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
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Bullpen Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 20

With the trade deadline in the rear-view mirror, buyers and sellers have made the moves to thrust their team in their respective directions. 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 20 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.

Editor's Note: Purchase a full season NFL Premium Pass (including Draft Kit + DFS Premium), and also get MLB Premium + DFS for free through October. Premium DFS lineup picks, expert lineups, tools and more - seven days a week. You can see screenshots of our NFL Premium and MLB Premium and DFS tools. What are you waiting for?

 

Week 20 Bullpen Targets

Tyler Thornburg, Milwaukee Brewers

4 Saves, 20 Holds, 2.03 ERA, 48.2 IP, 66 K, 0.90 WHIP

The Milwaukee Brewers closer is having a fantastic season. The ninth inning role was more than deserved. Opponents are hitting .163 against Thornburg and he is having a career year as his hits per nine innings (5.2) is considerably better than his career average (7.2) and his strikeouts per nine innings (12.2) is exceptionally high compared to his career average (8.8). Utilizing a 94.1 MPH fastball and 78.7 MPH curveball, Thornburg is becoming a great reliever that the Brewers can count on to close out games for them the rest of this year. His outstanding strikeout numbers give him a lot of value as a waiver wire pickup for any fantasy team.

Edwin Diaz, Seattle Mariners

8 Saves, 13 Holds, 1.85 ERA, 34.0 IP, 62 K, 1.15 WHIP

Since receiving the closer's role, rookie Edwin Diaz has been remarkable. Diaz has been efficient and effective in most of his save opportunities. He is perfect in eight opportunities and three of the save opportunities required less than 10 pitches. The power-pitching Diaz sports a 97.2 MPH fastball and and 86.7 MPH slider to hold opponents to a .229 batting average. In addition to calling the most pitcher-friendly ballpark home, Diaz generates batted balls at a 49.3% ground ball rate. It appears Diaz was made to be a closer and should be picked up off the waiver wire immediately.

Brandon Kintzler, Minnesota Twins

12 Saves, 1 Hold, 1.82 ERA, 39.2 IP, 24 K, 0.98 WHIP

Brandon Kintzler has established that he can close out games. Unlike most closers, Kintzler is not a strikeout pitcher. Kintzler utilizes a 92.7 MPH sinker to generate 63.5% ground balls on batted balls. Opponents are hitting .238 against him and he has blown one save since the beginning of June. His K/9 this year is at 5.4 so claim him off the waiver wire if you strictly need saves as strikeouts will be hard to find from the 31-year-old Kintzler.

Adam Ottavino, Colorado Rockies

1 Save, 4 Holds, 0.00 ERA, 15.0 IP, 17 K, 0.87 WHIP

One week ago, new Colorado Rockies closer Adam Ottavino secured his first save of the year in dominant fashion, striking out the Texas Rangers in order. Opponents are hitting .189 against Ottavino and his two-seam fastball. Ottavino reduced the speed on his fastball from 95.7 MPH to 93.5 and is generating ground balls at a great rate. In a normally very hitter-friendly ballpark like Coors Field, a 69.4% ground ball rate will work in the pitcher's favor everyday. Ottavino will likely not maintain this rate but strike when the iron is hot and pick up this reliever from the waiver wire.

Raisel Iglesias, Cincinnati Reds

1 Save, 6 Holds, 2.16 ERA, 58.1 IP, 64 K, 1.15 WHIP

Current Cincinnati Reds closer Tony Cingrani is holding down the fort in the ninth inning, but has not been without his bumps and bruises. Cingrani has blown five saves this year and the Reds will (obviously) not be contending in the near future. With an opportunity presented, Raisel Iglesias may see more than the one audition as the closer for the Reds that he locked down last week. Primarily using a 92.2 MPH fastball and 82.4 MPH slider, Iglesias strikes out just over a batter per inning at a 9.9 K/9 rate. Generating more ground balls (39.5%) like in 2015 (47.2%) will work to his benefit as he closes out games for the rebuilding Reds. If Cingrani blows more saves, look for Iglesias to seize the opportunity.

 

Live Expert Q&A Chats - Every Weekday @ 1 PM and 6 PM EST (DFS)

Fantasy Baseball Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-55" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]


Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

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

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Las Vegas Raiders

Pete Carroll Unlikely to Return as Raiders Head Coach
New York Jets

Jets Not Expected to Fire Aaron Glenn
Kyle Pitts Sr.

