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MLB Closers and Saves Report Week 21

It's Week 21 already - major league rosters are about to balloon with September call ups, fantasy leagues are about to enter into the playoffs, and football is about to dominate the fantasy sports landscape.

But there were still important things going on this week in baseball! The Cardinals lost their closer, the Rockies may be installing a new one, and the Yankees are undergoing a changing of the guard. (Also, the Marlins are a .500 team and squarely in the Wild Card hunt...what??)

Here's a look at who went down and what went on in bullpens around the league this week.

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Bullpen News for Week 21

St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals have had quite a struggle with their bullpen this season. Seung Hwan Oh was excellent last season, fully deserving of his amazing nickname, "The Final Boss." This season was different, though, and Oh was removed from the closer's role while the Cardinals scrambled to figure out the ninth inning. In came Trevor Rosenthal. The triple-digit-touching flamethrower went 7-for-7 in save opportunities once he was named the team's closer. In his eighth chance, he came in to a game, couldn't throw faster than 91, then didn't pitch again. Rosenthal got a first, a second, and maybe even a third opinion, but he landed where everyone feared he would once they saw "elbow" in his injury report: Tommy John Surgery. Not only will Rosenthal miss the remainder of this season, he'll also miss most if not all of next season. It's a huge blow for the Cardinals, but an even bigger one for Rosenthal, who looked like he'd finally found a place in the back of the pen.

The aforementioned Oh was thought to be the prime candidate to take back the closer's role in Rosenthal's absence, but he was brought into a low-leverage eighth inning situation, allowed a single and a triple, and was removed from the game. Oh has had a rough time this year, posting a 3.86 ERA (4.03 FIP) and seeing a significant drop in his strikeout rate since last season (11.64 K/9 in 2016, 8.72 this year). Oh is still in the mix for saves, but he'll need to put together a few strong outings to be anything more than a part of the committee. The other key member of that committee is lefty Tyler Lyons. Lyons was not very good as a starter early in his career, but he's made a strong transition into the bullpen, where he's put up a 2.70 ERA and 10.80 K/9 this season. He's been brought in to more and more high-leverage situations, and he may wind up as the team's closer if his success continues. Manager Mike Matheny has said the Cardinals will, "figure it out as we go" which only makes things murkier.

For right now, there isn't a "must-own" bullpen arm in St. Louis, but for owners desperate for saves, either Oh or Lyons could be decent options, with Lyons getting a slight edge right now based on recent performance.

 

Colorado Rockies

The Rockies have relied on Greg Holland for their ninth inning leads all season. He was an elite closer for the first three months of the year, making all 29 non-Rockies team regret passing up on the chance to sign him in the offseason. All of a sudden, though, Holland has blown three saves in August and has struggled mightily in his last few outings. Over his last six appearances, Holland has a 21.60 ERA. Before that, he had a 1.56 ERA in 42 appearances.

While there hasn't been a move made just yet, Rockies manager Bud Black spoke after Holland's latest blown save led to a walk-off win for the Royals. When asked whether Holland would be given a break from closing, Black responded, “We will talk about it, but my initial instinct is to keep Greg where he is." So it seems Holland is safe for now, but another blown save or bad outing could change that instinct and shift things around, at least temporarily, in the Colorado bullpen. Pat Neshek would seem to be next in line for the ninth, and would be worth a pick up in most formats if he does indeed take over.

 

New York Yankees

In news-no-one-except-maybe-Joe-Maddon expected, Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman has been removed from his customary ninth inning role. Chapman hasn't been very good this year, with his 4.14 ERA being more than double what he's had in any year since 2013. His strikeouts are down, his walks are up, and he's already one more blown save away from tying his career high. Lucky for Yankees, they have plenty of capable closers in their bullpen.

While manager Joe Girardi has said he'll play match ups in the ninth inning for now, it seems like those match ups will usually end up favoring Dellin Betances and David Robertson. Chapman may still see some save chances when lefties are due up for the opposing team. Betances got the first chance post-Chapman and converted the save with two strikeouts in a scoreless inning. All of the Yankees potential closers should provide excellent ratios and occasional saves, but Betances seems like the one to own for now.

 

Odds and Ends

Cleveland Indians reliever Andrew Miller is back on the DL. After only two appearances since coming back from right knee patella tendinitis, Miller is right back on the shelf. This time around, he's unlikely to be rushed back and may not pitch again until the playoffs.

Baltimore Orioles closer Zach Britton did something he hadn't done in 60 save chances this week: he didn't deliver the Orioles a victory. Britton had been 60-for-60 in saves since his last blown save, but that ended on Wednesday. Hey, 60-for-61 isn't too bad.

Kansas City Royals closer Kelvin Herrera gave his team a bit of a scare when he experienced forearm tightness earlier this week. They soon after received good news though: Herrera isn't expected to miss any time because of it. If he aggravates the injury, Brandon Maurer would be next in line for saves.

The Los Angeles Angels bullpen continues to be extremely annoying for fantasy purposes. Bud Norris is back and apparently in the good graces of manager Mike Scioscia. Cam Bedrosian, the best pitcher in the Angels bullpen, was brought in to face the 8-9-1 hitters in the seventh inning in a game this week. Who knows what's going on in Anaheim at this point? Bedrosian still seems like the one to own, but perhaps not as strongly as last week.

 

Roster Moves of the Week

Adds

Seung Hwan Oh, Tyler Lyons, St. Louis Cardinals- Oh wasn't great this week, but he has the experience that a manager like Mike Matheny craves. Tyler Lyons, meanwhile, has been more than solid, but his ninth inning experience is limited. It'll be a committee for now, but one of these two will likely take over the role full time before too long.

Pat Neshek, Colorado Rockies- This is purely a speculative add, as Greg Holland hasn't been removed from the ninth inning yet. He's been struggling mightily though, and his manager's comments more or less implied that he may only have one more chance before a move is made. Neshek would be next up, and he'd be a solid fantasy closer if given the opportunity.

Drops

Trevor Rosenthal, St. Louis Cardinals- Rosenthal is undergoing Tommy John Surgery and won't pitch again for a year or maybe even until the 2019 season. He can be dropped in every conceivable fantasy format.

 

Best of the Week

 Sean Doolittle, Washington Nationals- 3 IP, 6 K, 3 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP

Nationals closer Sean Doolittle had a perfect week, facing nine batters across three games and retiring all nine. Six of them went down on strikeouts, as Doolittle earned three saves for his trouble.

Brad Ziegler, Miami Marlins- 3 IP, 1 K, 3 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP

Miami Marlins closer Brad Ziegler is suddenly just as hot as the Marlins. After a very rough start to the season, Ziegler has been great as the closer for the Fish. This week, he saved all three games he pitched in, allowing just two hits.

Corey Knebel, Milwaukee Brewers- 2 1/3 IP, 2 K, 3 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP

Brewers closer Corey Knebel makes his second straight appearance on the "Best of the Week" list. Knebel didn't even need to throw three full innings to earn three saves this week, as he earned a one-out save on Sunday. Knebel struck out two and allowed just one hit and one walk.

 

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