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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Rankings – 5/15/24 Depth Chart

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

Scott McDermott
Fantasy 5/15/2024

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

 

  • It was supposed to be a full deck, but a rainy day in Baltimore kept the O’s and Blue Jays at home.  They will make it up with a double-header on July 29.
  • We did get an extra game as the White Sox and Nationals made up their rain-out Monday.
  • Speaking of the White Sox, they will be moving Michael Soroka out of their rotation and into the ‘pen, opting to give Brad Keller the ball every fifth day.  Keller had a 21.3% walk rate in 45 IP last year so this may be more about Soroka’s struggles and not any upside with Keller.
  • Former 2-way player Brendan McKay had another setback in his recovery with the Rays.  He will be shut down for at least a month.
  • ICYMI – late Monday the Cubs acquired Tyson Miller from the Mariners for IF Jake Slaughter.  Chicago’s bullpen has been much maligned this year and Miller has been solid.  He made an appearance in Tuesday’s lopsided loss to the Braves, pitching an inning with zero K’s and allowing one hit.

 

Yesterday’s Performances

 

MIA 1 – DET 0 (F/10)

W: Tanner Scott (2-4)

L: Alex Lange (0-3)

SV: AJ Puk (1)

  • Neither team could plate a run in the first nine innings as both Reese Olson and Ryan Weathers dominated the other team’s anemic offenses.  Olson and Weathers might be going from streaming options to solid mixed-league starters, but tougher matchups await.
  • Welcome back to the bigs, A.J. Puk!  He may have washed out as a starter to begin the year—and then dealt with an injury—but looked solid in this relief appearance with a perfect tenth inning.  It’s a little unclear how the roles will shake out going forward between Puk and Tanner Scott, with Scott getting the ball in the ninth, but Puk needed just thirteen pitches in his inning of work.  And nine of them were strikes!

 

TBR 4 – BOS 3

W: Brennan Bernardino (2-1)

L: Manuel Rodrigues (0-1)

  • The Rays got Pete Fairbanks back just in time to help this one go extras.  Fairbanks took the ball with things tied up in the ninth and needed nine pitches to retire the Red Sox in order with two K’s.
  • Jason Adam would also need just nine pitches to handle the tenth, keeping the ghost runner at bay without striking anyone out.
  • Both teams scored a run in the eleventh on defensive gaffes—Tampa on a Ceddane Rafaela error and Boston on what should have been a game-ending double play.
  • Brennan Bernardino, who now carries a WHIP of .78 and an ERA of .50, held Tampa scoreless in the top of the twelfth.  He now has 16 K’s in 18.0 IP and is allowing a SLG of .161.
  • In the bottom of the twelfth, leadoff hitter Romy Martinez pulled a fastball down the line to walk things off.

 

WSH 6 – CHW 3 (Game 1)

W: Derek Law (3-1)

L: John Brebbia (0-2)

H: Hunter Harvey (14)

SV: Kyle Finnegan (13)

  • With the game knotted at 3-3 in the top of the eighth, Washington plated three runs on Brebbia with a few hard-hit singles before turning things over to Harvey and Finnegan.
  • The 8-9 duo for the Nationals continue to get it done.  It’s hard to believe but these two now lead the Majors in Holds and Saves respectively, both getting another notch in the first game of their double-header.
  • In Game 2, White Sox starter Erick Fedde would stymie the Nats with seven scoreless.  Jordan Leasure earned his sixth Hold of the season and though Michael Kopech worked the ninth it wasn’t a Save situation.

 

 

PIT 3 – MIL 4

SV: Trevor Megill (5)

HD: Elvis Peguero (5), Bryan Hudson (5)

  • The Brewers rode five surprisingly strong innings from Joe Ross to a 4-2 lead and the bullpen brought it home from there, allowing only one hit the rest of the game.  Both Hudson and Peguero were perfect with five strikeouts between them.
  • Trevor Megill continues to cement his place as the Brewers’ first-half closer with his fifth save, though he did allow a solo shot to Connor Joe to cut the lead in half.  A quick strikeout to Jack Suwinski would end it.

 

OAK 1 – HOU 2 (F/10)

W: Josh Hader (2-3)

L: Michael Kelly (2-1)

BS: Ryan Pressly (3)

HD: Bobby Abreu (8), Rafael Montero (6)

  • The Astros’ bullpen got a lot of work after starter Ronel Blanco was ejected in the fourth inning for a foreign substance.  A possible suspension looms, which is typically ten days.  Tayler Scott and Rafael Montero were game, though, and covered the next three innings without giving up a hit.
  • Oakland would tie it up in the top of the eighth, though, and that meant…
  • MASON MILLER TIME.  In only his third appearance this month, Miller paralyzed Jose Altuve with a 102-mph called strike three.  Kyle Tucker walked next (maybe not a bad idea) before Yordan Alvarez and Jeremy Peña struck out looking like Little Leaguers.
  • That turned things over to Josh Hader for Houston and he’s looked great in his last few appearances, putting his early-season yips behind him.
  • Miller would come back for the bottom of the ninth, and this time he allowed a ball to be put in play—a lazy fly to right.  He would then strike out Jon Singleton to end his night on 29 pitches and five K’s.  Opposing hitters are 1-for-40 against Miller in his last eleven outings with 30 K’s.  He is incredible.
  • The Astros still took this one, however.  Hader pitched multiple innings for the third time this year, keeping the A’s off the board in the tenth, and Victor Caratini walked things off for the second time this season.

 

KCR 4 – SEA 2

SV: James McArthur (10)

HD: John Schreiber (10)

  • The Royals were staked a lead after a great start from Michael Wacha and Schreiber went 1.2 innings from there.  After getting in some trouble, McArthur came in to get the final out in the eighth, striking out Cal Raleigh to end the threat.
  • McArthur got the four-out Save but surrendered a solo shot to Mitch Haniger in the process.  Haniger went 3-for-3 and is heating up—if you need outfield/utility help and he’s available you could do worse.

 

The best of the rest…

  • Emmanuel Clase earned his twelfth Save of the season, though staked with a three-run lead he didn’t look quite as sharp as usual.  He walked one batter and struck out none.  His ERA is now a ridiculous .42.
  • The Phillies bullpen got the afternoon off with Aaron Nola throwing a complete game shutout versus the Mets.  Nola threw 109 pitches, 73 for strikes, and lowered his ERA and WHIP to 3.10 and 1.09.  For those who took a chance, this is shaping up to be a year of Good Nola.
  • Though Sonny Gray had a bumpy outing, the Cardinals were able to hold off the Angels and win 7-6.  Ryan Helsley preserved the lead to get his thirteenth Save.  He struck out two.
  • The Rockies turned things over to Tyler Kinley in the ninth and he rewarded them with a perfect inning.  Colorado had been making a busy man out of Jalen Beeks but he had the night off.

 

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

Scott McDermott

Scott lives in Virginia Beach with his wife, two daughters, and a couple of furballs. When he’s not dissecting box scores and pondering over the optimal starting lineup for the Cincinnati Reds, he covers fantasy baseball for Pitcher List. He’s also the author of the award-winning book series 'Election 2064', available on Amazon.

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