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Closers and Saves Report - Week 23 Waiver Wire

David Marcillo's fantasy baseball closers and saves to pick up or monitor on the Week 23 waiver wire. These are the most intriguing bullpen situations around MLB.

A particularly quiet bullpen week leading into- or starting, depending on your league- the fantasy playoffs makes for less drama, but maybe more worry? Kind of the whole "calm before the storm" type of thing. It almost seems like since sort of nothing happened in bullpens this week, maybe everything will happen next week, right in the fantasy playoffs. We'll see.

This week, not a lot happened, but an established closer started to struggle again while a brand new closer who wasn't good as a starter showed that (gasp!) he might not be good as a closer either. Meanwhile, a hurt closer got back on the mound and a few young future closers got their first taste of a save. Also, Edwin Diaz.

Take a look at our Closer Depth Chart, which is updated daily. Let's jump in and take a look at what's been going on in the bullpens around baseball.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Bullpen News for Week 23

Miami Marlins

Jose Urena returned from the injured list and, as promised, he almost immediately slid into the closer's role. Perplexingly overrated by the team as a starter (they called him their ace), Urena does have velocity going for him. He doesn't miss bats and rarely strikes guys out, but if he was throwing 98 as a starter, maybe he could touch 100 in a relief role and get a few more swings and misses. Not so much. Still sitting between 96 and 98, Urena picked up a save in his first chance, pitching a clean 1-2-3 10th inning. His next outing though? Not so good. Urena was handed a two run lead and before long, the Pirates walked off with a win. Urena is still likely to remain in the closer's role until the end of the season as the Marlins will want to see what he might be able to do in the future. How many save chances they'll have to give him remains the issue, though. He's only worth owning on teams desperate for maybe two or three more saves.

Cleveland Indians

Cleveland closer Brad Hand was awesome. He made the All-Star Game. Then he was awful. For almost two months, he posted an ERA close to seven. He got a vote of confidence from his manager, and then just like that, he was good again. For a little while. This week, however, Hand struggled again. Given a four-run lead, Hand gave up a two run blast before loading the bases and only getting one out. He was pulled from the game and Nick Wittgren was able to close it out and earn a save. Hand owes him...a round of applause. He'll likely get another vote of confidence if necessary, but it's clear that Wittgren is his handcuff and Hand's owners may want to handcuff him if they have the roster space.

Washington Nationals

Sean Doolittle is back from the IL, but with the Nationals focusing on the real-life playoffs, he may not be right back into the closer's role. He seems healthy, but he'll work lower-leverage situations at least for now, leaving Daniel Hudson as the most likely National to earn saves. Doolittle should take over before long, though, making him a solid target for teams planning a deep run in the fantasy playoffs.

Chicago Cubs

Craig Kimbrel is hurt. Again. He'll go on the injured list, leaving closing duties to a mix of Rowan Wick, Pedro Strop, and Steve Cishek. Wick might stay in his setup role, leaving Cishek and Strop as the saves candidates. Neither is a must-add, but either one could potentially help a fantasy playoff team with a couple of saves here and there.

 

 

Short Relief

  • Edwin Diaz learned a new grip for his slider, borrowing some knowledge from Jacob deGrom. Edwin Diaz is no Jacob deGrom, especially not this season. Seth Lugo continues to be the most valuable member of the Mets bullpen.
  • Andres Munoz earned a save this week. He'll probably earn a ton more in his career, but the Padres ninth inning belongs to Kirby Yates for now.
  • Reyes Moronta is out for the year and at least part of next year as well. He's dealing with a torn labrum and while he still may end up as the closer of the future for the Giants, that future just got a little further away.
  • Josh James also earned a save this week. Sure to earn many more throughout his career, he'll work ahead of Roberto Osuna for at least the rest of this season.

 

Roster Moves of the Week

Adds

Jose Urena, Miami Marlins- Ew, gross. Only the most desperate owners need to target him, but he will at least get the chance to come in for saves for the rest of the month.

Sean Doolittle, Washington Nationals- Dropped in many leagues, Doolittle could be a solid contributor in the later games of a fantasy playoff matchup.

Nick Wittgren, Cleveland Indians- Really, really desperate for saves? Wittgren is the Brad Hand-cuff and might jump into some ninth innings if Hand keeps slumping.

Pedro Strop or Steve Cishek, Chicago Cubs- One of these two will be on the mound in save situations for the Cubs. Owners looking for saves can flip a coin and pick either guy for now. Hopefully, there will be a bit more clarity soon.

 

Drops

Ryne Stanek, Miami Marlins- Stanek's time as Marlins closer was brief and brutal. He'll work in a setup or middle relief role ahead of closer Jose Urena, mostly because Marlins manager Don Mattingly is not creative enough to use him in the opener role he excelled in with the other Florida team.

 

Best of the Week

Mark Melancon, Atlanta Braves- 2 1/3 IP, 3 SV, 5 K, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP

Braves closer Mark Melancon had a perfect week, saving three games and striking out five without allowing a single base runner.

Emilio Pagan, Tampa Bay Rays- 5 IP, 3 SV, 7 K, 1.80 ERA, 0.40 WHIP

Rays closer Emilio Pagan pitched five innings this week, striking out seven while saving three games. He allowed a run on two hits.

 

More 2019 Fantasy Baseball Advice


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




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Los Angeles Clippers

Nicolas Batum Staying with Clippers
Jurickson Profar

to Return on Wednesday
Jordan Clarkson

Jazz Finalize Contract Buyout for Jordan Clarkson
Aldrich Potgieter

Wins Rocket Mortgage Classic
Thorbjorn Olesen

Finishes Tied for 41st at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Denny McCarthy

Finishes Tied For 12th at Travelers Championship
Chris Kirk

Finishes Tied For Second at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Michael Kim

Finishes Tied for 26th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Max Homa

Misses Cut at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Lucas Glover

Finishes Tied For Ninth at Travelers Championship
PGA

Nico Echavarria Finishes Tied For Sixth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Brooklyn Nets

Day'Ron Sharpe Staying with Nets
Colby Thomas

Called Up From Triple-A
Shea Langeliers

A's Reinstate Shea Langeliers From Injured List
Pittsburgh Steelers

Rumors Still Swirling Around Potential T.J. Watt Trade
Jalen Williams

will Undergo Surgery on Right Wrist
Bryce Harper

Activated and Starting on Monday
Deandre Ayton

Finalizing Contract Buyout with Portland
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Lands on Injured List With Fractured Ribs
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Tyler Boyd

Interested in Playing for Steelers
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Dolphins Now Looking to Acquire a Tight End
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Drops Decision
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Says he's Healthy
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
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Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Minkah Fitzpatrick

Heading Back to Miami
Jonnu Smith

Shipped to Pittsburgh
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Jalen Ramsey

Steelers Acquiring Jalen Ramsey
Kerry Carpenter

Leaves Game with Apparent Hamstring Injury
Brooklyn Nets

Day'Ron Sharpe Heads to Free Agency
Santi Aldama

Receives Qualifying Offer
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner has Team Option Declined
Jabari Smith Jr.

Signs Massive Extension
Jusuf Nurkić

Hornets Trading Jusuf Nurkic to Utah
Collin Sexton

Heading to Charlotte
Cam Thomas

Set for Restricted Free Agency
Milwaukee Bucks

Bobby Portis Staying in Milwaukee
Jonas Brodin

Expected to Miss Start of Next Season
TB

Conor Sheary Placed on Waivers for Contract Termination
Los Angeles Clippers

James Harden, Clippers Agree on a New Contract
Dante Fabbro

Stays with Blue Jackets on Four-Year Deal
Joel Hofer

Commits to Blues for Two More Years
Kevin Bahl

Signs Long-Term Extension with Flames
Oneil Cruz

Smacks Two Homers
Jordan Spence

Traded to Ottawa
Petr Mrazek

Heads to Anaheim
John Gibson

Red Wings Acquire John Gibson
Matthew Knies

Inks Six-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Aaron Judge

Blasts Two Homers, Dealing With Back Issue
Claude Giroux

Signs One-Year Deal with Senators
Yordan Alvarez

has Chance to Return Next Weekend
Minnesota Timberwolves

Julius Randle Signs Three-Year Extension
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Opts into Player Option
Luis Robert Jr.

Heads to Injured List
Gabriel Arias

Carted Off on Sunday
Bryce Harper

Faces Live Pitching
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Remains Out on Sunday
Utah Jazz

Bojan Bogdanovic Retiring From Basketball
Los Angeles Lakers

Dorian Finney-Smith Declines Player Option
Jaylin Williams

Signing Three-Year Extension
LeBron James

Accepts Player Option
Anfernee Simons

"a Possible Re-Trade Candidate"
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
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NFL Won't Hold Supplemental Draft This Year
Damon Arnette

Getting Second Chance With Texans
Deommodore Lenoir

Arrested for Obstruction of Justice
Yordan Alvarez

Eyeing Return Before All-Star Break
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Quinn Priester

Fans 11 in One-Hit Gem
Spencer Schwellenbach

Dominant in Victory
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Expected to Make Second-Year Jump
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Out of Lineup Saturday
Jalin Hyatt

Looking to Flip the Script in 2025
Garrett Mitchell

to Undergo Shoulder Surgery
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez in Guardians Lineup on Saturday
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
Ty Dillon

Could Benefit from Kaulig Speed
Chase Burns

Slated to Make Next Start on Monday
Dylan Sampson

Being Used as a Receiver
Carson Schwesinger

Figures to be in Full-Time Role in 2025
Cedric Tillman

Should Have Full-Time Role
Bryce Young

Looking More Comfortable, Showing More Intensity
Charlie Coyle

Blue Jackets Acquire Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood From Colorado
Jack Quinn

Signs Up for Two More Years with Sabres
Brandon Saad

Stays in Vegas on One-Year Deal
Trent Frederic

Inks Eight-Year Extension
Josh Naylor

Exits Friday's Contest Early with Neck Stiffness
Emil Heineman

Shipped to the Islanders
Noah Dobson

Traded to Montreal
John Tavares

Agrees to Four-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Sam Bennett

Signs Eight-Year Extension with Panthers
NYI

Islanders Select Matthew Schaefer With No. 1 Pick in NHL Draft
Aaron Rodgers

Roman Wilson Could Fit Nicely With Aaron Rodgers
Josh Simmons

on Schedule to Open the Year as a Starter
Micah Parsons

Contract Length an Issue for Cowboys, Micah Parsons
Denver Broncos

Broncos Unsure How Their Running Back Room Will Look
Russell Wilson

Not the Only Leader in Giants Clubhouse
Charles Oliveira

Can Become A Two-Time Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria

A Favorite At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fourth Title Defense At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Renato Moicano

Returns At UFC 317
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC 317
Payton Talbott

Looks To Bounce Back
Felipe Lima

Set To Open Up UFC 317 Main Card
Daniil Tarasov

Panthers Bring in Daniil Tarasov
Frederick Gaudreau

Kraken Pick Up Frederick Gaudreau From Wild
Michael Thorbjornsen

Returns in Detroit at Rocket Classic
Adam Hadwin

Could Struggle Over the Weekend in Detroit
Cam Davis

Hopes Detroit Magic Can Spark Turnaround
Matt Wallace

a Boom-or-Bust Option at Rocket Classic
Joel Dahmen

Not Cutting it Lately
Michael Kim

Searching for Spark at Rocket Classic
Rasmus Hojgaard

a High-Ceiling Play in Rocket Classic
Matt McCarty

a Wild Card Heading into Detroit
Emiliano Grillo

Rolling into the Summer Season
Rickie Fowler

Looking for More Magic at Rocket Classic
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Brings High Upside to Detroit Golf Club
Max Greyserman

Could Make Noise at Rocket Classic
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a Strong Value Play at Rocket Classic
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