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Holds Leagues: Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 26

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 26 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.

Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options for relief pitchers, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily.

 

Sam Dyson, Texas Rangers

19 holds, 2.90 ERA, 68.1 innings, 63 strikeouts, 1.20 WHIP

The Texas Rangers have surged into the lead of the West and everyone is contributing to their success. Reliever Sam Dyson was an acquisition that wasn't impactful but it was important. The reliever has a 2.90 ERA this year but since joining the Rangers, he has a 1.48 ERA. He averages just under a strikeout per inning but he is holding opponents to a .227 batting average in his 24.1 innings with the Rangers. He has a remarkable 68.6% ground ball rate and he does it with a fastball that averages around 95 MPH. The Rangers did not acquire Dyson with the intention of him being a middle innings reliever and it's evident as he frequently finds himself in the eighth inning, being the final bridge to the closer. The Rangers have made big strides and they don't show any signs of stopping; Sam Dyson will notch more holds before the season is over.

 

Justin Grimm, Chicago Cubs

14 holds, 2.09 ERA, 47.1 innings, 65 strikeouts, 1.14 WHIP

The Chicago Cubs remain in contention for the Wild Card spot but the Central is still in range. If the Cubs can stay within range of wins, reliever Justin Grimm will be the first line of defense in carrying over the win. His ERA is just north of 2.00 but opponents are hitting .179 against Grimm. The 27-year-old Grimm is a power pitcher that keeps the ball down. Utilizing a fastball and a curveball, Grimm generates 44.8% ground balls and averages well over a strikeout per inning. He usually enters the game in the sixth or seventh inning so he is a part of the first steps towards the end of the game. That placement in the game ensures that he will notch a hold with a usual solid outing on the mound.

 

Will Harris, Houston Astros

11 holds, 1.89 ERA, 66.2 innings, 64 strikeouts, 0.93 WHIP

The Houston Astros have hit a rough patch at the wrong time. They are fighting to maintain a hold on one of the Wild Card spots so each win they have within their grasps cannot be let go. 30-year-old Will Harris is having a great season and he will continue to do so as a setup reliever. Opponents are hitting a measly .174 against Harris. Nearly half of all batted balls against Harris are on the ground, a good quality to have in the very hitter-friendly Minute Maid Park. He is not an overpowering pitcher, averaging just shy of 92 MPH but the sub-1.00 WHIP and sub-2.00 ERA indicates he is a good pitcher that the Astros need to get the ball to when the game gets near the end this year.

 

Fernando Salas, Los Angeles Angels

18 holds, 4.15 ERA, 60.2 innings, 71 strikeouts, 1.12 WHIP

The Los Angeles Angels are currently on the outside looking in of the postseason picture. With the wild card within reach, each win they have will need a solid effort from the bullpen to bridge it from starter to closer. In the bullpen, Fernando Salas is having a good season despite the elevated ERA. The 30-year-old Salas keeps opponents to a .245 average and uses three pitches. Primarily with a low 90s fastball and secondary pitches in a slider and changeup. He may want to minimize his 42.9% fly ball rate a little but he does generate a respectable 36.0% ground ball rate. The Angels are hanging onto the slimmest of hopes to find themselves playing October baseball and if Fernando Salas can help it, he will contribute solid bullpen work to help notch wins for the team.

 

Justin Wilson, New York Yankees

26 holds, 3.04 ERA, 56.1 innings, 62 strikeouts, 1.15 WHIP

When the New York Yankees have a win in their grasps, they generally turn to three experienced and reliable arms. The big two at the back end have been spoken with great praise but reliever Justin Wilson can go under the radar. The 28-year-old Wilson is a power arm and the Yankees generally use him in the seventh inning, bridging a win to Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller. While he has been used in left-on-left specialist roles, the reverse splits justify him handling a full inning of work. Left-handed batters are hitting .242 and right-handed batters are hitting .219 so he is more effective against his opposite. Early in his career, he had a curveball in his bag of tricks but lately he abandoned the curveball to rely strictly on his fastball-cutter combination in favor of higher strikeout totals. The Yankees are still in the thick of numerous races so when the win is in sight, expect Wilson to see time on the mound.

 

 

 

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