What’s poppin, Razzpimples? Bullpen update time!
Don’t forget, the Razzball Bullpen Chart is manned by yours truly and updated like every single second (not really, but I stay on top of thangs for the most part). And directly below, you’ll see a current look at the Top 15 RP (in both 5×5 standard leagues and 6×6 saves/holds leagues) via our Player Rater. Subscribers also get access to the incredibly handy Relievonator Game Log, which tracks every single relief appearance from the last 14 days, including what inning they were called upon and how many batters/pitches they faced/threw.
Alrighty, let’s do it to it. (Note: Monday’s games do not factor in)
Player Rater Top 15 (5×5 Standard)
# | Name | Team | Pos | $ | $/G | PS | PA/IP | $W | $SV | $ERA | $WHIP | $K | R% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Felix Bautista | BAL | RP | 23.5 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 23 | 5.5 | 11.3 | 3 | -2.6 | 5.4 | 100 |
2 | David Bednar | PIT | RP | 16.1 | 9 | 5.2 | 17 | 2 | 8.6 | 2.9 | 2.4 | -0.8 | 100 |
3 | Carlos Estevez | LAA | RP | 14.8 | 2.8 | 4.8 | 22 | -1.5 | 12.6 | 2.7 | -1.1 | 1.1 | 100 |
4 | Yennier Cano | BAL | RP | 14.6 | 5.5 | 4.7 | 24 | -1.5 | 0.5 | 4.8 | 9.5 | 0.3 | 88 |
5 | Devin Williams | MIL | RP | 14.5 | 10.9 | 4.7 | 15 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 2.4 | 1.4 | -1.6 | 100 |
6 | Camilo Doval | SF | RP | 14.5 | 2.6 | 4.7 | 22 | -1.5 | 12.6 | 1 | -0.2 | 1.6 | 100 |
7 | David Robertson | NYM | RP | 13.9 | 5 | 4.5 | 21 | 2 | 7.2 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 0 | 100 |
8 | Alexis Diaz | CIN | RP | 13.9 | 6.1 | 4.5 | 17 | -1.5 | 9.9 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 100 |
9 | Jordan Romano | TOR | RP | 12.8 | 3.3 | 4.1 | 19 | 5.5 | 9.9 | -1.5 | -1.8 | -0.3 | 100 |
10 | Josh Hader | SD | RP | 12.7 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 19 | -5 | 11.3 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 100 |
11 | Paul Sewald | SEA | RP | 10.8 | 1.3 | 3.5 | 21 | 2 | 8.6 | -1.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 100 |
12 | Bryan Abreu | HOU | RP | 10.2 | 0.2 | 3.3 | 22 | 2 | -0.9 | 2.8 | 2.3 | 3 | 50 |
13 | Alex Lange | DET | RP | 9.7 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 18 | -1.5 | 7.2 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 100 |
14 | Hector Neris | HOU | RP | 9.2 | 1.1 | 3 | 20 | 5.5 | -0.9 | 2.2 | 1.7 | -0.3 | 1 |
15 | Emmanuel Clase | CLE | RP | 8.4 | -2.1 | 2.7 | 23 | -1.5 | 16.6 | -2 | -3.1 | -2.7 | 100 |
Player Rater Top 15 (6×6 w/ Holds)
# | Name | Team | Pos | $ | $/G | PS | PA/IP | $W | $SV | $ERA | $WHIP | $K | $HLD | R% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Felix Bautista | BAL | RP | 21 | 14.2 | 6.8 | 23 | 4.9 | 12.8 | 3 | -1.7 | 4.8 | -3.9 | 100 |
2 | Carlos Estevez | LAA | RP | 16.6 | 11.1 | 5 | 22 | -0.4 | 14.6 | 2.8 | -0.5 | 1.5 | -2.4 | 100 |
3 | Yennier Cano | BAL | RP | 15 | 11.3 | 4.4 | 24 | -0.4 | -1.4 | 4.4 | 7.7 | 0.9 | 2.8 | 88 |
4 | Camilo Doval | SF | RP | 14.8 | 10.5 | 4.3 | 22 | -0.4 | 14.6 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 1.9 | -3.9 | 100 |
5 | David Robertson | NYM | RP | 14.4 | 12.2 | 4.1 | 21 | 2.3 | 7.5 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 0.7 | -0.9 | 100 |
6 | David Bednar | PIT | RP | 13.8 | 15.5 | 3.9 | 17 | 2.3 | 9.3 | 3 | 2.2 | 0.1 | -3.9 | 100 |
7 | Alexis Diaz | CIN | RP | 13.6 | 13.7 | 3.8 | 17 | -0.4 | 11 | 1 | 2.2 | 1.9 | -3.2 | 100 |
8 | Josh Hader | SD | RP | 12.8 | 12.1 | 3.4 | 19 | -3.1 | 12.8 | 2.8 | 2.3 | 0.9 | -3.9 | 100 |
9 | Jordan Romano | TOR | RP | 12.7 | 10.8 | 3.4 | 19 | 4.9 | 11 | -0.5 | -1 | 0.5 | -3.2 | 100 |
10 | Emmanuel Clase | CLE | RP | 12.3 | 7.4 | 3.2 | 23 | -0.4 | 19.9 | -0.9 | -2.1 | -1.4 | -3.9 | 100 |
11 | Devin Williams | MIL | RP | 11.2 | 16.4 | 2.8 | 15 | 4.9 | 5.7 | 2.6 | 1.5 | -0.6 | -3.9 | 100 |
12 | Bryan Abreu | HOU | RP | 10.1 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 22 | 2.3 | -3.2 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 3 | 2.1 | 50 |
13 | Paul Sewald | SEA | RP | 9.7 | 8.1 | 2.2 | 21 | 2.3 | 9.3 | -0.7 | 1 | 0.9 | -3.9 | 100 |
14 | Alex Lange | DET | RP | 8.9 | 9.1 | 1.8 | 18 | -0.4 | 7.5 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | -3.2 | 100 |
15 | Matt Moore | LAA | RP | 8.8 | 4.9 | 1.8 | 24 | 4.9 | -6.8 | 2.6 | 2.9 | -0.1 | 4.3 | 1 |
Saves Savants
Steady As They Go:
- Camilo Doval led the way this week with 4 SV, striking out eight and allowing just 1 ER in 5.1 IP. In fact, Doval has led the way over the last entire month with 11 SV. He’s doing what you drafted him for, simple as that.
