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

Closers and Saves Waiver Wire Report for Fantasy Baseball - Week 6

David Bednar - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Closers and Saves

Fantasy baseball closers, saves and bullpen waiver wire pickups for Week 6 (2022). David's relief pitcher and bullpen updates, and potential closers to add.

Another week of home runs, bats broken over knees, a cycle, a no-hitter, offensive eruptions in ninth innings, and so much more is behind us. It was a very exciting week in baseball, but for the first time in a while, the bullpens mostly remained away from center stage. Now, there were still plenty of holds, saves, and the occasional blown save, but there weren't as many of the enormous team-altering shifts we'd gotten used to seeing each week.

With some more COVID cases popping up throughout the league, we saw a resurgent closer forced to take some time off. A restructuring of sorts in one of the league's better bullpens will shift fantasy values a bit while not making a huge "real life" difference. A closer returns from injury and really struggles: that phrase describes two different situations. All that and more, let's jump in.

Be sure to keep an eye on our RotoBaller Fantasy Baseball Closers and Saves Bullpen Depth Charts. They're updated daily, or sometimes even more often in this wild 2022 baseball season. 

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

 

Chicago Cubs - Bullpen and Closers News

The Cubs bullpen has been led by a resurgent David Robertson, who has posted five saves and a 1.50 ERA while striking out 37.8% of the batters he's faced. It's been an impressive comeback for the veteran righty, who before this season had combined to pitch just 18 2/3 innings since the 2018 season. There are always going to be injury and workload concerns with Robertson because of his last few seasons, but his current injured list trip is COVID-related and won't affect his role once he returns.

For now though, Rowan Wick and Mychal Givens will lead the Cubs committee, with Wick getting the slight nod while Givens sticks mostly to the 8th inning. Fantasy managers looking to pick up a quick save or two can look to the Cubs temporarily. Managers with Robertson can rest easy knowing he'll be back in the 9th inning soon.

Risers: Rowan Wick, Mychal Givens (temporarily)
Fallers: David Robertson (only while on IL)

 

Oakland A's - Bullpen and Closers News

The A's bullpen was fully expected to be led by Lou Trivino, but a long COVID IL trip combined with some really poor outings opened the door for 28-year-old rookie Dany Jimenez to enter the 9th inning. Jimenez has five saves in five chances and has put up a perfect 0.00 ERA, yet to allow a run in 12 innings of work. He's striking out 28% of the batters he faces and making it very difficult for manager Mark Kotsay to even consider removing him from the 9th.

Meanwhile, Trivino has pitched to a 10.50 ERA in six innings and has a 7:5 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The A's reportedly wanted Trivino in the closer's role to boost his trade value, but as long as Jimenez keeps pitching well, it's looking like Trivino may have to boost his trade value as a setup man at best.

Risers: Dany Jimenez
Fallers: Lou Trivino

 

Baltimore Orioles - Bullpen and Closers News

Former not-so-good starter Jorge Lopez has become current-very-good closer Jorge Lopez. The 29-year-old Oriole struggled his way through the last few seasons as a starting pitcher, putting up ERAs in the sixes for three years in a row. A guy with a career 5.83 ERA, it was hard to imagine he'd make a good closer, but all of a sudden: he has four saves in five chances and has posted a 1.13 ERA to go with career highs in K% (23.9%) and ground ball rate (54.8%).

This week though, Lopez unfortunately had to be placed on the bereavement list, leaving the Orioles with a committee in his place. Dillon Tate got the first save chance, but he was unable to shut things down, so Felix Bautista came in for the final out and earned the first save of his career. Manager Brandon Hyde has basically said he'll be playing the matchups in the 9th inning until Lopez returns, but Tate and Bautista figure to be the ones to split any remaining save opportunities.

