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


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Save Fallers: 2018 MLB Season Recap

The 2018 season has now come and gone (so sad!), so it is now time to dive into trends and projections for next season! A tough statistic to find trends on is saves, as a lot of success for closers comes from success from teams. There are also a lot of bullpens by committee these days, further stifling the value of closers.

That being said, only four of the pitchers that ranked in the top-10 in saves in 2017 followed up in 2018. One of those pitchers had a huge jump in saves, but Wade Davis, Craig Kimbrel, and Kenley Jansen were all relatively in similar positions for saves in each of the last two seasons. Most of the players that fell off of that list will be considered in this article.

Here is the list of the top save fallers from 2018.

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

 

SV Fallers of 2018

Greg Holland (RP, STL/WSH): SV Increase 2018(3)-2017(41) = -38

Relief pitcher Greg Holland was the top reliever in baseball while with the Royals, saving 93 games in 2013 and 2014 and maintaining a 1.32 ERA. Injury and inconsistency had Holland on the Rockies in 2017, where he saved 41 games and posted a decent 3.61 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. A part of a messy free agent market last winter, Holland ended up with the Cardinals, where it was expected that he would get a chance to close.

Holland took a while to get going for the Birds and, when he did, he was atrocious, posting a 7.92 ERA and walking 22 batters in 25 innings. He did not save a game for St. Louis, as Bud Norris and Jordan Hicks were the top options to end games, and he was shipped off to Washington by the end of the season. Holland did save three games in the Nation's capital, but his 38-save drop off was a massive loss for fantasy owners.

Holland finished the year strong (0.84 ERA in 21 1/3 innings with the Nats) and could be a closer option for needy teams. If Holland lands in the right situation, like he hoped he had in St. Louis to start the 2018 season, he could be a top-10 RP once again. Teams like the Diamondbacks or Angels will likely be interested in the 32-year-old.

Alex Colome (RP, SEA): SV Increase 2018(12)-2017(47) = -35

In 2017, Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Alex Colome was the closer for the Rays and led baseball with 47 saves. He had a worse season than 2016 in most statistical categories (mainly his ERA going from 1.91 to 3.24 and his strikeouts going from 11.3 to 7.8 per nine), but his saves were up from 37 to 47 year over year. The only reason that any fantasy owners would have been down on Colome to start the season was that he only had two years of closer's experience.

Then 2018 happened: he started the season with 11 saves in Tampa Bay and then was part of a trade with Denard Span to the Mariners. Colome was good for the Mariners, going 5-0 with a 2.53 ERA and 1.04 WHIP, but he lost the closer's role once he moved to the Pacific Northwest. He did end up saving one game with the M's, to finish with 12 saves for the season, but that is nowhere near what was expected of him.

Colome will be a non-factor for fantasy owners in the future, as Edwin Diaz is the closer for the Mariners. Any value would come from if he is traded.

Brandon Kintzler (RP, CHC/WSH): SV Increase 2018(2)-2017(29) = -27

A middle reliever for the majority of his career, reliever Brandon Kintzler got an opportunity for saves with the Twins in 2016 and 2017. After saving 17 games for the Twins in 2016, he saved another 28 in 2017 before being traded to the Nationals (where he saved one game). Coming into 2018, there was a small chance that he would be in line for saves, but there was some hope for fantasy owners considering Sean Doolittle's injury history.

Unfortunately, Kintzler did not get many opportunities, converting two saves during the 2018 season. He pitched to a 3.59 ERA in 42 2/3 innings with the Nats before being traded to the Cubs to close out the season. Kintzler was not a shot in the arm for the Cubbies, as he had a 7.00 ERA in 18 innings and will likely not pitch high-leverage innings going forward.

Kintzler will be a non-factor for fantasy owners in the future, as Wade Davis is the closer for the Cubs and Kintzler was just re-signed by Chicago. Any value would come from if he is traded.

Corey Knebel (RP, MIL): SV Increase 2018(16)-2017(39) = -23

Milwaukee Brewers reliever Corey Knebel was a big part of the success for the 2017 Brewers, as he pitched in a league-high 76 games and had a 1.78 ERA. He also had 39 saves, struck out 126 batters in 76 innings, and allowed just 48 hits. There were some inquiries on if he was a big-time closer, as he had a 4.03 ERA and two career saves coming into 2017, but the Brewers had spent big and Knebel looked like a potential top-five RP.

