RADIO
Is Joe Kelly a fantasy baseball waiver wire pickup for closers? Should you target Kelly as a free agent for saves on the waiver wire while Evan Phillips is out?
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-14+ Team Leagues / NL-Only Leagues
ROSTERED IN: 3% of Leagues
ANALYSIS: Los Angeles Dodgers closer Evan Phillips (hamstring) was placed on the 15-day injured list on Sunday with a Grade 1 hamstring injury. Although Phillips is expected to remain sidelined only for a minimum stint, several save opportunities will now be given to other members of the bullpen for the time being,
For those chasing saves Joe Kelly is worth adding in deeper 12-14+ team leagues and NL-only leagues, as he could see multiple save opportunities over the next two weeks. The 35-year-old has posted a 4.73 ERA and 1.35 WHIP across 13 ⅓ innings with 14 strikeouts. He has issued just five free passes.
There's a fine line between a Relief Pitcher and a Psychopath.
TBH, I'm not sure which side of that line Joe Kelly falls. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/Dk1l04cr5p
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 1, 2024
Kelly has only entered the game in the seventh and eighth innings, which suggests he may have a strong chance to receive ninth-inning duties. In addition, Kelly has totaled nine holds this season, which is the fifth most in baseball.
In shallow leagues, it may best to wait to see who Dave Roberts gives ninth-inning duties to before picking Kelly up, as Daniel Hudson, Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen are also candidates. However, in deeper leagues or NL-only formats, it may be savvy of you to get ahead of your league mates and grab the potential replacement closer in Los Angeles.
More Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups
Christian Moore - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 12)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-team leagues CALL-UP ETA: Now ANALYSIS: On Thursday evening, the Angels announced they were promoting their top-ranked prospect, infielder Christian Moore, to the major leagues. Moore was selected with the eighth pick in last year's draft out of Tennessee. Moore wasted little time making an impact as he made his Double-A debut […]
Andrew Painter - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 11)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-team leagues CALL-UP ETA: June ANALYSIS: Philadelphia Phillies right-handed pitching prospect Andrew Painter should continue to be viewed as a top stash option. After recovering from Tommy John and missing the entirety of the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Painter has returned to the bump this season and is fast approaching his MLB […]
Zebby Matthews - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 11)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ team leagues CALL-UP ETA: June ANALYSIS: Zebby Matthews was one of the most interesting pitching prospects coming into this season and delivered solid outings before going down with a shoulder injury. Matthews has not been particularly impressive in his two major league stints so far, but his minor league success and […]
Quinn Mathews - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 11)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ team leagues CALL-UP ETA: June ANALYSIS: St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Quinn Mathews was a popular name in this column during the opening month of the campaign, but suffered a shoulder injury. However, Mathews is back in action and remains on a trach to reach the majors this season. In his […]
Carson Whisenhunt - Fantasy Baseball Prospects Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 11)
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14-team leagues CALL-UP ETA: June ANALYSIS: San Francisco Giants left-handed pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt continues to impress at Triple-A and is quickly approaching his MLB debut. The top-ranked prospect in the system opened the campaign by earning his second look at Triple-A. In 2024, Whisenhunt made his Triple-A debut but struggled, logging […]
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!
