What’s poppin’, Razzpimples?
Week 22 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
Kevin Ginkel (2 SV, 11 HLD, 53:15 K:BB) collected 1 SV while striking out 4. Justin Martinez is back and got a couple 8th inning outings. No hits or runs but a walk in each. Don’t know that it needs to be said, but he’s the guy you want for DBacks saves ROS.
Athletics
Drew Rom (0 SV, 3 HLD, 16:7 K:BB) tallied 1 HLD while striking out 2. Otherwise, had a rough week, getting tagged for a 20.77 ERA and 3.85 WHIP. Elvis Alvarado (3 SV, 8 HLD, 51:19 K:BB) grabbed 1 SV and 1 HLD while striking out 3. Hogan Harris (13 SV, 11 HLD, 75:35 K:BB) grabbed 1 SV and 1 HLD while striking out 3. Luis Medina (0 SV, 8 HLD, 71:32 K:BB) secured 2 HLD while striking out 4. He had a rough week, getting saddled with a 5.45 ERA and 2.73 WHIP. Scott Blewett (0 SV, 2 HLD, 12:5 K:BB) secured 2 HLD while striking out 6. I’ll never not think a reliever named “Blewett” is anything less than hysterical. Harris and Medina are pretty all right; wouldn’t bother with anyone else here.
Atlanta Braves
Didier Fuentes (2 SV, 15 HLD, 74:15 K:BB) locked down 2 HLD while striking out 5. Dylan Lee (0 SV, 30 HLD, 73:14 K:BB) logged 2 HLD while striking out 3, albeit while hurting the ratios a tad. Still love him dearly. Raisel Iglesias (27 SV, 51:15 K:BB) had 2 SV while striking out 2.
Baltimore Orioles
Rico Garcia (6 SV, 15 HLD, 57:18 K:BB) nailed down 1 SV while striking out 5. Yennier Cano (2 SV, 11 HLD, 38:10 K:BB) is back to his ratio-destroying, non-decision-earning self. Now that I dropped him for the playoffs, I’m sure he’ll be awesome again.
Boston Red Sox
Aroldis Chapman (29 SV, 57:20 K:BB) notched 2 SV while striking out 5. Tyron Guerrero (0 SV, 17 HLD, 35:5 K:BB) nailed down 2 HLD while striking out 1.
Chicago Cubs
Ryan Rolison (1 SV, 7 HLD, 48:23 K:BB) tallied 2 HLD while striking out 1. Daniel Palencia is back. Roster with as much faith as you can muster. A guy hurt this often doesn’t inspire an ounce of confidence, but the upside is also too tantalizing to ignore.
Chicago White Sox
Grant Taylor (7 SV, 10 HLD, 89:24 K:BB) logged 1 SV while striking out 8. Hagen Smith hasn’t been a SVHD machine by any means, but as a Hog alum, I have to shout him out. Bro looks so ready for the Bigs.
Cincinnati Reds
Emilio Pagan (16 SV, 31:9 K:BB) bagged 1 SV while striking out 2. Still don’t give a hoot nor a holler about any of the possible setup men in Cincy.
Cleveland Guardians
Cade Smith (33 SV, 81:20 K:BB) grabbed 2 SV while striking out 4. Erik Sabrowski (0 SV, 23 HLD, 61:25 K:BB) logged 2 HLD while striking out 4. Hunter Gaddis (1 SV, 26 HLD, 43:18 K:BB) had 2 HLD while striking out 2.
Colorado Rockies
Nothing worthwhile happening here this week. SHOCKER.
Detroit Tigers
Drew Sommers (0 SV, 10 HLD, 42:11 K:BB) nailed down 2 HLD while striking out 8. Okayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. Let’s see you do it again, eh? Kenley Jansen (16 SV, 1 HLD, 40:20 K:BB) locked down 1 SV while striking out 3.
Houston Astros
Bryan Abreu (7 SV, 10 HLD, 63:36 K:BB) bagged 2 HLD while striking out 6. Ugh I just can’t even with his K:BB this year. Josh Hader (18 SV, 43:11 K:BB) locked down 1 SV while striking out 2. I can even with his.
Kansas City Royals
Craig Kimbrel (1 SV, 1 HLD, 35:18 K:BB) secured 1 SV while striking out 3. Shoutout to the future HOFer for another save, but he’s barely rosterable in Al-Central-only leagues. John Schreiber (1 SV, 13 HLD, 35:22 K:BB) locked down 2 HLD while striking out 2. Jose Cuas (0 SV, 3 HLD, 14:8 K:BB) logged 2 HLD while striking out 1. Nate Pearson (3 SV, 3 HLD, 27:17 K:BB) tallied 1 SV and 2 HLD while striking out 2. Remember when he was a big time SP prospect? Another SP gone RP who seems to have found a place. Steven Cruz (5 SV, 5 HLD, 54:19 K:BB) logged 1 SV and 1 HLD while striking out 3.
Los Angeles Angels
Ben Joyce (3 SV, 1 HLD, 9:2 K:BB) had 1 SV while striking out 3. Ryan Watson (2 SV, 3 HLD, 51:20 K:BB) notched 1 SV and 1 HLD while striking out 5. No offense, but who tf is Ryan Watson.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Brock Stewart (1 SV, 6 HLD, 18:5 K:BB) had 2 HLD while striking out 4. Forgot this guy was alive. Evan Phillips (0 SV, 5 HLD, 17:5 K:BB) tallied 2 HLD and Jack Dreyer (1 SV, 10 HLD, 65:17 K:BB) each logged 2 HLD while striking out 5. Tanner Scott (19 SV, 12 HLD, 64:11 K:BB) bagged 3 SV while striking out 2. Scott is your Dodger to own ROS. Diaz is soooooooooooooooo cooked.
Miami Marlins
Calvin Faucher (2 SV, 14 HLD, 62:32 K:BB) earned 1 SV and 1 HLD while striking out 3. Michael Petersen (1 SV, 22 HLD, 64:23 K:BB) notched 1 HLD while striking out 2 while also not helping the ratios. Pete Fairbanks left Monday’s outing early, and given his career trajectory, that means he’ll promptly land on the IL just in time for fantasy playoffs. I don’t pretend to know what they’ll do for saves in the case of his absence, but I’ll say Petersen is still the only name I give any kind of a fudge about.
Milwaukee Brewers
Aaron Ashby (2 SV, 12 HLD, 102:36 K:BB) secured 1 SV and 1 HLD while striking out 5. Can’t help but root for someone like him having the kind of season he’s having. Trevor Megill (24 SV, 7 HLD, 56:12 K:BB) logged 2 SV while striking out 2. I feel like no one respects this dude and he just continues to rake. Take his season-long WHIP (0.82) and double it and you still don’t quite match his FIP (1.62), not to mention his 31 SVHD.
Minnesota Twins
A.J. Minter (0 SV, 6 HLD, 26:4 K:BB) grabbed 2 HLD while striking out 1. Jeff Hoffman (5 SV, 16 HLD, 85:25 K:BB) earned 2 HLD while striking out 4. Kody Funderburk (1 SV, 10 HLD, 34:24 K:BB) earned 2 HLD while striking out 1 but also had dogwater ratios.
New York Mets
Daniel Duarte (2 SV, 4 HLD, 23:5 K:BB) earned 1 SV and 1 HLD while striking out 8. Kodai Senga (4 SV, 62:36 K:BB) grabbed 1 SV while striking out 2. Has started to crack a little (read: a lot). I’ve dropped him, for what it’s worth.
New York Yankees
Brent Headrick (0 SV, 21 HLD, 83:20 K:BB) tallied 2 HLD while striking out 6. David Bednar (30 SV, 65:18 K:BB) earned 3 SV while striking out 4. Paul Blackburn (1 SV, 8 HLD, 58:27 K:BB) had 3 HLD while striking out 4.
Philadelphia Phillies
Brooks Raley (1 SV, 15 HLD, 48:16 K:BB) earned 1 SV and 1 HLD while striking out 1. Jhoan Duran (28 SV, 65:8 K:BB) logged 2 SV while striking out 3. Jonathan Bowlan (1 SV, 11 HLD, 58:13 K:BB) logged 2 HLD while striking out 3. Orion Kerkering (1 SV, 16 HLD, 55:26 K:BB) tallied 3 HLD while striking out 3. Only 16 HLD thru most of August just seems weird. Dude ain’t it, even though sometimes it feels like he should be.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Mason Montgomery (5 SV, 9 HLD, 84:21 K:BB) grabbed 1 SV while striking out 6. Kind of dude you need to pay attention to as 2027 draft day draws near.
San Diego Padres
Adrian Morejon (2 SV, 21 HLD, 84:19 K:BB) collected 2 HLD while striking out 4. Mason Miller (32 SV, 99:19 K:BB) logged 2 SV while striking out 6. Barring a meteoric disaster akin to dinosaur times, we’ll get a third straight 100-K season from the best closer this game has ever seen. Yeah, I said it.
San Francisco Giants
Dylan Smith (3 SV, 7 HLD, 35:13 K:BB) notched 1 SV and 1 HLD while striking out 7. No one, and I mean no one, else matters here.
Seattle Mariners
Andres Munoz (23 SV, 75:18 K:BB) had 1 SV while striking out 3. Gabe Speier (1 SV, 17 HLD, 30:13 K:BB) collected 2 HLD while striking out 1.
St. Louis Cardinals
George Soriano (2 SV, 19 HLD, 57:26 K:BB) picked up 2 HLD while striking out 4. Gordon Graceffo (1 SV, 6 HLD, 38:30 K:BB) had 2 HLD while striking out 2. Riley O’Brien (33 SV, 1 HLD, 53:23 K:BB) logged 3 SV and also busted those ratios. Ryne Stanek (1 SV, 24 HLD, 52:27 K:BB) logged 2 HLD while striking out 3.
Tampa Bay Rays
Bryan Baker (37 SV, 2 HLD, 56:16 K:BB) had 3 SV while striking out 3. Still can’t quite wrap my mind around the season he’s had. Cam Booser (0 SV, 9 HLD, 38:6 K:BB) secured 2 HLD while striking out 3. That K:BB tho! Kevin Kelly (4 SV, 26 HLD, 47:9 K:BB) earned 2 HLD while striking out 4. Tyler Wells (4 SV, 14 HLD, 62:16 K:BB) raked in 2 HLD while striking out 1.
Texas Rangers
Chase Silseth (0 SV, 13 HLD, 58:29 K:BB) grabbed 2 HLD while striking out 3. Jacob Latz (26 SV, 2 HLD, 65:18 K:BB) tallied 2 SV while striking out 7.
Toronto Blue Jays
Louis Varland (29 SV, 5 HLD, 82:18 K:BB) tallied 1 SV while striking out 3. Tyler Rogers (4 SV, 27 HLD, 31:20 K:BB) logged 1 HLD while striking out 2.
Washington Nationals
Nothing much to see here this past week. Beeter still the only worthwhile name.
That’s all for this week! Thanks for reading. Leave me a comment below so I feel all warm and fuzzy.
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In a Svs/Holds league, do you prefer Ben Joyce or Mason Montgomery? Seems like 1A/1B situation
Joyce I suppose. Zero competition for his job. In a vacuum take Monty for the top tier K upside.
Saves and Holds as separate categories
Have an embarrassment of riches. 3 RP slots. Would like a “Holds Guy” for the playoffs as I’m currently ‘stuck’ with 4 elite closers. Duran, Scott, Baker and Varland. Need to drop one and replace with a set up guy.
Is one holds guy worth it? I’d just take the overkill on SV. Not enough reason to help another manager out with an elite freebie.
That’s what I’ve been doing but not crazy about punting a category in the playoffs
Really don’t think one guy moves the needle. I’d just punt.