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Kent Shen profiles Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Anthony Swarzak as a waiver wire pickup or add target for Week 2 of the 2019 fantasy baseball season. An injury to incumbent closer Hunter Strickland and bullpen turmoil in Seattle make him a must add in all formats.
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OWNED IN: 32% of Leagues
ANALYSIS: Saves are more about opportunity than any other factor and Mariners relievers Anthony Swarzak just jumped up that list with Hunter Strickland out for a few months and the lack of great options in the Seattle bullpen. The first Mariner to get a crack at a save was Cory Gearrin and he promptly walked the bases loaded before giving way to Chasen Bradford. Gearrin doesn't have knockout stuff, holding K rates in the low-20s with a SIERA pushing four - hardly what you want in your closer. Make way for the veteran Swarzak.
Swarzak struggled last season with injuries but it's easy to forget he's just a year removed from a breakout season in which he posted a 30% K rate and 3.02 SIERA over 70 appearances. That's the kind of upside guys like Gearrin simply don't have. There's no guarantee this will work out but finding closers is all about taking chances on bullpen arms with the kind of opportunity Swarzak has right now, and for the low price of free, he's definitely worth the speculative waiver wire add in most leagues.
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