RADIO
Is Elvis Alvarado a Worthy Deep-League Saves Stash?
Across 25 1/3 innings (24 games) in 2026, Athletics right-hander Elvis Alvarado has recorded a 5.33 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 32 strikeouts, and two saves. While Alvarado's surface-level numbers are not amazing, he's averaged 99.1 miles per hour on his fastball and owns a 31.1% strikeout rate. The Athletics have largely operated with a committee approach in the ninth inning so far this season, and Alvarado has not recorded a save since mid-June. Still, the 27-year-old's electric stuff makes him a higher-upside option for the A's than left-hander Hogan Harris, who currently leads the team with six saves. Alvarado is not a guaranteed source of production for fantasy managers, but he may still be worth stashing off the waiver wire in deeper leagues for his second-half breakout potential.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Hogan Harris Still Worth Adding Despite Recent Struggles
Athletics left-hander Hogan Harris continues to provide steady production out of the bullpen in his fourth major league season. The 29-year-old owns a 3.38 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP, establishing himself as a reliable late-inning option for the Athletics. Harris struggled in June, posting a 6.30 ERA, but he has consistently shown the ability to bounce back from difficult stretches. His underlying metrics remain encouraging, highlighted by a .188 expected batting average that ranks in the 95th percentile across Major League Baseball. That elite contact suppression suggests better results could be on the way. Fantasy managers should remain patient despite his recent rough patch, as Harris profiles as both a strong buy-low candidate and a worthwhile waiver wire addition.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Hogan Harris Still Worth Chasing for Saves?
Athletics reliever Hogan Harris has gone nearly three weeks without a save, and his recent work has not helped his case for more chances. Over his last seven appearances, the left-hander has allowed five earned runs on 10 hits and two walks in six innings. That works out to a 7.50 ERA and 2.00 WHIP. Harris still leads the club with six saves, though, and his 47 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings are enough to keep him in the late-inning mix. The Athletics have not settled on anyone. Elvis Alvarado remains part of the committee, while Mason Barnett earned the team's most recent save on Saturday. Harris is too risky for shallow leagues, but his 10% Yahoo roster rate leaves him widely available for managers scrambling for saves in 15-team formats. He is a little easier to roster in leagues that reward solds, as Harris has racked up 10 holds and six saves in 41 games this season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Elvis Alvarado Still Worth Monitoring as a Source of Saves?
The Athletics have been going with a closer-by-committee approach late in games, with right-handed reliever Elvis Alvarado in the mix alongside lefty Hogan Harris and right-hander Mason Barnett. However, only fantasy managers desperate for saves in deeper leagues should even consider snagging Alvarado off the waiver wire right now. The 27-year-old Dominican is currently 3-3 on the year with a 5.64 ERA (4.53 FIP), 1.12 WHIP, his first two career saves, 27 strikeouts, and seven walks in his 22 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. He has tossed two scoreless innings with two strikeouts and no walks in his last two appearances against the last-place Los Angeles Angels, but before that, Alvarado had a stretch of allowing five runs (four earned) for an 8.44 ERA with no walks, five strikeouts, three losses, and a blown save in 5 1/3 innings pitched. After blowing his latest save chance against the San Francisco Giants on June 24, Barnett was entrusted by manager Mark Kotsay to close out the game the following day. Alvarado just hasn't been consistent enough in high-leverage situations in his second year in the big leagues, and if he continues to struggle, he could fall out of the closer committee in Sacramento entirely.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Mason Barnett Earns Second Save, Emerging as Committee Option?
Athletics pitcher Mason Barnett was handed the ball with a three-run lead in the ninth inning of Thursday's game against the San Francisco Giants. The A's were trailing this game until scoring four runs in the top half of the ninth inning. They turned to Barnett in the bottom half with an easier assignment given the three-run cushion. He retired all three batters in order, recording a strikeout and earning his second save of the season. Barnett has allowed only two runs while striking out 19 batters across 14.2 big league innings this season. He figures to remain in the mix as a closer, but is more of a deep league option right now.
Source: mlb.com
Source: mlb.com
Elvis Alvarado Blows Wednesday's Save as Struggles Continue, Is it Time to Cut Ties?
Athletics relief pitcher Elvis Alvarado gave up two runs in the ninth inning, blowing a save against the Giants in his team's 2-1 loss. He gave up a home run to Rafael Devers to lead off the inning and then a walk-off homer to Victor Bericoto to end the game. He has allowed five runs in his last four games, allowing six hits over 5 1/3 innings, including four homers. Alvarado had worked his way into the team's closer rotation, but with his recent struggles, Hogan Harris seems like a better option in the short term. The Athletics will continue to shuffle pieces at the end of games, but for now, Alvarado doesn't seem like a strong play in standard-sized leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Hogan Harris Struggling Recently, Underlying Metrics Hold Waiver-Wire Value
Athletics southpaw Hogan Harris has experienced a difficult stretch recently, posting a 9.00 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP over his last seven games. After a strong start to the season, Harris has allowed seven runs over his last six appearances, raising his season ERA to 3.75 and his WHIP to 1.61. The recent struggles have been a setback, but his sustained success from March through May showed he has the ability to bounce back. Harris' underlying metrics remain encouraging, with both his Hard-Hit% and average exit velocity ranking in the 95th percentile and highlighting his ability to limit damage. His fantasy value should still hold, but managers should monitor his performances closely moving forward.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Is Elvis Alvarado a Must-Add Saves Source Amidst Recent Emergence?
Athletics right-hander Elvis Alvarado got off to a rough start to the 2026 season, posting an 8.38 ERA across 9 2/3 innings before being sent down to Triple-A in mid-April. However, the 27-year-old has been much better since being recalled by the A's in early June, allowing just one earned run while striking out 13 and recording two saves across 8 1/3 innings. Alvarado is averaging 99 miles per hour on his fastball and has struck out 30.6% of the batters he's faced so far this year. The Athletics have also struggled to fill their closer role, as left-hander Hogan Harris leads the team with six saves but also owns a 14.8% walk rate and a 1.54 WHIP. If Alvarado can continue his recent hot stretch, he could emerge as the preferred option in the ninth inning for the A's. Deeper-league fantasy managers in need of saves should consider targeting Alvarado on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Elvis Alvarado Takes Loss for Athletics, Should Managers Be Concerned?
Athletics right-hander Elvis Alvarado was charged with the loss after allowing a solo home run in the ninth inning of Tuesday's 6-5 defeat to the Pirates. Alvarado had been pitching much better after a rough start to the season, posting a 1.42 ERA in June before this setback. His season numbers now sit at a 5.63 ERA and 1.25 WHIP, along with two saves in 15 appearances. The Athletics have not settled on a full-time closer, and Alvarado remains one of several relievers receiving late-inning opportunities. While he struggled in this outing, the overall trend for Alvarado has been positive after a difficult start to the season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the 27-year-old closely, as he remains in the mix for leverage opportunities in an unsettled Athletics bullpen.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Elvis Alvarado Emerging as Priority Closer to Pick Up?
Athletics right-hander Elvis Alvarado struck out two in a perfect ninth inning to earn the save in Saturday's 7-5 win over the Rockies. He has now converted saves in each of his last two outings and has pitched 5⅓ scoreless innings since returning to the big-league roster on June 5. Alvarado has put himself firmly in the mix in the Athletics' closing committee. Hogan Harris, Scott Barlow, Justin Sterner, Jack Perkins, and Alvarado have all recorded at least one save for the Athletics this season. Through 15 innings this season, Alvarado owns a 5.40 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with a 20:7 K:BB ratio, while adding two saves and four holds. With momentum on his side, he's worth a look for fantasy managers chasing saves and is currently rostered in just 3% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Athletics Turn to Hogan Harris for Another Save, Is He the Closer to Roster?
Athletics left-hander Hogan Harris picked up his sixth save of 2026 on Friday, striking out two across 1 1/3 scoreless innings in his team's 6-4 win over the Colorado Rockies. Across 33 2/3 innings (36 games) on the year, Harris has pitched to a 2.67 ERA and 1.49 WHIP with 39 strikeouts, six saves, and 10 holds. The Athletics have opted for a committee approach in the closer role for most of 2026, but Harris may be settling in as the team's preferred option. He's worked in the ninth inning in five out of his last six appearances, notching two saves and a blown save in that span. The 30-year-old owns a worrisome 15.2% walk rate and an unimpressive 10.6% K-BB rate, so fantasy managers may not want to rely on Harris for high-end closer production. Still, Harris looks like the favorite for saves in the Athletics bullpen and could be worth targeting on the waiver wire in leagues where he remains available.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Elvis Alvarado Earns First Save, a Name to Watch in A's Committee?
Athletics relief pitcher Elvis Alvarado closed out his team's 4-3 win on Wednesday night after Hogan Harris pitched the eighth inning. Alvarado faced the middle of the Brewers' lineup and struck out Christian Yelich and Brice Turang as part of his 1-2-3 ninth inning. Alvarado has allowed nine runs in his 14 innings this year for a 5.79 ERA, but he also has 18 strikeouts and a 30.5% K%. He only has this one save, but he is stepping into a bigger role. Harris, Mason Barnett, and Mark Leiter Jr. are all still in the mix as well, but Alvarado is worth monitoring with his elite strikeout stuff and the potential to continue to trend into a larger role.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Hogan Harris Blows Second Save, Will he Remain Primary Option in Athletics Bullpen?
Athletics relief pitcher Hogan Harris entered the eighth inning of Monday night's wild, 15-14 loss to the Brewers. He couldn't secure the five-out save even though he escaped the eighth inning by inducing a double-play from Brice Turang. In the ninth, he ran into trouble and allowed a two-run double to Andrew Vaughn before striking out the side to avoid further damage. He left the game tied at 10 and was charged with two earned runs on two hits in 1 2/3 innings. Harris is 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA and 3.96 FIP in his 31 2/3 innings this season and has nine holds and five saves to go with his two blown saves this year. With Joel Kuhnel traded and Jack Perkins in the rotation, Harris will likely remain a key part of the closer committee with Scott Barlow and Mark Leiter Jr. He's still the slight favorite of the three for save chances, but the A's will continue to rotate options at the end of games, making all of their bullpen arms hard to count on for fantasy production.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
A's Designate Reliever Joel Kuhnel for Assignment
After their gut-wrenching 7-6 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Thursday night after they blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning, the Athletics designated right-handed reliever Joel Kuhnel for assignment, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. Kuhnel, who had been part of the team's closer-by-committee approach this year, picked up a hold but was hit with the loss on Thursday night by allowing four earned runs on five hits in just two-thirds of an inning. The 31-year-old former 11th-round pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 2016 out of the University of Texas at Arlington allowed seven earned runs on 10 hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out just one in 4 2/3 innings in his last four appearances out of the bullpen to inflate his season ERA to 4.21 (3.96 FIP). With Kuhnel now out of the picture for the A's bullpen, left-hander Hogan Harris could be the current favorite for saves in Sacramento.
Source: USA Today Sports - Bob Nightengale
Source: USA Today Sports - Bob Nightengale
Is Hogan Harris a Legitimate Source of Saves?
The Athletics are currently using a closer-by-committee approach to the ninth inning, but left-handed reliever Hogan Harris might deserve some more consideration off the waiver wire from fantasy managers in need of saves going forward. The 29-year-old southpaw has been a reliable late-inning option for the A's this year and picked up his third win of 2026 in Wednesday night's 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, throwing a hitless and scoreless inning with no walks and two strikeouts. Justin Sterner ended up with the save in the ballgame, but Harris, Mark Leiter Jr., and Scott Barlow are still the best ninth-inning options for manager Mark Kotsay. Since blowing his first save of the year on April 28 against the Kansas City Royals, Harris has tightened things up with three earned runs allowed, seven walks, 16 strikeouts, four saves, three holds, and a win in 15 appearances for the A's. He has not allowed a run in 12 of his last 13 appearances. Fantasy managers should jump on Harris now, and he's only rostered in 11% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
