Closers and Saves Waiver Wire Report for Fantasy Baseball - Week 21

We're another week closer to the playoffs so fantasy and real life teams are starting to freak out just a bit. Five games back in July is still very much "in it" but those same five games back in September sure feels like being on the outside looking in. A few division races seem like […]

Fantasy Baseball Trade Targets - Buy/Sell For Week 21

Making the right trades can be crucial to championship success in fantasy baseball, almost as much as the draft, if not more. While most trades can have a significant impact on your fantasy team, it’s the deals where you acquire undervalued players and then see their production improve that can really tip the scales in […]

Fantasy Baseball Week 22 Injury News, Updates: Justin Verlander, Tony Gonsolin, Shane McClanahan and more

September is here. There are only about four to five weeks of regular season baseball left. Teams are jockeying for playoff positioning and hopefully, your fantasy teams are doing the same. With this limited time left, tough decisions must be made about cutting players who are injured to bring in healthy players to help your […]

Blake Treinen Activated From Injured List

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Blake Treinen (shoulder) was activated from the IL prior to Friday's game against the San Diego Padres. Treinen will likely make his return this weekend after missing almost five months with a right shoulder injury. On his rehab assignment, Treinen pitched to a 4.50 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with a […]

Tanner Houck Likely Having Back Surgery

Boston Red Sox right-handed pitcher Tanner Houck (back) is expected to have back surgery to repair a disc issue. Houck was expected to miss the rest of the 2022 season, but this news all but confirms that. Houck has been dealing with the issue since an IL stint in early August, and even when he […]

Norge Ruiz Blows Save, Hit With Loss

Oakland Athletics rookie right-hander Norge Ruiz blew the save against the Washington Nationals on Thursday and was charged with the loss in the 7-5 defeat when he allowed four runs (three earned) on two hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out one in two-thirds of an inning. The 28-year-old allowed a game-winning three-run […]

Felix Bautista Picks Up 11th Save

Baltimore Orioles reliever Felix Bautista pitched a scoreless ninth inning on Thursday to close out his team's 3-0 win over the Guardians. Despite walking the leadoff man, he was able to strike out a pair before getting Andres Gimenez to groundout to end the game and collect his 11th save of the season. Bautista has […]

Tylor Megill Pitches In Relief During Rehab Outing

New York Mets pitcher Tylor Megill (shoulder) struck out the side after entering in relief during a rehab outing with Double-A Binghamton on Thursday. With Carlos Carrasco (oblique) expected to return to the rotation on Sunday, Megill is expected to pitch out of the bullpen when he rejoins the Mets. The 27-year-old had been sidelined […]

Dodgers Have "Moderate Concern" About Brusdar Graterol

Los Angeles Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts said there's "moderate concern" regarding relief pitcher Brusdar Graterol's elbow injury. The hope is that he's able to return in middle to late September, but it's not an ideal situation given that he's already missed significant time over the last six weeks. The 24-year-old right-hander was placed on the […]

Cody Morris Called Up By Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians are calling up right-hander Cody Morris (shoulder) and infielder Ernie Clement as their September call-ups with rosters expanding on Thursday. Anthony Castro has been designated for assignment in a corresponding move. Morris, the team's No. 15 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was activated from the 60-day injured list and will be making his […]

Good Chance Tanner Houck Is Done For The Year

The Boston Red Sox are shutting right-hander Tanner Houck (back) down now, and there's "a good chance" he'll miss the rest of the 2022 season, according to skipper Alex Cora. The team scratched Houck from his scheduled live batting practice session on Tuesday due to continued back soreness, and there's just not enough time left […]

Josh Hader Converts A Save Wednesday

San Diego Padres relief pitcher Josh Hader actually locked down a save on Wednesday in the 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants. Hader gave up one hit and struck out one batter in the scoreless inning of work to pick up save No. 30 on the season. The 28-year-old southpaw has been absolutely atrocious […]

Carlos Martinez Suspended 85 Games

Free-agent right-hander Carlos Martinez has been suspended for 85 games, retroactive to June 19, for violating the league's joint domestic-violence, sexual-assault and child-abuse policy. It's been a bad year for Martinez, as he was also handed an 80-game suspension on May 27 for performance-enhancing drugs. The 30-year-old Dominican is unlikely to pitch in the big […]

Matthew Boyd Reinstated From Injured List

The Seattle Mariners reinstated relief pitcher Matthew Boyd (elbow) from the 60-day injured list on Thursday and recalled outfielder Taylor Trammell from Triple-A Tacoma with rosters expanding. Boyd will work exclusively in relief for the Mariners as he makes his 2022 debut in the big leagues. The 31-year-old left-hander had flexor tendon surgery last September […]

Tony La Russa To Be Out Indefinitely

Chicago White Sox skipper Tony La Russa will be out indefinitely while undergoing further testing with his personal doctors in Arizona. Bench coach Miguel Cairo will take over as the interim manager while La Russa is away. "We are going to keep him in our thoughts and hopefully everything is fine," Cairo said. La Russa […]

