👉 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE SPRING
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


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.

Featured Promo: Save 50% the regular price with discount code SPRING, for a limited time. Exclusive access to our Team Sync platform, DFS cheat sheets, Lineup Optimizers, betting/prop picks, and exclusive content from Nick Mariano and Eric Cross! GAIN ACCESS NOW

 

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.

 

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Adds

 

Premium Tools & DFS Research

Get a free trial of our powerful MLB Premium Tools. Our famous DFS Optimizer & Lineup Generator, daily Matchup Ratings, expert DFS Lineups/Cheat Sheets, and more.

Sign Up Now!

 




RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

DJ Giddens

Does DJ Giddens Carry Dynasty Buy-Low Appeal into 2026?
AJ Barner

Enters 2026 as a Dynasty Sell-High Candidate
Josh Jacobs

Is Josh Jacobs at the Peak of His Dynasty Value?
CFB

Lincoln Riley Believes USC is Ready for Playoff Run
CFB

Notre Dame-Stanford Rivalry Renewed Through 2028
CFB

Ahmad Hardy Says He's "Back to the Road to Success"
CFB

Texas Tech Graduate Judge Recuses Himself from Brendan Sorsby Case
CFB

UCLA Tackle Jordan Davis Officially Eligible for 2026 Season
CFB

Bret Bielema Supports Significant College Football Playoff Expansion
Michael Wilson

Cardinals Interested in Inking Michael Wilson to a Long-Term Extension
Kyle Williams

Bulks Up, Ready to Make Year 2 Leap
Deshaun Watson

the First QB Up During OTA Drills on Wednesday
Quinshon Judkins

Taking Part in 11-on-11 Drills
Xavier Legette

Fighting for His Future in Carolina?
Brian Thomas Jr.

Jaguars Not Expected to Trade Brian Thomas Jr.
Rashod Bateman

Future in Baltimore is Bleak
Mark Andrews

Poised to Bounce Back in 2026?
Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Is Tyrone Tracy Jr. a Sneaky Dynasty Buy?
Chimere Dike

Dynasty Managers Compelled to Hold Chimere Dike?
Michael Thorbjornsen

Brings High Upside to CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Luke List

Carrying Poor Form Into CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Tom Kim

Hoping to Build on Strong Myrtle Beach Finish
PGA

Sungjae Im Brings Upside to TPC Craig Ranch
Billy Horschel

Looking for Turnaround at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Jameson Williams

a High-Ceiling Buy for Risk-Tolerant Dynasty Managers
Adam Hadwin

Difficult to Trust at TPC Craig Ranch
Chase Brown

a Short-term Dynasty Buy Whose Value Could Extend Beyond 2026
Tony Finau

Looking for Consistency at TPC Craig Ranch
J.K. Dobbins

Becoming an Underpriced Starting Running Back
Luke Clanton

Searching for Form at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Rome Odunze

Has Ambiguity Among Bears WRs Created Buying Opportunity for Rome Odunze?
Aaron Rai

Withdraws From CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Wyndham Clark

Can Wyndham Clark Find Form at CJ Cup?
Marvin Mims Jr.

Dynasty Value Hurt by Lack of a Defined Role
Si Woo Kim

Looks To Stay Hot at CJ Cup
James Harden

Struggles in Eastern Conference Finals Opener
Evan Mobley

Bags Second Consecutive Double-Double
Donovan Mitchell

Produces Top Two-Way Performance in Game 1 Loss
OG Anunoby

Plays Key Role in Comeback Win
Mikal Bridges

Remains Efficient in Game 1 Against Cavaliers
Karl-Anthony Towns

Extends Double-Double Streak to Four Games
Jalen Brunson

Leads Knicks to Historic Comeback Win
Scottie Scheffler

to Defend CJ Cup Byron Nelson Title This Week
Jordan Spieth

Looking For Victory at TPC Craig Ranch
PGA

Matti Schmid Looks to Keep Recent Momentum Going at TPC Craig Ranch
Brooks Koepka

a High-Upside Play at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles Offense to Borrow From Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay in 2026?
Taysom Hill

Saints Haven't Offered a Contract to Taysom Hill
Kayshon Boutte

Working Out Away From the Team
Yandy Díaz

Yandy Diaz Exits Early on Tuesday After Being Hit By Pitch
Dean Wade

Returns to Starting Unit Tuesday
OG Anunoby

Starting on Tuesday
Tobias Harris

May Remain in Motown
Jalen Duren

Pistons Eager to Keep Jalen Duren
Chris Kirk

Continues Search For Putting Form at TPC Craig Ranch
Dallas Mavericks

Jason Kidd Fired as Mavericks Head Coach
De'Aaron Fox

Officially Listed as Questionable for Game 2 Against Thunder
Rasmus Hojgaard

Looking to Shake Off Poor Major Showing at TPC Craig Ranch
Joel Dahmen

is of No DFS Consideration This Week in Dallas
Pierceson Coody

is Not The Fun DFS Play He Used to Be
Gerrit Cole

to Make Season Debut on Friday Against Rays
Drake Baldwin

Braves Place Drake Baldwin on Injured List With Oblique Strain
CFB

Ezavier Crowell has Immediate Opportunity at Alabama
CFB

Mark Bowman a Day 1 Impact Player for USC?
CFB

Bill Belichick Says Relationship with First North Carolina Team "Wasn't Great"
Alex Caruso

