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All offseason long in fantasy baseball articles, podcasts, and radio shows, you hear about clarity with bullpens. We may not know who exactly is going to get the bulk of save chances, but the belief is that once the season starts playing out, we will get answers and know who is getting those valuable opportunities. Then, the season starts to unfold and we are often left with just as many closer questions as we were coming into the season.
If you are a seasoned fantasy baseball player, you know this by now. Some teams will give us clarity, while injuries or down performances often lead to more questions with some bullpens. This season is no different. While we have gained answers with some bullpens, the closer carousel continues to spin with others.
Let's try to make sense of the many changes we have seen teams undergo in just a short span since the season started!
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Changing Bullpens for Fantasy Baseball
The Rangers have been maybe the most fluid bullpen in the game so far. Originally, Jose Leclerc was their closer, but after some struggles, he has been removed from the role and instead will pitch in middle relief for the time being. That leaves David Robertson and Kirby Yates as the top options. Last week, I recommended Robertson, who I do believe is the best arm in this pen, but the Rangers opted to keep using him in the setup role. At least on Monday night, they did. The save went to Yates, his first of the season. Yates clearly needs to be rostered and started everywhere and if he is still on your wire, I would look to spend up to 15 percent to nab him. Robertson is worth a pickup as well as he could see save chances. At the very least, he provides strong ratios and strikeout numbers. Leclerc is worth holding onto if you have the roster spot, as we could see him work his way back into the save picture once he is right.
James McArthur seemingly has locked up the closer gig for the Royals. He has picked up three of their five saves this season, including three of the four since he picked up his first save on April 5. He has not allowed a run in that span and has struck out 36 percent of batters faced with just a 5 percent walk rate and a 0.88 WHIP. Those are elite numbers on a Royals team that keeps on winning. McArthur is a must-start option with team-altering potential if he keeps this up. Chris Stratton appears next in line if anything should happen to him.
The Phillies have been a tough bullpen to figure out for a couple of seasons now and nothing seems to be changing in 2024. They have four pitchers who have picked up a save and only Jose Alvarado has multiple, but he last picked up a save on April 6. This is an all-out committee with Alvarado, Jeff Hoffman, and Gregory Soto all in the mix for saves. To make matters more confusing, Seranthony Dominguez is also working in the late innings. It is a mess. But on a team that should win a lot of games, it is a bullpen worth chasing. While I still believe Alvarado is the top option, he is rostered in many leagues. That means you can grab Hoffman or Soto (I would do so in that order) for cheap off the waiver wire, and potentially land a couple of saves out of it. It is a savvy way to find cheap saves until one fully takes over -- if we even ever get to that point.
It is hard to pick up saves on a team that rarely wins. It is even harder when the bullpen is given a lead but simply cannot hold on. That has often been the case this season for the Marlins. Tanner Scott has their lone save, but he also has a 4.70 ERA, 1.83 WHIP, and a walk rate that is nearly eight percentage points higher than his strikeout. Yes, that is bad. Scott blew his first save over the weekend against the Braves, allowing a three-run homer to Marcell Ozuna for his third loss of the season. You have to believe the leash is short, but until we see him replaced from the gig, you should not drop Scott. But if changes are coming, the top backup options are Anthony Bender and Andrew Nardi. Both have an ERA over 5.00 but with swing-and-miss stuff. I lean toward Bender, who has picked up saves for the Marlins in the past. Stash him for cheap off the waiver wire if you need saves.
The White Sox have their guy in Michael Kopech. The flamethrower has moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen and has been close to lights out. He has pitched to a 1.93 ERA and 3.18 xERA with a 37 percent strikeout rate and 1.18 WHIP. Not only should he provide saves, but plenty of strikeouts and good ratios. Walks are his one downside. He will also go multiple innings at times. Kopech is a must-start reliever and could change the landscape of your team if things break right for him.
Michael Kopech, Flames. 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/7e3FqhEpAF
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 16, 2024
Speaking of high expectations, I put the highest on the A’s new closer, Mason Miller, comparing him to a stud this week on RotoBaller Radio on Sirius XM. Not only has he picked up all three of Oakland’s saves, but he has been elite doing so. He has a 2.25 ERA, 1.15 xERA, 1.13 WHIP, and has struck out 46 percent of the batters he has faced. He’s also gone multiple innings in a third of his appearances. That is why I said on the show this weekend that he could be similar to early career Josh Hader. A pitcher who provides elite numbers, can go multiple innings, and will get save chances. Even 75 percent of what Hader was then will more than get the job done.
Mason Miller, 102mph Fastball and 89mph Slider, Individual Pitches + Overlay.
There's no planet where that's fair. pic.twitter.com/YcGQuOecMy
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 14, 2024
Speculative Saves for Fantasy Baseball
The Twins have had three different pitchers record a save and none has more than one. That is a mess for fantasy baseball purposes. Griffin Jax still seems to be the one they turn to the most in save chances, but after blowing his latest opportunity this weekend, we will need to monitor this bullpen very closely in the coming days and weeks. Jax is still the one I want the most, but he is on a lot of rosters already. Steven Okert, Cole Sands, and Brock Stewart -- in that order -- are all arms you can nab for cheap in case Jax falters.
The Mariners have a closer committee with Ryne Stanek and Andres Munoz each recording two saves already. Over the weekend, Mike Lefko from 710 AM ESPN in Seattle joined us on RotoBaller Radio and said he expects this committee to continue as Seattle likes having options and being able to play matchups. However, he did have a slight lean toward Stanek as to who could finish with more saves. Both should be rostered and started as long as they are getting save chances.
We were also joined this weekend by Derek Togerson, who is the lead Padres reporter for NBC 7 in San Diego. He waxed poetically about Robert Suarez and his high velocity out of the bullpen. Suarez was hand-picked by the Padres to replace Hader and should have a long leash, according to Togerson. But if anything should happen? He believes Yuki Matsui would be next in line. In 10 appearances, Matsui has pitched to a 0.93 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, and while the strikeout rate sits at just 14 percent, Togerson expects it to rise. Matsui is a sneaky option for ratios who could find himself closing games in San Diego if Suarez was to ever miss time.
This is Yūki #Matsui 😂👊🏻💛🤎 pitching sequence : 92.2 mph fastball - 79 mph sweeper - 85.2 slider !! pic.twitter.com/8grCIhrjsI
— Joseph Kim (@blackwings2011) April 13, 2024
Elite Strikeouts and Ratios
Hunter Gaddis is a setup man for the Guardians. Now, the issue is he is pitching behind one of the most established closers in the game in Emmanuel Clase. But, he has yet to allow a run this season, a 1.53 xERA, 0.78 WHIP, 38 percent strikeout rate, just a 7 percent walk rate, and .154 average against. He provides elite strikeouts and ratios and would be next in line along with Scott Barlow if anything should happen to Clase, per Jensen Lewis, Guardians analyst for Bally Sports Cleveland who joined us on RotoBaller Radio this weekend.
Don't think, throw hard: How Hunter Gaddis has become a crucial part of Guardians bullpen https://t.co/mYMGzbo6eN
— Record-Courier (@RecordPub) April 16, 2024
From one Hunter to another, Hunter Harvey will always be a favorite of mine for this portion of the article. He has pitched to a 3.12 ERA, 2.04 xERA, and 1.04 WHIP with a whopping 42 percent strikeout rate and just a 3 percent walk rate. Not only does he provide elite ratios and strikeouts, but he is next in line for saves in Washington. If Kyle Finnegan misses time, struggles, or eventually is traded, Harvey’s fantasy value will shoot up. So, why wait when he can be a useful piece to you right now?
Fernando Cruz has the second-highest strikeout rate amongst all qualified relievers right now at 52 percent, behind only Craig Kimbrel (54 percent). Cruz has pitched to a 2.70 ERA, 0.67 xERA, and 0.60 WHIP while allowing just a .045 batting average against. His lone weakness has been walks. But the strikeouts and ratios are elite and he can help you manage them early on.
Adam Ottavino has low-key struck out 48 percent of the batters he has faced, the third best amongst relievers. He has a 2.57 ERA, 1.65 xERA, 0.57 WHIP, and has not walked a batter. He is also next in line for saves in the Mets bullpen. He is a sneaky add to help your ratios right now.
Make sure to follow Michael on X, @MichaelFFlorio.
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