Closers and Saves Report - Week 26 Waiver Wire

Well, it's over. Baseball's regular season comes to a close this weekend, and with it most fantasy leagues will wrap up as well. Daily fantasy will go strong into the postseason, but most standard leagues will be looking toward next season, especially dynasty and keeper leagues. While the vast majority of fantasy players play in... Read More

Closers and Saves Report - Week 25 Waiver Wire

Another week of head-to-head fantasy playoffs or another week closer to wrapping up in rotisserie leagues. Either way, here's hoping it all went well for you! Everyone's favorite Closers and Saves Report writer made the playoffs in every one of his leagues and got knocked out of said playoffs in every single league last week.... Read More

Closers and Saves Report - Week 24 Waiver Wire

Another quiet bullpen week in the fantasy playoffs (for most leagues) leading up to the real playoffs (for both leagues). There were some changes in bullpen hierarchies this week, but they mostly affected setup men and seventh inning guys. Fantasy managers in holds leagues may have seen some things happen this week, but in standard... Read More

Digging Deeper: AL-Only Waiver Wire Report for Week 24

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the injured list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Joe Jimenez (RP, DET) - Week 25 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 30% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: The Detroit Tigers finally handed over the keys to the ninth inning to longtime top prospect Joe Jimenez, by trading All-Star Shane Greene to the Braves at the deadline. Jimenez's overall season numbers are marginal, with a 4.70 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 9.8%... Read More

Digging Deeper: NL-Only Waiver Wire Report for Week 24

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the injured list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Matt Magill (RP, SEA) - Week 24 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 27% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: When the Mariners moved on from both Hunter Strickland and Roenis Elias, sending them both to the Nationals at the trade deadline, it was anyone's guess who would step into the closer role. That someone, at least most of the time, has... Read More

Closers and Saves Report - Week 23 Waiver Wire

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.... Read More

Digging Deeper: NL-Only Waiver Report for Week 23

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the injured list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Digging Deeper: AL-Only Waiver Wire Report for Week 23

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the injured list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Closers and Saves Report - Week 22 Waiver Wire

It was a nice and quiet week for most of the world's bullpens this week, a welcome change in a season that has experienced almost non-stop relief pitching turmoil. With the fantasy playoffs approaching rapidly for most and already arriving for some, every save, hold, strikeout, and ERA fraction could be the difference between a... Read More

Digging Deeper: AL-Only Waiver Wire Report for Week 22

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the injured list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Digging Deeper: NL-Only Waiver Report for Week 22

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the injured list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Joe Jimenez (RP, DET) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 32% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Tigers are terrible, but bad teams still get save opportunities (unless they're the Orioles, perhaps). Joe Jimenez has assumed the closer role after Detroit shipped Shane Greene to Atlanta at the trade deadline, and done well thus far. The hard-throwing righty has converted four... Read More

Matt Magill (RP, SEA) - Week 22 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 17% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Seattle Mariners pitcher Matt Magill has taken over the closing role for the team the past two weeks. He's converted three of his four save opportunities, striking out five batters in three innings over that stretch. His one blown save was a disaster as... Read More

Closers and Saves Report - Week 21 Waiver Wire

The more NFL rumblings we hear, the closer we are to the fantasy baseball playoffs. With sports news fully engrossed with helmets and frostbitten feet, baseball rumbles along through August. The lack of a waiver trade deadline has made August a bit quieter than usual in the baseball world, but there's still tons going on,... Read More

Digging Deeper: AL-Only Waiver Wire Report for Week 21

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the injured list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Digging Deeper: NL-Only Waiver Report for Week 21

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the injured list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Vince Velasquez (SP/RP, PHI) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 21% of leagues ANALYSIS: It hasn't turned into the push for the postseason that the Philadelphia Phillies were probably hoping for, but Vince Velasquez has been back as a full fledged member of the rotation, and he has been rather effective of late despite the up-and-down (though heavily... Read More

