Fantasy Baseball Reliever Roundup

Welcome to the RP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every reliever performance from the previous day.

TEX 2 – NYY 9

Texas Rangers
Jalen Beeks	0.1 IP	2 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	17% CSW
Cole Winn	0.1 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	14% CSW
Tyler Alexander	0.2 IP	1 ER	3 H	1 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	33% CSW
Peyton Gray	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 BB	1 K	5 Whiffs	33% CSW
Gavin Collyer	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	50% CSW

The Yankees offense has been beating up on relievers lately, but this group is also hard to get behind, as there’s a clear lack of stuff in this bullpen (Collyer and Latz aside).

New York Yankees
Brendan Beck	3.0 IP	2 ER	2 H	3 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	27% CSW
Tim Hill	1.2 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	12% CSW
Brent Headrick – W (3)	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	28% CSW
Jake Bird	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	20% CSW
Camilo Doval	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	22% CSW

Brendan Beck made his debut here, and yeah, not much to see or get excited about there.

MIN 5 – WSN 7

Minnesota Twins
Anthony Banda	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	15% CSW
John Klein – L (1)	1.1 IP	2 ER	2 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	19% CSW
Taylor Rogers	1.2 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	46% CSW

Taylor Rogers basically ditched his sinker here, focusing on his cutter and slider, and had some success. Might be his best approach moving forward.

Washington Nationals
Richard Lovelady – HLD (3)	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	31% CSW
Orlando Ribalta – HLD (1)	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	19% CSW
PJ Poulin – W (3)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	26% CSW
Gus Varland – SV (4)	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	31% CSW

The Nationals love bringing in Gus Varland to finish the eighth inning, but it was nice to see them let him finish the ninth inning here as well. He’s definitely the best arm in this bullpen at the moment (for whatever that’s worth) and shouldn’t be completely ignored in standard formats.

CLE 8 – KCR 5

Cleveland Guardians
Tim Herrin	0.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	8% CSW
Connor Brogdon – HLD (4)	1.1 IP	2 ER	2 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	14% CSW
Hunter Gaddis	0.2 IP	1 ER	3 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	10% CSW
Erik Sabrowski – HLD (14)	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	33% CSW
Cade Smith – SV (10)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	38% CSW

Things are not looking good for Hunter Gaddis. The velo/stuff are down, his command is terrible, and you have to wonder if he may have come back from that forearm injury too soon. At least we will finally get a look at Franco Aleman at the MLB level, as he was called up today. It would not surprise me to see him work his way into that right-handed setup role.
Much better command from Cade Smith here. I think we can start worrying less about him.

Kansas City Royals
Daniel Lynch IV	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	1 Whiffs	27% CSW
Alex Lange	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	30% CSW
Eric Cerantola	2.0 IP	3 ER	1 H	3 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	27% CSW
Nick Mears	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	26% CSW

Daniel Lynch IV continues to do his thing, and with Carlos Estévez out for the foreseeable future, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him work his way into the closer role at some point. He’s far and away the team’s best reliever right now.

CIN 3 – CHC 8

Cincinnati Reds
Connor Phillips	1.0 IP	5 ER	4 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	14% CSW
Luis Mey	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	23% CSW
Jose Franco	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	17% CSW

Connor Phillips had to come in for an injured Lowder here, and that’s always a tough ask for a reliever to enter a game cold like this. That being said, I wonder if it makes sense for Phillips to spend some time at AAA to work on his command problems.
Luis Mey could work his way into a setup role, given Phillips’ struggles and the injury to Emilio Pagán. He really is very close to being a copy of Abner Uribe.

Chicago Cubs
Trent Thornton	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	15% CSW
Gavin Hollowell	1.2 IP	2 ER	2 H	4 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	29% CSW
Daniel Palencia – SV (2)	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	29% CSW

Gotta love the one out, one K save for Daniel Palencia (thank you, Gavin Hollowell).

NYM 2 – COL 6

New York Mets
Huascar Brazobán	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	2 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	20% CSW
Austin Warren	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	29% CSW
Craig Kimbrel – L (2)	1.0 IP	4 ER	3 H	1 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	17% CSW

I’m going to blame this outing on Coors, but it’s also a reminder of how volatile late-career Craig Kimbrel can be. After a pair of singles and a walk, the grand slam came off a 1-0 fastball down and in to McCarthy, just not the location you want to be throwing that pitch to a lefty in a hitters count, nonetheless.

Colorado Rockies
Juan Mejia	1.0 IP	0 H	2 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	38% CSW
Brennan Bernardino	0.1 IP	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW
Antonio Senzatela – W (2)	2.0 IP	1 H	1 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	30% CSW

I’m still going to have a hard time trusting Antonio Senzatela, but you do you. The stuff is certainly better than it ever has been, and the command has been solid. He’s currently sporting a .157 average against (.291 career mark) and a .213 BABIP (.323 career mark), though, so those will come back to earth eventually.

PIT 4 – ARI 2

Pittsburgh Pirates
Dennis Santana – HLD (3)	1.0 IP	0 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	23% CSW
Mason Montgomery – HLD (5)	0.2 IP	1 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	19% CSW
Isaac Mattson – HLD (7)	0.1 IP	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Gregory Soto – SV (3)	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	43% CSW

Dennis Santana got the 7th inning here, facing the bottom of the order, while Mason Montgomery worked the 8th and the top of the Diamondbacks lineup. Of course, Montgomery gets this great opportunity, and his command disappears on him. It wasn’t terrible, I just want more from him still. He can be so much better.
Gregory Soto may run away with the closer role here, and while this is still the best version of Soto we have seen in quite some time (maybe ever?), I still can’t help but have this sneaky suspicion that a blow-up is on the horizon. For now, you roster him, and at worst, it’s a Vargas Rule situation.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Brandyn Garcia	1.0 IP	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	42% CSW
Ryan Thompson	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	44% CSW
Paul Sewald	1.0 IP	0 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	26% CSW

At least Paul Sewald has figured out these non-save situations, it appears. Can we get the man a save chance soon, though?

ATH 12 – PHI 1

Athletics
Brooks Kriske	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	29% CSW

Brooks Kriske and Joel Kuhnel in the same MLB bullpen in the year 2026, huh? Kriske’s stuff is kind of interesting; in a way, it kind of reminds me of poor man’s Eric Orze. Do with that what you will.

Philadelphia Phillies
Tanner Banks	1.1 IP	2 ER	4 H	1 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	26% CSW
Chase Shugart	2.0 IP	2 ER	2 H	1 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	34% CSW
Jonathan Bowlan	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	27% CSW
Garrett Stubbs	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW

Hopefully, this outing can help get Jonathan Bowlan going in the right direction. He’s out of options, but the stuff is too good to give up on yet.

BAL 3 – MIA 4

Baltimore Orioles
Yennier Cano	2.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	17% CSW
Dietrich Enns	2.0 IP	0 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	26% CSW
Keegan Akin	1.0 IP	2 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	29% CSW
Andrew Kittredge – L (1)	0.2 IP	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	36% CSW

Oh hello there Keegan Akin. Akin’s fastball was up 2 MPH with better shape, and he mixed in a few good changeups as well. If this fastball sticks, he’ll be a big holds riser next week.
The loss wasn’t exactly Andrew Kittredge’s fault, but the stuff has not been sharp so far for him (what has happened to the slider?).

Miami Marlins
Andrew Nardi – HLD (5)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	42% CSW
Michael Petersen – HLD (4)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	30% CSW
Josh Ekness – BS (1)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	17% CSW
Calvin Faucher – W (3)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	31% CSW

Josh Ekness working the 8th inning with a one-run lead is quite the monumental rise, as this was just his 3rd MLB game, and the entire bullpen was available. I mean, I get it. His stuff is disgusting, and even with it being down here (fastball velo down over 1 MPH, sweeper not as sharp), it still gets an A+ grade. Hopefully, this outing doesn’t set him back too much.

TBR 8 – BOS 4

Tampa Bay Rays
Hunter Bigge – W (1)	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	27% CSW
Kevin Kelly – HLD (7)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW
Garrett Cleavinger – HLD (5)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 K	1 Whiffs	21% CSW
Cole Sulser	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	24% CSW

Despite the two hits and ER allowed (the Duran “double” was really a fly out), this was much more like 2025 Garrett Cleavinger. Great to see this.

Boston Red Sox
Greg Weissert	0.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	27% CSW
Tyler Samaniego	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	50% CSW
Ryan Watson	3.0 IP	3 ER	5 H	1 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	16% CSW

I know PLV loves what Greg Weissert is doing, but it’s really hard to trust him right now. The first hit was a fluky bloop, sure, but ultimately that fastball just isn’t good enough to trust.

STL 2 – SDP 1

St. Louis Cardinals
George Soriano – HLD (6)	1.0 IP	1 H	1 K	3 Whiffs	42% CSW
JoJo Romero – HLD (11)	1.0 IP	0 H	1 K	1 Whiffs	57% CSW
Riley O’Brien – SV (11)	1.0 IP	0 H	1 K	1 Whiffs	30% CSW

Riley O’Brien was sitting 100 MPH here, which is wild. I really hope this stuff sticks for the entire season.

San Diego Padres
Bradgley Rodriguez – L (2)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	7 Whiffs	47% CSW
Wandy Peralta	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	2 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	7% CSW
Jason Adam	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	26% CSW

Jason Adam, with just an 11.4% K rate (4.5% K-BB), is frustrating at the moment, but the stuff still looks fine, and he’s generating swing-and-miss (17% SwStr rate), so this should change eventually, right?

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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 5/7

Rick Graham