X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

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
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Closer Carousels: MLB Closers & Saves Update (Week 21)

What Appears In This Article? hide

Yeoman’s Work

Jim JohnsonJim Johnson:  Johnson has allowed four runs, 11 hits and two walks over his last 4.2 innings of work.  He continues to struggle and news out of Baltimore indicates it might be time for change in the “Charm City,” at least until Johnson gets back on track.  He will probably finish out the season as the O’s closer, but until then Tommy Hunter looks like the pitcher to own.  Francisco Rodriguez is dealing with strained right groin so it’s tough to say who would be used while Johnson tries to rebound.  K-rod has the experience and the better strikeout rate, but he is slightly injured and probably better suited for the 8th inning at this point in his career.

Edward Mujica:  Mujica has been fantastic this season, converting 33 saves in 35 chances.  If you look strictly at his numbers, they don't necessarily scream out "closer," but he is getting the job done, and doing it well.  His success to this point has hinged on limiting baserunners, but what's amazing is that he is mainly using only one pitch, just like Mariano Rivera, except it’s not a cutter.  Mujica is throwing his split-finger fastball or change-up almost 70% of time and his fastball roughly 30% of the time.  The current issue with Mujica is that he is pitching with a big knot in his right trapezius muscle which is “supposed” to be the cause of his arm fatigue.  Trevor Rosenthal will receive the save chances when Mujica is unavailable, with Seth Maness backing up if neither pitch.  Rosenthal displays those prototypical closer numbers that we like to see in a game finisher.  So if you are already thinking about next year, you may want to snag Rosenthal because he could be closing for the Red Birds in 2014.

 

Balks

Brad Ziegler:  The Brad Ziegler experiment could be coming to a close sooner rather than later.  He blew his first save on Monday, August 12, and he has only compiled 34 strikeouts through 57.7 innings.  Get ready to pounce on J.J. Putz.

Kevin Gregg:  There are only eight days left in August, so Gregg could be staying put, but if he doesn’t, I hope you are still holding Pedro Strop.

Aroldis Chapman:  Chapman is still slinging 100+ mph and striking out batters in bunches, so nothing new here.  Thank you, drive through!

Rex Brothers:  Rafael Betancourt hit the DL once again, and this time it’s for the rest of the season.  I bet Rex Brothers owners are not too broken up about it, though.

Kenley Jansen:  Yup, I have said this almost every week but Jansen is still nailz.  Brian Wilson came back this week, but he is expected to work as the setup man, though he could grab the occasional save when Jansen is unavailable.

LaTroy Hawkins:  Hawkins picked up his fifth save of the season on Tuesday night and cruising right along as the Metropolitans’ closer.  I would get ready to grab Gonzalez Germen if Hawkins were to falter.

Mark Melancon:  Melancon has only blown one save since taking over the closer’s role when Jason Grilli went on the DL.  Grilli might be back at the beginning of September, so Melancon’s chances at saves could be winding down.

Rafael Soriano:  Soriano has been struggling as of late, but managed to pick up his 32nd save in 38 chances on Wednesday night.  Drew Storen picked up a save in an extra-inning affair on Thursday night.  Tyler Clippard is listed as the setup guy, but I think the Nationals would turn to Storen if anything were to happen to Soriano.

Chia-Jen Lo:  Bo Porter stated that Lo and Josh Fields will continue to alternate as co-closers, but it’s only a matter of time before Chia-Jen Lo is the full-blown closer.  Lo is only owned in 7-8% of the leagues so he is still on the down Lo.  Get Heem now!

Ernesto Frieri:  Apparently, Frieri and Dane De La Rosa are sharing the closer role for the time being.  This type of situation can only last so long, so expect Frieri to get his job back soon.  Frieri has not allowed a run since being demoted from the ninth-inning role.  Trust me: nobody but Frieri is destined to finish out the year as the Angels' closer.  Next year? Well, that's a different story; the Halos may look to acquire a closer via trade.

Mariano Rivera:  After blowing three consecutive save chances, Rivera rebounded on Wednesday night by nailing down his 37th save... See? He aight; move on!

Danny Farquhar:  Farquhar continues to impress as he earned his ninth save of the season on Wednesday.  Yo, haters, any questions?

Fernando Rodney:  Like I've said before, Rodney will finish out the year as the Rays’ closer.  If you have any doubts, then grab one of these scrubs:  Joel Peralta or Jake McGee.

Casey Janssen:  Janssen has struggled a bit, but he must have been in a slump; we will give him a pass just as the Blue Jays will.  Janssen does not get many save chances but when he does receive them, he nails them down as he only has two blown saves for the year.
 
 
==========

Be sure to stay up to date on all of the MLB closers and fantasy baseball saves situations around the majors. Our closers and saves depth charts provide a summary of each MLB team and their current closer situation, including who’s next in line.

If you want this article and other high-end fantasy baseball analysis delivered to you on a daily basis, sign up for our daily newsletter. And be sure to check out the Waiver Wire Pickups List for in-depth analysis on gems that you may be able to find sitting on your waiver wire.  It’s one of the best fantasy baseball features currently on web!
 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Zac Gallen1 hour ago

Gets Opening Day Nod
Nolan Schanuel2 hours ago

Injury Isn't Serious
Isaiah Stewart3 hours ago

Injured Against Boston
Duncan Robinson3 hours ago

Doesn't Return On Monday
Jackson Chourio3 hours ago

Makes Opening Day Roster
Anthony Davis3 hours ago

Cleared To Meet Atlanta
Blake Snell4 hours ago

Heading To The Giants
Onyeka Okongwu4 hours ago

To Return On Monday
Bryce McGowens5 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Tyus Jones5 hours ago

Won't Play On Tuesday
Deni Avdija5 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Nick Martinez5 hours ago

To Open The Year In The Rotation
OG Anunoby5 hours ago

Set For Multi-Game Absence
Kyle Kuzma5 hours ago

Uncertain For Tuesday
Luka Doncic5 hours ago

Considered Probable For Tuesday
Matt McLain5 hours ago

Scratched With Shoulder Soreness
Bilal Coulibaly5 hours ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of Season
Kenley Jansen5 hours ago

Scheduled To Make Four More Spring Appearances
Jackson Chourio5 hours ago

"In The Mix" For Roster Spot
Rudy Gobert6 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Scoot Henderson6 hours ago

Returns To Starting Unit Without Restrictions
Matisse Thybulle6 hours ago

Available Again On Monday
Jerami Grant6 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Monday
Lauri Markkanen6 hours ago

Returns To Action On Monday
Alex Caruso6 hours ago

Ready To Roll Monday
Coby White6 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Kristaps Porzingis6 hours ago

Returns To Celtics Lineup
Jaylen Brown6 hours ago

Ready To Go On Monday
Jayson Tatum6 hours ago

Won't Play Against Detroit
Teuvo Teravainen7 hours ago

Misses Second Straight Game
Joshua Dobbs7 hours ago

49ers Reach Agreement With Joshua Dobbs
TOR7 hours ago

Mitch Marner To Miss At Least Two More Games
Jacob Markstrom7 hours ago

Could Return This Weekend
Rico Dowdle7 hours ago

Staying With Cowboys
Mikhail Sergachev7 hours ago

Skates On Monday
Dustin Wolf7 hours ago

Between The Pipes Monday
New Orleans Saints7 hours ago

Saints Expected To Sign Chase Young
Alexander Mattison7 hours ago

Signing With Raiders
DJ LeMahieu9 hours ago

In Danger Of Missing Opening Day
Buffalo Bills9 hours ago

Taron Johnson Re-Signs With Bills On Three-Year Deal
José Urquidy9 hours ago

Jose Urquidy Has Forearm Strain, Will Begin On Injured List
Justin Verlander9 hours ago

Expected To Face Hitters "In The Next Day Or Two"
Corey Seager9 hours ago

Takes Batting Practice Monday
Aaron Judge9 hours ago

Likely To Play In Four Of Final Six Spring Games
Garrett Crochet9 hours ago

Named Opening Day Starter
Nolan Schanuel9 hours ago

Scratched With Back Tightness
Dallas Cowboys9 hours ago

Leighton Vander Esch Calling It A Career
DJ LeMahieu11 hours ago

Still Pretty Sore
Aaron Judge11 hours ago

To Return On Wednesday
Jhoan Duran11 hours ago

To Begin Season On Injured List
Bryan Battle11 hours ago

Bout Ends in Controversy
Ange Loosa11 hours ago

Fight Ruled A No-Contest After Accidental Eye Poke
Ovince Saint Preux12 hours ago

Wins Split Decision In A Back-And-Forth Fight
Kennedy Nzechukwu12 hours ago

Suffers Split-Decision Loss To Ovince Saint Preux
Gerald Meerschaert12 hours ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Shohei Ohtani12 hours ago

Cleared To Begin Throwing Program
Bryan Barberena12 hours ago

Submitted In The Second Round
Kyle Manzardo12 hours ago

Sent To Minor-League Camp
Jackson Merrill12 hours ago

Wins Center Field Job
Denny Hamlin13 hours ago

Emerges Victorious For Second Bristol Win In A Row
Alexander Mattison13 hours ago

Visiting With Raiders
Dak Prescott13 hours ago

Cowboys Restructure Dak Prescott's Contract
Dmitry Orlov14 hours ago

Collects Four Points In Big Win
Tyler Toffoli14 hours ago

Dominates Against Columbus With Three Points
Lucas Raymond14 hours ago

Pots Pair Of Goals Versus Penguins
Kaz Grala15 hours ago

Finishes 19th At Bristol Motor Speedway
Bo Horvat15 hours ago

Scores Twice In Losing Effort
Brad Keselowski15 hours ago

Exceeds Value In DFS At Bristol Motor Speedway
Pavel Buchnevich15 hours ago

Delivers Three Assists In Sunday's Win
Ryan Lindgren15 hours ago

Suffers Leg Injury Versus Islanders
Kyle Larson15 hours ago

After 5th at Bristol: "I Hope I Never Have To Run A Race Like That Again"
Chase Elliott15 hours ago

