RADIO
Another week in the rearview is another week closer to the official start of summer, which is another week closer to the All-Star Game, which is another week closer to the trade deadline. We're flying through the 2024 baseball season, folks, and it's been...a carnival ride of some sort, depending on your team.
This week, an injured closer maybe wasn't so injured, but wait, then again, maybe he is? Another injured closer isn't injured anymore but hasn't been all that good. Yet, he's still the closer anyway. Finally, a closer etched his name even deeper into baseball's history books this week. All that and more in this week's report, so let's get into it.
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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Sunday Quick Hit Closer Updates
-Looks like Andres Munoz is fine. He pitched in back-to-back games and worked in the highest-leverage situations in both. Ryne Stanek should still see save chances from time to time, but Munoz remains "the guy" in Seattle's pen.
-Alex Vesia picked up a save as the Dodgers are giving their pitchers tons of rest and rarely having any of them pitch consecutive games.
-Edwin Diaz is back and in a small sample, it looks like maybe Edwin Diaz is back. He picked up a save and showed noticeably improved velocity since his return.
-Kenley Jansen had just two multi-inning appearances throughout 2022 and 2023. He's done it twice in his last three outings this year.
-Brewers bullpen news: Devin Williams appears to still be on track for a post All-Star break return, and Abner Uribe needs knee surgery.
-Yimi Garcia was removed from Sunday's game with elbow soreness in his throwing arm. That's never good news.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Saves
Ryne Stanek, Seattle Mariners (Rostered in 14% of leagues)
Another week on the waiver-wire pickup list for Mariners reliever Ryne Stanek. Seattle's closer is Andres Munoz, but Munoz is receiving pain injections for a back injury and his availability will be determined daily, so Stanek will certainly see save chances going forward and should be the full-time closer if Munoz ends up going on the injured list.
An MRI and bone scan on Munoz came back clean, but back pain sure can linger. For now, they'll likely be a frustrating fantasy pair that shares ninth-inning duties, but while Munoz is rostered in 94% of leagues, Stanek is only rostered in 14%. Given that they may put up pretty similar numbers over the next week or two, Stanek should be rostered in most formats right now.
Ryne Stanek gets Luis Robert Jr. swinging to end the top of the ninth and strand two runners, and is rather excited about it.
Let's go to walk-off territory. Ryan Bliss, then the top of the lineup for Seattle pic.twitter.com/Eg5ETejiRy
— Josh Kirshenbaum (@J_Kirshenbaum) June 11, 2024
Tyler Kinley, Colorado Rockies (Rostered in 6% of leagues)
We've all been there before. Sometimes, as fantasy managers, we get desperate for saves. We scour the waiver wire for anyone who might see a ninth-inning opportunity. We've all had those matchup weeks where we lose by ONE save. But are we desperate enough to add a guy with an 8.10 ERA?
In steps Tyler Kinley to make us all question our sanity. Kinley hasn't been good this year (see: 8.10 ERA), but he has recorded the last three saves for the Rockies and seems to have taken over the role from Jalen Beeks, at least for now. The Rockies' ninth inning is almost sure to be a revolving door, a carousel, or some other cyclical metaphor, but for fantasy managers who need a save right now? Kinley is available for free in almost every league.
The Coors Field light show for #Rockies Tyler Kinley goes a bit harder when “Voodoo Child” by Jimi Hendrix is playing. pic.twitter.com/DTMtD03B9W
— Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) May 30, 2024
More Bullpen and Closer News
New York Mets
Mets closer Edwin Diaz is back from the injured list and right back into the closer's role. Manager Carlos Mendoza said that Diaz would be returning to the closer's role right away, adding that "[f]or us to make a run at this, we're going to need Diaz to be Edwin Diaz."
Diaz has not been Edwin Diaz this season, even when healthy. He'll return to a 5.40 ERA (down to 5.14 after a scoreless appearance on Thursday) and has already blown more saves (four) than he did in all of 2022 (three). Diaz's return marks the end of the Mets closer committee that saw mostly Reed Garrett take over the highest-leverage situations.
Garrett will return to a setup role, pitching ahead of Diaz. Diaz has reportedly changed the shape of his fastball, made some other adjustments during his rehab, and hopes to come back looking like the pitcher that his manager, teammates, and fans need him to be.
Mets P Edwin Diaz says he is 100% and is set to resume his closing duties
Edwin pitched with 135 degree hinge angles in his arms and legs in his electric 2022 season.
He’s pitched with 90 degree hinge angles all of 2024.
He was still pitching with 90 degree angles in his rehab… pic.twitter.com/iyegSsec1F
— Tommy Maestas (@tommym8) June 13, 2024
Boston Red Sox
There's nothing wrong with Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen. Fantasy managers looking at a stats page may wonder what the deal has been with the closer, but it's just been an issue of opportunity and nothing else for the veteran. Jansen moved into sixth place all time in strikeouts and recorded his 10th save of the season this week in his first two-inning outing since 2021. Since April 21, though, he has just four save chances. He's pitching well (2.91 ERA, 30:11 K:BB ratio), so if the chances start coming more often, his value should rise through the summer.
Kenley Jansen's 5Ks in 2 innings. pic.twitter.com/bv279LlgBh
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 9, 2024
Short Relief - Other Bullpen News
-Rangers reliever David Robertson is the first pitcher in baseball history to strike out Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman in order in the same inning. The night after doing that, he went ahead and did it again the next game.
-Craig Kimbrel recorded the 1,226th strikeout of his career this week, moving into third place in baseball history for a relief pitcher, passing Lee Smith.
-Lucas Erceg is back from the injured list and should resume his duties as Oakland's primary setup man.
-Hector Neris blew a save this week and should be on the hot seat, but the Cubs don't really have too many other options that they've shown a willingness to hand the ninth inning to, so maybe not.
-Alexis Diaz has been pitching better and seems to have held onto his job in the Reds bullpen, but Justin Wilson recorded his first save since 2019 this week in a tough situation.
-Ryan Helsley is still our major league saves leader with 22. Emmanuel Clase is behind him with 20, followed by Clay Holmes and Kyle Finnegan both with 19.
-Hunter Harvey has moved into first place in the league in holds with 20. Cardinals relievers JoJo Romero and Andrew Kittredge follow him with 19 and 18 holds, respectively.
-There's a four-way tie for the "lead" in blown saves, with Steven Okert and Adbert Alzolay being joined by Andrew Nardi and Ryan Pressly, each with five.
-Four pitchers who have only appeared as relievers this season currently have 50 or more strikeouts: Mason Miller (55 in 30 IP), Fernando Cruz (54 in 30 2/3 IP), Reed Garrett (53 in 33.2 IP), and Bryan Abreu (50 in 34 1/3 IP).
-With a 10-inning minimum, our big league FIP leader is still Matt Strahm at 0.70. Blake Treinen joins him in the sub-1 club now that he has enough innings pitched at 0.82.
-Six relievers have already put up over 1 fWAR: Matt Strahm (1.4), Jeff Hoffman (1.3), Mason Miller (1.2), Fernando Cruz (1.1), Emmanuel Clase (1.1), and Justin Slaten (1.1).
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