X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Florio's Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Report - Iglesias Nearing, Dodgers Going Committee

Evan Phillips - Fantasy Baseball Injury Report Update

Michael F. Florio reviews bullpens that have changed, closers to add off the waiver wire, and relief pitchers who are useful for fantasy baseball heading into Week 6.

Every week on RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (Sundays from 3-5 pm ET), Scott Engel and I go over names to grab off the waiver wire in fantasy baseball. One thing I preach weekly is that not every waiver wire pickup needs to be a league winner or even someone that you roster for the entire season. If you pick up a player and they have a hot month, couple weeks, or even if you just use them for a week -- then it's a worthwhile pickup if they help your fantasy team. 

The same goes for bullpen arms. Not every potential late-inning arm is going to work out. And even fewer will stick for the entire season. But we are starting to see relievers deal with injuries. Some of them are on the IL, which makes it easier to pick up the reliever that will step up in their place. However, we are seeing several closers be sidelined with injuries that do not put them on the IL.

This leads to reliever rentals on the waiver wire. Pitchers that can get you a couple of save chances in a given week but who you can throw back on the wire once the full-time closer returns. These are relievers you can capture off the wire for cheap and just toss back after the week. But at the end of the year, that handful of saves you find can and likely will make a difference. This week, we will focus on some of these relievers and all pens that are changing around the league. 

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Changing Bullpens for Fantasy Baseball

The Cubs have been a tough bullpen to figure out due to a lack of save opportunities. Through last week, they had just two saves, with each going to a different pitcher. However, they finally picked up a third save with it going to Brad Boxberger, giving him two on the year. Michael Fulmer has one (and two blown saves). While Fulmer has more swing-and-miss stuff, Boxberger has been the more effective pitcher. Boxberger is the option to trust moving forward in this bullpen and remains highly available. He is worth using up to 10 percent of your FAAB budget to secure. 

It seemed that the Rangers would have a committee coming into the season. After the opening couple of weeks, it appeared that way. However, it is looking like William Smith has taken a firm grip on the job. He picked up the only save chance in the last week and has three of the four saves for the Rangers. Jose Leclerc has the other, but he does have two blown saves. Smith is still available in many leagues. If you need saves, you can spend 10 to 13 percent of your FAAB budget. Leclerc is in play for those in deeper leagues as he provides ratios and could still see some save chances. 

The A’s have not had a save chance in the last week. It's no surprise for an A’s team that sports a minor league lineup. However, on the season, Jeurys Familia does lead them with two saves while also having two blown chances. On the year, he has pitched to a 6.57 ERA, 6.19 xERA, and 1.95 WHIP with a 13 percent strikeout rate. It’s pretty terrible but at least he is getting save chances. Familia is only for those desperate for saves in deeper formats. 

The Braves bullpen has struggled without Raisel Iglesias but luckily for Atlanta fans and fantasy managers, Iglesias is expected back soon. He could return as soon as this weekend. He has already appeared in two minor league games and has yet to allow a base runner. The last box the Braves want him to check is pitching in back-to-back games. Once he does, he will be able to return to the big league club and should quickly retake his role as their closer. He is one of the best reliever options in the game when healthy. 

 

Speculative Saves for Fantasy Baseball 

I took a victory lap for Jose Alvarado last week and I stand by the fact that he is the Phillies reliever to roster in fantasy baseball. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other useful arms in this bullpen. Craig Kimbrel picked up a save in the last week, his third on the season. While Kimbrel is not the pitcher he used to be, he can still provide strikeouts and the occasional save. He will hurt your ratios, though. Alvarado should be universally rostered, while Kimbrel is in play for those in need of saves in deeper leagues such as 15-teamers or NL only.

Pete Fairbanks has been the top closer option for the Rays. He has yet to allow a run this season and has picked up three of their five saves. However, he is dealing with numbness in his fingers, which is concerning for a pitcher. While the Rays have not added him to the IL yet, that cannot be ruled out. While Jason Adam does not have a save this season, he would be the top arm to speculate in this bullpen. Grab Adam for cheap off the waiver wire now if you need saves. He could get the opportunities for as long as Fairbanks is sidelined. 

Reynaldo Lopez has all three saves for the White Sox this season. One for every blown save he has on the year. But he exited on Sunday with fatigue in his bicep. If he misses more time this week, we could see another reliever get the opportunity. Kendall Graveman has been pitching in a setup role and would be the top option to speculate on. Aaron Bummer and Keynan Middleton have more experience and would be deeper fliers. This is all until Liam Hendriks returns and regains his role at the back end of this bullpen. Check your waiver wire to see if he is out there just in case. 