There was a top-five RP in Milwaukee in 2018, but it was not Knebel, who had a 3.58 ERA in 55 1/3 innings. He did save 16 games, though, and saw his walk rate go from 4.7 per nine to 3.6 per nine, seeing his WHIP go from 1.16 to 1.08. As with a lot of bullpen situations, there was just another guy that was able to put up better numbers, particularly a lefty that whiffed 143 batters in 81 1/3 innings.

Knebel will likely be a non-factor for fantasy owners in the future, as Josh Hader is the top reliever for the Brewers and Jeremy Jeffress also had 15 saves last season. Hader could be used as more of a fireman, so there is some chance that Knebel does get 20-25 saves, but that limits his value. The most value would come from if he is traded.

Fernando Rodney (RP, MIN/OAK): SV Increase 2018(25)-2017(39) = -14

Relief pitcher Fernando Rodney is the very definition of well-traveled and has saved at least 30 games for four different teams. In 2017, his port of choice was Arizona and he saved 39 games with a 4.23 ERA. This came after he saved 25 games with the Padres and Marlins in 2016 and his 0.31 ERA in the first half of 2016 coupled with his 39 saves in 2017 made fantasy owners consider him for 2018 with the Twins.

When he came to the Twins, he saved 25 games and pitched to a 3.09 ERA while punching out 10.3 batters per nine. These were solid tallies, but the Twins fell out of contention and Rodney was traded to the Athletics. With Oakland, Rodney was moved into a setup role and was without a save for the remainder of the season, pitching to a 3.92 ERA with the Athletics in 20 2/3 innings.

Rodney will be a non-factor for fantasy owners in the future, as Blake Treinen is the closer for the Athletics and Rodney just re-signed with Oakland. Any value would come from if he is traded.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Wendell Carter Jr.36 mins ago

Out Against Lakers
Anthony Davis54 mins ago

Available Versus Magic On Thursday
Rui Hachimura1 hour ago

Unavailable Thursday
Carlos Ulberg2 hours ago

Looking To Cement Himself As A Title Contender At UFC Macau
Volkan Oezdemir2 hours ago

Eyes Another Knockout At UFC Macau
Gabriella Fernandes2 hours ago

A Big Underdog At UFC Macau
MMA2 hours ago

Cong Wang Puts Undefeated Record On The Line At UFC Macau
Deiveson Figueiredo2 hours ago

Looks To Extend Win Streak At UFC Macau
Petr Yan2 hours ago

A Favorite At UFC Macau
Yves Missi2 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
CJ McCollum2 hours ago

Not Likely To Play Friday
Alexander Mattison3 hours ago

Zamir White Miss Practice Again
Brandon Ingram3 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Shohei Ohtani3 hours ago

Named National League MVP In 2024
Aaron Judge3 hours ago

Wins American League MVP Award
Ja'Kobe Walter3 hours ago

Ready To Go Thursday
Donte DiVincenzo3 hours ago

Available Thursday
Mike Conley3 hours ago

Will Not Play Thursday
Jordan Clarkson3 hours ago

Sits Out Thursday's Game
Ausar Thompson4 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Zach Collins4 hours ago

Cleared To Play Thursday
Domantas Sabonis4 hours ago

Gets Through Full Practice
Chris Paul4 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
Brock Purdy4 hours ago

Limited Again On Thursday
Malik Monk4 hours ago

Making Progress
George Kittle4 hours ago

Limited Again On Thursday
Tre Mann4 hours ago

Good To Go On Thursday
Miles Bridges4 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Vince Williams Jr.4 hours ago

Out At Least A Month
Scottie Barnes4 hours ago

Returning On Thursday
Alex Ovechkin4 hours ago

To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Fractured Fibula
Paul George4 hours ago

Out At Least Two Games
Aaron Gordon4 hours ago

Availability In Question For Friday
Zach Hyman5 hours ago

Expected To Miss 4-7 Days
Kent Johnson5 hours ago

Back For Blue Jackets Thursday
Yaroslav Askarov5 hours ago

Makes Sharks Debut Thursday
Jalen Hurts5 hours ago

Practices In Full On Thursday
Mikael Granlund5 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
Alexandar Georgiev5 hours ago

