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While holds are even tougher to predict than saves, the players we’ll highlight today include some elite setup men to target off the waiver wire for Week 3 of the fantasy baseball season.
The more likely an MLB team is to win, the more likely these pitchers will be eligible to earn the holds that could be the difference between winning or losing in your fantasy league.
Let's get to it.
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Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups for Holds
Archie Bradley, Arizona Diamondbacks
2 Holds, 0.00 ERA, 9.1 IP, 11 K, 0.86 WHIP
Sporting one of the best records in the league, the Arizona Diamondbacks are winning in the early stages of the season. Notching two holds, Archie Bradley has become a multi-inning relief threat. Scrapping his changeup in favor of the cutter has produced for Bradley as a relief pitcher. Bradley generates about the same rate of ground balls he did as a starter but, like any starter turned reliever, added velocity may account for his increased strikeout rate. Opponents are hitting .156 against Bradley. He mostly pitches in the late innings of the game so when he is claimed off the waiver wire, expect Bradley to get holds while putting up substantial strikeout numbers.
Will Harris, Houston Astros
2 Holds, 0.00 ERA, 5.2 IP, 5 K, 0.53 WHIP
Mixing up his arsenal; the Houston Astros' Will Harris is heavily relying on his 91.1 MPH cutter and his 81.2 MPH curveball. A problem of Harris this year is his high fly ball rate. The previous two years, Harris has generated at least 50.5% ground balls on batted balls but this year his ground ball rate is only 23.1% but his fly ball rate is an alarming 69.2%. He averages about a strikeout per inning and will need opponents to continue swinging at pitches out of the zone to regain the strong showing he put on display in the last two seasons.
Trevor Rosenthal, St. Louis Cardinals
1 Save, 2 Holds, 2.70 ERA, 3.1 IP, 7 K, 1.20 WHIP
After struggling to the extent that he lost the closer's job last season, St. Louis Cardinals' relief pitcher Trevor Rosenthal appears to have rediscovered what made him so dominant in previous years. Early in the season, Rosenthal is showing his usual velocity, with a fastball that averages 98.8 MPH. As expected with an overpowering fastball, he gets plenty of swings at pitches in the zone but well below the league average in regards to the contact made on those swings. If Rosenthal continues to produce at this level, he will see frequent late-inning holds situations, possibly even save situations.
Shane Greene, Detroit Tigers
2 Holds, 1.80 ERA, 5.0 IP, 5 K, 1.60 WHIP
The Detroit Tigers have started out the season strong and the deep bullpen helps secure victories. Unlike most relievers, Greene does not see an increase in velocity on his pitches. He utilizes a two-seam fastball at 94.6 MPH with an 88.6 MPH cutter and 83.0 MPH slider. Without overpowering pitches, Greene relies on living in the strike zone. He averages a strikeout per inning but must minimize the walks to maintain his effectiveness as a late-game relief pitcher.
Matt Barnes, Boston Red Sox
3 Holds, 3.12 ERA, 8.2 IP, 10 K, 1.27 WHIP
The Boston Red Sox relief pitcher, Matt Barnes, goes about his work as a reliever differently than the usual. Despite striking out more than a batter per inning, Barnes has actually seen a decline in his velocity as a reliever. Incorporating his 87.2 MPH slider more as a reliever, along with his 95.5 MPH fastball and 80.3 MPH curveball, his slider and curveball have seen a decrease in velocity but opponents are hitting .179 against him. The difference between Matt Barnes the starter and Matt Barnes the reliever comes in the swing-and-miss ability the reliever possesses. Other than his very brief 2014 MLB debut, Barnes is generating a career-high 12.4% swinging strike rate. Opponents are making less contact this year than any of his previous three seasons. His effectiveness is evident and he will notch additional holds as the season rolls on.