- Carlos Estevez is actually right behind Doval in the monthly race, tallying 10 SV. His quality has been better, too. Estevez’s 2023 season has been bonkers so far: 12 SV (2nd to Clase’s 15), 1.23 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 29:9 K:BB in 22 IP. Not to mention he’s got a win and two holds to his name as well. Anywho, for this week he had 3 SV and 5 K in three scoreless. Baller.
- Scott Barlow secured 2 SV, striking out two in two hitless/walkless/scoreless innings. The Royals are so doo doo that his fantasy value isn’t all that good, but you can’t blame Barlow for that. When called upon, he’s been one of the better closers in baseball for a few years. Statcast has some blemishes but also has lots of deep dark red, too.
- Devin Williams picked up 2 SV, striking out two but also walking three in three scoreless. The ratios are sparkling once again this year even with his bad BB% (which isn’t as bad as it has been in years prior, at least).
- Felix Bautista scored 1 W and 1 SV this week, striking out nine in four scoreless. Had 22.2 SwStr% and 34.7 CSW% on the week. He’s the definition of Steady As They Go.
- Alex Lange only managed 1 SV cuz pitching for Detroit will do that sometimes, but he still pwnd when he had the chance. No hits/walks/runs and generated whiffs on 21.4% of swings.
- Michael King pitched 4.1 innings, striking out three and allowing 0 ER, but sadly only got 1 SV and no other counting stats on the week. Also only had 4.5 SwStr% and 23.9 CSW%. Not ideal but no reason to be alarmed.
On The Rise:
- Dylan Floro has pulled ahead as the Marlins closer while Puk is on the IL. Floro dealt well, so the headline pun just came to me as a shiny beacon in my mind. In 3.1 IP, he allowed just two baserunners (1 H, 1 BB), allowed no runs, and struck out a pair. The whiffs weren’t sexy but the CSW% (32.6) was. He earned 3 SV. If’n you need saves help and he’s there, pull that there trigger — only rostered in 41% of Yahoo leagues and 8% of ESPN leagues.
- Miguel Castro is even more widely available: 22% rostered in Yahoo and only 3% in ESPN. He had 2 SV this week (as well as 1 HLD), striking out four and allowing no hits in 3 IP. Pretty clear this is at least a co-closer situation at this point. Chafin has been getting the highest-leverage treatment, seeing the 2/3/4 hitters in the 8th back on Saturday, leaving Castro with his second save of the week. Castro has seen more 9th innings than Chafin has in recent weeks, so get this man on your roster.
- Raisel Iglesias had some velocity issues right after coming off the IL, but dude got back to his elite form this week: 3 IP, 2 SV, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. Filthy stuff evidenced by 26.2 SwStr% and 38.1 CSW%. Most importantly, the velo climbed back up to the mid-90s.
- Pierce Johnson still has a grasp on the Rockies closing job and looked a little better than he has this week, so I guess I’ll plop him in this section. Some of the metrics were poopy but he did manage 32.3 CSW% this week, earning 2 SV and striking out a pair in 2.2 IP.
- Kendall Graveman still on the up and up for the Chi Sox, grabbing 1 SV and striking out two in three hitless/scoreless. Love to see a CSW% north of 35 as well. Hendriks is inching closer, however, so Graveman’s SV-only value shouldn’t hold up too much longer.
- Craig Kimbrel was headline boy last week and kept it up this week, striking out five in just two innings of work. A walk and a solo homer were his only faults. Converted his only save chance and had a dazzling 45.9 CSW%. Man is finding a groove.
