SAGNOF Week 8: Jose Alvara-doh!

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.

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Player Rater Top 15 (5×5 Standard)

Player Rater Top 15 (6×6 w/ Holds)

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2025 Leaders

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Weekly Leaders

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Weekly Losers

Weekly Notes:

Back to a team-by-team format this week, just cuz!

Arizona Diamondbacks:

Shelby Miller with 3 SV and solid metrics except for an ugly 21.4 BB%. Kevin Ginkel had the only 2 HLD. These two will likely lead the way until Justin Martinez comes back. Might not be too long now that he’s logged an inning in the Arizona Complex League.

Athletics of Sacramento?:

Justin Sterner had 1 HLD. Mason Miller earned a loss. Those two are about all that matter here. Michel Otanez was activated off the IL, but given Sterner’s emergence, I doubt Otanez amounts to much unless the injury bug strikes.

Atlanta Braves:

Better week from Raisel Iglesias. He’s gonna have to be really bad for a really long time to lose his job. Dylan Lee is my favorite SVHD option for these guys now: 2 HLD and almost 35 CSW% this week. Pierce Johnson had 2 SVHD but also 1 BS and 1 L, with a 1.71 WHIP. Barf.

Baltimore Orioles:

Bryan Baker had 1 HLD and 7 K in 3 IP. Bananas metrics. Keep an eye on his usage…could move up the depth chart real quick. Felix Bautista and Yennier Cano were pretty bad (not that Felix is in trouble, but Yennier might be soon).

Boston Red Sox:

Aroldis Chapman earned a win and a save but also a loss. Overall was very good: 6 K in 3.2 IP. Justin Slaten looks good again: 3.1 IP, 5 K, 50 K-BB%, 39.5 CSW% this week.

Chicago Cubs:

Ryan Pressly earned 2 HLD, pitching very well over 3.1 IP. Now that Porter Hodge is on the IL, maybe Pressly gets back into the ninth? Other options include Daniel Palencia, Brad Keller, and Drew Pomeranz. All these guys figure to be in the SVHD mix. Palencia is the most “closer like” of them, so we shall see, I suppose. It’s the kind of situation I ding dang hate, especially after Palencia got cooked in his last outing.

Chicago White Sox:

I’m gonna shout out Jordan Leasure for 2 HLD this week. He’s been very, very good of late. Just a matter of pitching for a terrible team. I’d say roster him if I knew he could be a full-time closer. Ain’t really worth it otherwise.

Cincinnati Reds:

Three saves for Emilio Pagan this week, in three straight days no less. Ratios weren’t stellar but metrics were healthier. Tony Santillan had 3 HLD, and a few other had two. Busy week for these guys. Gotta note that while Santillan’s ratios look great, the ERA predictors hated his efforts.

Cleveland Guardians:

Emmanuel Clase with 1 SV and 4 K in 1.2 IP. Peak form this time around. Hunter Gaddis and Matt Festa each had a hold. Festa K’d 5 in 3 IP, posting 20 SwStr% and 45 CSW%. One to keep an eye on.

Colorado Rockies:

Hard to recommend anyone here. Jake Bird added 1 W and 1 HLD to his totals, striking out 2.

Detroit Tigers:

Trifecta for Beau Brieske: 1 W, 1 SV, 1 HLD. Metrics and ratios were bad. He’s bad. Don’t add him. I only care about Tommy Kahnle and Will Vest. Each had 6 K.

Houston Astros:

Josh Hader had 3 SV. Bryan Abreu had 1 W and 2 HLD. Bryan King earned a pair of wins.

Kansas City Royals:

Carlos Estevez had 2 SV and once again bland stats/metrics to go along with them. Lucas Erceg earned a win and kept the ratios looking good.

Los Angeles Angels:

While Ryan Zeferjahn helped your holds totals, he castrated your ratios: 10.80 ERA, 3.30 WHIP. Kenley Jansen had 2 SV and also took an L. Oh and guess what? Hector Neris is on a Major League roster again. Earned 2 HLD and a blown save with awful ratios. He’s awful. Why is he being paid again?

Los Angeles Dodgers:

Tanner Scott logged just one inning but killed it. Deep red metrics on my sheet. Kirby Yates has hit the IL with a hamstring problem, so that boosts Alex Vesia the most and probably also Anthony Banda and Ben Casparius to some degree.

Miami Marlins:

A pair of holds for both Anthony Bender and Ronny Henriquez. Henriquez impressed the most, striking out 5 with great swing-and-miss stuff. Jesus Tinoco earned a save but also blew two others. His meh-ness is catching up with him, methinks. Calvin Faucher earned a hold and has looked really good for several straight outings now. Keep an eyeball pointed his way for saves.

Milwaukee Brewers:

Trevor Megill had 2 SV. Nick Mears and Abner Uribe each had 2 HLD, while Uribe also lucked into a win and struck out a total of 7 batters on the week. Really coming into his own this year.

Minnesota Twins:

Weird week: Cole Sands led the way with 2 SV, then Jhoan Duran added another. Griffin Jax tallied 2 HLD. Still the Duran and Jax show as far as I’m concerned, but Sands made some noise last year and is an option in deeper formats perhaps. Varland and Stewart are also doing good work. That pen is in good shape.

New York Mets:

Edwin Diaz secured 2 SV, striking out 3. Reed Garrett picked up a dub and a blown save, with a big goose egg in the K column. Ryne Stanek had the only hold. I’m really sad Dedniel Nunez is not a thing. I’m sorry I said he would be.

New York Yankees:

Luke Weaver earned 2 SV, striking out 6 in 3.1 scoreless. He cooked. Only hold went to Fernando Cruz. Picking up a win was disgraced closer Devin Williams, who looked good again at least.

Philadelphia Phillies:

Ahhhhhh. The big news of the week: Jose Alvarado busted for PEDs, getting slammed with an 80-game suspension. Elevates Jordan Romano back to mostly full-time closer most likely: 2 SV and 1 HLD this week, with extremely tasty stats/metrics. Whatever tweaks he’s made have really paid off. Matt Strahm figures to be primary setup moving forward, as he was astounding this week: 66.7 K-BB%, 36 SwStr%, 44 CSW%. Orion Kerkering is worth consideration for SVHD, but he’s not nearly as exciting as he was just recently.

Pittsburgh Pirates:

Nothing of note here except that David Bednar has looked good when called upon. Might still be sitting on your wire in SV-only. I’d prioritize others in SVHD, but he’s worth a look there too.

San Diego Padres:

Very little action to report in San Diego. Nothing else noteworthy here. You know who’s getting the saves and who’s getting the holds ROS.

Seattle Mariners:

Andres Munoz had 2 SV and 1 BS. Overall, it’s been a superbly awesome year from this buckaroo. Matt Brash earned 2 HLD, striking out 3. Metrics were great. Needs to be rostered in every holds format. Shout out to Gabe Speier (1 W, 1 HLD, 1 BS) for 6 K and great metrics.

San Francisco Giants:

Ryan Walker had 1 SV and just 1 K. At least the ratios were good? ERA predictors didn’t like them, thanks to that 20% walk rate. I’d tread with caution. Camilo Doval had 1 W and 1 HLD, striking out 5. Looked great. Not gonna be surprised when he takes back the closing gig.

St. Louis Cardinals:

Ryan Helsley 1 SV. No strikeouts. Bummer. Kyle Leahy had 1 HLD. Also no strikeouts. Bummer. Phil Maton no decisions but 2 K in 1 IP. Yay.

Tampa Bay Rays:

Only save went to Mason Montgomery but his metrics were all blue. It was a lame week all around from these folks. Once a daunted pen, it’s really kinda in shambles this year. I’d still feel okay about Pete Fairbanks in a SV-only league. The dude having the actual best season though is Garrett Cleavinger: 1 SV, 4 HLD, 2.25 SIERA, 0.76 WHIP, 32.3 K%, 4.6 BB%, 16.5 SwStr%, 35.3 CSW%. Doesn’t mean that’ll translate to fantasy success, but just sayin’.

Texas Rangers: 

Shawn Armstrong had both Rangers saves, but only cuz Luke Jackson was unavailable. He’s back and looked good in his lone inning. Chris Martin is all kinds of banged up…had an elbow MRI that came back negative, and now his shoulder is sore. I imagine he ends up on the IL soon (Quick Edit: he indeed is on the IL now). I guess it’d be Robert Garcia taking a step up in value, but Armstrong is lurking.

Toronto Blue Jays: 

Lone save went to Yimi Garcia. Not looking quite as dominant as he was earlier in the year, but nothing to worry about yet in my opinion. Jeff Hoffman scored 1 W but also 1 BS and L. Cooked your ratios. Brendon Little had 1 W, striking out 5 in 3.1 scoreless. Almost 40 CSW%. Love to see it.

Washington Nationals:

Kyle Finnegan with 2 SV and 2 K. Once again a bargain bin baby daddy in 2025. No holds to speak of, but Jose Ferrer and Jorge Lopez each collected a win.

 

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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