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MLB Closers and Saves Report - Week 9

Another quiet week in the world of bullpens, and few fantasy owners will complain about that.

After a whirlwind of moves to start the season that lasted through most of April and May, it's been oddly comforting to have two weeks straight where bullpens allow us to relax.

But, as always, it wasn't a completely quiet week, so here is the news for Week 9:

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

 

Bullpen News for Week 9

San Diego Padres

Padres manager Andy Green said he would be using a committee in the ninth inning, playing matchups based on opposing batters. Brad Hand got two save chances in a row, leading people to think he was getting close to taking the ninth all for himself. Soon after that, though, Brandon Maurer showed up and got three straight saves. The committee remains, but while Hand seemed to be in the lead for a bit, Maurer looks like he's got the upper hand once again. Despite rough standard numbers (0-3, 5.73 ERA), Maurer has good peripherals (2.58 FIP, 24:4 K:BB) and should be able to hold down the closer's role if given the chance again. Still, Carter Capps is likely to get healthy at some point and he'll mix in for saves as well. For now, Maurer looks like the one to own in mixed leagues again, but Hand shouldn't be too far behind.

Los Angeles Angels

The Angels started the season with Cam Bedrosian as their closer. The thought was that he might hold things down until veteran Huston Street came back from an injury. Bedrosian started off the year excellently, making Angels fans hope he'd keep the job all season, healthy Street or otherwise. But then, Bedrosian got hurt and landed on the disabled list. He hasn't pitched since April 21, but he's finally on his way back. Street is on his way back too, and should rejoin the Angels bullpen before Bedrosian does. In the meantime, Bud Norris has reinvented himself as a closer and has pitched well, developing some mixed league value himself. Bedrosian is the best pitcher in the Angels bullpen though, and it shouldn't take too long, assuming he's healthy, for him to remind manager Mike Scioscia of that and reclaim the ninth inning. For right now, Norris is still the arm to own in Anaheim, but Bedrosian should be the best bet going into the summer.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates closer Tony Watson was pulling the opposite trick that Padres former closer Brandon Maurer pulled: while Maurer had bad results despite great peripherals, Watson was seeing great results despite poor peripherals. Things, as they say, ran their course seemingly for both relievers however. While Maurer has been pitching much better in San Diego, Watson has started to struggle in Pittsburgh. Watson is 4-1 with 10 saves and a 3.47 ERA despite a 5.14 FIP and a concerning 18:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He's an average reliever who is better against lefties, but not a guy you would normally choose to be a team's closer. Lurking in the eighth inning lately, however, is Felipe Rivero. Rivero, on the other hand, is the kind of guy you want to see as a team's closer. He's also left-handed, but unlike Watson, he can touch 100 mph with his fastball, has a 0.65 ERA and strikes out over a batter per inning while walking fewer than two. There haven't yet been any rumblings of a ninth inning shift in Pittsburgh, but a few more rough outing from Watson and continued success by Rivero may force manager Clint Hurdle's hand.

 

Roster Moves of the Week

Adds

Cam Bedrosian, Los Angeles Angels- In deep leagues and for teams with open roster spots only, Bedrosian is about as good a "wait-and-see" target as any. He was the closer, and did well, before getting hurt. The only guys standing is his way are Bud Norris (good this year as a closer, but still Bud Norris) and Huston Street (still Huston Street). Bedrosian is almost certain to lead the Angels in saves going forward, and he should be back from the disabled list soon.

Felipe Rivero, Pittsburgh Pirates- Another speculative add, Rivero may take over closing duties in Pittsburgh sometime this summer. Current closer Tony Watson likely has a rather long leash, but Rivero has far more upside than Watson. Watson's fantasy owners should definitely try to pick up Rivero as an excellent handcuff, but even non-Watson owners can hold him as a speculative source of saves while picking up a nice source of strikeouts in the meantime.

Drops

No drops this week, and no one was removed from their ninth inning role or taken out of a committee.

 

Best of the Week

Koda Glover- Washington Nationals- 3 1/3 IP, 5 K, 4 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP

Nationals closer Koda Glover was officially named closer last week. He proved that he probably should have been closer all year (when healthy) by having a perfect week, facing 10 batters and retiring them all, including five strikeouts. He picked up four saves along the way. He is currently only owned in 61 percent of fantasy leagues, so take a look at that waiver wire!

Roberto Osuna, Toronto Blue Jays- 3 1/3 IP, 6 K, 4 SV, 2.70 ERA, 0.60 WHIP

Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna didn't have the perfect week Koda Glover did, but he was great in his own right. Osuna picked up four saves as well, pitching 3 1/3 innings in four appearances and striking out six. His first three appearances were perfect, but he allowed a run on two hits in his most recent outing.

Craig Kimbrel, Boston Red Sox- 4 1/3 IP, 9 K, 3 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.23 WHIP

Cue "Don't You (Forget About Me)" for Kimbrel, who many left out of the top-tier of closers before this season started. This week, Kimbrel struck out nine of the fourteen batters he faced. The only one that got on base did so via walk, as Kimbrel did not allow any hits. He's been amazing this year, and should be one of the best closers in fantasy as the season continues.

 

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Adds

 

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