Erupts for 31 Points in Game 1 Loss to Spurs
CFB

Kemario Taylor a Breakout Candidate at Quarterback
Jalen Williams

Productive in Comeback Game
CFB

Trinidad Chambliss the Undisputed Top SEC Quarterback Entering 2026?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Records First Double-Double of Postseason
CFB

Rocco Becht The "Unifier" of Penn State's Roster
Stephon Castle

Opens Conference Finals With Double-Double
Dylan Harper

Makes Outstanding Two-Way Impact in Game 1 Win
Victor Wembanyama

Dominates Game 1 Against Thunder
Mattias Samuelsson

Picks Up an Assist in Season-Ending Loss
Rasmus Dahlin

Nets Fourth Postseason Goal
Jakub Dobes

Records 37 Saves in Game 7 Win
Lane Hutson

Contributes Power-Play Assist in Game 7 Victory
Nick Suzuki

Extends Road Point Streak
Alex Newhook

Scores Series-Clincher in Overtime
Jackson Holliday

Orioles Reinstate Jackson Holliday From Injured List on Monday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Braves Reinstate Ronald Acuna Jr. From Injured List on Monday
Jose Altuve

Astros Put Jose Altuve on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Larry Nance Jr.

is Questionable for Game 1 on Tuesday
OG Anunoby

is Probable for Tuesday's Game 1
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Set to Start Game 7
Corey Seager

Going on Injured List With Back Injury
Tage Thompson

Can Match Franchise Record With Another Multi-Point Game
Nick Suzuki

Seeks More Road Success Monday
Lane Hutson

Riding a Five-Game Assist Streak Into Game 7
Filip Gustavsson

Needs Offseason Surgery
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Reinstated and Starting on Monday Against Twins
Melquizael Costa

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 117
Arnold Allen

Bounces Back
Daniel Santos

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
MMA

Dohoo Choi Wins His Third Consecutive Fight
Malcolm Wellmaker

Suffers His Second Loss In A Row
Juan Diaz

Scores Second-Round Submission
Christian Edwards

Defeated At UFC Vegas 117
CFB

Transfer Running Back Arnold Barnes Visiting Iowa State on Monday
Modestas Bukauskas

Gets Split-Decision Win
Jhostynxon Garcia

Expected to Join the Pirates on Tuesday
Quinn Hughes

Open to Signing Extension This Offseason
Joel Eriksson Ek

Misses Second Round Due to Heel Injury
Jonas Brodin

Sits Out Round 2 Due to Toe Injury
Sam Malinski

Practices Fully Sunday
Josh Manson

Rejoins Practice
Colt Emerson

Mariners Promoting Top Prospect Colt Emerson to Major Leagues
Munetaka Murakami

Fantastic First Season Continues With Two More Homers
Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sanchez Dazzles With 13-Strikeout Complete Game on Saturday
Blake Snell

to Undergo Elbow Surgery on Tuesday
Clay Holmes

Could Miss Around Three Months
Jose Altuve

Exits After Swing
Corey Seager

Absent With Back Spasms on Saturday
Jeremy Lauzon

Misses Saturday's Practice
Mark Stone

Doesn't Practice Saturday
Josh Manson

Misses Practice, Considered Day-to-Day
Brent Burns

Day-to-Day Ahead of Conference Finals
Cale Makar

Considered Day-to-Day
Trevor Story

Hits the Injured List With Groin Injury
Blake Snell

Likely to Need Elbow Surgery
Kyle Schwarber

on a Heater, Hits Two More Homers to Take Major-League Lead
Clay Holmes

Suffers Fractured Fibula on Friday Night
Blake Snell

Heads to 15-Day Injured List
CFB

Julian Sayin Looking To Build Off Of Strong Debut Season
CFB

College GameDay Set for First Three Weeks
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Aiming For Ohio State Receiving Records
CFB

Keshaun Singleton Projects as Auburn's WR1
CFB

Jeremiah Cobb Impresses New Auburn Staff
CFB

Alberto Mendoza Very Likely to Start for Georgia Tech
CFB

Charles Woodson Jr. Commits to Michigan
Melquizael Costa

Set For UFC Vegas 117 Main Event
Arnold Allen

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 117
Daniel Santos

Set For UFC Vegas 117 Co-Main Event
MMA

Dohoo Choi Returns At UFC Vegas 117
Juan Diaz

Set To Make His UFC Debut
Malcolm Wellmaker

Looks To Bounce Back
Christian Edwards

Set For His UFC Debut
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column