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
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

5 Setup Men To Own: Waiver Wire Pickups for Holds Leagues

By Johnmaxmena2 (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The Hold - Baseball's Unheralded Stat

It is very difficult to rely on one pitcher on your roster as the Holds specialist. Unlike the closer there is no such thing as the holder. Specialist relievers that get one batter out or an eighth inning setup man expected to be the final part of the bridge to a win are all capable of earning a hold. Some of the following pitchers were expected to be important members of the bullpen and some were a pleasant surprise to their team and after you read this, your fantasy team too.

 

Kevin Siegrist, St. Louis Cardinals

6 holds, 3.24 ERA, 8.1 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 9 K

By Johnmaxmena2 (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

While Randy Choate is more of a specialist that comes in to get that one left-handed bat that the Cardinals don’t want to beat them, lefty Kevin Siegrist is called on for a full inning of work and he can get lefties and righties out. Ironically, Siegrist’s statistics this year show he is better against right-handed bats (.059 vs RHB, .308 vs. LHB). Siegrist will see regular playing time out of the Cardinals bullpen as seven of his 11 appearances have come in the eighth inning and eight of the 11 appearances have come in close games or with a game in a tie situation. Manager Mike Matheny clearly counts on him to get important outs in high leverage situations.

 

Cody Allen, Cleveland Indians

5 holds, 0.00 ERA, 8.2 IP, 8 H, 4 BB, 13 K

Despite being a right-handed pitcher, Cody Allen has seen success against left-handed bats more than right-handed bats. This could also be the reason he has pitched just 8.2 innings in 11 games. There’s good reason to believe that if closer John Axford struggles, Allen would be one of the first relievers considered for the closer role. His five holds have come in his last seven games and he has a great K/9 of 13.5.

 

Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals

1 hold, 0.00 ERA, 8.1 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 11 K

After losing the competition for a role in the Royals starting rotation, Danny Duffy may have found his niche in the bullpen. Using a fastball in the mid 90's, a curveball in the high 70's and a changeup in the mid 80's, Danny Duffy has mixed up his pitches well and is a force to be reckoned with in a strong Royals bullpen. Since he is a former starting pitcher it makes sense for the Royals to use Duffy in long relief situations. He has pitched in at least two innings in all four of his appearances this season. He’s capable of getting lefties and righties out, as he continues to do well, expect him to get holds and be a prominent piece of the Royals success.

 

Tyler Thornburg, Milwaukee Brewers

3 holds, 0.75 ERA, 12 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 12 K

When your team has the best record in the league, you know the big bats will drive in the runs and you know the big pitchers will notch the wins and saves. But don’t forget the middle men that preserve your win by getting you to your closer. Tyler Thornburg is a reliever that could slip under the radar. He appears to be moving up the pecking order in the Brewers bullpen, getting holds in three of his last four appearances. He allowed one run in his first appearance of the season but has been on an 11-inning scoreless streak over his last 10 appearances. If the Brewers can maintain their winning ways, Thornburg could find himself getting many holds.

 

Dellin Betances, New York Yankees

2 holds, 0.93 ERA, 9.2 IP, 3 H, 6 BB, 16 K

The big man of the Yankees bullpen is Dellin Betances. A 6’8” right-hander with a fastball that reaches the upper 90s and a spike curve, Betances earned his spot in the Yankees bullpen straight out of spring training. So far this season, he has not seen many high leverage situations, usually entering games leading or trailing by multiple runs. The key to his success is his mechanics. Having such a large frame, it is difficult to consistently have his mechanics in order, evident by his 5.6 BB/9, but his 14.9 K/9 is reason enough to put up with the high walk rate. In the early part of this season, Betances has seen success, striking out multiple batters in six of his eight appearances but he has also struggled at times, walking multiple batters in two of his eight appearances. If the 26-year-old Betances can keep his mechanics in order, expect him to be a huge presence in the backend of the Yankees bullpen.

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Denny Hamlin2 hours ago

Fought for the Win, but Was Eliminated in Last-Lap Crash
Austin Cindric2 hours ago

