Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 6/25

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

KCR 2 – TBR 13

Kansas City Royals
Matt Strahm	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 K	4 Whiffs	47% CSW
Connor Seabold	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Tyler Tolbert	1.0 IP	5 ER	6 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	33% CSW

Matt Strahm had another positive outing here to hopefully get him back on track. He should still be a sought-after reliever at the trade deadline, even with his fastball velocity down; it can still be a plus offering.

Tampa Bay Rays
Ian Seymour – W (4)	6.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	7 K	12 Whiffs	31% CSW
Craig Kimbrel	1.0 IP	2 ER	1 H	1 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	28% CSW

Craig Kimbrel had one job here to finish off the Rays combined no-hitter, but Jensen jumped on a first-pitch fastball here (not a bad location either) for a home run. He attempted three changeups here, so that could be an interesting new wrinkle if he commits to it.

SEA 1 – PIT 5

Seattle Mariners
Gabe Speier	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW
Eduard Bazardo	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	62% CSW
Alex Hoppe	1.0 IP	2 ER	3 H	1 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	25% CSW

Eduard Bazardo’s velocity has been up recently, but it’s still just a middling pitch mix at best. His availability and command help his value, though, and with Brash out until August, he should continue to see consistent hold chances.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Evan Sisk – HLD (4)	1.0 IP	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	22% CSW
Yohan Ramírez – HLD (4)	0.1 IP	0 H	2 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	15% CSW
Mason Montgomery – HLD (8)	1.1 IP	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	40% CSW
Gregory Soto	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	29% CSW

Mason Montgomery may be inconsistent, but when his stuff is on, he remains one of the toughest relievers in the game. It looks like he’s really trying to make the sinker happen, so it’ll be interesting to see the outcome from that now in his arsenal.

ATH 9 – SFG 6

Athletics
Matt Krook – BS (1)	0.1 IP	2 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	38% CSW
Justin Sterner	0.1 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	43% CSW
Geoff Hartlieb – W (1)	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	36% CSW
Mason Barnett – SV (2)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	46% CSW

I’m just having a hard time buying into Mason Barnett, especially with the home ballpark he’d have to deal with as the potential closer here. The breakers may be OK, but the fastball is meh. Maybe he can be a command specialist, but the numbers at the minor league level don’t exactly suggest that could be the case long term.

San Francisco Giants
Ryan Walker	0.2 IP	2 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW
Erik Miller – HLD (9)	0.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	8% CSW
Dylan Smith – HLD (1)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	6 Whiffs	28% CSW
Caleb Kilian – L (4)	0.2 IP	4 ER	4 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	30% CSW
Matt Gage	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	10% CSW

The very first pitch from Caleb Kilian here was a broken bat single that didn’t make it out of the infield. Just one of those bad omens when that’s how the inning starts. He actually struck out Kurtz next, and got another broken bat grounder from Langeliers for the second out before things unraveled. He walked Soderstrom (open base after all), and then got Singled Out on three straight singles, only one of which was legit. So ultimately, it was mostly bad luck for Kilian here, and I wouldn’t be too worried about it, especially since Dylan Smith also allowed runs here. Smith pitched better than those two hits show (the Butler double could have been caught, the single to McNeil was a badly located fastball down in the zone meant to be up).

HOU 2 – DET 1

Houston Astros
AJ Blubaugh – HLD (5)	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	3 K	3 Whiffs	24% CSW
Enyel De Los Santos – SV (5)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW

Enyel De Los Santos got the save here with most of the Astros bullpen off yesterday, and it was not pretty as he continues to trend the wrong way, but he still ultimately got the job done. The stuff’s hanging on by a thread at this point, it seems.

Detroit Tigers
Kyle Finnegan	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 K	1 Whiffs	31% CSW
Tyler Holton	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 K	2 Whiffs	39% CSW
Kenley Jansen	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW

I have some concerns about Kenley Jansen’s health, as the stuff was down her as well as the command. It probably wouldn’t be the worst thing to hang on to Will Vest for another week or so as we wait for Jansen to get back to himself.

PHI 10 – WSN 5

Philadelphia Phillies
Chase Shugart	1.0 IP	0 H	2 K	3 Whiffs	39% CSW
José Alvarado	1.0 IP	0 H	2 K	2 Whiffs	33% CSW
Orion Kerkering – W (5)	1.0 IP	1 H	2 K	4 Whiffs	55% CSW
Tim Mayza	1.0 IP	0 H	0 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW

Look at this bullpen without Duran or Keller (or Bowlan) shutting down the Nationals offense for four innings and striking out six while allowing just one baserunner. Shugart’s been an awesome find for them, while Alvarado’s velo was up here, Kerkering continues trusting his fastball more, and Mayza’s been their most steady lefty.

Washington Nationals
Mitchell Parker – HLD (6)	0.1 IP	3 ER	2 H	2 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	39% CSW
Clayton Beeter – BS (4)	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	17% CSW
Gus Varland – L (2)	2.0 IP	5 ER	6 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	29% CSW

The Phillies are the first team in Major League history to hit a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning of three consecutive games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. This truly is the historically bad bullpen we thought it would be.

TEX 6 – TOR 5

Texas Rangers
Jakob Junis – HLD (10)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	28% CSW
Jacob Latz – SV (15)	1.0 IP	2 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	6 Whiffs	36% CSW

Jacob Latz gave up a bloop single to Clement, and eventually Okamoto took him deep on a four-seamer Latz left middle-down, but he looked great as usual otherwise. There’s a chance the AL All-Star game relievers are Varland, Latz, and Baker…three guys no one was drafting in standard 12-teamers this year.

Toronto Blue Jays
Simeon Woods Richardson	3.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	4 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	19% CSW

CHC 4 – NYM 3

Chicago Cubs
Ethan Roberts	1.0 IP	1 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	7% CSW
Hoby Milner	0.0 IP	1 ER	3 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	8% CSW
Phil Maton – BS (2)	1.1 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	30% CSW
Caleb Thielbar	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	42% CSW
Jacob Webb – W (2)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	3 Whiffs	20% CSW
Trent Thornton – SV (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	20% CSW

Jacob Webb is still working as the team’s closer despite his recent struggles, and while he allowed a walk and didn’t strike anyone out here, the stuff still looked great. The fastball command needs to be figured out here soon, though.

New York Mets
Austin Warren	1.1 IP	0 H	1 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	32% CSW
Luke Weaver	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	73% CSW
Devin Williams	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	42% CSW
Brooks Raley – L (3)	1.0 IP	1 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	24% CSW

Luke Weaver’s velocity has been up since the start of June, with him averaging 96.3 MPH over his past 9.1 innings. Also over that span, Weaver holds a 1.35 SIERA, and 0.21 WHIP with a 42% K rate (plus 25.2% SwStr and 37.8% CSW rates), and he has still not allowed a run since April. In what is shaping up to be a seller’s market at the deadline, the Mets should strongly consider selling high on Weaver, as he could be a closer for 10-12 teams around the league right now.

NYY 3 – BOS 6

New York Yankees
Paul Blackburn	1.0 IP	1 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	35% CSW
Tim Hill	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW
Yerry De los Santos	0.1 IP	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	9% CSW
Ryan Yarbrough	0.2 IP	0 H	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	33% CSW

Blegh. Yerry De los Santos is a huge downgrade from Bird.

Boston Red Sox
Greg Weissert – HLD (5)	0.2 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	14% CSW
Danny Coulombe – HLD (6)	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW
Garrett Whitlock – HLD (11)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	20% CSW
Aroldis Chapman – SV (15)	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	17% CSW

Aroldis Chapman’s shaky June continues as he now holds a 9.00 ERA (4.83 SIERA), 3.00 WHIP, and 16.7% K rate (8.4% SwStr) this month. The velocity was down again, and the stuff has not exactly been trending the right way for him this season. Hopefully, the Red Sox (and you as his fantasy manager) don’t hang on to him too long if he’s going to continue to lose trade value.

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

Also, if you’re looking for the detailed list or ranking of Relievers, check out my weekly RP Ranks

AL East

AL Central

AL West

NL East

NL Central

NL West

Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 6/25

Rick Graham

AL East

AL Central

AL West

NL East

NL Central

NL West

Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 6/25

Subscribe to the Pitcher List Newsletter

Your daily update on everything Pitcher List

Rick Graham