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Ryne Stanek is a fantasy baseball waiver wire pickup for closers and saves. Target Stanek as a free agent relief pitcher for saves on the waiver wire.
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues and AL-Only Leagues
ROSTERED IN: 3% of Leagues
ANALYSIS: Ryne Stanek picked up his second save of the season on Friday for the Mariners. The M's usual closer, Andres Munoz, also pitched, but it's not necessarily a case of Munoz being relieved of his duties. Munoz pitched the eighth because that was the Cubs' 2-3-4 hitters with the Mariners holding a 4-1 lead, so it was still a high-leverage situation. Stanek pitched to the lower half of the order, allowing a solo home run in the process but also retiring the other three batters he faced.
The four-seamers he was throwing were the highest-velocity pitches thrown in the entire game (visual below), so has the type of stuff you'd want to see in a late-game reliever, with a split-finger and slider mixed in as well.
The last time Stanek recorded a save Munoz also pitched ahead of him, so we could continue to see this throughout the season. As such, Stanek could be in line for several more save chances. He's never been "the closer" before as with a third save he'd set a new career high, but he's averaged more than a K per inning throughout his career. After a couple of good years in Houston, last season with the Astros the righty owned a 4.09 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and had his second-lowest strikeout rate of his career (23.9%).
So far in 2024, the 32-year-old has a 3.38 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and a 3:7 BB:K over six appearances. Save-hungry managers in deeper leagues and AL-only leagues should consider picking up the veteran reliever, and with just 3% rostership he's basically available everywhere.
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