Risers: Dillon Tate, Felix Bautista (temporarily)
Fallers: Jorge Lopez (only while on IL)

 

Miami Marlins - Bullpen and Closers News

The Marlins bullpen has been among the best in the league...until the 9th inning. In innings six, seven, and eight, the Marlins have a team ERA under 2.00. In the ninth inning though? Almost SIX. That's how you end up on a losing streak with almost every game being a one-run loss. Anthony Bender started the year as the Marlins closer and hasn't been great. He has six saves in eight chances with a 4.91 ERA. In his most recent appearance, he tossed the sixth inning, so it seems like he may have already lost his grip on the ninth. Dylan Floro, who led the Marlins in saves last season with 15, returned from the injured list this week and it didn't go well. He pitched one inning and allowed three runs on four hits and a walk, and he threw a wild pitch.

First game back ineffectiveness isn't too much to be concerned about, but the fact that his velocity was reportedly down throughout his rehab appearances is. Floro is likely to still get the chance to earn a save the next time the Marlins have an opportunity, but guys like Anthony Bass and Cole Sulser have to be considered more likely to have success at this point. In fact, Sulser was warming up for a save opportunity on Wednesday before an offensive explosion by the Marlins made it much more than a three run lead. For now, Sulser remains the favorite for saves in Miami.

Risers: Cole Sulser, Dylan Floro
Fallers: Anthony Bender

 

Short Relief - Other Bullpen News

-Lucas Sims is heading back to the injured list just as the Reds decided they could in fact win baseball games in 2022. Tony Santillan, Hunter Strickland, and Art Warren should mix and match whenever Cincinnati has a late lead.

-Paul Sewald got a multi-inning save this week and is moving his way up the Mariners bullpen hierarchy. It's still a committee there, but Sewald has excellent strikeout upside.

-Kendall Graveman is clearly the direct backup to Liam Hendriks in Chicago and would immediately have immense fantasy value if Hendriks were forced to miss time.

-Jake McGee landed on the IL, so Camilo Doval will take over as closer full time, at least for now. John Brebbia and Tyler Rogers get slight upticks as they won't compete with McGee for holds.

-Jhoan Duran dazzled in a six-out save, recording five strikeouts and locking down a 1-0 Twins win. He's clearly the best pitcher in the Minnesota bullpen, but remains part of a committee along with Emilio Pagan for now.

-Mark Melancon is back from the IL for the Diamondbacks and Ryan Pressly is back for the Astros, making those two bullpens much easier to predict. Neither pitcher has been great, but with their past success, we can assume they have some leeway.

-David Bednar is really, really good.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




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

Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

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
NFL

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
Milwaukee Bucks

Kevin Porter Jr. Declining Player Option
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
Toronto Raptors

Garrett Temple Returning to Toronto
Los Angeles Clippers

Nicolas Batum Declines Player Option
Spencer Schwellenbach

Dominant in Victory
Keon Johnson

Gets Team Option Picked Up
Rayan Rupert

Staying in Portland
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
José Berríos

Jose Berrios Tosses Seven Scoreless Innings in Fourth Win
Nick Martinez

Flirts With No-Hitter, Settles for Win
Gary Sánchez

Gary Sanchez Homers, Reaches Five Times in Onslaught
Trea Turner

Blasts Two Homers, Steals Base
Los Angeles Angels

Ron Washington to Remain on Medical Leave for Rest of the Season
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
Jihaad Campbell

to Begin at Inside Linebacker
Josh Conerly Jr.

to Play Right Tackle for Now
Tyleik Williams

Expected to Fill Big Role Right Away
Malaki Starks

Should Make an Immediate Impact
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
Wyndham Clark

Brings High Upside to Detroit Golf Club
Max Greyserman

Could Make Noise at Rocket Classic
Akshay Bhatia

a Strong Value Play at Rocket Classic
Eric Cole

Hoping for Better Times at Rocket Classic
Beau Hossler

Searching for Form at Rocket Classic
PGA

Byeong Hun An in Good Form Heading into Rocket Classic
Cameron Young

Looking For Redemption and Possible First Career Victory in Detroit
Collin Morikawa

is The Headliner This Week in Detroit For Good Reason
Si Woo Kim

Back in Competition After Last Week's Withdrawal
PGA

Alex Noren Finishes Tied For 30th at Travelers Championship
Kurt Kitayama

Misses The Cut at RBC Canadian Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF