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While holds are even tougher to predict than saves, the players we’ll highlight today include some elite setup men to target off the waiver wire for Week 20 of the fantasy baseball season.
The more likely an MLB team is to win, the more likely these pitchers will be eligible to earn the holds that could be the difference between winning or losing in your fantasy league.
Let's get to it.
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Week 20 Waiver Wire Pickups for Holds
Matt Barnes, Boston Red Sox
20 Holds, 3.34 ERA, 56.2 IP, 63 K, 1.13 WHIP
The Boston Red Sox are in a heated division race and reliever Matt Barnes will be important to holding leads. Generally pitching in the seventh or eighth inning, Matt Barnes has opponents hitting .193 while striking out more than a batter per inning. In addition, when opponents are putting it in play, the batted ball is on the ground 53.6 percent of the time. With a 95.3 mph fastball, 80.8 mph curveball, and 88.0 mph changeup, Barnes is effectively generating swings and misses. He has tremendous value on a division-contending team and is a must-have in holds leagues.
Archie Bradley, Arizona Diamondbacks
15 Holds, 1.33 ERA, 54.0 IP, 59 K, 0.93 WHIP
The Arizona Diamondbacks are maintaining their place in the Wild Card game and reliever Archie Bradley is having a breakout 2017 campaign. Averaging just over a strikeout per inning, Bradley has been a consistent force in the seventh or eighth inning. Primarily relying on a 96.4 mph fastball with an 82.7 mph curveball mixed in; opponents are hitting .198 against Bradley this year. Bradley brings a lot of movement to the mound as he generates more swings out of the zone that also result in no contact as well. Bradley is a tremendous addition to any team in a holds league.
Nick Vincent, Seattle Mariners
22 Holds, 1.97 ERA, 50.1 IP, 38 K, 1.01 WHIP
The Seattle Mariners are one of many teams competing for two Wild Card spots and Nick Vincent is doing his part to bridge leads to wins. While Nick Vincent has seen a steep decline in his strikeouts, he has also seen less opponents reach base. Opponents are hitting .230 against Vincent this year but he has surrendered less hits, walks, and home runs over the course of the season too. Heavily relying on his 87.1 mph cutter and 89.9 mph fastball; Vincent is generating a tremendous amount of swings, both inside and outside the zone. While contact inside the zone matches league average, Vincent is generating a lot of contact on pitches out of the zone, but with only two home runs over 50 1/3 innings, the contact out of the zone has not amounted to anything negative for Vincent. If your strikeouts are steady, Vincent is a strong waiver wire claim candidate in a holds league.
Kyle Barraclough, Miami Marlins
15 Holds, 3.42 ERA, 47.1 IP, 52 K, 1.50 WHIP
The Miami Marlins have a steep climb if they intend to make the Wild Card game but it has not stopped reliever Kyle Barraclough from having a good season. Compared to previous seasons, this may be a down year for Barraclough but he still averages over a strikeout per inning. The numbers still speak positively about him as his 95.0 mph fastball and 80.8 mph slider still generate a ground ball on 42.3 percent of batted balls. The league still continues to make below average contact on his pitches this year. With relievers like A.J. Ramos and David Phelps traded, Barraclough has a firm grasp on his late inning duties and maintains his value as a waiver wire claim in holds leagues.
Seung-Hwan Oh, St. Louis Cardinals
18 Saves, 6 Holds, 3.53 ERA, 51.0 IP, 50 K, 1.35 WHIP
The former closer, Seung-hwan Oh is not what he was last year but he continues to be a reliable setup reliever. After too many bumps in the road to mid-July, Seung-hwan Oh lost his closer title and was relegated to the eighth inning but he has done well as an eighth inning setup reliever. Utilizing a 93.0 mph fastball and 85.6 mph slider, Oh is averaging nearly a strikeout per inning. Opponents are batting .278 against Oh this year but has been reliable lately. The Cardinals need him to be a consistent bridge to Trevor Rosenthal and be a worthwhile waiver wire claim in holds leagues.
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