Joe Jimenez (RP, DET) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 26% of leagues ANALYSIS: The Detroit Tigers bullpen has seen better days, but at least they have 24-year-old, 2018 All-Star Joe Jimenez to smile on in the present and hold promise for towards the future. The entire Tigers pitching staff has 25 saves for 2019. 22 of those saves... Read More

Dillon Peters (SP/RP, LAA) - Week 21 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 7% of leagues ANALYSIS: While his humdrum showing at Triple-A in 2019 didn't necessarily warrant a major league promotion, the Los Angeles Angels found themselves in need of a starting pitcher, and Dillon Peters has been a pleasant surprise in response. He has a 3.38 ERA and 1.26... Read More

Closers and Saves Report - Week 20 Waiver Wire

It wasn't a huge week in terms of bullpen news, which was actually kind of nice after two weeks of shuffling and hustling throughout Major League Baseball's bullpens. There were some smaller things that happened this week though, that could lead to bigger news down the road. Some trade deadline acquisitions don't look like they're... Read More

Digger Deeper: AL-Only Waiver Wire Report for Week 20

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the disabled list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Digging Deeper: NL-Only Waiver Report for Week 20

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the disabled list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Joe Jimenez (RP, DET) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 24% of leagues ANALYSIS: Perennial closer-in-waiting Joe Jimenez is waiting no more, as the 24-year-old has been given the Tiger's job after the trade of Shane Greene to Atlanta. Jimenez has had an up and down season, being removed from his setup role twice in 2019, only a year... Read More

Anthony Bass (RP, SEA) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 13% of leagues ANALYSIS: What happened to the line of arms that were complicating Anthony Bass's road to high-leverage innings for the Seattle Mariners? Well, they traded Roenis Elias and Hunter Strickland, guys like Austin Adams are bound to the IL, and other competition like Cory Gearrin and... Read More

Michael Lorenzen (SP/RP, CIN) - Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 13% of leagues ANALYSIS: There is a lot to say about Cincinnati Reds reliever Michael Lorenzen, as he is a man of many talents. As an asset on offense, "Mikey Biceps" has accumulated three stolen bases and a .273/.333 BA/OBP combo, and on the mound he's been one... Read More

Closers and Saves Report - Week 19 Waiver Wire

The trade deadline shook the fantasy baseball world, so this week wasn't going to be nearly as important, but there were still plenty of things going on around the league that need to be looked at. There were injuries this week, and there were key roster moves. One team more or less just got a... Read More

Digger Deeper: AL-Only Waiver Wire Report for Week 19

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the disabled list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Digging Deeper: NL-Only Waiver Report for Week 19

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the disabled list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Yoan Lopez (RP, AZ) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 6% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: The Diamondbacks finally made the decision to remove struggling veteran Greg Holland out of the closer role, choosing to go with the dreaded committee approach. The majority of saves will likely go to Archie Bradley, Yoshi Hirano or Yoan Lopez. Lopez has... Read More

Anthony Bass (RP, SEA) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 10% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS: Trader Jerry DiPoto dealt the Mariners two strongest relievers, left-hander Roenis Elias and right-hander Hunter Strickland, to the Nationals at the trade deadline. That means there will be a new closer in Seattle, and while it is not the most inspiring option,... Read More

Joe Jimenez (RP, DET) - Week 19 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 25% of leagues ANALYSIS: With Shane Greene traded to Atlanta at the deadline, Joe Jimenez is likely to favorite for saves in the Motor City over the balance of 2019. The 24-year-old doesn't have great ratios (4.93 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) but has racked up 59 strikeouts in 42 innings,... Read More

Closers and Saves Report - Week 18 Waiver Wire (Trade Deadline Edition)

Okay, so...we need to talk about that trade deadline, folks. Nothing happened, then very little happened, then a couple of things happened, then the deadline came. It was 4:00 Eastern, and nothing close to what we expected had happened. But then...the late reports came in, and oohhh my dudes: things happened. While the biggest deal... Read More

Digger Deeper: AL-Only Waiver Wire Report for Week 18

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the disabled list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Digging Deeper: NL-Only Waiver Report for Week 18

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the disabled list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Chris Martin (RP, TEX) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Texas Rangers pitcher Chris Martin earned his fourth save of the season this past Friday with Shawn Kelley (biceps) on the Injured List. He appears to be the top candidate for saves in Texas while Kelley remains sidelined. However, Martin himself was unavailable due to... Read More

Vince Velasquez (SP/RP, PHI) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 8% of leagues ANALYSIS: There is still the chance that the Philadelphia Phillies make a move for a starting pitcher (probably a back-end rotation member), but if they decide to roll the dice with their current cast of characters in an attempt for the postseason, Vince Velasquez stands... Read More

Cal Quantrill (SP/RP, SD) - Week 18 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 6% of leagues ANALYSIS: He has jumped back a bit between rotation and bullpen action, but 24-year-old highly regarded arm Cal Quantrill has been absolutely shut-down for the San Diego Padres in recent outings. The former Stanford Cardinal has turned in a respectable body of work through his... Read More

Nick Anderson (RP, MIA) - Closer and Saves Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 6% of leagues ANALYSIS: If you're a hungry little saves vulture like me, you've been stashing Nick Anderson for a week already, in anticipation of a Sergio Romo trade. Anderson should be the closer in Miami now, though we'll have to wait for him to be used in... Read More

Closers and Saves Report - Week 17 Waiver Wire

The trade deadline is coming up on Wednesday, and...nothing has really happened yet. With so many teams in contention (and so many rebuilding teams unwilling to trade young players), many reporters are saying this has been the quietest build up to the trade deadline they can ever remember. This season, there is only one deadline... Read More

Digger Deeper: AL-Only Waiver Wire Report for Week 17

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the disabled list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Digging Deeper: NL-Only Waiver Report for Week 17

Every week in baseball, a significant player will hit the disabled list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More

Danny Salazar (SP/RP, CLE) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 21% of Leagues ANALYSIS: October 9, 2017 was the last time we saw Cleveland Indians pitcher Danny Salazar in the major leagues. He spent the entirety of the 2018 season on the Disabled List and underwent surgery on his right, throwing shoulder in July of that year.... Read More

Aaron Bummer (RP, CHW) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 6% of leagues ANALYSIS: There's a very realistic chance that the Chicago White Sox will find a way to trade their closer Alex Colome by the upcoming deadline, and if that happens, the ninth inning reigns will likely be handed down to thriving 25-year-old southpaw Aaron Bummer. Melancholic... Read More

Daniel Mengden (SP/RP, OAK) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of leagues ANALYSIS: Daniel Mengden is still surprisingly young at 26, and we can all get behind a fantastic mustache, but the Texas A&M alumni has sported more than well-groomed facial hair on the mound in recent work. Through 47.0 IP for another season as an Oakland... Read More

Daniel Hudson (RP, TOR) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 8% of leagues ANALYSIS: Daniel Hudson has long been a reliable fixture in major league bullpens around the league, but he has never amassed more than five saves in a single season (a feat he accomplished in 2016 with the Arizona Diamondbacks). Now, with a fantastic body of... Read More

Hunter Strickland (CP/SEA) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 18% of Yahoo! leagues ANALYSIS:  Strickland will make a short rehab stint in Rainier, expecting to join the big league club after just one three-game series. He won’t have any issue regaining the closer role, as the Mariners haven’t found much success there. Roenis Elias has... Read More

Closers and Saves Report - Week 16 Waiver Wire

We're inching closer to the trade deadline and we still haven't seen any big bullpen changes. Oh, but they're coming. They'll just all come at once this season, it seems. Most of the non-contending teams have at least a bullpen arm or two that would serve a purpose on a contending team. They won't all... Read More

Digger Deeper: AL-Only Waiver Wire Report for Week 16 (Triple-A Edition)

very week in baseball, a significant player will hit the disabled list, slip into a slump, or get traded out of a good spot. How fantasy owners adapt to these situations can make or break the season as a whole. One lousy add might not hurt the long-term standing of a team, but failing to... Read More