What’s poppin’, Razzpimples?
Week 21 is in the books. Bullpen report time!
Don’t forget to keep that there Razzball Bullpen Chart bookmarked. It’s been totally revamped into this awesome, dynamically-updated masterpiece! The calendar view of usage patterns is just pure gold.
Subscribers: Check out the Autopen for today/tomorrow projections (vulture SVHD, anyone?), which also has the same look at the Last 7 Days usage patterns. Another great tool is relief game logs from the last 14 days! Filter/sort/export to your needs.
2026 SVHD Leaders
Player Rater Top RP (5×5 Standard)
Player Rater Top RP (6×6 w/ Holds)
Weekly Notes:
Note: All stats and Player Rater values below are accurate through Sunday’s games.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Brandyn Garcia (4 SV, 13 HLD, 41:8 K:BB) tallied 1 SV while striking out 5. Justin Martinez is back and looked great in rehab. Gotta snag him everywhere.
Athletics
Hogan Harris (12 SV, 10 HLD, 72:34 K:BB) secured 1 SV. Elvis Alvarado (2 SV, 7 HLD, 48:19 K:BB) collected 2 HLD. Drew Rom (2 HLD, 14:4 K:BB) nabbed 2 HLD, too. Don’t know a lot about this Rom fella, but the early K:BB ain’t too shabby.
Atlanta Braves
Raisel Iglesias (25 SV, 49:14 K:BB) notched 1 SV. Dylan Lee (28 HLD, 70:13 K:BB) earned 2 HLD. Lee has been one of the very, very, very best. I knew he had it in him.
Baltimore Orioles
Cam Sanders (3 SV, 19:12 K:BB) logged 2 SV. Excuse me…who? I hate that K:BB, by the way. Surely this guy isn’t a thing for long. Andrew Kittredge (6 SV, 8 HLD, 31:10 K:BB) tallied 1 SV and 1 HLD. Josh Walker (2 HLD, 13:4 K:BB) snagged 2 HLD. Yennier Cano was horrible after I finally pulled the trigger to add him lol. I swear to all that’s holy this happens every single time. Rico Garcia was also horrible.
Boston Red Sox
Tyron Guerrero (15 HLD, 34:5 K:BB) puked up a 36.00 ERA and 5.00 WHIP this week. Aroldis Chapman was good in his one inning of work, just no decision to show for it sadly. Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten are certifiably cooked with elbow inflammation in mid August. Erik Miller is bound to step up in their absence, cuz I’m not sure Guerrero has the goods to be the top dog.
Chicago Cubs
Jacob Webb (9 SV, 8 HLD, 61:17 K:BB) secured 2 SV. Javier Assad collected a random save as well. Ryan Zeferjahn has ghosted everyone who added him.
Chicago White Sox
Sean Newcomb (4 SV, 10 HLD, 64:25 K:BB) and Bryan Hudson (5 SV, 8 HLD, 50:17 K:BB) each earned 1 SV. Grant Taylor (6 SV, 10 HLD, 81:20 K:BB) had 2 HLD.
Cincinnati Reds
Emilio Pagan (15 SV, 29:8 K:BB) locked down 2 SV and continues to be one of the best closers of the second half. Julian Garcia (2 SV, 2 HLD, 28:11 K:BB) got a random save, so shoutout for that I guess. Hard to get excited about any of the setup men in Cincy.
Cleveland Guardians
Cade Smith (31 SV, 77:18 K:BB) notched 1 SV. Hunter Gaddis (1 SV, 24 HLD, 41:17 K:BB) picked up 2 HLD. Colin Holderman (1 SV, 10 HLD, 46:17 K:BB) also had 2 HLD. Overall it’s been a surprisingly good year for the Holder Man.
Colorado Rockies
Jordan Romano (12 SV, 1 HLD, 26:13 K:BB) kept at it, securing 2 SV. Jimmy Herget (3 SV, 7 HLD, 35:20 K:BB) and Brennan Bernardino (1 SV, 10 HLD, 37:14 K:BB) managed 2 HLD.
Detroit Tigers
Kenley Jansen (15 SV, 1 HLD, 37:20 K:BB) add 2 SV to his HOF resume. Tyler Holton (2 SV, 12 HLD, 45:14 K:BB) wasn’t his sharpest but still nabbed a couple holds.
Houston Astros
Josh Hader (17 SV, 41:10 K:BB) nailed down 1 SV while striking out 5. I thought Bryan Abreu was looking like his old self, but meh. He’s not worth the headache. I stopped typing this to replace him with Senga just now.
Kansas City Royals
Steven Cruz (4 SV, 4 HLD, 51:18 K:BB) registered 1 SV. I can’t imagine any SV-only leagues still letting this guy sit around, but maybe there are some with his rostership only at 18% on Fantrax.
Los Angeles Angels
Ben Joyce (2 SV, 1 HLD, 6:1 K:BB) claimed 2 SV and has genuinely been impressive since finally making it back from injury. Hardly a baserunner in sight and at least 1 K in five outings (2 SV, 1 HLD). Samy Natera Jr. stole a save as well, but this is obviously the Joyce show now. I will say, and I always have said, that I don’t trust Joyce very much.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Edwin Diaz (7 SV, 19:10 K:BB) eked out 2 SV while once again obliterating your ratios. I’d seriously just drop that bum. I mean, just look at his game log. Just look at it. Tanner Scott (16 SV, 12 HLD, 62:11 K:BB) bagged 3 HLD. Been as good as Diaz has been bad all year long.
Miami Marlins
Pete Fairbanks (18 SV, 2 HLD, 54:16 K:BB) had 1 SV. Michael Petersen (1 SV, 21 HLD, 62:22 K:BB) showed why I still sing his praises, snaring 3 HLD with a 4:0 K:BB.
Milwaukee Brewers
Trevor Megill (22 SV, 7 HLD, 54:12 K:BB) finished the week with 1 SV. Aaron Ashby (1 SV, 11 HLD, 97:34 K:BB) recorded 1 SV and 1 HLD. Chad Patrick had 2 HLD. Abner Uribe is down with a forearm injury, so that probably spells the end of his usefulness this season.
Minnesota Twins
Yoendrys Gomez had 1 SV. All that trepidation I had that Hoffman would bully Gomez out of saves was for naught. A.J. Minter grabbed 2 HLD.
New York Mets
Kodai Senga (3 SV, 60:34 K:BB) has been aces as a closer. Nailed down 3 SV this week. Get him everywhere. Nate Lavender (4 HLD, 6:2 K:BB) and Daniel Duarte (1 SV, 3 HLD, 15:5 K:BB) each scored 2 HLD. What is this three-headed monster Queens has birthed?!
New York Yankees
David Bednar (27 SV, 61:18 K:BB) had 1 SV. Brent Headrick (19 HLD, 77:19 K:BB) continued his breakout season with 2 HLD.
Philadelphia Phillies
Jhoan Duran(26 SV, 62:8 K:BB) added another save. Still only 8 BB all season! Jonathan Bowlan (1 SV, 9 HLD, 55:11 K:BB) had 1 SV and 1 HLD. I daresay he’s the non-Duran Philly reliever to own. Been gold over the last two weeks.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Mason Montgomery (4 SV, 9 HLD, 78:21 K:BB) captured 1 SV along with 3 K. That super pen is kinda super booty…Luke Weaver has been good (except for his last outing) but just isn’t getting any decisions whatsoever anyway.
San Diego Padres
Mason Miller (30 SV, 93:19 K:BB) had 1 SV. Jeremiah Estrada (1 SV, 12 HLD, 37:15 K:BB) had 2 HLD. Bradgley Rodriguez (1 SV, 9 HLD, 59:17 K:BB) snagged a random save. Dude has been awesome metrics-wise…would love to see more SVHD from him. At only 22 years old, he’s one to keep tabs on for the future.
San Francisco Giants
This team isn’t worth writing about. Roster Dylan Smith if you have to choose from here.
Seattle Mariners
Andres Munoz (22 SV, 72:18 K:BB) earned 2 SV but cooked those ratios. Jose A. Ferrer and Eduard Bazardo (24 HLD, 55:16 K:BB) each had 2 HLD.
St. Louis Cardinals
Riley O’Brien (30 SV, 1 HLD, 49:20 K:BB) hit the 30 SV marker with 1 SV this week. Kept the ratios clean, but just a 1:0 K:BB is kinda lame. Better than walking up a storm, I suppose.
Tampa Bay Rays
Garrett Cleavinger (2 SV, 22 HLD, 48:17 K:BB) was due for a bad week: sputtered to a 45.00 ERA and 8.33 WHIP. Really quiet week for Rays RP this time around.
Texas Rangers
Jacob Latz (24 SV, 2 HLD, 58:15 K:BB) had 2 SV. Never in my wildest dreams would have thought this guy would be a Top 10 RP, even in an AL-West-only league.
Toronto Blue Jays
Louis Varland (28 SV, 5 HLD, 79:17 K:BB) locked down 4 SV, cuz that’s just the kinda dude he is. Damn, I love a 4-SV week. Hardly ever see ’em. Tyler Rogers (4 SV, 26 HLD, 29:20 K:BB) hauled in 3 HLD, cuz that’s just the kinda dude he is. Did you know the Jays added Paul Sewald?
Washington Nationals
Nothing worthwhile happening here this week. Still fine with Clayton Beeter being on your team.
That’s all for this week! Thanks for reading. Leave me a comment below so I feel all warm and fuzzy.
Find me on Bluesky: @jkj0787.bsky.social, where I serve up daily bullpen recaps to my loyal tens of followers.
In a wins, era, whip, saves, holds, strikeouts, k/9 league. How would you rank for the next 3 weeks Aj Minter, Juan Morillo, Bradgley Rodriguez, Johnathon Bowlan, Erik Sabrowski
lol no offense cuz it’s hard to tell tone over the internet, but questions like this are why I don’t rank RP. It’s too hard! They’re all in the exact same tier to me. Been mostly great but aren’t clear-cut 8th inning types. It’s truly a toss up who could come out ahead here ROS. I’d pick a couple and play the hot hands if you can. Swap out on the wire as needed.
have cleavinger, Peterson, Bowlan in a SvHLD would you drop for:
Duarte
Bradgley Rodriguez
Kerkering
playoffs start next week
Probably fine with what you have. Also wouldn’t mind losing Bowlan for Duarte. Bowlan’s WHIP is creeping up.
Hey JKJ in a 10 team k/9 saves league who would roster between Montgomery, Joyce, luke weaver?
Joyce easily if just saves
More saves rest of the year Cruz or Estevez?
Cruz would be my guess. But if Estevez comes back healthy then they’ll surely give him the 9th.
Safe to assume its the Tanner Scott show now in La La Land
You’d think! Dave does weird things when his actual closer plans don’t work out. But surely Scott is at least priority.
For holds ROS, who do you prefer between C Patrick, D Duarte, and N Lavendar? Thanks!
I’d go Duarte first there