Earns First Top 10 Finish Of 2024
Justin Haley16 hours ago

Earns Best NextGen Short Track Finish for Rick Ware Racing
Ty Gibbs16 hours ago

Has Dominant Day at Bristol but Fades Late
John Hunter Nemechek20 hours ago

Found Speed At Bristol
Chris Buescher21 hours ago

Secures Top 10 At Bristol
Alex Bowman24 hours ago

Late Charge to Fourth Masks Early Race Struggles
Christopher Bell24 hours ago

Ran Well, But His Teammates Were All Better
Martin Truex Jr1 day ago

. Matches Career-Best Finish At Bristol
Ryan Blaney1 day ago

Fades to 16th at Bristol After Handling Struggles
Russell2 days ago

Wilson Still Considered The Starter
William Byron2 days ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Bristol
Ty Gibbs2 days ago

Starts 19th At Bristol After Damage In Practice
Justin Haley2 days ago

Scores A Starting Position Of 32nd For Bristol
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

Should Compete For The Win At Bristol
Brad Keselowski2 days ago

History Indicates Brad Keselowski Being A Favorable Bristol Play
Joey Logano2 days ago

Should Be Rostered With Caution At Bristol
Tyler Reddick2 days ago

Is Tyler Reddick Worth Rostering At Bristol This Week?
Martin Truex Jr2 days ago

. Could Work As A Tournament Play At Bristol
Alexander Nylander2 days ago

Totals Three Points In Saturday's Win
Sebastian Aho2 days ago

Leads Hurricanes To Victory In Toronto
Owen Tippett2 days ago

Delivers Three Assists In High-Scoring Loss
Steven Stamkos2 days ago

Extends Scoring Streak With Four-Point Performance
Nick Schmaltz2 days ago

Records Three Assists In Win Over New Jersey
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Racks Up Five Points In Saturday's Win
Brady Tkachuk2 days ago

Sinks Islanders With Third Hat Trick
Pannie Kianzad2 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Macy Chiasson2 days ago

Gets First-Round Submission Win
Isaac Dulgarian2 days ago

Suffers First Career Loss
Christian Rodriguez2 days ago

Overcomes Early Adversity At UFC Vegas 88
Tai Tuivasa2 days ago

Suffers Fourth Straight Loss
Marcin Tybura2 days ago

Gets First-Round Submission
Justin Fields2 days ago

Traded To The Steelers
NHL2 days ago

Lukas Reichel Will Be In The Lineup Sunday
Cale Makar2 days ago

A Game-Time Decision Saturday
Zach Parise2 days ago

Likely To Return Saturday
Michael Gallup2 days ago

Panthers Bringing In Michael Gallup For A Visit
Mike Williams3 days ago

Panthers To Host Mike Williams On A Visit
New York Jets3 days ago

Jets Expected To Sign Tyron Smith
AJ Dillon3 days ago

Officially Re-Signs With Packers
Van Jefferson3 days ago

Steelers Signing Van Jefferson
Jakobi Meyers3 days ago

Raiders Restructure Jakobi Meyers' Contract
Jimmy Garoppolo3 days ago

Rams Agree With Jimmy Garoppolo On One-Year Deal
Gerald Meerschaert3 days ago

To Fight In Main Event Of UFC Vegas 88
Bryan Barberena3 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Kennedy Nzechukwu3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Ovince Saint Preux3 days ago

Set For 27th UFC Appearance
Bryan Battle3 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Ange Loosa3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 88
San Francisco 49ers3 days ago

De'Vondre Campbell Heading To San Francisco
Dallas Cowboys3 days ago

Leighton Vander Esch Being Cut By Cowboys
Michael Gallup3 days ago

Cowboys Releasing Michael Gallup
Kenny Pickett3 days ago

Steelers Sending Kenny Pickett To Eagles
Pannie Kianzad5 days ago

Looking For Redemption At UFC Vegas 88
Macy Chiasson5 days ago

Ends Layoff At UFC Vegas 88
Isaac Dulgarian5 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 88
Christiaan Bezuidenhout5 days ago

Looking To Put It All Together At TPC Sawgrass
Eric Cole5 days ago

Rebounding Well In The Sunshine State
Brian Harman5 days ago

Playing The Dark-Horse Role Again At The Players
Matt Fitzpatrick5 days ago

Searching For Answers Thus Far In 2024
Sahith Theegala5 days ago

One Of The Tour's Fastest Risers To Start The New Year
Sam Burns5 days ago

Brings A Stellar Run Of Form Into TPC Sawgrass
PGA5 days ago

Sungjae Im Trending Up After Arnold Palmer Success
Jason Day5 days ago

Facing Iron Hiccup Heading To The Players
Tom Hoge6 days ago

Brings Strong Form And History To Sawgrass
Min Woo Lee6 days ago

Ready For Second Trip To Sawgrass
Will Zalatoris6 days ago

Working Toward A Win
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF