Fantasy Baseball Reliever Roundup

Atlanta Braves
Didier Fuentes – W (4)	1.1 IP	1 H	1 K	4 Whiffs	32% CSW
Dylan Lee	1.0 IP	0 H	3 K	4 Whiffs	47% CSW
Robert Suarez	1.0 IP	1 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	38% CSW
Tyler Kinley	1.0 IP	1 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	56% CSW

Didier Fuentes has given up just one run since moving into the bullpen full-time (14.2 IP). The swing and miss hasn’t been there, but that could be due ot the heavy fastball usage (which was up 1.2 MPH here btw). The fastball is awesome, so I get it, but would it be too much to ask for some more sliders and splitters mixed in?

Cincinnati Reds
Yunior Marte	0.1 IP	4 ER	3 H	1 BB	1 K	5 Whiffs	33% CSW
Caleb Ferguson	1.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	3 K	3 Whiffs	33% CSW
Zach Maxwell	2.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	21% CSW

A little bit better command from Zach Maxwell here, who, with Graham Ashcraft out now, undoubtedly has the best stuff in this bullpen. There was some semblance of a plan here, but the fastball command is still scattered. It’s frustrating that not one of Connor Phillips, Luis Mey, or Maxwell has been able to take a step forward with their command this season because they each have closer-type stuff.

San Diego Padres
Yuki Matsui	2.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	23% CSW
Jeremiah Estrada – W (2)	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	37% CSW
Adrian Morejon – HLD (11)	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	54% CSW
Jason Adam – HLD (12)	0.1 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	17% CSW
Mason Miller – SV (17)	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	37% CSW

Jeremiah Estrada’s splitter bailed him out here as he had no fastball command and also, no fastball velocity again (down to 95 MPH). Hopefully, we aren’t back to early-season Estrada again, but I worry.
Mason Miller has never had great command and has now walked 8 batters over his past 7.2 innings (23% BB rate), leading to a 1.43 WHIP. Yet, he has not allowed an earned run over this span and holds a 43% K rate, so how worried should we be?

Washington Nationals
Andrew Alvarez	3.0 IP	3 ER	5 H	2 BB	1 K	6 Whiffs	23% CSW
Orlando Ribalta	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	14% CSW
Mitchell Parker – L (2)	2.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	16% CSW
Cole Henry	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	34% CSW

Good to see Cole Henry back, and the stuff looked OK here, and I’m surprised to see four of these whiffs come from fastballs (hitters respecting the sweeper).

Minnesota Twins
Eric Orze	1.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	3 K	3 Whiffs	43% CSW
Yoendrys Gómez – HLD (5)	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	29% CSW
Anthony Banda – HLD (6)	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	22% CSW
Cody Laweryson – HLD (2)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	25% CSW
Taylor Rogers – L (2)	0.1 IP	2 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	42% CSW

Yoendrys Gómez in the 7th inning? Cool cool cool.
Cody Laweryson is back and gives the team another option in the late innings, I guess. The changeup is great, is the fastball good enough?

Pittsburgh Pirates
Evan Sisk	0.2 IP	0 H	1 K	0 Whiffs	27% CSW
Wilber Dotel	3.0 IP	1 H	4 K	5 Whiffs	32% CSW
Gregory Soto – W (4)	1.0 IP	0 H	1 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW

That’s back-to-back identical lines from Wilber Dotel, giving him 6 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, and 8 K’s this week (plus a win). That’s a better stat line than most starters would give you in a week, but I wouldn’t trust this to be the norm. The cutter was effective here, and it got some foolish swings, but is it that good?

Toronto Blue Jays
Austin Voth	3.1 IP	5 ER	5 H	4 BB	0 K	6 Whiffs	21% CSW
Connor Seabold	1.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Mason Fluharty – W (3)	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	30% CSW
Braydon Fisher – SV (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW

With no Varland, Hoffman, or Rogers, the Blue Jays bullpen navigated the final 7 outs with Mason Fluiharty and Braydon Fisher, each of whom could be high-leverage arms anyway for probably half of the bullpens in baseball right now. Fluharty was particularly great here, using the changeup more as he faced mostly righties.

Baltimore Orioles
Tyler Wells – HLD (8)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Yennier Cano – L (2)	0.1 IP	2 ER	3 H	0 K	1 Whiffs	36% CSW
Keegan Akin	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 K	2 Whiffs	27% CSW
Rico Garcia	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 K	3 Whiffs	31% CSW

Got to wonder if Yennier Cano is still hurting, as he left the previous game with a hamstring injury. The stuff and command were down in this one.

Boston Red Sox
Tyler Samaniego	1.0 IP	4 ER	6 H	0 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	27% CSW

Cleveland Guardians
Colin Holderman – W (3)	1.1 IP	0 H	1 K	1 Whiffs	20% CSW
Tim Herrin – HLD (7)	0.2 IP	1 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	18% CSW
Shawn Armstrong – HLD (5)	0.2 IP	0 H	1 K	3 Whiffs	71% CSW
Hunter Gaddis – HLD (7)	1.0 IP	2 H	0 K	3 Whiffs	27% CSW
Cade Smith – SV (20)	1.0 IP	1 H	3 K	2 Whiffs	46% CSW

The Guardians truly maximize their bullpen usage, as a team, they now have 75 SV+HLD’s on the season. Next is Tampa Bay with 64, with St. Louis the only other team in the 60’s (the Cubs have just 23).

Los Angeles Angels
Ryan Zeferjahn – L (3)	0.1 IP	4 ER	3 H	1 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	32% CSW
Brent Suter	1.2 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	32% CSW

Looks like that should just about do it for Ryan Zeferjahn as a high-leverage reliever for the time being. I’m sure he’ll work his way back into the mix, but this is just going to be a roller coaster ride.

Tampa Bay Rays
Hunter Bigge	0.0 IP	3 ER	1 H	2 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	23% CSW
Kevin Kelly	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	18% CSW
Bryan Baker – SV (15)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	2 BB	2 K	6 Whiffs	23% CSW

Bryan Baker has had some command issues lately, and they reared their ugly head here as he did not have feel for that changeup. The fastball was good enough to get him out of this unscathed, but that’s now a 20.5% walk rate over his past 8.2 innings of work.

Miami Marlins
Cade Gibson	0.1 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	27% CSW
Calvin Faucher	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	33% CSW
Anthony Bender	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	40% CSW
Michael Petersen	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	67% CSW
Pete Fairbanks – L (3)	0.1 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW

The 0-2 fastball to Melendez was definitely not ideal (Pete Fairbanks regrets shaking his pitching coach to throw it), but also not the worst location. Melendez was just cheating on a fastball after getting beaten by two previously. I still believe in Fairbanks and consider him a buy-low target.

New York Mets
A.J. Minter	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	43% CSW
Huascar Brazobán – HLD (3)	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW
Brooks Raley – HLD (10)	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	40% CSW
Tobias Myers – BS (2)	1.0 IP	2 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW
Luke Weaver	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	21% CSW
Austin Warren – W (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	57% CSW

A.J. Minter may not have the velocity he once had, but the stuff still grades out well above average. This bullpen can be a difference maker for this Mets team that is struggling to find rotation stability.

Chicago Cubs
Ethan Roberts	1.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	2 K	5 Whiffs	36% CSW
Phil Maton	0.2 IP	1 ER	3 H	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Hoby Milner	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	50% CSW

Phil Maton got Singled Out here, but that’s been happening to him way too much as he leaves too many pitches over the middle of the plate. There’s time to turn things around, but the command needs to get better.

St. Louis Cardinals
Justin Bruihl	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	38% CSW
Gordon Graceffo – W (4)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 K	1 Whiffs	30% CSW
George Soriano – HLD (9)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 K	1 Whiffs	42% CSW
JoJo Romero – HLD (15)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 K	1 Whiffs	42% CSW
Ryne Stanek – HLD (10)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 K	3 Whiffs	33% CSW
Riley O’Brien – SV (14)	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 K	1 Whiffs	21% CSW

Riley O’Brien looked OK here, but ultimately kept things in check and was able to secure the save. It’s been a rough month+ for him now, but he hasn’t done anything yet to lose the closer role.

Detroit Tigers
Will Vest – HLD (6)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 K	3 Whiffs	45% CSW
Kyle Finnegan – BS (4)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	8% CSW
Drew Anderson – L (2)	0.2 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 K	3 Whiffs	50% CSW

Will Vest looked great here, and his velocity was up across the board. Kyle Finnegan Drew Anderson had been cruising here, but left a changeup up to Vargas for the walk-off HR. I’m still team Vest here (I mean a 40% LOB rate isn’t real), as Finnegan can’t be trusted and Anderson is probably best suited for a non-closer role.

Chicago White Sox
Erick Fedde	4.0 IP	2 ER	4 H	3 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	29% CSW
Sean Newcomb	2.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	3 K	4 Whiffs	39% CSW
Seranthony Domínguez	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	40% CSW
Bryan Hudson – W (3)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	43% CSW

Seranthony Domínguez’s fastball was up 1 MPH here, and the sweeper looked great. Good outing for him as he tries to fend off Grant Taylor and Bryan Hudson from the closer role.

Kansas City Royals
Steven Cruz	1.0 IP	2 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	33% CSW
Eli Morgan	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	7 Whiffs	46% CSW
Eric Cerantola	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	44% CSW

Eric Cerantola has an interesting slider, but the fastball is meh. If you took Cerantola’s slider and added it to Steven Cruz’s fastball and Eli Morgan’s changeup, now you’d have an elite reliever. These three guys are all one-trick ponies, though.

Texas Rangers
Tyler Alexander	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	33% CSW
Jalen Beeks	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	7% CSW
Gavin Collyer	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	2 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	35% CSW

Ugh, maybe one day with Collyer.

Milwaukee Brewers
DL Hall	2.0 IP	0 H	2 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	31% CSW
Grant Anderson	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	15% CSW
Aaron Ashby	1.0 IP	1 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	33% CSW
Abner Uribe – W (3)	1.0 IP	1 H	1 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	42% CSW
Trevor Megill – SV (7)	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	45% CSW

Trevor Megill looked dominant here, working through the middle of the Astros lineup in extra innings and not allowing that ghost runner to tie the game. He’s got the edge on Uribe as the closer for now, but will he be consistent enough in the role for it to last?

Houston Astros
Steven Okert – HLD (7)	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	26% CSW
Bryan Abreu – HLD (5)	0.1 IP	1 ER	0 H	2 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	8% CSW
Bryan King – BS (3)	1.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	17% CSW
Alimber Santa – L (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	18% CSW

I really wish Alimber Santa’s fastball was better because the sweeper can be so good. The fastball is just not good enough.

San Francisco Giants
Matt Gage	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	33% CSW
Joel Peguero – HLD (1)	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	23% CSW
Erik Miller – HLD (7)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	25% CSW
Keaton Winn – HLD (11)	1.1 IP	2 ER	2 H	0 K	2 Whiffs	17% CSW
Caleb Kilian – L (3)	0.2 IP	5 ER	5 H	1 K	1 Whiffs	10% CSW

Joel Peguero was averaging 101.3 MPH here, and I mean, if that’s where he’s going to live, we may be in business even without a great slider.
Keaton Winn’s velocity was down over a MPH here. Maybe a Coors Field effect or maybe something more (Erik Miller and Caleb Kilian’s velocity were down to…but not Peguero’s).
Caleb Kilian got his first taste of Coors Field, and I’m sure he’d love to never come back. He actually didn’t look that bad here; the command was more or less fine, he just made two mistakes, and both wound up being home runs.

Colorado Rockies
Jaden Hill	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	30% CSW
Welinton Herrera	0.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	17% CSW
Seth Halvorsen	1.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	32% CSW
Keegan Thompson	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	27% CSW
Juan Mejia – W (1)	1.0 IP	2 ER	3 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	19% CSW

If you haven’t gotten the message lately, Juan Mejia is back in the “can’t trust” tree.

New York Yankees
Brent Headrick	0.1 IP	0 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	3 Whiffs	25% CSW
Fernando Cruz	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	50% CSW
Paul Blackburn	2.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	18% CSW

Not a great outing from Brent Headrick here, who got a quick out before allowing back-to-back singles and walking McNeil. It could have been because the game was out of hand, but I’d have liked to see his splitter against the righties here (with the game being out of hand, is that not the time to work on a pitch like that?).

Athletics
José Suarez	1.0 IP	1 ER	3 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	27% CSW
Joel Kuhnel	1.2 IP	2 ER	3 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	26% CSW
Hogan Harris	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Justin Sterner	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	45% CSW
Scott Barlow	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	23% CSW
Mark Leiter Jr. Jr.	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	29% CSW
Luis Medina	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	30% CSW

Everyone pitched here as Severino left the game early. No big takeaways outside of how low upside this bullpen is without Jack Perkins at his best (does he potentially replace Severino in the rotation?).

Arizona Diamondbacks
Brandon Pfaadt	1.2 IP	1 ER	3 H	0 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	42% CSW
Taylor Clarke	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	50% CSW
Jonathan Loáisiga	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	12% CSW
Brandyn Garcia	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	1 Whiffs	31% CSW
Juan Morillo – L (2)	0.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	44% CSW

I know he allowed the three hits and a run, but is there something here with Brandon Pfaadt as a reliever? He’s still throwing six different pitches, but the offspeed stuff looks great (minus the one changeup he left up here).

Seattle Mariners
Matt Brash – BS (2)	0.2 IP	1 ER	2 H	2 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	27% CSW
José A. Ferrer – HLD (7)	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW
Eduard Bazardo – HLD (10)	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	19% CSW
Gabe Speier – HLD (6)	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	67% CSW
Andrés Muñoz – BS (4)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	28% CSW
Cooper Criswell – W (2)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW

Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz both getting blown saves here hurts. Brash gave up two singles (the second of which the RF should probably catch), and ultimately, the stuff looked fine. Muñoz gave up back-to-back singles before hitting Arenado to load the bases with no outs. After a strikeout, an error allowed the run to score before Muñoz finally got a pop-up and ground out to end the inning. He didn’t have his best command, but this was far from a worrisome outing for Muñoz.

Philadelphia Phillies
Tim Mayza	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	24% CSW

Tim Mayza has been a nice surprise for the Phillies this season, but will it last with that mediocre fastball?

Los Angeles Dodgers
Edgardo Henriquez – HLD (3)	0.2 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	14% CSW
Alex Vesia – HLD (7)	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	50% CSW
Tanner Scott – SV (5)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 K	3 Whiffs	27% CSW

Tanner Scott was back in the ninth inning here, as we like to see. Scott has not allowed a run over his past 12.1 innings, also putting up a ridiculous 0.49 WHIP and 44.2% K rate over that span. He’s been the best reliever in baseball over the past month.

If you’re looking for potential relievers to stream today, check out RP Streamers

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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 5/29

Rick Graham

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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 5/29

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