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We're almost done folks! Teams have about 10 games left in real baseball, and fantasy teams in most leagues are wrapping up playoffs. Beginning of the season, middle of the season, or end of the season though: bullpens are still bullpens.
Not a ton of huge news this week, but a couple of injuries shifted some committees around and one injury knocked a full-time closer out for likely the rest of the season. One more time before we get down to business: good luck to all fantasy teams still in the playoffs, and thanks for hanging out here at Closers and Saves Report this season!
Be sure to keep an eye on our RotoBaller Closers and Saves Bullpen Depth Charts. They're updated daily, or sometimes even more often in this wild 2021 baseball season. With that being said, here are the closers, saves, and bullpen waiver wire pickups to consider for Week 26 - September 27 through October 3.
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Bullpen News For The Week
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers bullpen was mostly a mess for the first few months of the season, but All-Star reliever Gregory Soto was able to calm things down and became the full time closer in Detroit for a while. A fractured left ring finger sent Soto to the injured list though, and he's done for the year. His All-Star season ends with a 3.39 ERA, 18 saves, and a 27.5 K%. Soto proved to be hard to hit, but walks were an issue at times, as shown by his 14.5 BB%. Without Soto available, the Tigers will turn to Michael Fulmer for the majority of the save situations that come up as the season winds down. Kyle Funkhouser could mix in as well, but Fulmer is the most likely Tigers arm to be on the mound in the ninth. He can be added by any teams looking for maybe one or two more saves this season.
Risers: Michael Fulmer
Fallers: Gregory Soto
San Francisco Giants
The Giants have supposedly had a committee situation in their bullpen all season, but Jake McGee has 31 saves and the next closest Giants reliever has 13. So it feels okay to say that the Giants lost their closer due to an oblique injury this week. Tyler Rogers, the guy with 13 saves, will likely get most of the save chances for San Francisco as they attempt to maintain their NL West lead and avoid having to play a Wild Card game. Dominic Leone might jump in for a save chance or two, but we're likely to see Rogers the most often in the ninth inning.
Risers: Tyler Rogers, Dominic Leone
Fallers: Jake McGee
Tampa Bay Rays
The two injured closers discussed above were lefties. Here's a righty: Andrew Kittredge, the closest thing the Rays had to a closer, landed on the injured list this week as well. While he wasn't the full-time ninth inning guy, he was pitching well and getting the most save chances in the Tampa Bay pen. With him forced to sit out, the Rays will likely go full committee again, with no one guy really commanding a large share of save chances. Colin McHugh, Peter Fairbanks, and Nick Anderson seem like the three most likely candidates to earn saves, but it's the Rays so it could be Nelson Cruz, Brett Phillips, or even Kevin Cash himself.
Risers: Colin McHugh, Peter Fairbanks, Nick Anderson
Fallers: Andrew Kittredge
Short Relief
-Tanner Rainey has had a rough season, but he's been thoroughly unhittable lately, and with Kyle Finnegan struggling, Rainey could sneak into some save chances before the season ends.
-Drew Steckenrider struggled a bit this week, opening the door for Paul Sewald to earn a save. Steck was right back in there the next day though and remains the head of the Seattle committee.
-Rowan Wick looks like he's locked up the role of Cubs closer and is no longer just the head of the committee.
-Neither Andrew Chafin nor Sergio Romo has been pitching particularly well lately, but it seems like those two are the ones who will split save chances for the A's for the rest of the year.
-Chris Stratton is the closer in Pittsburgh now that David Bednar is done for the year.
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