking out six in three innings in which he allowed only a walk.

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