The Dodgers had three saves in the last week -- with each one going to a different pitcher. Evan Phillips, Shelby Miller, and Brusdar Graterol all picked up a save for the Dodgers. All three have an ERA of 2.70 or lower with a WHIP of 1.00 or less. Phillips remains the top option since he just had the most save chances but also because he is the best strikeout pitcher of the bunch. However, Graterol and Miller are now deeper league options, in that order. 

The Mets have a two-man committee at the back end of their bullpen. David Robertson and Adam Ottavino share the role. Robertson is the top option and has picked up six of the nine saves. However, Ottavino has three saves on the year and provides strong ratios and strikeout rates. Despite that, he is available in well over half of fantasy baseball leagues, while Robertson is nearly universally rostered. Ottavino needs to be picked up in more leagues. 

 

Elite Strikeouts and Ratios 

Giovanny Gallegos is going to continue being featured in this article until he is picked up in more leagues. Gallegos has pitched to a 1.00 ERA, 2.97 xERA, and 0.67 WHIP with a 34 percent strikeout rate. He is also next in line for save opportunities on the Cardinals. He is one of my favorite non-closer relievers to roster. His teammate, Genesis Cabrera, can also provide strong ratios and strikeouts. He has pitched to a 2.31 ERA, 2.36 xERA, and 0.94 WHIP with a 42 percent strikeout rate. 

Aroldis Chapman was someone I advocated to pick up a couple of weeks ago and he has yet to get a save since. That is more on his team than him, but it has led to fantasy managers throwing him back on the waiver wire. He can still be useful for fantasy purposes, though. Chapman has pitched to a 1.74 ERA, 1.62 xERA, and 0.87 WHIP with a 46 percent strikeout rate -- the third-highest rate amongst qualified relievers. Plus, despite the lack of chances, Chapman remains in the ninth-inning picture for the Royals. He is a useful arm in Roto formats. 

Matt Brash has a 43 percent strikeout rate, the fourth-highest among qualified relievers. He has pitched to a 4.85 ERA but has a 2.58 xERA, so better days could be coming. He also already has a save and pitches in a bullpen that has been known to change on the fly. While he will never likely be the full-time closer in Seattle, he could receive the occasional save chance. 

Bryan Abreu has a 41 percent strikeout rate, the seventh-highest among relievers. He has pitched to a 0.63 ERA with a 2.88 xERA and a 0.84 WHIP. While Abreu is not the closer in Houston and may not even be next in line, he provides great strikeouts and ratios. Abreu is more useful over a fringe starting pitcher who can give five innings or so in a given week. 

Mark Leiter Jr. is a sleeper in the Cubs bullpen. His 40 percent strikeout rate is the ninth-highest among relievers. He has pitched to a 1.54 ERA with a 1.11 WHIP. While all he provides now is strikeouts and ratios, given that the Cubs bullpen has been a bit shaky, he could see some save chances as well.

Make sure to follow Michael on Twitter, @MichaelFFlorio.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Uchenna Nwosu

Seahawks Place Uchenna Nwosu on PUP List
Taylor Decker

Alim McNeill, Taylor Decker Placed on PUP List
Tyrion Davis-Price

Titans Waive Tyrion Davis-Price
Tre Harris

Chargers Relying on Tre Harris to Be Starting X Receiver
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Micah Parsons

Will Become Highest-Paid Non-QB
MarShawn Lloyd

Vying for RB2 Role
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith Finds End Zone in First Training Camp Practice
Tyler Shough

Pushing for Fully Guaranteed Rookie Deal
Ar'Darius Washington

Goes on PUP List
Lamar Jackson

to be Even Better in 2025?
Tre Harris

Agrees to Terms on Rookie Deal
Justin Herbert

Off to Good Start at Training Camp
Jameson Williams

Earning Rave Reviews from Lions Coaches
Christian Mahogany

Expected to Start for Lions
Zach Allen

an Extension Candidate in Denver?
Zaire Franklin

May Miss Start of Training Camp
Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard Returning to Portland
Mason Taylor

to Play "Crucial" Role in Jets' Offense
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
T.J. Watt

Once Again Becomes Highest-Paid Non-QB
RJ Harvey

Reaches Agreement on Four-Year Rookie Contract
Rashee Rice

Chiefs Believe Rashee Rice Will Receive Two- to Four-Game Suspension
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hit In Pinky In All-Star Game, X-Rays Negative
MLB

NL All-Stars Win On Tie-Breaker Home Run Swing-Off
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF