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.
Note: All stats and Player Rater values are accurate through Monday’s games.
Player Rater Top 20 (5×5 Standard)
Player Rater Top 20 (6×6 w/ Holds)
2025 SVHD Leaders
Weekly SVHD Leaders
Weekly BS+L Leaders :'(
Howdy, pards. Couldn’t pass up an opportunity to give my 90s man crush Emilio Estevez a shoutout in the headline. Forever and always in my heart.
Anywho, it’s a mashup of Emilio Pagan and Carlos Estevez. Two desperados off to a fine start in 2025. Estevez got drafted around Lucas Erceg in SV-only formats, I guess because people thought they’d at least share the gig? Don’t think that was ever the case. Erceg has been super awesome and everything we expected as far as SVHD value goes, while Estevez has been a boon for fantasy owners who took the plunge (*raises hand*). ERA looks great and the WHIP is good enough. The metrics don’t sparkle, but they really never do with this guy, yet he finds a way when given the chance(s). As for Pagan, I’ll admit I didn’t hardly give him a third thought, much less a second, and here he is looking like the established closer for the Reds. All but one Cincy save has gone to him, so there ya have it. Still prefer Tony Santillan in SVHD. If you’re a Pagan owner, I’d at least consider the consideration of selling high. He has a tendency to, well, suck, and Alexis Diaz is not far away (but like I said last week, he’s not at all guaranteed closing work when he’s back. I wager he’s gotta earn it two or threefold at least. Don’t ask me what I mean by those estimates.)
Tanner Scott earned 2 SV and 1 HLD this week, striking out 3. He should be pretty much top-shelf elite ROS, especially in SVHD. I’ve said all along I think he earns the bulk of LAD saves, even with the way Roberts likes to mix things up here and there.
Luke Weaver earned 3 HLD, tying for the weekly lead with Jason Adam. Both those guys are the top setup men for the their respective teams. Probably don’t need to remind you of that. Adam is arguably the best in the business, pound for pound. Weaver has his moments, good and bad. Got my eye on Fernando Cruz again, who just had 1 HLD but also has some sexy strikeout stuff going again early in 2025 (45.2 K%, 22.3 SwStr%). This was the case last year, and then he kind of fell apart as the season went along. We’ll see how he fares moving forward, I guess.
A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez with 1 SV, 1 HLD apiece. Both looked great. They are both indeed great. J-Mart looks especially good. flirting with a negative FIP while posting a 9:0 K:BB in 5.2 IP thus far.
Julian Merryweather a thing again? I dunno, pard, he just might be. He doesn’t tickle my fancy in most formats, but maybe you’re the type to keep an eye on the fringe fellers. Merryweather has had a lot of success before as a Cubs setup man, and over the last 14 days he’s added 3 HLD.
Three Guards pards (short for Guardians puardians…lol jk sometimes I can’t help myself) had 2 HLD this past week: Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, and Tim Herrin. I like them in that order, with the first two of course being well ahead of Herrin. But y’all remember that RP-only league I’m in? Herrin is great in that. He’s pretty damn underrated if you ask me. Has 2 W and 3 HLD this season.
Kirby Yates is somehow looking even better than last season. What deal has he made with the devil? 1 W and 2 HLD this week, posting a 0.00 ERA and 0.67 WHIP. Struck out 4 in 3 IP. Blake Treinen had 1 SV and 1 HLD but also 1 L. Looked ridiculously dominant early on, though he’s come back down to earth a little. Still really, really like him.
Robert Suarez, at the time of writing, leads everyone with 7 SV. Has 9 K in 7 IP. And no runs from this son of a gun. Andres Munoz is just one back with 6 SV after collecting a pair this week.
Mason Montgomery is gaining steam as the primary holds source from Tampa. Added 2 HLD this week. Metrics were poppin’: 23.1 SwStr%, 38.5 CSW%. Weirdly only translated to 2 K in 3 IP.
Brendon Little also added 2 HLD with even better swing-and-miss stuff (26.1 SwStr%). His 5 HLD in ’25 trail only Adam and Erceg for the league lead (a few other have 5 as well). Little pops off the page in my spreadsheet with all that dark red…gotta go scoop him while you can.
Tommy Kahnle picked up the only real Tigers save (I’m not counting Hurter’s random one). Others have pointed out he’s basically a changeup-only type guy. Last year he threw it 73.1% of the time, and this year he’s up to 88.7%. How long can one stay up to speed with just off-speed? So far it’s working: .193 xwOBA on that pitch, setting up his barely-used four-seamer that has a 66.7 Whiff%. If it ain’t broke, I guess?
Jeff Hoffman has blasted his way to the top of the Player Raters thanks to 2 W this week. K’d 7 in four scoreless. Dude looks reallll good right now. Remember that time the Orioles and Braves said “nah, we’re good”? He failed a physical with each squad, and then the Jays swooped in and said “we’ll take him!” Maybe Baltimore and Atlanta wanted him as a starter, and thus he failed due to workload concerns. All I know is both teams sure could use his presence in the bullpen right about now.
Porter Hodge posted a negative FIP and SIERA this week, striking out 5 in 2.1 IP (1 W, 1 HLD, 1 BS). All I see are red cells on my sheet. Ryan Pressly has done enough (4 SV) this year to keep his job for the moment, but that 2.13 WHIP and all those blue metrics cells (and they’re all blue) don’t paint a pretty picture. Hodge is one of the best handcuffs for saves in fantasy.
Matt Strahm only had 1 BS for his efforts, but that feller also posted a negative FIP and SIERA. Struck out 6 in 2.2 IP. Looks great once again in 2025. Any concerns about that shoulder are well and squashed. Put him in very top tier in preseason and he’s delivered: 7.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 12 K, and 3 HLD.
Injury Updates:
Andrew Kittredge could be back by the end of May.
Liam Hendriks is set to be activated very soon. I would tread with loads of caution.
Alexis Diaz might have been activated yesterday (at time of writing he’s still on IL). Ditto about treading with caution. Edit: He was activated and he pitched. Poorly.
Matt Brash is rehabbing and looking great so far.
Trevor Megill is getting his knee looked at again. It doesn’t sound all that serious right now…stay tuned. Edit: He’s been deemed available to pitch. The ol’ dusty trail is clear of varmints for now!
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 ELL teacher (formerly a regular 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.
