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It would be fun if MLB found a way to make All-Star Game fan voting work for pitchers, too. They would probably make it some unnecessarily complicated method, but I think we'd be willing to deal with it to see it happen. It would likely be even more unnecessarily complicated to have it work for relievers, but wouldn't that be even more fun?
Speaking of relievers, we had a few guys get the first saves of their careers this week. We had one guy get a mandatory 10-day vacation, and another is starting his way back from a long stint on the injured list. We'll go over all that and maybe spend some more time wishing we could vote for guys like Matt Strahm and Griffin Jax to make the All-Star team.
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
-Jordan Romano has been shut down again after experiencing more elbow discomfort while rehabbing. Yimi Garcia seems to be progressing better, and could be back by the All-Star break.
-Ryan Helsley converted his 29th straight save, setting a new Cardinals record.
-Speaking of records, Aroldis Chapman is now the all-time leader in strikeouts for a lefty reliever.
-Friday was a big day for bullpens; there were seven reliever wins and six saves.
-Hector Neris found himself back in a save situation on Saturday and converted it for his 11th of the season.
-Craig Kimbrel has two one-run saves in a row after not having any until Friday.
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Saves
Carlos Estevez, Los Angeles Angels (Rostered in 68% of leagues)
This one isn't one of those "a guy who wasn't a closer is now suddenly a closer so go add him" kind of waiver-wire pickups. Instead, Carlos Estevez has been the Angels closer all season, but he's available in 32% of leagues right now. He's been on fire lately, as he allowed his first baserunner since May 21 earlier this week. He'd retired 26 batters without letting anyone reach base. For the season, he has a 3.24 ERA, 15 saves, and a 27:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio. All of those numbers look like a guy who should be rostered in pretty much all formats.
#Angels Carlos Estévez has elite stretches every season it feels like. Right now he is on one of them.
He has thrown 8 straight scoreless outings since 5/28. Over those 8 appearances:
- 8K and no walks over 8IP
- 7 saves and 1 win
- 0.00 ERA/1.15 FIP/2,77 xFIP/1.91 SIERA
- 0.00… pic.twitter.com/0PKFJ8YYHn— Mike Kurland (@Mike_Kurland) June 25, 2024
Liam Hendriks, Boston Red Sox (Rostered in 1% of leagues)
This is much more of a speculative add that could easily end up being nothing, but fantasy managers with an open IL spot could do worse than adding a guy with 116 career saves. Liam Hendriks is recovering from Tommy John surgery and only recently resumed throwing off a mound, so we're not going to see him pitch in a big league game for a while. With all kinds of trade rumors swirling around Kenley Jansen, it does look like the Red Sox could have an opening for a closer in the later part of this season. Again, this is only a slightly recommended add for those with an open IL spot, and even then, it's a long shot.
Reminder of how dominant Liam Hendriks was out of the pen in 2022:
57.1 IP
2.81 ERA
2.14 SIERA
36.2% K Rate
41.3% Whiff Rate
.362 xwOBACONpic.twitter.com/JXrhcbsABQ https://t.co/itN3FCe8Li— Pat (@PatSullivan05) June 26, 2024
Aroldis Chapman, Pittsburgh Pirates (Rostered in 41% of leagues)
The Pirates placed closer David Bednar on the injured list this week due to an oblique injury. The team is hoping it's a minor injury, but we've all seen how long oblique injuries can linger. Bednar will take his 16 saves to the injured list and the only other Pirates pitcher with more than one save, Aroldis Chapman with two, will take over most ninth innings for now. Must be nice to have a guy with 323 career saves ready to go when your closer gets injured. Chapman is a free agent after the season, but the Pirates are currently just 2.5 games out of a playoff spot, so it's hard to tell what they'll do at the trade deadline. For now, Chapman is worth rostering in most formats and is available in 59% of them for free.
Aroldis Chapman, 102mph ⛽️⛽️ pic.twitter.com/ggQXiIYlSo
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 26, 2024
Reed Garrett, New York Mets (Rostered in 36% of leagues)
Jake Diekman, New York Mets (Rostered in 1% of leagues)
The Mets are a man down for 10 days, as closer Edwin Diaz is serving a suspension after a "sticky stuff" ejection. He's eligible to return on July 6, so any other Mets reliever would just be a temporary addition, but there are two guys who could help a little in the meantime. Reed Garrett and Jake Diekman are tied for second on the Mets with three saves each. Garrett has been the better pitcher this season (3.08 ERA/3.37 FIP for Garrett, 3.80 ERA/5.01 FIP for Diekman). Mets manager Carlos Mendoza says they will have to get "creative" in managing their bullpen with their top guy missing, but these two are the likeliest to earn saves on any given day until Diaz returns. Both pitchers are widely available, with Diekman essentially free on waivers in almost every league.
AND THE BALLGAME IS OVER!
REED GARRETT LOCKS IT DOWN IN THE 9TH! pic.twitter.com/3IPPjdbal2
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 26, 2024
More Bullpen and Closer News
Miami Marlins
It's not a matter of if the Marlins will trade closer Tanner Scott, it's a matter of when and where. Scott is in the final year of his contract and the Marlins clearly aren't competing this season, so he'll be one of the most sought-after arms at the trade deadline for competing teams. He has 11 saves and a 1.54 ERA so far despite playing on a team on pace to lose over 100 games. With so many teams in striking distance of a playoff spot (especially in the National League), it's impossible to predict where he'll go or what his role will be after the deadline. What we can do is try to predict who will replace him in Miami's bullpen.
A.J. Puk has been a whole new pitcher since returning to the bullpen (9.22 ERA in 13 2/3 innings as a starter, 3.20 in 19 2/3 as a reliever). He's not a free agent until 2027, so the Marlins might keep him around and he would be an option for the ninth inning. His 15 saves in 2023 led the team. Another possible option is Calvin Faucher. He has seven holds and has been operating as the eighth-inning guy lately, so if the team decides to just move pitchers up one inning, the job could go to Faucher. Of course, both Puk and Faucher could be dealt as well if the Marlins capitalize on what could be a weak relief pitcher trade market. In that case, guys like Anthony Bender or Anthony Maldonado could find their way to the mound in the ninth inning.
Tanner Scott being unbothered by Outman stealing third base will always be hilarious.pic.twitter.com/KMOl6Jcty4
— Baseball (@mlbelites_) January 8, 2024
Short Relief - Other Bullpen News
-Adrian Houser of the Mets and Trent Thornton of the Mariners both earned the first saves of their careers this week. Houser's was a three-inning outing in a blowout win, and Thornton's was an unplanned appearance after a game got closer than it should have been.
-The Brewers are saying that closer Devin Williams could return in the middle of July, but there's nothing certain yet. He'll resume closing duties almost immediately once he's healthy.
-Brock Stewart should be sent on a rehab assignment soon and will strengthen an already strong Twins bullpen once he's able to return.
-Ben Joyce is back in the Angels bullpen and throwing absolute fireballs along with a new sinker/splitter that he added earlier this season. The results aren't quite there yet, but the upside remains.
-Jordan Romano is "playing light catch" and Yimi Garcia is throwing from 120 feet, so the Blue Jays could be getting some much-needed bullpen reinforcements soon-ish.
-Our MLB saves leader is still Ryan Helsley with 28. He's followed by Emmanuel Clase with 25 and Kyle Finnegan with 22.
-Our holds leaderboard features Hunter Harvey and JoJo Romero tied for first with 23, then Andrew Kittredge with 22 and Yennier Cano with 18.
-Seven pitchers are tied for the most blown saves with five each: Ryan Pressly, David Robertson, Shelby Miller, Steven Okert, Jalen Beeks, Adbert Alzolay, and Andrew Nardi. Alzolay hasn't pitched since May 12.
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