While holds are even tougher to predict than saves, the players we’ll highlight today include some elite setup men that have proven to be closer candidates to target off the waiver wire for Week 14 of the fantasy baseball season.

The more likely a team is to win, the more likely a pitcher will be eligible to earn the holds that could be the difference between winning or losing in your fantasy league. Bear in mind, an effective relief pitcher highlighted today could find himself in a closer's role if the everyday closer is unavailable or recently ineffective.

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Kelvin Herrera, Kansas City Royals

0 Saves, 21 Holds, 1.82 ERA, 39. 2 IP, 52 K, 0.91 WHIP

If this reliever is not on a fantasy team already, pick him up right now! Come back and read about why it was such a good pickup though. With Kansas City Royals closer Wade Davis on the disabled list, Kelvin Herrera is more than capable of being the Royals closer. With a WHIP under 1.00 and a K/9 approaching 12.0, this All-Star is one of the elite setup relievers and those numbers generally translate well in the ninth inning. Herrera generates 45.2% of batted balls on the ground. With his power fastball at 97.3 MPH, slider at 83.3 MPH and changeup at 89.1 MPH, Herrera is a dominant reliever. Davis will reclaim his role when he returns but Herrera may even be a better fantasy pickup than Davis, so enjoy him while you have him. If you like the strikeouts and scoreless innings, hold onto him even when Davis returns.

Brandon Maurer, San Diego Padres

1 Save, 13 Holds, 5.67 ERA, 39.2 IP, 49 K, 1.41 WHIP

With Fernando Rodney shipped out to Miami, Brandon Maurer will be the first in line for the saves on the San Diego Padres. While the bloated ERA is alarming, there is a silver lining to his fantasy value as he averages more than a strikeout per inning. Utilizing a fastball at 95.3 MPH and a slider at 84.4 MPH, Maurer figures to find some success in the save opportunities he receives. Maurer benefits from calling the spacious Petco Park home so if you sorely need a closer who is fairly secure in his job, Maurer is your man.

Tony Cingrani, Cincinnati Reds

10 Saves, 7 Holds, 3.20 ERA, 39.1 IP, 28 K, 1.25 WHIP

The Cincinnati Reds are bad and the pitching staff as a whole is really bad. With that said, after blowing four saves from April to May; Tony Cingrani has blown only one save in seven opportunities since June 1. Opponents are hitting .201 against Cingrani this year and it is a reverse split as righties (.195) are hitting worse than lefties (.211). Utilizing a fastball at 93.8 MPH and a slider at 80.5 MPH, Cingrani is finding success as a lone bright spot in an otherwise abysmal bullpen. With a rebuilding team, expect wins to be far and few between but also expect wins to be close. With close wins, closers get save opportunities and that is where Cingrani will shine for the Reds and your fantasy team as a waiver wire pickup.

Carlos Estevez, Colorado Rockies

4 Saves, 9 Holds, 4.30 ERA, 29.1 IP, 31 K, 1.23 WHIP

Despite returning from the disabled list, Jake McGee is not guaranteed to reclaim his closer's role. Carlos Estevez converted four saves in five opportunities when McGee went down so the Rockies have good reason to stick with him. Opponents are hitting .213 against Estevez and his 97.1 MPH fastball. It's too soon to say Estevez has run away with the closer job but for now, if you picked up Estevez in McGee's absence, hold onto him and continue watching him blow batters away with his power fastball. It's rare that a pitcher can be effective at the hitter-friendly Coors Field but Estevez has fared well to this point. Pick up Estevez in fantasy if you need saves because he earned his role in the ninth inning of Rockies wins.

Brandon Kintzler, Minnesota Twins

4 Saves, 1 Hold, 2.19 ERA, 24.2 IP, 16 K, 0.89 WHIP

The Twins are not doing well this year as they endure numerous injuries and ineffectiveness. With closer Glen Perkins done for the year and Kevin Jepsen so ineffective he was designated for assignment, Brandon Kintzler has emerged as the closer for the Twins. With a career 6.6 K/9, Kintzler will not strike out a lot of batters but his game relies on the ground. With his 92.7 MPH sinker, Kintzler generates 65.3% of batted balls on the ground. He will get saves but he will not wow you with strikeouts or maintain a low WHIP as even the best ground ball pitcher can be snake-bitten by some seeing-eye singles and poor defensive positioning. If you have a good core of strikeouts from your other pitchers, pickup Kintzler for saves.

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