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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Rankings – 8/22/24 Depth Chart

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

Justin Perri
Fantasy 8/22/2024

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

 

Transactions and Schedule

 

  • It was a full slate on Wednesday night with no interruptions, delays or weather issues. Thursday is a bit quieter with only 10 games on the docket. Games start mid day with a 1:05 p.m. ET first pitch.
  • Rockies Closer Victor Vodnik was placed on the 15-day IL with bicep inflammation, retroactive to August 19th.

 

Yesterday’s Performances

NYM 4 – BAL 3

W: Edwin Diaz (5-1)

L: Seranthony Domínguez (3-4)

BS: José Buttó (1)

  • The Mets walked off Seranthony Domínguez with a home run for the second time in three games. Dominguez was called upon in the bottom of the 8th inning with a man on second and two outs. He stranded the runner by striking out Fransisco Alvarez swinging, which had to have felt good. Nonetheless it didn’t last long as he took the loss on the first batter he faced in the bottom of the ninth.
  • Edwin Diaz had kept the game tied in the top of the frame, he struck out two and got a quick line out for the third out of the inning. He’s given up just two earned runs in his last 14 appearances with 20 strikeouts.
  • Recent call up Colin Selby relieved Jake Irvin and got five outs, walked two and struck out one.
  • Craig Kimbrel allowed a go ahead home run in the 7th inning to Mark Vientos and was in line to lose, but was let off the hook by a blown save
  • That blown save falls on José Buttó, who allowed an inherited runner to score in the 8th after Sean Manaea let up a lead off single. That’s right, Sean Manaea pitching in the 8th. So maybe assign that to the Mets management, as even at 86 pitches entering the frame, in a tight game that late, you should go to your bullpen.

 

TEX 1 – PIT 0

W: Kirby Yates (5-2)

L: David Bednar (3-6)

  • Scoreless through the bottom of the 9th, this game is what some might call a ’snooze fest’ but I disagree. Rangers pitchers combined to strikeout 16 of 27 batters, and the Pirates staff racked up 10 strikeouts on just 115 combined pitches to get their 26 outs. That’s just good pitching!
  • David Bednar takes the loss by single, he allowed three of them. The final one dealing the critical blow as Wyatt Langford was able to walk the game off with his base hit to center.
  • The relief pitchers in this one deserve a shoutout for their strikeouts. Both Jose LeClerc and Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in their innings. Kyle Nicholas, David Robertson and Kirby Yates, who got the win, each also added two strikeouts in their frame of work. Thats 12 of the 17 batters those five pitchers faced that were retired by strikeout.

 

BOS 4 – HOU 1

SV: Chris Martin (1)

HD: Greg Weissert (5), Brennan Bernardino (11), Luis Garcia (14)

  • With Kenley Jensen having pitched in each of the first two games of this series, Chris Martin was called upon to close the 9th in a three run game, earning him his first save of the season.
  • The Red Sox used the full ensemble to get this one done, a total of six relievers trotted out of the visitors bullpen in Houston last night. Boston is one of 10 teams that has Thursday off.
  • Houston was losing for most of this game, as it was 2-1 after the second frame in Justin Verlander’s return. He took the loss with just those two early runs allowed while Tanner Scott and Seth Martinez each gave up a run in 7th and 9th innings respectively.

 

PHI 3 – ATL 2

SV: Carlos Estévez (22)

W: Matt Strahm (5-2)

L: Joe Jiménez (1-5)

  • Both Aaron Nola and Max Fried gave up two runs in their starts against their divisional rivals before handing it off to the bullpen. Jeff Hoffman was able to get two outs on four pitches while stranding two runners by inducing a double play with one out.
  • Matt Strahm picked up the Win, he pitched the bottom of the 7th without allowing a base runner and then the Phillies secured the lead in the eighth.
  • Joe Jiménez allowed a lead off double and then two fly outs advanced and scored the runner to put him in losing position.

 

STL 10 – MIL 6

W: Ryan Helsley (5-4)

L: Trevor Megill (0-3)

BS: Bryan Hudson (3), Devin Williams (1)

HD: Joel Payamps (15)

  • It’s never ideal to see your team record two blown saves in the same game, and this one was a mess on both sides.  The Brewers had taken the lead in the seventh thanks to a two RBI single from Jackson Chourio, but Bryan Hudson allowed the Cardinals to tie it up immediately with a two-run home run to Luken Baker.
  • Then again, the Brewers scored two runs to take a lead in the eighth, and this time Joel Payamps held the lead, earning his 15th hold. He, too, got in some hot water; walking one and allowing a hit with two outs before getting out of the jam.
  • Then, with the score 6-4 in the bottom of the ninth, Devin Williams was called on with a chance to earn the save. He hit the first batter he saw with a pitch, then allowed a double – so about as bad of a start as you can get with a two-out lead. The next three batters were a strikeout, a walk, and then another strikeout. So now from men on second and third with no out, to bases loaded one out, to bases loaded two outs… well he then walked the next two batters to blow the save. Back-to-back walks with the bases loaded. Williams did not have his best command and said so after the game, but an ugly outing nonetheless. He was pulled for Trevor Megill who stranded three by getting big ground out.
  • Ryan Helsely pitched the top of the 10th and did so without allowing a baserunner, stranding the ghost runner by striking out two and getting a groundout – it would set him up for the win.
  • Megill stayed out for the bottom of the 10th and things again got ugly, an intentional walk to William Contreras was followed up by another, unintentional, walk to load the bases. This time, there would be no mistaking it, Nolan Arenado got an 85 MPH knuckle curve, middle-middle, and walked it off with a grand slam.

 

The best of the rest…

  • Lucas Erceg picked up save number six with the Royals as Kansas City shut out the Angels.
  • Justin Martinez picked up his second save in as many days in a high scoring affair for the Diamondbacks. Thats his 5th in less than three weeks.
  • Manuel Rodríguez picked up the save for the Rays with Edwin Uceta having thrown the day prior and three of the last four.

 

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

 

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