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We've all made it through the first week of the playoffs! Well ... we've all made it (online) through the first week of the playoffs. There are a few real-life baseball teams that can't say the same thing we can. Spooky season always brings great baseball with it, and this past week had plenty of that.
While most standard fantasy baseball leagues are done for the year, there are still some playoff leagues and there's always DFS around as well. This week's article will cover what's already happened and what might happen soon. Read on!
All that and more in this week's report! 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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LCS Bullpens
This section will be updated when the Division Series games between the Guardians and Tigers and between the Padres and Dodgers are completed.
New York Mets
To the joy of Mets fans and fans of "large, purple, rotund beings of indeterminate species with short arms and legs" (that's the official description, don't get mad at me), Edwin Diaz was able to shut the door on the Phillies' season. The Mets are the first team to advance to the League Championship Series and find themselves one step away from the World Series.
They'll face the winner of the Padres/Dodgers series, which will wrap up tonight in Los Angeles. Edwin Diaz had a strong second half of the season. He's pitched three times in the playoffs, allowing three runs in 2/3 of an inning in one outing but scoreless in the other two. He threw his fastest pitch of the season (101 mph) in the series-clinching save.
Diaz has one win and one save in the playoffs so far, while Reed Garrett has a win and a hold. David Peterson also has a win and a save, and Jose Butto has one hold on his record. Butto and Garrett seem to be the top leverage guys right now for the Mets ahead of Diaz in the ninth inning.
Edwin Díaz, 101mph ⛽️
And the Mets Advance! 🍾 pic.twitter.com/r9BlvPy0mh
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 10, 2024
New York Yankees
Another Subway Series could be in the cards, as both New York teams have advanced to their respective League Championship Series. The Yankees had Clay Holmes closing their games for most of the regular season, but the league leader in blown saves was always unlikely to maintain that role into the playoffs.
Towards the end of the season and into the playoffs, Luke Weaver has been closing for the Yankees and he's got three postseason saves already, including the Division Series clinching one. Weaver was one of only five relief pitchers with 100 or more strikeouts this season and is quickly developing into an elite option.
Luke Weaver is ready to run through a brick wall 😤 pic.twitter.com/5FIndzKWPd
— MLB (@MLB) October 11, 2024
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Padres fought hard for the first three games of the Division Series, but the Dodgers pitching staff held them scoreless for the last two games, moving on to face the Mets in the National League Championship Series.
Michael Kopech pitched some key innings, with Blake Treinen earning the save in the series-clinching game. Those two, along with Evan Phillips, should see the most high leverage innings against the Metropolitans this week.
102 MPH FROM MICHAEL KOPECH pic.twitter.com/GSQfYph26F
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 12, 2024
Cleveland Guardians
The best closer in baseball advances to the American League Championship Series, as Emmanuel Clase and the Guardians beat the Tigers in a tough five-game Division Series. They'll take on the Yankees starting on Monday in New York.
Clase is the most locked in closer left in the playoffs, and along with Edwin Diaz is the only one absolutely certain to be in there for a save situation. Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith will see leverage innings ahead of Clase along the way.
Emmanuel Clase x Wild Thing entrance 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1u9ng0PRoH
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 12, 2024
Bullpen News and Notes
-The Phillies bullpen was a strength all season, with guys like Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm ranking near the top in many categories. In the playoffs, though? Phillies relievers got 38 outs while allowing 28 baserunners. That's an 11.37 ERA, a 2.13 WHIP, and a quick exit.
-Emmanuel Clase allowed five runs all season. In the entire 2024 regular season, Clase allowed five earned runs. That's in 74 1/3 innings pitched. Five runs and each run came one at a time, as he never allowed multiple runs in an outing. The playoffs are SO different. Clase allowed three runs in just one pitch in Game 2 against the Tigers, taking the loss.
Kerry Carpenter off Emmanuel Clase. He allowed five earned runs in six months during the regular season. He allowed three earned runs on this pitch, which came with two outs and two strikes. The biggest swing for Detroit in a decade. pic.twitter.com/yH7pjarcWP
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 7, 2024
-The Dodgers, facing elimination, went with a bullpen game in Game 4 of their National League Division Series. It ended up being a shutout, with eight pitchers combining to allow seven hits and two walks, striking out eight without allowing a run to cross the plate.
The Dodgers' Bullpen game.
All 8 Pitchers in their combined shutout. pic.twitter.com/HSooZxj6Z8
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 10, 2024
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