Step right up and spin the wheel. We are playing bullpen roulette! You never know what you’re going to get each week. Some bullpens seem to stabilize, while others have become weaker. Injuries and ineffectiveness wreak havoc at odd times in many bullpens throughout the season.
Here’s a random stat for you: by my count, 11 teams have already switched closers from Opening Day. That’s 37% for youstatheads. And more will be coming. Let’s get to this week’s coverage.
Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Report
AL East
Aroldis Chapman had three saves this week to run his season total to 12 to go along with his 1.59 ERA and 35.5% K%. He’s been impressive. It remains to be seen what Boston will do at the trade deadline, but Chapman is sure to draw interest if he is available on the trade market.
Things could get interesting in New York, where Luke Weaver, on the IL with a hamstring injury, threw a bullpen session on Wednesday. He reported that after that session, he felt great. When injured, Weaver was closing due to the ineffectiveness of Devin Williams. But Williams is back in the top job, and doing well, with two saves this week. Williams has four saves in 10 days and has a 1.93 ERA in five June outings. Look for Williams to continue in that role even with the return of Weaver, who may be best served in a multiple-inning stopper role for the Yankees.
In Toronto, Jeff Hoffman earned three more saves this week, giving him 17 on the season. He has a win and four saves to go with a better 3.86 ERA in June. The 35.2% K% is a nice piece to have as well. Hoffman appears to be in control of this job.
AL Central
The Chicago White Sox are playing close games again, meaning that someone has a chance to get saves each week. Who that player is, I cannot tell you definitively. Veteran Dan Altavilla got a save earlier this week, while lefty Brandon Eisert earned one on Tuesday. Steven Wilson is also part of this committee. Eisert is the most intriguing. He limits hard contact with an 87.3 average exit velocity, limits walks (4.7%), and generates whiffs (31.4% whiff percentage, 28.1% K%). He leads the team with two saves. I have also mentioned Grant Taylor as a speculative closer here this season, and he was just recalled from Charlotte and debuted on Tuesday, where he hit 101.5 MPH on the radar gun. This could get somewhat interesting. My lean right now is Eisert.
Will Vest is starting to pull away from Tommy Kahnle in Detroit. Vest notched two more saves this week, while Kahnle earned another hold. Manager AJ Hinch will use both often, but Vest now has 12 saves to Kahnle’s eight. Vest brings more octane to the role and has a higher strikeout rate, 27.1% to 22.8%. Both have ERAs under two.
Lucas Erceg came off the IL this week and immediately took his top setup role back in Kansas City. Carlos Estevez remains the closer with 19 saves, which leads the American League.
AL West
Watching developments in Los Angeles, where veteran lefty Reid Detmers has climbed into the top setup role. Injuries to Ben Joyce and Robert Stephenson opened the door for other relievers, and Detmers has responded with a hold, a win, and a save this week. With Kenley Jansen here, saves will be scant for Detmers, except on nights where Jansen needs a break. But Detmers is showing a high ability in the role, with a win, two saves, a 0.00 ERA, and a 0.83 WHIP in June. Could he close if Jansen is moved at the deadline? Perhaps, but Detmers could also be moved. Interesting note: he is only 25, so maybe the Angels keep him and push him into the closer role when/if they trade Jansen?
Texas: We will continue to watch, but there’s not much to see there this week. Robert Garcia appears to be the closer still, as he got their lone opportunity earlier this week and converted it. He also got the save on Friday night against the White Sox. With Chris Martin back from the IL, it would not be a surprise if he got some opportunities as well.
NL East
Raisel Iglesias remains on the hot seat in Atlanta, but the bigger question is, should manager Brian Snitker decide to demote him, who would take over the role? The once vaunted Atlanta bullpen is in shambles. Dylan Lee and Pierce Johnson could be options, but Johnson blew a chance last weekend.
Calvin Faucher is the closer for now in Miami, earning the only saves for the bullpen this week. With an ERA over 4.00 and a low 21.2% K%, how long he will hold the role is anyone’s guess. I still think Ronny Henriquez will get a shot at some point.
NL Central
Daniel Palencia won the top job with a five-save week in late May, but doesn’t have a save yet in June. You know who does? Ryan Pressly, who earned a save on Thursday night. Palencis pitched the eighth in that game, and Pressly pitched a clean ninth to earn his fifth save of the season. Pressly has been quietly efficient since his nine-run implosion a month ago. Watch this one.
David Bednar is entrenched as the top closer in Pittsburgh, pushing Dennis Santana back to a setup role. Bednar has pushed his strikeout rate to 35.5% and lowered his ERA to 3.57 with 10 saves, including three more this week. Hopefully, you held on to him through the early-season struggles.
Ryan Helsley has performed poorly over the last couple of weeks, but will there be a changing of the guard in St. Louis? It doesn’t seem so yet, but time will tell. Phil Maton could get some saves if the decision is made to give Helsley a break.
NL West
Arizona: Justin Martinez came off the IL last weekend, and manager Torey Lovullo immediately used him for two innings and 37 pitches, where he walked four guys before getting the save. This week, he was hurt again and facing the ominous “second opinion” diagnosis. Last night, we learned that meant having the dreaded Tommy John surgery. In the interim, expect Shelby Miller to get the save chances. A.J. Puk was set to be rehabbing soon, as he was throwing out to 120 feet as he recovers from an elbow injury, but now he is being shut down for a period of time with continued elbow discomfort. Miller is the guy to target here if he is on your waiver wire.
In Colorado, the Rockies continue to lose games at a frightening pace (says the White Sox fan in the room), making save chances scant. Zach Agnos had been the guy, but he’s fading with a 5.48 ERA and 13.3% K%. Seth Halvorsen could get some chances, as could Jake Bird, who has excelled in a setup role. The team itself is a woeful 13-55, so I would not mine too far for save chances here.
Los Angeles: interesting times here as both Kirby Yates and Michael Kopech came off the IL in the last week. Tanner Scott is the closer, clearly, but if they have any issues, both Yates and Kopech, along with Alex Vesia, could get opportunities. This bullpen is wild because they could easily have four or five pitchers with multiple saves this season.
Camilo Doval is the top option in San Francisco with two saves this week in place of Ryan Walker. Top setup man Randy Rodriguez continues to be lights out in his role, and could get chances on nights that Doval is off. A name to watch for sure.