Suiting Up Against Saints in Week 18
Drake London

Will Play Against Saints on Sunday
Josh Jacobs

Packers Resting Josh Jacobs in Week 18
CFB

Transfer QB Billy Edwards Commits to North Carolina
CFB

Sam Leavitt Visiting Texas Tech on Saturday
Jaylin Noel

Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel Projected for Larger Roles in Week 18
Green Bay Packers

Packers Resting Key Players in Week 18
Nico Collins

Won't Play Against Colts in Week 18
Jamal Murray

Expected to Play Against Nets
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Listed as Probable for Sunday
Tobias Harris

Out at Least Two Weeks with Hip Sprain
Jalen Duren

to Miss at Least One Week with Ankle Injury
Vince Williams Jr.

Misses Eighth Straight Game
Maxime Raynaud

Cleared to Play Sunday After Knee Scare
Isaiah Hartenstein

Remains Out Versus Suns
Nathan MacKinnon

Takes Over Scoring Lead With Four-Point Effort
Herbert Jones

Misses Seventh Straight Game
Nikita Kucherov

Bags Five Points Against Sharks
Saddiq Bey

Ruled Out Versus Heat
Darren Raddysh

Celebrates Hat Trick in Big Win
Jordan Binnington

Logs First Shutout of Season
Nicolas Claxton

Sidelined Versus Nuggets
Bennedict Mathurin

Ruled Out Sunday with Thumb Sprain
Auston Matthews

Becomes Maple Leafs' All-Time Goals Leader
Kyshawn George

Misses Fifth Straight Game
Jake McCabe

Exits Loss Early
Philip Rivers

Expected to Interview for NFL Head-Coaching Jobs
Tom Wilson

Escapes Serious Injury
Brock Purdy

Suffers a Stinger in Week 18 Loss
Jaylen Waddle

Not Expected to Suit Up in Week 18
De'Von Achane

Not Expected to Play Against Patriots in Week 18
Lauri Markkanen

Back on Saturday Night
Keyonte George

Available Versus Golden State
PJ Hall

Starting Again on Saturday Night
Joel Embiid

Upgraded to Available on Saturday
Karl-Anthony Towns

Returning on Saturday Night
George Kittle

Officially Active for Week 18
Ricky Pearsall

Inactive for Saturday's Game
Joel Kiviranta

Misses Road Trip
Gavin Brindley

Out Saturday
Casey DeSmith

Granted Leave of Absence
Tanner Jeannot

Remains Absent Saturday
Trevor Moore

Won't Play Saturday Night
Shayne Gostisbehere

Set to Return Saturday
William Nylander

Misses Fourth Straight Game
Wan'Dale Robinson

Giants Place Wan'Dale Robinson on Injured Reserve
Breece Hall

Ruled Out, Ending His Season
CFB

DJ Lagway Expected To Visit Florida State
Kyle Tucker

Blue Jays "Remain the Favorite" to Sign Kyle Tucker
Jalen Suggs

to Undergo Further Testing on Knee Injury
Devin Vassell

to Miss "More Than a Few Games"
Davante Adams

Unlikely to Play in Regular-Season Finale
Jusuf Nurkić

Jusuf Nurkic Dealing with Toe Injury Ahead of Saturday
Lauri Markkanen

Could Miss Second Straight Game
Jake DeBrusk

Records Season-High Three Points Friday
Danila Yurov

Scores Twice in Friday's Win
Alexis Lafrenière

Alexis Lafreniere Sets Up Three Goals in Winter Classic Win
Mika Zibanejad

Produces Historic Winter Classic Performance
Mackenzie Blackwood

Placed on Injured Reserve
Seth Jones

Sustains Upper-Body Injury in Winter Classic Loss
Linus Karlsson

Celebrates New Contract With Goal
T.J. Watt

Cleared to Play in Week 18
Isiah Pacheco

Could be Rested Against Raiders
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Officially Questionable for Week 18
De'Von Achane

Doubtful to Face the Patriots
CFB

Joey Aguilar Undergoes Surgery to Remove Tumor on Friday
CFB

Texas the "Team to Beat" for Transfer Running Back Isaac Brown
CFB

Rocco Becht to Follow Matt Campbell to Penn State?
CFB

Texas Targeting Cam Coleman in Transfer Portal
CFB

Former Texas Running Back CJ Baxter Visiting Kentucky
CFB

Beau Pribula Visiting Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech
Bo Bichette

Yankees Showing Interest in Bo Bichette
Houston Astros

Astros Sign Tatsuya Imai to Three-Year Deal
CFB

Lane Kiffin Interested in Sam Leavitt, Brendan Sorsby at LSU
CFB

Deuce Knight Officially Entering Transfer Portal
CFB

Kewan Lacy Expected to Be Full-Go Against Georgia
CFB

Chip Kelly Named Northwestern Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Penn State Working to Hire D'Anton Lynn as Next Defensive Coordinator

RANKINGS

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