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Closers and Saves Report - Week 3 Waiver Wire

David Marcillo's fantasy baseball closers and saves to pick up or monitor on the Week 3 waiver wire. These are the most intriguing bullpen situations around MLB.

Only Week 3 and we're already looking at a pretty wild season, bullpen-wise at least. We have our first "out for the season" injury for a team's closer, and we have a legitimate top closer back on the mound after coming off the injured list. And also: Craig Kimbrel.

Week 3 brought bat flips, petulant pitchers, and of course saves, holds, strikeouts, and wins.

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 3

Atlanta Braves

Fantasy managers were struggling with the decision of Arodys Vizcaino vs. A.J. Minter in the Braves bullpen. Which reliever was the better bet? Would this be yet another committee situation, or would one of them take over as closer full-time? We got a sudden and certain answer this week, as Vizcaino was placed on the IL after undergoing surgery on his shoulder to repair a torn labrum. He's expected to miss the rest of the 2019 season, making Minter the full-time closer in Atlanta. He needs to be picked up in all formats immediately, and should be a solid source of strikeouts and saves for the remainder of the season.

Milwaukee Brewers

Before the season, the Brewers had plans of Corey Knebel and Jeremy Jeffress starting off in the bullpen with Josh Hader. Up until this week, Hader was the only one to take the mound, as Knebel underwent Tommy John Surgery and is out for the season. Jeffress, meanwhile, started the season on the IL as well, but he's back on the roster now after recovering from a shoulder injury. Brewers manager Craig Counsell has said that Jeffress won't be thrown into high-leverage situations right away, but it shouldn't be long before he works his way back into a late-inning role. It will be interesting to see if Counsell starts using Jeffress as a more traditional closer and leaves Hader back in his fireman role. It's something to watch for, but in the meantime, Jeffress should be added in most formats and in absolutely every holds league.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies bullpen has been one of the most unpredictable ones in baseball (likely still lagging behind the wild Mariners bullpen). Heading into the season, it was assumed that the Phillies ninth inning would be handled by a committee featuring mostly David Robertson and Seranthony Dominguez. Here we are, in Week 3, and neither Dominguez nor Robertson have a save, but four other Phillies relievers do. This week, Robertson was placed on the injured list, but the Phillies bullpen hasn't become any easier to predict. It's starting to look like, despite the talented arms present, this might be a bullpen best left alone in standard leagues this season.

Minnesota Twins

The Twins made us all think they had a committee in their bullpen, but Blake Parker has gone ahead and taken over as closer. Parker has coughed up just one run this season and has four saves. He had the "head of committee" title for a bit, but he can confidently be called the full-time closer in Minnesota at this point.

 

Short Relief

  • Roenis Elias picked up a save on Thursday, after Anthony Swarzak allowed the tying run to score in the eighth inning. He then collected another save on Friday, tossing a scoreless ninth to lock down a two-run game. Elias, Swarzak, Connor Sadzeck, and even Brandon Brennan should keep getting save chances on a Mariners team that should provide plenty of save opportunities.
  • Wily Peralta seems set for the ninth inning in Kansas City, as Ian Kennedy has been used more in a fireman's role lately. It's still a committee for Ned Yost's club, but Peralta has moved a tick above the rest in terms of fantasy value for now.
  • Raisel Iglesias had a strong outing on Thursday, striking out the side to earn his third save of the season. He's still sporting a 5.87 ERA and has looked rough at times, but this last outing showed the upside Iglesias can have. There may be a buy-low window right now.
  • Hector Neris came into a tough situation on Wednesday, entering with two runners on in the ninth inning. He quickly made it worse, allowing an infield single and hitting a batter with a pitch. He was able to work his way out of it after that, earning the two-out save and giving the Phillies the 3-2 win. Neris was trusted with the toughest assignment in the game and may be moving up on the Phillies committee list. It should remain one of the least predictable bullpens in the league, though.

 

Roster Moves of the Week

Adds

A.J. Minter, Atlanta Braves- Minter is almost certainly already owned, but maybe in some of the shallower leagues with some of the shallower-minded owners, Minter will still be on the wire. Look for him, and if he's there, add him immediately.

Blake Parker, Minnesota Twins- Now that Parker is the full-time closer in Minnesota, he's worth picking up in all formats. He won't light the world on fire with elite strikeout numbers, but he won't hurt in any categories and provide consistent save numbers going forward.

Jeremy Jeffress, Milwaukee Brewers- There's no way Jeffress is still available on your waiver wire, right? Take a look and check, just in case!

Drops

Arodys Vizcaino, Atlanta Braves- Vizcaino is out for the year after labrum surgery, so there's no need to hang onto him, even if you have a spare IL spot.

Twins Relievers Not Named Blake Parker- In standard leagues, Parker is the only arm worth owning from the Minnesota bullpen right now. There are solid arms in there for holds leagues, but in standard it's just Parker.

 

Best of the Week

Blake Treinen, Oakland A's- 3 1/3 IP, 3 SV, 6 K, 0.00 ERA, 0.90 WHIP

A's closer Blake Treinen had a strong week, saving three games and striking out six while allowing just two hits and a walk. Treinen remains one of the best closers in the American League, both in fantasy and in real life.

Roberto Osuna, Houston Astros- 2 1/3 IP, 3 SV, 3 K, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP

Astros closer Roberto Osuna had a perfect week, saving three games and striking out three. Granted, he only pitched 2 1/3 innings, but they were significant innings, as he managed three saves with only seven outs total.

Greg Holland, Arizona Diamondbacks- 4 IP, 2 SV, 8 K, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP

Diamondbacks closer Greg Holland only saved two games this week, but he racked up the strikeouts, punching out eight batters in his four innings of work. In the meantime, he only allowed one hit and two walks.

More 2019 Fantasy Baseball Advice


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




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Max Muncy

Exits With Apparent Knee Injury
Christian Moore

Exits Early with Thumb Irritation
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Josh Naylor

Returning to Diamondbacks Lineup
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Oronde Gadsden

an Active Pass-Catcher This Offseason
Brashard Smith

Speed Could be Put to Use
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Pat Bryant

Off to a Good Start
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs With Islanders for Two Years
Cody Barton

Quickly Becoming a Leader With his New Team
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal With Mammoth
Montaric Brown

has Worked With Starters
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
DET

James van Riemsdyk Joins Red Wings on One-Year Contract
Viktor Arvidsson

Traded to Boston
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Josh Jung

Sent to Triple-A
Jurickson Profar

Officially Reinstated and Hitting in Five-Hole on Wednesday
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Going on Injured List With Fractured Elbow
Maxwell Hairston

Facing Sexual-Assault Lawsuit
Tai Felton

Rookie Season Likely to be Spent on Special Teams
LeQuint Allen Jr.

to Have Receiving Role for Jaguars?
Justin Walley

Turning Heads Going into Rookie Season
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
Jamari Thrash

Establishing Himself as Reliable Option
Grayson Murphy

Could Provide Rotational Pass-Rush Depth
Joe Andreessen

in a Good Position to Compete for Backup Job
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Bhayshul Tuten

Needs to Improve Pass Protection
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Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Brandon Woodruff

Likely to Pitch on Sunday in Miami
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Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
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a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
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Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
PHI

Dan Vladar Links Up With Flyers on Two-Year Deal
EDM

Andrew Mangiapane Signs Two-Year Pact With Oilers
SEA

Ryan Lindgren Joins Kraken on Four-Year Contract
PHI

Christian Dvorak Heads to Philadelphia
Logan Stankoven

Signs Long-Term Extension with Hurricanes
NYI

Jonathan Drouin Joins Islanders on Two-Year Contract
NJ

Devils Hand Connor Brown a Four-Year Contract
SJ

John Klingberg Lands in San Jose
William Eklund

Signs Three-Year Extension with Sharks
Will Cuylle

Agrees to Two-Year Contract with Rangers
Zac Gallen

Fans 10 in Tuesday's Win
Hunter Goodman

Hits Two More Homers Tuesday
Josh Hader

Stays Perfect In Save Conversion On Tuesday
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Shane Baz

Fans 11 Against Athletics
Grant Holmes

Strikes Out 10 in Scoreless Outing
Jeff Green

Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
T.J. Watt

Trying to Become Highest-Paid Non-QB?
Willson Contreras

Doubtful for Wednesday
George Springer

Clubs Two Homers in Seven-RBI Day
Joshua Palmer

Could be a Sleeper
Los Angeles Lakers

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Laviska Shenault Jr.

on the Bubble
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Raheem Blackshear

to Work Mostly As Special-Teamer
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Rico Dowdle

Trevor Etienne to Split Carries?
Chuba Hubbard

Should See Majority of Touches in 2025
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Willson Contreras

Avoids Structural Damage on Hand After HBP
Detroit Pistons

Duncan Robinson Lands With Detroit
Charlotte Hornets

Tre Mann Remaining in Charlotte
Josh Naylor

Scratched From Tuesday's Lineup Against Giants
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
San Francisco Giants

Giants Exercise Bob Melvin's 2026 Option
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Josh Naylor

Back in Action on Tuesday
Yordan Alvarez

Suffers Setback
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Nolan Arenado

Dealing with Finger Sprain
Jacob Wilson

Scratched With Hamstring Soreness
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Harris Inks Deal With Bucks
Charlotte Hornets

Mason Plumlee Heading Back to Charlotte
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Jakob Poeltl

Agrees to a Contract Extension With Raptors
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micic Dealt to Bucks on Tuesday
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Pat Connaughton

Traded to Hornets
Atlanta Hawks

Luke Kennard Lands in Atlanta
Breece Hall

Aiming to Prove He is "Still One of the Best in the League"
T.J. Watt

Steelers Not Planning to Trade T.J. Watt
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
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
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
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Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
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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
Kyle Larson

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

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Brad Keselowski

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

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

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Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
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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
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