MLB Bullpen Report: Shifting Sands Before the Trade Deadline

I have a throbbing headache right now. Some of it has to do with covering the shifting sands of major league bullpens. But the larger culprit appears to be an issue at the hotel I am staying at in rural Wisconsin, where the Wifi has been out all weekend.

Thus I find myself at a local Starbucks at 6 AM with two computers going and odd looks from the locals. At least there is hot, black coffee here. Oh well. Let’s get on with the last edition of the bullpen report before the trade deadline on August 3rd.

Also: happy birthday to my son Jackson today. The kid drives me nuts, but he completes this family.  Happy birthday, my boy. Let’s roll.

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Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Report

AL East

Andrew Kittredge got a four-pitch save on Wednesday night to seemingly become the favorite for the closer job at this moment over Tyler Wells. They are essentially trading saves here; Kittredge got the one on Wednesday and Wells followed with one on Friday. Both are stuck on four saves at this moment.

Bryan Baker earned his 29th and 30th saves this week for Tampa Bay. What a revelation he has been this season as the closer there, with a 1.49 ERA and 27% K%.

David Bednar converted three saves this week to run his total to 23 on the season. He continues a solid season with a 2.68 ERA and 27% K%. Continue to use with confidence.

Toronto: Louis Varland continues to be lights out for Toronto, notching three saves this week and posting an unreal 0.96 ERA and 34% K%. Jeff Hoffman has been terrific in a setup role lately as well, with 12 holds, and Tyler Rogers is among league leaders with 23 holds.

AL Central

Jordan Hicks is opening eyes in Chicago. Elevated from the long man in the bullpen into a middle relief role, Hicks is hitting 102 MPH on the radar gun again and looking like he could be a weapon for a developing White Sox team. They continue to use a committee approach on the South Side, with Grant Taylor, Sean Newcomb, and Bryan Hudson all splitting chances. Chicago moved one-time closer Seranthony Domínguez to the Seattle Mariners for Luis Castillo on Saturday night. Could the Sox acquire more bullpen help before the trade deadline on Monday afternoon?

Kenley Jansen locked down save number 13 on Saturday night in a victory over the Athletics. The Tigers look like sellers this weekend after moving Tarik Skubal on Saturday night; could they move one of the all-time best closers as well?

Kansas City? I wish I knew what to tell you. If you are looking for a closer here, I am guessing it has been a tough season for you. Nominally, I suppose the closer is Alex Lange with his 6.33 ERA and 22% K%. Yikes.

Minnesota acquired veteran lefty A.J. Minter on Friday and will add him to the mix with Andrew Morris setting up Yoendrys Gomez. Gomez has 14 saves now and has lowered his ERA to 3.26 despite a less-than-stellar 20% K%.

AL West

Hogan Harris is the official closer for the Athletics. He earned his ninth save this week and has a 3.38 ERA and a 30% K%. Roll with him if you got him. I doubt the Athletics will do anything differently here at the trade deadline.

Josh Hader closed three games this week, running his total to 15 on the season with an impressive 1.23 ERA and 38% K%. He continues to be lights out, and I feel it is safe to say now that I was wrong about his potential demise amid an injury return this season.

Los Angeles: not much clarity here this week. I would expect veteran Kirby Yates to be moved soon, and would continue to lean towards Ryan Zeferjahn as the closer for now. The return of Ben Joyce could be an interesting development here; could he get save chances down the stretch? Zeferjahn and Yates lead the team with three saves.

NL East

Raisel Iglesias bounced back on Wednesday after a loss on Sunday to earn his 22nd save. He grabbed his 23rd on Thursday. It’s been another great season to roster Iglesias, with his 2.31 ERA and steady 27% K%. Keep using with confidence.

Miami: to those calling for Pete Fairbanks‘ job this last week, the veteran got three saves this week, running his season total to 16 despite a sickly 6.55 ERA. The strikeout stuff is still there, as evidenced by his 30% K%. Could he be on the move before the trade deadline?

Clayton Beeter has three saves in a row this week, running his season total to 11. I would guess that Washington hangs on to him past the trade deadline, but who knows? The Nationals are said to be both looking to buy and sell this week. But Beeter has shown some signs that he is improving; he has cut his walk rate to an astounding 14%.

NL Central

Caleb Thielbar earned his third save on Saturday night for the Chicago Cubs, continuing the timeshare there with righties Jacob Webb and Trent Thornton. There is no return date yet set for closer Daniel Palencia. The Cubs figure to be in the mix looking to acquire bullpen help at the trade deadline.

What is happening in Pittsburgh? The Pirates acquired Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees on Saturday for two prospects; on the surface, it would seem they would use him in middle relief and continue the co-closer situation with Gregory Soto and Mason Montgomery. Soto earned the only save this week as the Pirates have fallen on hard times. Maybe the hope here is to help Doval rediscover the stuff that made him a closer in San Francisco.

NL West

Paul Sewald is out of the closer job in Arizona. Lefty Brandyn Garcia has gotten and converted the last two chances here. While he has the last two chances, I think this looks to be a committee with potentially four members: Garcia, Kevin Ginkel, Juan Morillo, and Jonathan Loaisiga. It’s a mess. I have written about Garcia here and think he has the best stuff, but we know that the guy with the best stuff is not always the closer.

Edwin Diaz came off the IL on Wednesday and immediately got the save chance and converted it. His return puts Tanner Scott back into a setup role with veteran Evan Phillips, who the team would prefer to use in the top right-handed setup role. Time will tell how this injury responds in return from injuries.

Erik Miller is the official closer in San Francisco, bumping Caleb Kilian to a setup role. Miller responded to the elevated role this week with two saves. He is up to four on the season with two wins, a tidy 2.78 ERA, and 32.1% K%. He could very well be on the waiver wire in your leagues, and you might want to change that this weekend.