Returns To Action Versus Capitals
TB5 hours ago

Nicholas Paul Will Miss Thursday's Game
Frederik Andersen5 hours ago

To Miss 8-12 Weeks
Jake Ferguson5 hours ago

Still Not Practicing
Sam LaPorta5 hours ago

Looking Good For A Week 12 Return
Sam Darnold6 hours ago

Upgrades To Full Participation, On Track To Play
Isiah Pacheco6 hours ago

Remains Limited On Thursday
D'Andre Swift6 hours ago

Upgrades To Limited Participant On Thursday
CeeDee Lamb6 hours ago

Sidelined During Thursday's Practice
Ladd McConkey6 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Thursday
Mike Evans6 hours ago

Logs Full Practice On Thursday
DeVonta Smith7 hours ago

Misses Another Practice
Cody Bellinger8 hours ago

Cubs Looking To Trade Cody Bellinger?
Brandin Cooks8 hours ago

Preparing To Play In Week 12
CeeDee Lamb8 hours ago

Not Seen At Thursday's Practice
8 hours ago

Blake Snell Has Met With Red Sox, Dodgers
Aaron Rodgers9 hours ago

Jets Owner Suggested Benching Aaron Rodgers
Mike Evans10 hours ago

Practicing Again On Thursday
Chandler Stephenson11 hours ago

Registers Three Assists Versus Predators
Jason Robertson12 hours ago

Totals Three Points In Wednesday's Win
Nils Lundkvist12 hours ago

Exits Early With A Lower-Body Injury
Matthew Knies12 hours ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury
Mikael Granlund12 hours ago

Exits Late With Injury Wednesday
Patrik Laine12 hours ago

Returns To Practice
Chris Sale23 hours ago

Wins National League Cy Young Award
Tarik Skubal24 hours ago

Wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
Austin Eckroat1 day ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English1 day ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin1 day ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy1 day ago

Returns to The RSM Classic
Josh Jacobs1 day ago

Limited With Multiple Injuries
DeVonta Smith1 day ago

Misses Practice On Wednesday
Seth Jones1 day ago

Expected To Miss Four Weeks
Sam Darnold1 day ago

Limited With Foot Injury
Max Domi1 day ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Jalen Hurts1 day ago

Limited On Wednesday
Connor Ingram1 day ago

Out Day-To-Day With An Upper-Body Injury
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen1 day ago

Returns To Action Versus Kings
Alex Tuch1 day ago

Available Wednesday
Tage Thompson1 day ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Jordan Eberle1 day ago

To Remain Out On Wednesday
Ludvig Aberg1 day ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Si Woo Kim1 day ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy1 day ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole1 day ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
2 days ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers2 days ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
2 days ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Jose Siri2 days ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
2 days ago

Phillies To Meet With Juan Soto
2 days ago

Luis Severino Rejects Qualifying Offer From Mets
2 days ago

Willy Adames Declines Brewers Qualifying Offer
2 days ago

Teoscar Hernandez Declines Qualifying Offer From Dodgers
2 days ago

Juan Soto Declines Yankees' Qualifying Offer
Luis Gil3 days ago

Wins AL Rookie Of The Year Award
Paul Skenes3 days ago

Named 2024 NL Rookie Of The Year
Brady Singer3 days ago

Reds, Royals Discussing Jonathan India, Brady Singer
3 days ago

Sean Manaea To Reject Mets' Qualifying Offer
3 days ago

Braves Have Interest In Walker Buehler
3 days ago

Astros Interested In Willy Adames
Charles Oliveira3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler3 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva3 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy3 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
James Llontop4 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig4 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal4 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic4 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss
Jon Jones4 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC 309 To Defend Heavyweight Title

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Week 12 Predictions: Picks and Analysis for Every Game Including Thursday Night Football

After some high-octane matchups over the last couple of Thursday nights, Week 12 kicks off in a more old-school fashion with a classic rivalry game between the Steelers and Browns. There are some fun matchups on this Week 12 slate, however, "Bye-Mageddon" certainly does take a little of the sizzle away, as six teams will […]


TJ Watt - IDP, Pittsburgh Steelers, DST, Defense, Fantasy Football Def

Week 12 Fantasy Football Team Defense Rankings: Steelers D/ST, Chiefs D/ST, Vikings D/ST, Eagles D/ST, Commanders D/ST, Texans D/ST, Broncos D/ST

Fantasy football defenses are largely matchup-dependent, so many fantasy managers opt to stream a different defense each week. If you're in that boat, use our Week 12 fantasy football defense (D/ST) rankings for 2024 to find the top available option. There are just three weeks of the fantasy football regular season left, so it's never […]


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Steelers vs. Browns TNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Jameis Winston, Nick Chubb, David Njoku, Jerry Jeudy, Russell Wilson, Najee Harris, George Pickens

The Week 12 TNF game between two bitter AFC North rivals (Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers) is not likely to end up like the Thursday night game from two weeks ago when two different AFC North teams (Bengals and Ravens) battled to a 35-34 shootout. Somewhere deep in the charter of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I […]


DJ Moore - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Deebo Samuel, D.J. Moore, Jerry Jeudy, Jonathon Brooks, Jauan Jennings, Tank Dell

Many fantasy managers are in must-win situations down the stretch, so it's never been more important to ace your start-or-sit calls. Our Week 12 TNF fantasy football overall rankings for 2024 are here to help. Ahead of the critical Week 12 slate of action, let's find out where players on the start-sit bubble such as […]


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football FLEX Rankings (RB, WR, TE) - Week 12 Thursday Updates for Chuba Hubbard, Calvin Ridley, Cedric Tillman, Jonnu Smith, Austin Ekeler

It's always tough to compare two flex options at different positions, but bye weeks and key injuries have made those start-sit decisions even tougher. We're here to help guide you with your lineup calls with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2024. Navigate the rankings below to find out where top flex […]


Tua Tagovailoa - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Superflex 2QB Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Tua Tagovailoa, Bo Nix, Russell Wilson, Austin Ekeler, Jayden Reed

Time is running out to collect "Ws" before the fantasy football playoffs begin, and if you need assistance, our Week 12 fantasy football Superflex rankings (2QB) for fantasy football can assist your start-or-sit efforts. Let's get to it! To begin Week 12 preparation, let's dig into the rankings to find out where key Superflex options […]


Bucky Irving - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Running Back Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday RB Updates for Jonathon Brooks, J.K. Dobbins, Bucky Irving, Najee Harris, Kareem Hunt

We're onto Week 12 of the NFL campaign, which can only mean the fantasy football playoffs are just ahead. Whether you're at the top of your league standings, fighting for a playoff spot, or are just trying to play spoiler, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football running back rankings for 2024 are here to help you […]


Cedric Tillman - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

TNF Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday WR Updates for Cedric Tillman, Jauan Jennings, Josh Downs, Jerry Jeudy, DJ Moore

At the wide receiver spot especially, bye weeks and injuries are major factors in Week 12. If you don't have an excess of must-start WRs and need help identifying the top available options, we're here to help with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2024. Let's dive in below to see […]


Jonnu Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Tight End Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday TE Updates for George Kittle, David Njoku, Will Dissly, Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry

In most leagues, only three weeks of the fantasy football regular season remain. If you desperately need a win to clinch a first-round bye or quality for the playoffs, use our Week 12 TNF fantasy football tight end rankings to help you with tough start-or-sit calls at the challenging TE spot. Ahead of the critical Week […]


Tommy DeVito- Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Not All Heroes...Play On Good Teams - Giants, Patriots, and Cowboys Fantasy Football Outlooks

It's well-known at this point that good offenses can help their players light up the scoreboards in fantasy football leagues. The mantra "trust in good players on good offenses" rings true, and some of the best seasons in fantasy football history have been aided by things like good playcalling and a good supporting cast. The […]


Baker Mayfield - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

TNF Quarterback Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday QB Updates for Anthony Richardson, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Bo Nix, C.J. Stroud

It's a critical week for fantasy football, as the playoffs are just around the corner. If you need help to nail your optimal lineups this week, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football quarterback rankings for 2024 are here to assist. Ahead of the all-important Week 12 slate, let's navigate the rankings below and find out […]


Jaylen Waddle - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Jaylen Waddle Fantasy Football Outlook - What's Wrong With Waddle?

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was widely pushed as a potential league-winner in fantasy football in 2024 due to a variety of factors. The explosiveness and big-play ability of the Dolphins offense, the good play of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and his talent were a few of them. It's not worked out that way. It's […]


Isiah Pacheco - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Running Backs

Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Week 12 Updates for Isiah Pacheco, Tyreek Hill, Mike Evans, Jalen Hurts, CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Hurts, George Kittle, Calvin Ridley, more

Week 12 of the NFL's 2024 slate is coming up, and as the fantasy football playoffs draw closer, it's becoming more important than ever to stay ahead of injury news for key players. Leaving a hurt player in your lineup can result in disaster. The author of this article missed out on the fantasy playoffs […]