After a relatively quiet start to the season, bullpen-wise at least, this week brought a few important ninth inning changes.

Some might be temporary, some might be more permanent, but all will be critical to fantasy players over the next few weeks.

Let's take a look at what happened in the bullpens around Major League Baseball this week and what guys need to be picked up immediately in your fantasy leagues.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and weekly lineup resources:

• Fantasy baseball injury reports
• Fantasy baseball trade analyzer
• Daily MLB starting lineups for fantasy baseball
• Fantasy baseball BvP matchups data (Batter vs. Pitcher)
• Fantasy baseball PvB matchups data (Pitcher vs. Batter)
• Who should I start? Fantasy baseball player comparisons
• Fantasy baseball closer depth charts, bullpens, saves
• Fantasy Baseball live scoreboard, daily leaderboards

 

Bullpen News for Week 3

Washington Nationals

Nationals Opening Day closer Blake Treinen officially lost his job this week after posting a 7.11 ERA in his first eight outings. He was pulled in the middle of a save opportunity after walking in a run, and manager Dusty Baker said, "this ain't working" in his post-game interview. There has been no official announcement regarding who will take the ball the next time the Nationals have a lead of fewer than three runs in the ninth inning, but it will be either Shawn Kelley or Koda Glover.

Both are good speculative adds right now, as both would be solid fantasy pieces if given the full time closer role. Kelley got the save last night, and also on April 18th, so he looks to be the lead candidate. There remains a chance the Nationals will go with a closer-by-committee that might even include Treinen, but Dusty Baker is the type of manager that will likely name a pitcher to the specific role sooner than later. Keep an eye on Washington's bullpen usage over the next few games.

 

Baltimore Orioles

Orioles closer Zach Britton is one of the best in the game. He's started this season with five saves and a 1.29 ERA, but he suffered a forearm strain and landed on the disabled list this week. He's reportedly already feeling better, although an MRI will be done to make sure the injury isn't worse than feared. The Orioles hope to have him back soon, potentially even before the end of the month. In the meantime, manager Buck Showalter has said that righties Brad Brach and Darren O'Day will share any save opportunities.

O'Day has struggled to start the season, putting up a 7.94 ERA in six games and walking almost as many batters as he's struck out. Brach, on the other hand, has started off his season with 12 strikeouts in eight scoreless innings. He also got the first two save chances the Orioles had since Britton was placed on the DL. Despite what Showalter publicly stated, common sense dictates Brach will be the temporary closer for Baltimore, and he should put up excellent fantasy value while in the role. He's a great source of strikeouts and will collect saves for a limited time. He should be owned in all formats as a temporary piece, and should already have been owned in leagues that count holds. Britton owners need not worry, though. He will still be the closer once he's healthy.

 

Texas Rangers

Rangers closer Sam Dyson had one of the worst starts to the season for a closer in recent memory before landing on the disabled list this week with a right hand contusion. He completed only 4 1/3 innings in six games, allowing 13 runs on 14 hits and five walks, all good for a 27.00 ERA and 4.38 WHIP. He'll spend some time on the DL to think about what he's done, and it seems somewhat unlikely that he'll get his job back even once he's "healthy" again.

Matt Bush will get the majority of the save opportunities now, with Jeremy Jeffress mixing in from time to time. Bush is the better reliever despite Jeffress having more closing experience. The Rangers will need to be careful with Bush's usage after his recent shoulder issues, but he should serve as the primary closer with Jeffress coming in only on Bush's days off. So far this season, Bush has tossed 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, but posting an 10:1 K:BB ratio. He has the potential to be an excellent fantasy closer and is a must-add in all formats.

 

New York Mets

Mets Opening Day closer Addison Reed is reaching the end of his tenure, as Jeurys Familia will rejoin the team this week. Familia may not jump right back into the closer role immediately, but he's sure to make his way there after a few "tune up" appearances.

This will slide Reed back into the setup role, where he will still have tons of value in holds leagues. His value in standard leagues, however, takes a huge hit after this week. Familia, on the other hand, may be a bit rusty to start, but is a must-own in all formats. He's likely stashed away on someone's bench already, but take a peek at the waiver wire just in case. He's a very good closer despite what he is as a person.

 

Oakland Athletics

The A's looked like they would be going with Ryan Madson as the head of their ninth inning committee, but he's been pitching in the middle innings and Santiago Casilla and Sean Doolittle have been given the ninth inning instead. Despite not having strong platoon splits to their respective sides, manager Bob Melvin has said that Casilla will get the save opportunities when right handed hitters are due up, and Doolittle will get them when left handed hitters are due up.

This makes for a frustrating situation for fantasy, although Casilla will still get more save opportunities than Doolittle. Both are worth rostering in leagues that count holds, with Casilla perhaps worth consideration in deeper standard leagues.

 

Roster Moves of the Week

This week's pickups were mostly detailed in the above section, but here's a quick run down of who to look for:

Adds: 

Brad Brach, Baltimore Orioles - Brach will be filling in for Zach Britton for a few games and can put up elite-level stats in the meantime. (All formats, temporary add)

Matt Bush, Texas Rangers - Bush will take the place of "injured" closer Sam Dyson and has the upside to run away with the job and never look back. (All formats, potentially long term add)

Jeurys Familia, New York Mets - Familia is back from his embarrassingly short domestic violence suspension. He may not close right away, but should start picking up saves soon. (All formats, long term add)

Santiago Casilla, Oakland Athletics - Casilla will get the bulk of the A's save opportunities, so he's worth a look for owners clawing for saves. (Deep mixed leagues and AL-only, long term add)

 

Drops:

Sam Dyson, Texas Rangers - Dyson is "injured" and likely won't reclaim his job once he's "healthy"

Ryan Madson, Oakland Athletics - Madson started the year in the saves mix, but has been pitching in the middle innings while Doolittle and Casilla have been named closers.

 

Best of the Week

Craig Kimbrel, Boston Red Sox - 6 IP, 12 K, 4 SV, 1 W, 1.60 ERA, 0.33 WHIP

Kimbrel killed it this week, saving four games and allowing only two hits. One of the base runners was promptly erased by a double play. Kimbrel looks like he's back to being an elite closer, both in fantasy and on the mound.

David Robertson, Chicago White Sox - 3 IP, 5 K, 3 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP

Robertson is incredibly unlikely to wear a White Sox uniform all season, but he's doing great things for the White Sox by upping his trade value early on in the season. This week, he saved all three games he appeared in, striking out five and allowing two walks, but no hits.

Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers - 3 IP, 5 K, 2 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP

Jansen had a perfect week, not allowing any base runners in his three innings of work while striking out five. He only picked up two saves, but fantasy owners likely aren't complaining. He's a top tier closer and will be all season.