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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Rankings – 4/23/24 Depth Chart

Breakdowns of key bullpen usage from yesterday's slate of games.

Benjamin Haller
Fantasy 4/23/2024

Welcome back to the latest edition of our Reliever Ranks series! This will bring you up-to-date bullpen depth charts every morning for the day’s games and makes for an excellent tool for those looking to stream saves or wins. This series runs seven days a week, so check in every morning to get your daily bullpen fix!

 

Notes

 

Transaction and Schedule Notes

 

  • There were 11 contests on a reduced slate of games on Monday. The following teams enjoyed a day off and will go into new series’ today with fresh arms: Red Sox, Cubs, Guardians, Astros, Dodgers, Mariners, Rangers, and Nationals.
  • All 30 teams are in action today with the best bet for a win in relief coming from Bryse Wilson, who could be asked to fill a long relief role against the Pirates after Wade Miley was sent to the injured list.
  • In the most devastating news of the day, the Rays placed closer Pete Fairbanks on the 15-day injured list retroactive to April 19. Reports are that it is a nerve-related issue and no further timeline has been outlined. Jason Adam was impressive when standing in for Fairbanks in 2023 and will hope to do the same again. Kevin Kelly was recalled and will fill a middle relief role.
  • The Mets reinstated Sean Reid-Foley from the 15-day injured list and designated Michael Tonkin for assignment. The veteran Tonkin struggled across six appearances this season with a 6.00 ERA through nine frames with a 1.56 WHIP. Reid-Foley looks to be in line for bulk work and could vulture a few wins.

 

Yesterday’s Performances

OAK 2 – NYY 0

W: Lucas Erceg (1-1)

L: Victor González (1-1)

SV: Mason Miller (5)

  • The Athletics have the best closer in baseball. Mason Miller entered Yankee Stadium and obliterated the top of the Yankees order with aplomb. He struck out Anthony Volpe, Juan Soto, and Aaron Judge and made them look silly doing so. Miller unleashed his heater and hit 103.1 mph to earn the A’s their first shutout at Yankee Stadium since 2013. Elite. Lucas Erceg picked up the win thanks to two scoreless frames in relief of an excellent J.P. Sears outing.
  • Despite earning a shaky save the day prior, Victor González saw promising young thing Zack Gelof launch a two-run blast to right field in the top of the ninth to earn the A’s the lead. He walked Ryan Noda before being replaced without recording an out.

 

MIL 2 – PIT 4

SV: David Bednar (3)

H: Colin Holderman (1), Aroldis Chapman (6), Hunter Stratton (1)

  • The Brewers pulled the plug on Joe Ross too early as Hoby Milner failed to get through the sixth inning after Ross departed with one on and one out with the game tied 1-1. A throwing error by Jake Bauers on a routine toss to the pitcher at first base resulted in the ball scuttling away to the benches allowing Ke’Bryan Hayes to score. The Pirates added two more runs on a Oneil Cruz single before Thyago Vieira entered to get the final out with the damage done.
  • Safely notching his third save of the season, David Bednar ensured the Pirates broke their six-game losing streak with a shutout inning. The Pirates closer has been sporadically brilliant but also has a 10.13 ERA after a couple of big mistakes in the ninth inning. He is firmly entrenched as the closer and another Aroldis Chapman wobble only confirms this. Chapman walked the bases loaded in the eighth and only recorded one out before being pulled. Chapman struck out the side the day prior so there is still plenty of volatility to go with his velocity.

 

MIA 0 – ATL 3

SV: Raisel Iglesias (7)

H: A.J. Minter (3), Pierce Johnson (2)

  • Cruising to his NL-leading seventh save of the campaign, Raisel Iglesias needed only 11 pitches to dispose of Josh Bell, Jesus Sanchez, and Tim Anderson for a clean frame. Atlanta’s closer looks in mid-season form and should rack up the saves for this World Series-chasing team. A.J. Minter and Pierce Johnson held the Marlins scoreless to earn Bryce Elder his first win of the season after being called up from Triple-A.

