What’s poppin’, Razzpimples?
Bullpen recap time!
Don’t forget to keep that Razzball Bullpen Chart bookmarked. It’s been updated with the latest, and I’m usually quick to get it touched up once any type of news drops. And if you’re not a subscriber, I do highly, highly, highly recommend it. The tools are — how do you say? — bussin’. If’n you’re of the mind to consider it, you can find all the info here. I’m partial to the Relievonator Game Log Tool. Truly a godsend for my nerdy backside.
Welp. Let’s do it to it, pardner.
Player Rater Top 20 (5×5 Standard)
Player Rater Top 20 (6×6 w/ Holds)
2025 SVHD Leaders
Weekly SVHD Leaders
Weekly BS+L Losers
Weekly Notes:
Note: All stats and Player Rater values are accurate through Monday’s games.
Kyle Finnegan of all people headlines thangs this week. Man finally got himself traded, approximately a year after most reckoned he would. And the best news of all for his fantasy owners is that he’s still a-closin’ games! I was able to drop the dude in anticipation of a trade and still scoop him back up after it was clear the Tigers are running with him. Picked up 2 SV and 3 K in his debut week with the Tigers. Sorry, Will Vest SV-only owners, it’s looking like Finnegan’s rodeo after all.
Aroldis Chapman indeed stayed put in Boston, rewarding them with a stellar week of closer dominance: 3 SV, 4 K, and zeroes across the ratios. Metrics popped. He’s been poppin’ all ding dang year, at the ripe old age of like 55 or something around there. Garrett Whitlock nabbed 3 HLD while striking out 3. Ain’t a bad one-two punch they got there in Bahstin.
Along with Chapman and Whitlock, Tony Santillan also had 3 SVHD to lead the week. Picked up a save and a pair of holds. Struck out 4 in four scoreless. Emilio Pagan converted a couple saves but also got saddled with two losses. Situation to monitor, but don’t go panic dropping Pagan or anything. Dude is a Top 10 RP.
Ugh, I mean, I got nothing against Calvin Faucher personally. I’m sure he’s a fine feller and all that. I just really like the out-of-nowhere, hella fantasy relevant season Ronny Henriquez is having, but it was Faucher racking up 2 SV this week, while Henriquez got 2 HLD. On the flip side, Henriquez’s SVHD value is pretty much rock solid the rest of the way. Struck out 6 and looked pretty stellar across 3.2 scoreless. Faucher, to his credit, K’d 4 in three scoreless and looked pretty alright himself.
My new under-the-radar RP to keep a watchful eye on is Eric Sabrowski in Cleveland. Check his weekly line: 3.1 IP, 2 HLD, 0.00 ERA, 0.30 WHIP, 0 BB, 6 K, 50 K-BB%, 23.9 SwStr%, 41.3 CSW%. He’s up to 21 K in just 13.2 IP. Bad walk rate, but looking like high leverage innings are his until he proves he can’t handle it. So far, so good. Hunter Gaddis earned 1 SV and 1 HLD but also a pair of blown saves. Did strike out 6 and earn a sexy negative FIP for his efforts, though.
Brad Keller and Andrew Kittredge each tallied 2 HLD for the Cubs. Both K’d 5 in four scoreless. I’m not so sure Kittredge is a holds boon ROS, but maybe that veteran gunslinger’ll prove me wrong again. I sure didn’t see last year’s success with the Cardinals coming. Doubt even he did.
Speaking of the Cardinals, JoJo Romero converted both save chances. Had been almost Hader-like in dominance in previous weeks, but this time around he had an ugly WHIP. He may not get every single St. Louis save the rest of the way, but I reckon he gets most of ’em. The only Cards hold went to Kyle Leahy.
Jhoan Duran converted both saves with his new Phillies squad. Good SwStr% but only 1 K to show for it.
Alex Vesia had 1 SV and 1 HLD, striking out 3. Think right now he’s the best and most valuable Dodgers RP. Might remain that way even if Scott makes it back any time soon. Blake Treinen is back around and will also see high leverage. Recorded 1 HLD but had a grody 5.00 WHIP in just 1 IP (but also 3 K). Brock Stewart had 1 HLD and also took a loss, striking out one.
Devin Williams blew two more saves this week. Converted another. But he’s looked pretty bad again since the break. I would not at all be surprised to see David Bednar take over sooner rather than later. Bednar, though, wasn’t a lights out in his Yankees debut week: 6.75 ERA and 1.50 WHIP. Camilo Doval also wasn’t great. What if they went and stole all these closers just to let Luke Weaver have a go again?
So much for Jack Perkins being the next Mason Miller: he did collect a save several days ago, but then they decided he should go back into the rotation. Didn’t go well. Maybe he gets put back in the pen? I dunno. Best looking RP they’ve had lately is Michael Kelly.
Raisel Iglesias went nowhere, instead adding two more saves to his Braves resume. Struck out 3 and looked — metrics-wise — like the guy I thought he’d be all year. Still time to turn his season around and finish strong.
The Orioles pen is a mess. They traded away the guys doing well, and now we’ve got Keegan Akin, Corbin Martin, and Yennier Cano to pitch the late innings. Not a single one of those pardners pitched worth a damn. Akin and Martin recorded a save apiece, but boy howdy were they doo doo overall. Martin especially. His last outing was so bad he may never sniff a SVHD opp again in ’25.
Sneaky deeper league guy to watch is Juan Mejia in Colorado. He caught my eye heading into the season but never got a shot. Now that they’ve traded Tyler Kinley and lost Seth Halvorsen probably for the year, he’s only got the likes of Victor Vodnik and Jimmy Herget to contend with. Mejia converted his hold opp and struck out 7 in four scoreless. Had 25.9 SwStr% and 39.7 CSW%. Nasty stuff. Can’t say how many more opps he gets on this historically bad team, however.
Hunter Harvey is back from injury. Earned a win and a hold. He’s looked good and he walks almost no one. Could make some noise ROS.
Cole Sands had 1 HLD and 5 K. The only Twins save went to Erasmo Ramirez. Called it! Syke, no one did.
Ryan Helsley earned himself a loss with the Mets, but he did strike out 3 and post some great metrics: 28 SwStr% and 44 CSW%.
The Padres super pen did its thang: Robert Suarez 2 SV, Jason Adam/Mason Miller/Jeremiah Estrada/Adrian Morejon all with 1 HLD. Estrada struck out 7 in just 3 IP. Filthy stuff: 33.3 SwStr% and 45.2 CSW%.
Randy Rodriguez 1 SV, 1 BS, 1 L, 2 K. Gotta still figure he’s the main man ROS. Ryan Walker ain’t it anymore.
That’s all for this week! Thanks for reading. Leave me a comment below so I feel all warm and fuzzy.
Odds are quite good I was drinking either black coffee, dark beer, or some form of bourbon while writing what you just read. In the daylight hours, I’m a high school English teacher. I have completely left X/Twitter, so you can find me on Bluesky: @jkj0787.bsky.social, where I serve up daily bullpen recaps to my loyal tens of followers.
