We have reached the last division we need to cover in our bullpen series, and that is the competitive NL West. We have covered all six divisions and will continue to watch developments with about five weeks to go until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training. I hope you have found these pieces helpful and please remember, my DMs are open if you have any questions or just want to criticize this work. I am open to any and all feedback!
NL West Bullpen Preview
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Dbacks made it to the World Series, and one of their key performers was closer Paul Sewald. Sewald was acquired from the Seattle Mariners right at the trade deadline and took over as the full-time closer in Arizona. Sewald was good for 34 saves in 2023, to go along with a 3.12 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and 80 strikeouts in 60.2 innings. The 32.1 K% is nice, and he limits hard contact as evidenced by his 94th percentile average exit velocity at 85.9 MPH. What has been interesting is how he started using his fastball at the top of the strike zone while abandoning his more traditional slider in favor of a sweeper from a lower arm angle. It has worked well for him, and he should continue to close in Arizona.
Kevin Ginkel seemed to find a comfortable high-leverage role behind Sewald. Ginkel had nine wins, four saves, and five holds while serving multiple roles last year and had a 2.48 ERA and .98 WHIP. The key to his success seemed to be a change to his pitch mix, adding an exploding slider to a fastball that he works high in the zone. The mix worked well for him, especially in the postseason, and Ginkel should return to an eighth-inning role for the Dbacks this spring.
Other relievers who could play key roles: Scott McGough, who was the original closer in 2023 and earned nine saves to go with 14 holds, Ryan Thompson, Miguel Castro and lefty Andrew Saalfrank.
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies have had their fair share of turmoil in the bullpen in recent years. At this time, it appears that Justin Lawrence will continue to be the first chair in the bullpen. Lawrence had an up-and-down season in 2023, winning four games, saving 11, and earning 11 holds with a 3.72 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. Lawrence is average at generating strikeouts with a 23.9 K%, and an 11 BB% doesn’t help his case either. If you want to speculate on a third closer, maybe Lawrence would be ok, but I would usually advise you to stay away from the Colorado bullpen as it is currently constructed. Lawrence could get 20+ saves, but they could be harmful ones, as neither his ratios nor his strikeouts will help your bottom line much.
Tyler Kinley, Daniel Bard, and Jake Bird also figure to fill key roles. Minor league prospect Riley Pint could also win a job in Spring Training. Kinley had five saves and a hold last year. Bird should lead the team in holds as he did last season with 13. Bard will likely continue in a setup role as well and not return to closing. Bard had more walks (49) than strikeouts (47) in 2023. Pint could be an interesting flyer if he can work through consistent injury and command issues.
Unless you are desperately seeking saves and holds, this is a bullpen to avoid this draft season.
Los Angeles Dodgers
There are always pundits or analysts who think the Dodgers will replace Evan Phillips with another, bigger-name closer. They have not done that yet. Phillips quietly earned 24 saves last year to go with six holds, a 2.05 ERA, and a minuscule .83 WHIP. One thing you will not get with Phillips is a ton of strikeouts; he had 66 in 61.1 innings. The Dodgers could add the best closer in the game in Josh Hader, which would push Phillips to a setup role. Even if they do not add a top-name closer, Phillips is a great guy to nab as your second closer for your fantasy teams this spring. I am wary of projecting too many saves for Phillips despite being on what looks to be an excellent team, based on how manager Dave Roberts chooses to use his bullpen. That said, Phillips is probably more valuable in a league that counts both saves and holds.
Brusdar Graterol is another key bullpen weapon in Los Angeles. Despite frightening velocity, Graterol does not get punchouts (only 48 in 67.1 innings) but definitely helped ratios with a 1.20 ERA and .97 WHIP to go with his four wins, seven saves and 19 holds. Caleb Ferguson and Joe Kelly should also be in the running for holds. Another name to recall for later: Blake Treinen will also be in camp and has significant closing experience. It is always interesting to watch manager Dave Roberts mix and match his bullpen, and we can count on several players having multiple saves unless they go out and sign Hader.
San Diego Padres
This looks to be one of the most interesting bullpens in all of MLB. There is a real question of who will close here. Robert Suarez returns to a bullpen that lost the aforementioned Josh Hader to free agency, as well as Nick Martinez, Tim Hill, and Luis Garcia. The Padres have recently signed two Japanese imports, Yuki Matsui and Woo Suk Go. The team also acquired right-hander Enyel De Los Santos from Cleveland in exchange for veteran righty Scott Barlow.
There has been much speculation on how this bullpen will shake out. Without the benefit of Spring Training to sort this out, my gut is that the closer will be Go, but that all three will have some kind of shot at it. This may surprise folks who think that Matsui will get the job based on having signed the bigger contract and his history closing in Japan. My friend Tim McLeod (@RunTMcP361 on X/Twitter) is my go-to on Asian players, and he sent me some clips of both Matsui and Go. Both have nasty stuff. Thanks to Tim, I was able to take a deeper dive on both Go and Matsui.
Go is the younger of the two at 25, is right-handed, and had 139 saves over the last five seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO). Go has the power stuff we search for in closers, with a fastball that sits at 95 MPH tops out at 98-99, and shows some explosive late movement. Scouts say that Go will need to work on his secondary pitches, but from the few videos I saw (granted small sample size), the curveball looks like it could be a terrific secondary pitch for Go.
Matsui is 28, left-handed, and had 236 saves over nine seasons while closing games for Rakuten in the Pacific League. Matsui is small, at 5’8″ and 160 pounds, using a max effort delivery that he has trouble at times controlling. Being on the smaller side, there may be some durability issues in the long MLB season. On top of that, he has had issues with control despite the impressive saves totals. Several scouts see him as a middle reliever in MLB with the ability to get both lefties and righties out.
My lean right now is that Go will eventually win the job but that Suarez may get the first crack at it based on having MLB experience. Steven Wilson also has a place in the bullpen based on his 22 holds last season, and De Los Santos is a good candidate for holds as well.
San Francisco Giants
The Giants feature one of the surest closers in the game in Camilo Doval. Doval, based on his track record, ability, and seeming job security, will likely be one of the first five closers off the board in drafts this spring. Doval had six wins, 39 saves, and a 2.93 ERA and 1.14 WHIP to go with 87 punchouts in 67.2 innings. The 31 K% is excellent even though he walks more guys than you would like (9.3 BB%). Doval also has a 52.5 % groundball rate, which is the 88th percentile in MLB. I feel confident taking him as a closer one in any league I will be in this spring.
The Giants also feature the Rogers twins, Taylor and Tyler, who will occupy two key spots. Tyler, a side-arming righty, had the second most holds in MLB in 2023 with 30, to go with four wins, two saves, and a 3.04 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. Tyler will not help you in the strikeouts category. Taylor, the big lefty, had six wins, two saves and 12 holds with 64 strikeouts in 51.2 innings. Luke Jackson will also be used in a setup role. Ryan Walker was used often as an opener, but we do not know his role moving into 2024 with a new manager on board in Bob Melvin.
For more of the great fantasy baseball rankings and analysis you’ve come to expect from FantraxHQ, check out our full 2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit! We’re here for you all the way up until Opening Day and then on into your championship run.