 

TOR 5 – KCR 3

SV: Jordan Romano (3)

H: Erik Swanson (3), Yimi García (3)

  • Kyle Isbel blasted a two-out solo homer off Jordan Romano but the Blue Jays closer forced a high fly ball to center field to retire Michael Massey and pick up his third save in six days since returning from the injured list last week. Romano only has two strikeouts in that time but the save column doesn’t lie. Yimi García continued his strong start to the campaign with another clean inning in a setup role.
  • Tyler Duffey threw two shutout innings after Brady Singer left the contest before Nick Anderson handled the final three outs.

 

ARI 3 – STL 5

W: Ryan Helsley (2-2)

L: Ryan Thompson (1)

BS: Scott McGough (2)

  • Closer Ryan Helsley earned the win after seeing Nolan Gorman walk it off in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run homer. Helsley made light work of the Diamondbacks in the top of the inning after allowing Ketel Marter to reach leading off. Helsely improved to 2-2.
  • Ryan Thompson was tagged with the loss after allowing Paul Goldschmidt to reach in the bottom of the ninth. Thompson had pitched a clean eighth but Kyle Nelson replaced him in the ninth and immediately gave up the homer. It was strange to see Thompson called upon as he’s had a rough last week. Earlier Scott McGough was used for multiple innings in relief of Brandon Pfaadt. Presumably closer Kevin Ginkel was unavailable after throwing 29 pitches the night prior.

 

SDP 3 – COL 1

SV: Robert Suarez (8)

H: Enyel De Los Santos (1)

  • Protecting a two-run lead thanks to a magical outing from Dylan Cease, closer Robert Suarez notched his eighth save of the young season despite giving up two hits in the ninth inning. Suarez forced Ryan McMahon into a game-ending double play to remain atop the MLB saves leaders alongside Clay Holmes. Suarez has given up just one run over 10 and a third innings with nine strikeouts and three walks.

 

BAL 4 – LAA 2

SV: Craig Kimbrel (6)

H: Mike Baumann (2), Yennier Cano (3), Jacob Webb (1)

  • It was a nervy outing for Craig Kimbrel after he hit Jo Adell with a pitch and then allowed a single, a walk, and a stolen base before bouncing back to strikeout Mike Trout with the bases loaded. Trout took a 1-2 pitch high and away but it just caught the strikezone and the umpire rung him up. Yennier Cano pitched through one and two third innings and will likely be unavailable for today.

 

The Best of the Rest…

  • Both Ranger Suárez and Hunter Greene went seven innings in the Phillies 7-0 win over the Reds. Casey Legumina gave up two runs to add to Greene’s four as the Phillies took charge. Gregory Soto and Jeff Hoffman each struck out two in clean frames.
  • Tigers ace Tarik Skubal was once again dominant through six frames of shutout baseball in which he struck out nine. That made it easy for the bullpen as Will Vest and Joey Wentz through clean innings. Shelby Miller gave up a solo homer as his play for more serious involvement faltered.
  • The helpless White Sox dropped to 3-19 with another blowout loss in which the bullpen had to eat innings once again as starter Jonathan Cannon couldn’t make it out of the fourth inning. Chris Flexen handled multiple innings.
  • The Giants got a quality start out of Keaton Winn and rolled out the high-leverage arms to secure the victory including closer Camilo Doval, who pitched in a non-save situation but allowed one run on no hits but committed two walks, a wild pitch and missed a toss at first base for an error. It was messy but he managed to force a grounder from DJ Stewart to win it.

 

Bullpen Depth Charts

 

Also, if you’re looking for a detailed list or ranking of RPs, check out Rick Graham’s weekly pieces:

The Hold Up: Ranking the Top 100 Relievers for Holds Every Thursday

Closing Time: Ranking the Top 30 Closers

Top 100 Relievers for Save+Hold Leagues

Benjamin Haller

A Yorkshireman living in Australia, loving Major League Baseball from afar. As I wait for my A's to build their new stadium, I spend my time coaching soccer, writing for sportbc.blog, and over-analyzing relief pitcher scoring in fantasy baseball. Follow me @benjaminhaller1 for thousands of retweets

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