- Clay Holmes looked kinda cooked but has turned things around of late. He earned the trifecta this week: 1 W, 1 SV, 1 HLD. Set himself up for trouble with five baserunners in 4 IP but was able to work out of it, allowing 0 ER and striking out four. It’s now been 9.1 straight innings without a run, with a 13:3 K:BB ratio in that time.
Trending Down:
- Wandy Peralta is more trending down because King and Holmes have been pretty steady. Peralta did picked up 1 SV and 2 HLD this week, so if you’ve had him in SVHD formats you’ve been a pretty happy camper. His stuff is boring (not much K upside) and his metrics weren’t exciting this week, so I’m just not sure how steady the saves will be moving forward. I still like him okay in SVHD formats, but again, the boring stuff caps his upside. Ratios could remain solid still.
- Kyle Finnegan is pitching well. I’ve got him here because he doesn’t seem to be solely for the 9th like he had been earlier in the year. Of his four outings in the last 14 days, two have been in the 9th, and then has one in the 8th and one in the 6th. Good news is he’s 4-4 on SVHD in those outings, allowing 0 ER and striking out five in that time. Of course, being on the Nationals caps his SVHD upside, and if he’s not seeing majority 9th inning deployment then his SV-only upside is in jeopardy as well.
- Emmanuel Clase leads the league with 15 SV. That’s one positive. Another positive is he’s only walked five batters in 23 IP. That’s about the extent of the positives, though. He’s allowed more hits (25) than innings pitched and has given up 14 R (9 ER). His K% is bad, sitting at just 15.3% right now. He’s blown five saves and been tagged with four losses. The results are there, but, like…for how much longer? Strange that he has three more saves than anyone else yet barely cracks the Top 15 RP on the 5×5 Player Rater. Maybe he settles down and we forget all about this come September.
Holds Heroes
Steady As They Go:
- Matt Moore was good in 2022 and he’s good again in 2023. Guess it wasn’t a fluke! Was kinda worried it was. He’s def the #1 setup man in Anaheim. Only one worth any kind of a damn, in fact. Moore (and Tanner Scott) led the way with 3 HLD this week.
- Yennier Cano gave up a run! Noooooo! Can’t use “Yennier Can0.00” anymore. He still ain’t walked anyone yet at least. He had 2 HLD this week.
- Nick Anderson also had 2 HLD and even scored a dub. His 2023 rebound campaign continues. He struck out four and allowed just 1 ER with a 42.4 CSW% in 3 IP.
- Bryan Abreu had 1 W and 1 HLD this week, striking out two in two scoreless. One of the best in the game right now.
On The Rise:
- Tanner Scott had 3 HLD, disappointing some owners who might have added him as a hopeful source of speculative saves in Puk’s absence. Walks are still plaguing Scott, and that’s probably the main reason he’s not seeing the ninth. On the year, he’s walked 11 in 21 IP.
- Aroldis Chapman does in fact find himself in On The Rise this week after spending last week down in this column’s equivalent of the doghouse. He had 2 HLD and didn’t allow a hit or run, and he struck out four in 2 IP. If he could get off the Royals, which is pretty ding dang likely given the way his season is going overall, he could have some serious SVHD or even SV-only value. Go peep that Statcast. It’s nuts! Awful BB%, but otherwise nothing to be concerned about. Velocity has been there and no one can get quality swings on his stuff for the most part.
- Joe Kelly didn’t record a hold this week but did grab a save while striking out five in four hitless/walkless/scoreless. Man’s cookin right now and figures to be above ReyLo in the pecking order at this point.
Trending Down:
- Yimi Garcia took back-to-back Ls on Saturday/Sunday. He’s second on the team with 7 HLD, but guys like Tim Mayza and Nate Pearson are breathing down his neck for more holds chances.
- Griffin Jax was boo boo again this week and now has five straight outings in which he’s allowed a baserunner, and four of those five have been two (or more) runners. He’s allowed runs in three of his last four as well. Certainly is on the downward trend, but he’s also talented enough to get back on track.
- Robert Stephenson allowed 5 H, 4 ER, and 2 BB in just 2 IP this week. Back-to-back stinkers against Arizona. There was a stretch there where he was raking in the holds, but the Pirates are coming back down to earth and he’s behind Holderman on the depth chart anyway.
- Huascar Brazoban was not good at all this week. Two outings totaled 1.1 IP in which he allowed 6 H, 5 ER, and 1 BB. He got one of those holds that shouldn’t count and also took a blown save. Five straight outings he’s allowed at least one hit, and he’s only got 2 K to his name in that span. He’s fallen behind Scott and possibly J.T. Chargois at this point.
- Ryan Thompson struggled mightily this week and has subsequently been optioned to the minors. Oof.
I specialize in bullpens and I used to do some fantasy hockey as well here at Razzball. Find me on Twitter: @jkj0787. DMs are always open for questions, comments, concerns, complaints, etc. Odds are good I’m drinking black coffee, dark beer, or some form of bourbon at any given time of day.