Phillies Acquire Vinny Nittoli From Blue Jays

The Philadelphia Phillies acquired right-handed reliever Vinny Nittoli from the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, and they plan to add him to their major league roster when rosters expand on Thursday, according to sources. It's unclear what Toronto received in return. Nittoli planned to opt out of his minor league deal on Wednesday, but the […]

Tyler Duffey Signs With Yankees

The New York Yankees signed free-agent relief pitcher Tyler Duffey to an undisclosed deal on Wednesday. Duffey had a 1.88 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in 24 innings for the Minnesota Twins in the shortened 2020 season. In 44 innings pitched for Minnesota earlier this year, Duffey went 2-4 with a 4.91 ERA (4.81 FIP), a […]

Daniel Bard Notches 28th Save Tuesday

Colorado Rockies closer Daniel Bard earned his 28th save of the season in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Braves. Bard came in to shut things down in the bottom of the ninth inning and did just that, delivering a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts. The veteran has been a consistent fantasy producer this season despite […]

Jordan Romano Earns 28th Save Of Season Tuesday

Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano picked up his 28th save of the season in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Cubs. Romano came in to pitch the ninth inning with a two-run lead. He got the first out on a flyout, hit a batter, but then got the final two outs on another flyout and […]

DL Hall Joining Taxi Squad Wednesday

Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect DL Hall will be flying to Cleveland on Wednesday to join the team's taxi squad, per MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson will also be joining him. Hall made his big-league debut in the middle of August, allowing five runs on five hits and three walks with six strikeouts through 3 […]

Diamondbacks Exercise Torey Lovullo's 2023 Option

The Arizona Diamondbacks exercised manager Torey Lovullo's option for the 2023 season on Tuesday, according to the team. Lovullo was hired as the skipper after the 2016 season, and he led the team to a 93-69 record and the top National League Wild-Card spot in his first year. They were swept by the Los Angeles […]

Tanner Houck Doesn't Throw Scheduled Live BP

Boston Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck (back) didn't throw live batting practice as scheduled Tuesday due to continued back soreness. He has been sidelined since August 9 with a disc issue in his back. The 26-year-old is "on hold" with continued back soreness. He has been solid this season, posting a 3.15 ERA and 1.18 […]

Phillies Sign Chris Devenski

The Philadelphia Phillies signed free-agent right-handed reliever Chris Devenski to a minor league deal on Tuesday. Devenski will report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He was an All-Star in 2017 with the Houston Astros, but he has struggled to stick in the major leagues the last three years. In the last two years with the Arizona […]

Chi Chi Gonzalez Signs With Yankees

The New York Yankees signed free-agent right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez to a minor league deal on Tuesday. It would be an understatement to say that Gonzalez has bounced around in 2022. The Yankees will be his fourth major league team after stops with the Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers. He's only thrown 18 […]

Jesse Chavez Back With The Braves

The Atlanta Braves claimed right-handed reliever Jesse Chavez off waivers on Tuesday from the Los Angeles Angels. Chavez was shipped to LA at the Aug. 2 trade deadline in the trade that sent reliever Raisel Iglesias to the Braves. Along with the Braves and Angels, Chavez has also spent time with the Chicago Cubs in […]

Aroldis Chapman Expected To Return This Season

The New York Yankees placed left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman (leg) on the 15-day injured list on Saturday due to a left leg infection that stemmed from a new tattoo that he recently got. Skipper Aaron Boone said the last 24 to 36 hours "have been a lot better for Chapman." The Yankees expect Chapman to […]

Craig Kimbrel Earns Shaky Win Monday

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Craig Kimbrel kept everyone on the edge of their seats, as he has for most of the season, in Monday's 3-2 extra-innings win over the Marlins. Kimbrel came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth with the game tied at two and got a quick 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts. […]

Jorge Lopez Earns 23rd Save Of Season Monday

Minnesota Twins closer Jorge Lopez picked up his 23rd save of the season in Monday's 4-2 win over the Red Sox. Lopez came in to close things out with a two-run lead and delivered a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout. Lopez has been both a true All-Star and a fantasy All-Star this season with both […]

Josh Hader Out As Closer For Now

San Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin said Monday that relief pitcher Nick Martinez is currently the team's preferred option at closer, per the Athletic's Dennis Lin. He also said that he would like to get Josh Hader back on track soon, perhaps through more consistent appearances. The Padres traded for Josh Hader at the deadline, […]

Nick Martinez Now The Preferred Closer For Padres

San Diego Padres manager Bob Melvin said Monday that relief pitcher Nick Martinez is currently the team's preferred option at closer, per the Athletic's Dennis Lin. The Padres traded for Josh Hader at the deadline, but he has completely collapsed since then. On the other hand, Martinez has pitched well all season both in the […]