Had Best Run in Daytona 500 Until Last-Lap Crash
Justin Allgaier2 hours ago

Earns First Top Ten Since 2015
Martin Truex Jr2 hours ago

Sour Luck Continues with Early Daytona 500 Crash
Helio Castroneves2 hours ago

Eliminated from Daytona 500 in Crash with Teammate
John Means10 hours ago

In Advanced Talks With Cleveland
Shelby Miller10 hours ago

Signs Minor-League Deal With Arizona
Emiliano Teodo10 hours ago

Logs Successful Bullpen
Tyler Herro10 hours ago

Wins Three-Point Contest
Robert Garcia10 hours ago

Set To Throw Bullpen On Tuesday
Donovan Mitchell10 hours ago

Evan Mobley Wins Skills Challenge
Dalton Rushing11 hours ago

Getting Opportunities At First Base
Mac McClung11 hours ago

Wins Slam Dunk Contest
Tom Murphy11 hours ago

Dealing With Back Spasms
LeBron James11 hours ago

Won't Play In All-Star Game
Connor Joe13 hours ago

Likely To Platoon In Left Field
Jordan Montgomery13 hours ago

To Throw On Tuesday Or Wednesday
Jorge Soler13 hours ago

Expected To Hit In Top Of Lineup
Gavin Lux13 hours ago

Getting Looks At Second And Third Base
Matt McLain13 hours ago

Focusing On Second Base
Trent Grisham13 hours ago

Held Back By Hamstring Issue
Giancarlo Stanton13 hours ago

Currently Behind Schedule
Nick Lodolo15 hours ago

Has Successful Offseason, Enters Camp Healthy
Alejandro Kirk15 hours ago

To See More Playing Time
Josiah Gray16 hours ago

Placed On 60-Day Injured List
Joe Barlow16 hours ago

Returning To Texas On Minor-League Deal
Walker Buehler16 hours ago

Throws First Bullpen
Alex Bregman16 hours ago

Goes Through First Workout
Jon Gray17 hours ago

To Remain In Starting Rotation For Now
Jacob deGrom17 hours ago

Looks Good Early In Camp
New Orleans Saints17 hours ago

Saints Interviewing Brandon Staley, Christian Parker For Defensive-Coordinator Job
New Orleans Saints17 hours ago

Saints Interview Robert Prince For Offensive-Coordinator Job
Justin Tucker18 hours ago

Seven More Accusations Of Inappropriate Sexual Behavior Against Justin Tucker
Joey Logano23 hours ago

May Be A Favorite To Find The Front At Daytona, But What About For DFS?
Denny Hamlin23 hours ago

Is Denny Hamlin Worth Rostering For Daytona Lineups?
Chase Elliott23 hours ago

Could Chase Elliott Be Worth Rostering At Daytona This Week?
Ryan Blaney23 hours ago

Should DFS Players Trust Ryan Blaney This Week At Daytona?
Alex Bowman23 hours ago

Will Be One Of The Best DFS Plays Of The Week For Daytona
Brad Keselowski23 hours ago

Is A DFS Lock For Daytona Lineups
Ross Chastain1 day ago

Has A Real Shot Of Winning But Should Be Avoided For DFS
Chris Buescher1 day ago

Undervalued For The Win At Daytona
William Byron1 day ago

Undervalued For The Win But Should Be Avoided For DFS
Ricky Stenhouse Jr1 day ago

. A Very Worthy Daytona Bet
Austin Dillon1 day ago

Unlikely To Contend At Daytona After Justin Alexander's Departure
Jimmie Johnson1 day ago

Won't Run Well Enough To Be Worthy Of DFS Play
Ryan Preece1 day ago

Probably Won't Contend At Daytona 500
Michael McDowell1 day ago

Likely To Perform Worse At Daytona This Year
Justin Allgaier1 day ago

Drastically Overrated By All DraftKings Metrics
Todd Gilliland1 day ago

Overvalued At Daytona 500
Patrik Laine1 day ago

Collects Two Assists Saturday
Mikael Granlund2 days ago

Pots Overtime Winner Against Sweden
Filip Gustavsson2 days ago

Battling An Illness
Jordan Binnington2 days ago

Earns Another Start For Team Canada
Connor Hellebuyck2 days ago

Remains In Team USA Crease Saturday
Sam Bennett2 days ago

Enters Canada's Lineup On Saturday
Cale Makar2 days ago

A Game-Time Call Saturday
Buffalo Bills2 days ago

Tommy Doyle Announces His Retirement
Montrell Washington2 days ago

Giants Sign Montrell Washington To Futures Deal
Durham Smythe2 days ago

Dolphins Release Durham Smythe, Kendall Fuller
Sam Steel2 days ago

Signs Two-Year Extension
Thomas Harley2 days ago

Joining Team Canada
Cale Makar2 days ago

Expected To Play On Saturday
Kevin Lankinen2 days ago

Will Start On Saturday
Filip Gustavsson2 days ago

Starting On Saturday
2 days ago

Kevin Knox II Expected To Sign 10-Day Contract
Damion Baugh2 days ago

Signs Two-Way Deal
2 days ago

Isaiah Wong Waived By Hornets
Denver Broncos3 days ago

Broncos Hire Darren Rizzi As Special Teams Coordinator
New York Jets3 days ago

C.J. Mosley Likely To Retire?
Allen Lazard3 days ago

Expected To Be Released
Davante Adams3 days ago

Could Force His Release
Raheem Mostert3 days ago

Dolphins Release Raheem Mostert
Jared Butler3 days ago

76ers Converting Jared Butler To Standard Contract
Gregory Rodrigues3 days ago

Searching For Fourth Consecutive UFC Win On Saturday
Yves Missi3 days ago

Suffers Hyperextended Knee On Thursday
Jared Cannonier3 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Nazim Sadykhov3 days ago

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Anthony Davis3 days ago

Sidelined For "At Least" Four Weeks
Ismael Bonfim3 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 102
Rodolfo Vieira3 days ago

Seeking Victory In Eighth UFC Appearance
Daniel Gafford3 days ago

Out At Least Six Weeks
Andre Petroski3 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Keaontay Ingram3 days ago

Chiefs Re-Sign Keaontay Ingram
Amir Coffey3 days ago

Ruled Out For Thursday
Brandon Ingram3 days ago

Expected To Miss At Least One More Month
Chet Holmgren3 days ago

Back In Action Thursday
Anthony Edwards3 days ago

Ready To Play Thursday
Nikola Jović3 days ago

Nikola Jovic Available Thursday
Duncan Robinson3 days ago

Good To Go Against Mavericks
Gary Payton II3 days ago

Out Against Rockets
Mike Conley3 days ago

Not Ready To Return Thursday
Rudy Gobert3 days ago

Out On Thursday
Dante Exum3 days ago

Cleared To Play Thursday
Connor Matthews3 days ago

Opens Up UFC Vegas 102 Main Card
Jose Delgado3 days ago

Makes Debut At UFC Vegas 102
Dylan Budka3 days ago

Searching For First UFC Win On Saturday
Edmen Shahbazyan3 days ago

A Massive Favorite At UFC Vegas 102
Youssef Zalal3 days ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC Vegas 102
Calvin Kattar3 days ago

Looks To Snap Losing Streak At UFC Vegas 102
Jacksonville Jaguars3 days ago

Jaguars Interview Brandon Brown For GM Position
Jordan Eberle3 days ago

Starts Conditioning Stint In AHL
New Orleans Saints4 days ago

Saints Request To Interview Daronte Jones For Defensive-Coordinator Job
Matthew Tkachuk4 days ago

Enters 4 Nations Face-Off In Red-Hot Form
Clyde Edwards-Helaire4 days ago

Saints Re-Sign Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Las Vegas Raiders4 days ago

Maxx Crosby Progressing In Recovery From Ankle Surgery
Shea Theodore4 days ago

Out Week-To-Week
Tank Dell4 days ago

"On The Right Track" In His Recovery
DK Metcalf4 days ago

Klint Kubiak Says He Has A Plan For DK Metcalf
Juuse Saros4 days ago

Named Finland Starter For Thursday
New Orleans Saints4 days ago

Kellen Moore Plans To Call Offensive Plays For Saints
Connor Hellebuyck4 days ago

To Face Finland Thursday
Mikko Rantanen4 days ago

Expected To Play On Thursday
Alvin Kamara4 days ago

Kellen Moore High On Alvin Kamara
NFL4 days ago

Travis Hunter To Enter Combine As A Cornerback
Jordan Binnington4 days ago

Earns Victory Over Team Sweden
Nathan MacKinnon4 days ago

Scores Power-Play Goal In Victory
TOR4 days ago

Mitch Marner Nets Overtime Winner For Team Canada
Gary Woodland5 days ago

In Great Form Heading Into Genesis Invitational
Cameron Young5 days ago

Is An Interesting Play At Torrey Pines
Akshay Bhatia5 days ago

A Strong Value Play At Genesis Invitational
Sahith Theegala5 days ago

Is Riding The Struggle Bus To Torrey Pines
Justin Rose5 days ago

Looks For Redemption At Torrey Pines
Wyndham Clark5 days ago

Searching For Consistency At Torrey Pines
Sam Stevens5 days ago

Aims To Repeat Success At Torrey Pines
Harris English5 days ago

Looking To Repeat At Torrey Pines
Maverick McNealy5 days ago

A Volatile Play At Genesis Invitational
Min Woo Lee5 days ago

In Great Form Ahead Of Genesis Invitational
Viktor Hovland5 days ago

A Solid Value Play At Torrey Pines
Rasmus Hojgaard5 days ago

A Strong Play At Genesis Invitational
Scottie Scheffler5 days ago

Aims For A Strong Rebound At Torrey Pines
Collin Morikawa6 days ago

An Excellent Play At Genesis Invitational
Shane Lowry6 days ago

Back In Action At Torrey Pines
PGA6 days ago

Sungjae Im Is A Highly Volatile Play With Persuasive Upside
Russell Henley6 days ago

Torrey Pines May Be A Place To Avoid Russell Henley
Nick Taylor6 days ago

Might Not Thrive At Torrey Pines
Adam Scott6 days ago

Is A Fun Long Shot At Genesis Invitational
Andrew Novak6 days ago

Tries To Repeat Torrey Pines Success
Robert MacIntyre6 days ago

Could Be Intriguing At Genesis Invitational
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF