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It seems like the Jays and Mariners have had closer drama all season long. As we near All-Star break, both teams are trying to straighten out their bullpens with mixed results. Here is this weeks closer watch.
Editor's Note: Bookmark our MLB Closers & Saves Depth Charts for the latest look at all the current closers, setup men, longshots and relief pitcher waiver wire adds.
The Closers
John Axford, Colorado Rockies
Axford came back from a quick stint on the inactive list with two solid appearances. He picked up a save, bringing his yearly total to 14. He has been getting dropped in many leagues over the past week possibly due to some misinformation regarding the inactive assignment. This was simply due to his son who was sick and not injury related at all. At 50.4% owned in ESPN leagues, he's a solid waiver wire option who is sure to receive the Rockies save opportunities until further notice. Axford averages almost a strikeout per inning and possesses an elite 60.3% ground ball rate. These numbers are solid enough to warrant some attention from fantasy owners.
Roberto Osuna, Toronto Blue Jays
It seems like each week I'm writing about the Blue Jays bullpen issues and this is no different. Osuna appeared to tweak his back in his most recent outing on July 5th but maintained after the game that he was completely fine. While odds are this was nothing major, it's always important to keep an eye on this moving forward. Osuna's stock has been rising among fantasy owners and I'd expect that to continue if he can remain healthy. At 28.5% owned in ESPN leagues, Osuna is still a great waiver wire option at the moment.
Mark Melancon, Pittsburgh Pirates
I thought I'd show Melancon some love this week as he earned his NL leading 27th save. The main reason I wanted to mention him is because he has now gone 25 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. Nine of those shut out innings were one-inning appearances in which the Pirates were leading by just one run. Melancon has blossomed into one of the best fantasy relievers in the game and deserves a ton of praise for turning his career around in of all places, Pittsburgh. The Pirates are having an unbelievable season and Melancon has been a major part of that.
Fernando Rodney, Seattle Mariners
Rodney was brought in on July 5th to earn his 16th save of the season. Mangager Lloyd McClendon once again stated after the game that he is going with a closer by committee structure and that Rodney was sent into the game because of "matchups." Like most Rodney appearances this year, this one was an adventure. With a one run lead and two outs, Rodney allowed a single and followed that up with an ill-timed walk. He managed to escape without allowing any runs but continues to un-impress. The Mariners bullpen situation might be the strangest in the league right now and will be fun to monitor as we head towards the all-star break.
Jason Motte, Chicago Cubs
Motte has now picked up two saves and a win in his last three appearances as the Cubs seem to be trusting him in late game situations a bit more. At only 14.9% owned he is a sneaky waiver wire pick up this week and could hold value moving forward. While he hasn't officially been named the closer, volatile players Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop could make that a reality with a few poor performances.
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