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A couple of major injuries have shaped this weeks closer news, while most of the elite ninth-inning arms just keep on dominating. Veteran closer Rafael Soriano has been signed and could add some value off the waiver wire in the near future.
Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options for pitchers, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily.
Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances (NYY)
Major news out of the big apple, where one of the best closers in the game, Andrew Miller, has been put on the DL and is expected to miss around a month. This gives possibly the best set up man in the league, Betances, the chance to close games for a while. In 33.1 innings this year, Betances has 55 strikeouts and has only given up one run. Just unreal numbers so far.
Since he has been so dominant this year even without getting save opportunities, he's owned in 88% of ESPN leagues. If for whatever reason he's still available, go ahead and scoop him up immediately, as he's sure to be one the best relief options until Miller returns.
Tyler Clippard (OAK)
Projected closer Sean Doolittle has officially been placed on the 60-day DL meaning Clippard will remain the A's closer for the time being. There have also been recent reports that teams including the Nationals and Jays are interested in trading for Clippard. To me a trade to either of these teams would increase his value as they are better teams which would improve his save opportunities.
I still think he's a solid waiver wire option with the knowledge that Doolittle isn't close to coming back at this point. At only 52.6% owned in ESPN leagues, he's still available for a lot of owners.
Carson Smith (SEA)
Last week we discussed Smith as a nice waiver wire option and he was in fact thrown into the closer role. He gave up earned runs in each of his last two appearances, while former closer Fernando Rodney has looked solid in non-save outings. This has led to rumblings that Rodney could be back in the closer spot sooner than many think.
Smith is still at a low 28.7% owned so he's worth keeping an eye on in his next couple of outings. If he can put together some dominating performances to keep the closer role he is certainly a solid option to pick up off the waiver wire.
Rafael Soriano (CHC)
Veteran reliever Soriano signed a minor league deal with the Cubs and is expected to be brought up to the big leagues in the near future. While there is not an exact date yet, he is certainly a player to keep an eye on. When he is brought up, one would expect that he will be put into the closer role pretty quickly. Soriano has 207 career saves and will look to add more to his total this season. Definitely keep an eye on the transaction reports because he'll be a great waiver wire option once he's promoted to big leagues.
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