Florio's Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Report: Closer Changes for Mets, Blue Jays and Mariners

June 12, 2024

Michael reviews fantasy baseball closers to add off the waiver wire for saves in Week 12 (2024), changing bullpens, and relief pitcher risers with elite ratios.

Every week, I start by telling you that it has been a big week in bullpen news. I won’t lie, this week has not been the most active week. But it does not mean there are no significant happenings worth writing about! 

Plus, it is already mid-June. We are quickly approaching the All-Star break and before you know it, the trade deadline. This is the time of year when you have to start at least thinking about which relievers could be moved. If you have a roster spot or two open, you can try to get out in front of these moves. 

We also had baseball in London that was a lot of fun, but it also led to significantly fewer games for a team that we are desperately trying to figure out its late-inning bullpen usage. Still, we work with what we have in our attempt to figure out each bullpen! 

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Changing Bullpens for Fantasy Baseball

A trip to London limited the Mets' chances to get saves, as you can’t close games if you aren’t playing most days. But in the last week, Drew Smith picked up the lone Mets save. We have seen Reed Garrett pitch in late-inning situations, while Jake Diekman has also blossomed into someone the Mets have relied upon in save situations as of late. Adam Ottavino still looms, even though he has struggled as of late. Plus, Edwin Diaz has looked good in a rehab assignment and is set to rejoin the Mets this week, claiming he feels 100 percent healthy. 

97 MPH up and in for Edwin Díaz in High-A Brooklyn! pic.twitter.com/yEkdfvxXNy

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 9, 2024

This is a headache for fantasy, but as long as Diaz is healthy, he needs to be started. After that, I rank the Mets relievers Garrett, Diekman, Smith, and Ottavino. Those are purely for managers in need of saves in deeper formats. 

With Jordan Romano sidelined, we saw Yimi Garcia and Genesis Cabrera each pick up a save for the Blue Jays in the last week. It was Garcia’s second since Romano went down due to injury. He continues to be the reliever to roster here and managers should continue to roster him even after Romano returns as he has provided elite ratios and strikeouts. Plus, Romano, who is set to resume throwing this week, has never been the poster boy of health. Cabrera is an option for those chasing saves in a deep format, but he is a minimum-bid type of pickup. 

Yimi Garcia Hangs On For Fourth Save https://t.co/kZcDPkWJLT

— RotoBaller MLB (@RotoBallerMLB) June 7, 2024

Despite his struggles, James McArthur continues to hold the gig for the Royals. He picked up the lone save for them in the last week and has 12 on the year while the rest of the Royals bullpen combined has six. That is despite McArthur having a 5.27 ERA, 4.23 xERA, and a 1.43 WHIP. It is an interesting spot to be in with McArthur. He has been too reliable with saves to move, but with the struggling ratios, you know a potential change could be a couple of blown saves away. You have to ride out with him unless you have a comfortable lead on saves; then, you can consider moving him to a save-needy team. The thing working for McArthur is Kansas City does not have a better in-house option. But the surprisingly competitive Royals could be in the market for a reliever. 

The Rockies have been an extremely frustrating bullpen all season. But we may be getting a bit of clarity. Both of the Rockies saves went to Tyler Kinley, who is up to four on the season and behind only Jalen Beeks for the team lead (he has six). Kinley leads the team in the past three weeks with three saves, while Beeks has two and Matt Koch has one. It appears we have a committee between Kinley and Beeks and if both are splitting saves, both are worth rostering in roto leagues. 

The Coors Field light show for #Rockies Tyler Kinley goes a bit harder when “Voodoo Child” by Jimi Hendrix is playing. pic.twitter.com/DTMtD03B9W

— Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) May 30, 2024

However, both are capable of blowing up your ratios because they pitch half their games in Coors Field. This is a situation that is best suited for those who are desperately in need of saves. If that is not you and you roster one of these two, I would be trying to trade them to a team that needs saves. I have a slight lean to Kinley over Beeks at the moment, but as we have seen, things can change quickly in this pen. 

Speculative Saves for Fantasy Baseball 

Andres Munoz had been dealing with a sore back for the Mariners but we did see him return to action on Sunday, although it sounds like his back will be a lingering problem. That makes him a bit of a risky bet for fantasy purposes. In the last week, we have seen Tayler Saucedo pick up two saves for Seattle, while Ryne Stanek picked up one. On the year, Munoz has 12, Stanek has four, and Saucedo has three saves. While I still believe the hierarchy will operate in that order, it's becoming tougher and tougher to feel confident about who will get the save chance on a given night. 

Andrés Muñoz just shared that he’s feeling much better. The lower back issue is one that’s been lingering since the second game of the season, he said.

“Sometimes we don’t feel good but we still have to go out and do our job.”

— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) June 6, 2024

Munoz remains a must-start option as long as he is healthy, but if the back injury scares you, try to shop him while he is healthy. Stanek remains an option worth rostering and starting in roto formats, while Saucedo is quickly entering that same tier. Those two are worth using in roto formats for teams chasing saves, but not so much in head-to-head points leagues where you typically start two relievers. 

The Rays are a team we are used to seeing mix-and-match save chances based on matchups. But, as of late, it has appeared more and more like Pete Fairbanks is just the guy. In the last week, he picked up both their save chances and has all four of them in the last three weeks. He is a must-start fantasy option. But with the Rays currently in last place in the AL East and falling in the Wild Card standings, we could see them trade their stud closer. If so, Jason Adam and Garrett Cleavinger would likely operate in a closer committee. It is pure speculation on my end, but it is never a bad idea to try and get out in front of a potential trade and stash the next man up if you have the roster spot to do so. 

I have not written about the Angels bullpen much this year because it has been pretty straightforward with Carlos Estevez as the top dog. He has picked up 10 saves already this season and remains a must-start reliever. But in the last week, we did see Matt Moore, yes the same former starter you are thinking of, pick up a save for the Halos. It was his first of the year. Luis Garcia has three for Los Angeles. If anything were to happen to Estevez, it appears we would have a two-armed committee between those two with Garcia being the preferred option. 

Elite Strikeouts and Ratios for Fantasy Baseball

Don’t look now, but since joining the Yankees, Michael Tonkin has a 0.89 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, a .162 batting average against, and a 24 percent strikeout rate. He also picked up his first save as a Yankee on Monday night. Clay Holmes is still the guy in this bullpen, but Tonkin has pitched extremely well and is earning more trust in the Bronx. He can provide strong ratios and the occasional save when Holmes needs a rest day. Plus, if anything happens to Holmes, he could be the next man in line for one of the best teams in baseball. 

Michael Tonkin breaks down his 2nd career save, his first as a Yankee. pic.twitter.com/cKZGYgVhBV

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) June 11, 2024

You were probably disappointed I didn’t write about the Phillies bullpen above. Well, it is pretty straightforward now with two stud options at the back of the pen. But Orion Kerkering is a sneaky way for me to still write about them! In the last two weeks, he leads all qualified relievers with a 56 percent strikeout rate while not allowing a walk or run. In that span, batters have hit just .111 against him and he sports a 0.38 WHIP. He is the type of reliever you could grab for nothing and use to stabilize your ratios for a bit. He is especially sneaky in a daily lineup league, as you can still get all your starters in and still start him daily. 

Spencer Turnbull is another sneaky Phillies reliever. In that same period, he has struck out 48 percent of the batters he has faced, the fifth highest amongst qualified relievers. He has a 2.25 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, and a .133 batting average against in that span. This Phillies bullpen is loaded with elite arms. 

Alex Vesia may not be picking up saves anymore with Evan Phillips back, but he has still provided elite ratios. In the last two weeks, he has not allowed a run while pitching to a 0.30 WHIP and a .048 batting average against all while striking out a whopping 55 percent of the batters he has faced. Not only is he elite, but he could provide the occasional save when Phillips needs a rest day. Vesia is a sneaky add that you can grab for nothing off the waiver wire. 

Remember Jose Leclerc? He may not be closing games out for the Rangers anymore, but he has been getting elite results as of late. In the last two weeks, he has struck out 53 percent of the batters he has faced, the third highest among qualified relievers. Batters have hit .059 against him in that span. He sports a 1.69 ERA and a 0.19 WHIP and has only allowed a run via the long ball. Leclerc is looking like his old, dominant self again and is a sneaky minimum-bid pickup for those in need of stabilizing their ratios. 

Make sure to follow Michael on X, @MichaelFFlorio. 

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