Bullpen Report: Finding Elite Ratio and Strikeout Relievers

June 12, 2021

Michael Florio's fantasy baseball closers, saves and bullpen report for Week 11. He looks at all 30 MLB bullpens for under the radar fantasy baseball relievers.

Sticky stuff is all the rage in the baseball world right now. Will we see pitchers suddenly losing strikeouts due to a reduce in spin rate? Will ERAs suddenly shoot up leading to more offense? Will that early round ace you drafted suddenly turn into a pumpkin? These are all the questions that fantasy baseball players are having to worry about right now. That is on top of the one constant question we have had all season - who will get the next save opportunity for the Reds? 

With the fear of starting pitchers numbers taking a hit, that will make some fantasy managers more wary about streaming those fringy options that you grab off the waiver wire. If you are one of those managers, you can replace those streaming starting options with some relievers that provides elite ratios and a high strikeout rate. These relievers can give you about three or four innings in a week, which is not far off from a fringy starter, and provide better results. 

Bullpens have been changing around the league as they have been all season. That is what this article will focus on this week. Bullpens that have been changing around the league in recent weeks and the elite relievers that are not closers but you can use for ratios and strikeouts. 

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Changing Bullpens 

Baltimore Orioles 

Cesar Valdez was a nice early season pickup, logging in eight saves, but then he struggled. His last save was on May 10th and he has routinely been pitching in the middle innings. The top option here is Paul Fry, who has picked up the last two save chances for Baltimore and has pitched in the ninth inning in some non-save situations. Fry has pitched to a 1.99 ERA, 1.06 WHIP with a 37 percent strikeout rate. Cole Sulser did pick up the first non-Valdez save for the Orioles and he would be the secondary option to add here. Not only could he be in the save mix, but he provides those great ratios and strikeouts that we love in our relievers. On the season he has pitched to a 1.66 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and has a 38 percent strikeout rate. 

Detroit Tigers

Michael Fulmer was looking like a strong source of ratios and strikeouts with some save chances coming his way as well, but he is now on the IL. While we can expect him to return into that late inning role when he returns, we need to know who to add from this bullpen now. We know Gregory Soto will continue to be a late inning option for this team, but they do not always save him for the save situations. But, he has not picked up a save since May 26th. He did pitch the ninth with a five run lead on Thursday. Instead the last two save opportunities have gone to Jose Cisnero. He has pitched to a 3.86 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and a 31 percent strikeout rate. He should be added in Roto formats for the time being. Soto should still be held onto, but he is on thin ice. 

Kansas City Royals

This bullpen has been a headache all season long. They have had six pitchers pick up a save, with four having multiple. Josh Staumont returned from the IL, but he has not picked up a save since doing so, and is dealing with some decreased velocity. The four relievers we see used in save situations here are Staumont, Kyle Zimmer, Scott Barlow and Greg Holland. In the last two weeks, Barlow and Holland have a save each. Barlow’s was a two inning save situation. Right now this bullpen is kind of a guessing game, but the two likeliest options to get the next save chance would be Holland and Barlow. Save needy teams can start those two in a Roto format, but again, this is a situation without a ton of clarity. Until we see them use Staumont in the ninth again, he should be left on fantasy benches. 

Minnesota Twins 

This is another bullpen that has been anything but boring this season. Both Robles and Rogers have five saves on the season and both has two saves in the last two weeks. This is purely a matchup-based usage between these two, but with Robles being the righty, he has to be the slight favorite to pick up more saves here. Either way, both of these pitchers should be rostered and started in all Roto formats. 

San Francisco Giants 

On the season Jake McGee has 12 saves and Tyler Rogers has eight, but in the last two weeks Rogers has the two-to-one advantage. McGee also struggled Wednesday picking up his second loss of the season. On the year McGee has pitched to a 3.76 ERA, 0.99 WHIP with a 29 percent strikeout rate. Rogers has pitched to a 1.77 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and has a very-low 12 percent strikeout rate. McGee also has the lower xFIP and SIERA on the season. Both are worth rostering right now, and Rogers seems to have an advantage on the save opportunities right now, but I still prefer McGee in the long run. 

Texas Rangers 

Ian Kennedy, who has been awesome, has landed on the IL with a hamstring injury. The favorite for saves in his absence is Josh Sborz. He is the only pitcher besides Kennedy to pick up a save this season. He has also been effective pitching to a 4.38 ERA, with a 2.79 xFIP, 2.85 SIERA, 1.22 WHIP and a 31 percent strikeout rate. Monitor this bullpen usage over the weekend before putting in FAAB bids, but anticipate spending over 10 percent of your budget if he gets a save. In first come, first serve waiver leagues, grab this guy now! Another option is Joely Rodriguez who has been used in late innings, but has struggled as of late. He is a deep league option for now. 

Non-Closing Relievers to Add

Rex Brothers has pitched to a 3.05 ERA, 2.64 SIERA, with a 1.11 WHIP and a 41 percent strikeout rate, the seventh highest among qualified relievers. The Cubs also could move Craig Kimbrel this summer, and if they do, Brothers will be in the saves mix. 

Daniel Hudson has pitched to a 2.59 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 2.37 SIERA and a 37 percent strikeout rate. He is also the next man up for saves in the Washington bullpen.

Heath Hembree has an ugly 5.50 ERA but his xERA is 2.45 and he has a 2.52 SIERA and 3.58 xFIP, indicating that he has pitched much better than that ERA indicates. He has pitched to a 0.89 WHIP and has a 37 percent strikeout rate. We have also seen him pick up a save this season and the Reds bullpen has been the most volatile in the MLB this season. He could see save chances at some point this season. 

Ranger Suarez has a 0.49 WHIP, the lowest among any reliever with at least 10 innings pitched this season. He also has a zero ERA, to go along with a 24 percent strikeout rate, 2.60 SIERA and two wins in his 20 relief innings this season. He can log multiple innings in an outing, which makes him even more valuable. If you are looking for a reliever for ratios, he is your guy. 

Nick Sandlin has pitched to a 0.66 WHIP this season, the fifth lowest among qualified relievers. That goes along with a 2.63 ERA, 36 percent strikeout rate and a 2.44 SIERA. He won’t provide saves, but he’s got you covered with ratios and strikeouts. 

Ryan Tepera has a 2.15 ERA and a 0.68, the eighth lowest among qualified relievers. He also has a 32 percent strikeout rate. Just like Brothers, he provides elite ratios and could get save chances if anything happens to Kimbrel. 

Giovanny Gallegos has pitched to a 2.31 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 2.79 SIERA, with a 31 percent strikeout rate. The best part is he will give you plenty of innings, as the Cardinals just keep on throwing him out there. He has thrown 35 innings this season, the third most among all relievers. He is also next in line for saves in St. Louis. 

Chad Green has pitched to a 3.03 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, with a 26 percent strikeout rate for the Yankees this season. He is a ratio option for deeper leagues, if the names above are already rostered. He is also next in line for saves with the Yankees.

Brad Boxberger currently has a 2.92 ERA, 0.85 WHIP with a 25 percent strikeout rate on the season. He has two wins and two saves on the season. He could join Devin Williams in the saves picture if anything happens to Josh Hader. 

All stats entering Thursday, June 10th. 

Follow me on Twitter, @MichaelFFlorio.

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