RADIO
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 23 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.
Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options for relief pitchers, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily.
Ryan Madson, Kansas City Royals
14 holds, 2.45 ERA, 51.1 innings, 47 strikeouts, 0.97 WHIP
Baseball is full of unpredictability but the Kansas City Royals have reached a new one. The Royals have lost a couple players, including reliever Kelvin Herrera to a bout with chicken pox. With his two week absence, reliever Ryan Madson can shine. Usually a middle inning reliever, Madson can briefly take on a stronger role while Herrera recovers. The 35-year-old Madson is having a good season, keeping opponents to a .207 batting average. Like a seasoned veteran, he's generating ground balls at a good 56.3% rate. The three pitches he turns to for his 2.45 ERA and sub-1.00 WHIP are a fastball around 94 MPH and cutter approaching 90. He adds in a changeup for change in speed. He won't stay in a seventh inning role for the remainder of the season but he could be more valuable for a couple weeks to start the month of September.
Hunter Strickland, San Francisco Giants
14 holds, 1.94 ERA, 41.2 innings, 44 strikeouts, 0.89 WHIP
The Giants hit a setback, being swept by the last team they wanted to sweep them but as the saying goes, the show must go on. Reliever Hunter Strickland is putting on a great show this year. The 26-year-old Strickland is showing a sub-2.00 ERA with a sub-1.00 WHIP. With a power fastball that exceeds 96 MPH on average and a slider approaching 85 MPH, Strickland is holding opponents to a .197 batting average. His batted ball rate is evenly distributed, with a slight edge to ground balls over fly balls (38.8 vs. 37.9) but he does exceed a strikeout per inning pitched. Another advantageous statistic to show his use in potential hold situations is his strand rate. Through the season, Strickland has inherited 20 base runners and only one has reached home. The 5% strand rate is remarkable and is one of the Giants best options at quelling a rally as it starts to develop.
Ryan Webb, Cleveland Indians
1 hold, 2.89 ERA, 43.2 innings, 27 strikeouts, 1.10 WHIP
The Cleveland Indians have the talent to be spoilers for contenders. When the Indians have a chance at a win reliever Ryan Webb is a candidate to bridge the starter to the closer. The 29-year-old Webb is a sinker ball pitcher that has opponents hitting to a .230 batting average. His sinker that suits just under 92 MPH, is good reason he generates 59.7% ground balls on batted balls. He mixes in a slider and changeup occasionally. He is available but should not be looked at as a primary addition when seeking holds. He is capable but his team has not put it all together to be a must-have on your team unless the other players identified are not available.
Casey Fien, Minnesota Twins
14 holds, 3.25 ERA, 52.2 innings, 29 strikeouts, 1.03 WHIP
The Twins are the team that don't want to go away. With Minnesota still in the thick of a potential wild card spot, reliever Casey Fien will find himself in winning games, expected to add a hold to an already good season. The 31-year-old Fien is by no means overpowering, with just 29 strikeouts in 52.2 innings, but he makes the most of his home surroundings. Opponents are hitting to a .248 batting average but the batted ball rate shows the pitcher-friendly Target Field is right for Fien. At 44.0%, Fien generates mostly fly balls though his 35.4% ground ball rate is good as well. Casey Fien is one of the more frequently used reliever highlighted this week so if you are not in high demand for strikeouts but want a reliever you can expect to see in a game, Fien is the way to go.
Pedro Baez, Los Angeles Dodgers
9 holds, 2.95 ERA, 39.2 innings, 48 strikeouts, 1.08 WHIP
Unless the man on the mound is Zack Greinke or Clayton Kershaw, the Los Angeles Dodgers will likely need assistance from the bullpen towards the later third of the game. Reliever Pedro Baez has put together a good season to this point as the regular season enters its final month. The 27-year-old Baez hold opponents to a .240 batting average. The power putting Baez generated more fly balls than ground balls (47.0 vs. 34.0) out more than a batter per inning pitched. His primary pitch, used nearly 77% of the time, is a fastball that approaches 97 MPH. Two of the starters in the Dodgers' rotation are reliable for a minimum of seven innings, the rest will need the bullpen and Pedro Baez is one of the more reliable ones they have.
