Fantasy Baseball Reliever Roundup

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

SDP 4 – PHI 6

San Diego Padres
Yuki Matsui	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	42% CSW
Ron Marinaccio	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	47% CSW
Adrian Morejon	0.1 IP	3 ER	3 H	1 BB	0 K	3 Whiffs	21% CSW
Wandy Peralta	1.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	19% CSW

Adrian Morejon had been cruising for a while now, so I guess he was due for some sort of bad luck outing. He didn’t help himself by allowing a lead-off walk, but he got Schwarber to ground out before Turner singled the other way, and then Harper hit a ball off his calf. He then got Marsh to ground out to 1B, but Turner was still safe at home, and Morejon’s outing finally came to an end with a ground ball single up the middle by Bohm. A combination of bad luck and good hitting, but nothing to worry about with Morejon.

Philadelphia Phillies
Orion Kerkering	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	33% CSW
José Alvarado	1.0 IP	2 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	24% CSW

Orion Kerkering didn’t have his best stuff but it didn’t matter much. He’s been great lately and even when working earlier in games, should be a solid holds league option who can mix in some wins as well.

BAL 8 – BOS 2

Baltimore Orioles
Yennier Cano	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW
Tyler Wells	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	33% CSW
Keegan Akin	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	28% CSW
Andrew Kittredge	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	44% CSW

Contreras took Andrew Kittredge deep here and while Kittredge has been better as of late, but the fastball can be hit around.

Boston Red Sox
Jovani Morán	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	3 K	7 Whiffs	29% CSW
Tommy Kahnle	2.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	2 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	18% CSW

The velocity was down with Jovani Morán here, but the changeup was still good enough to get plenty of whiffs. Just need that velocity to stick closer to 94 MPH, not 91-92, as he was here.

CLE 1 – NYY 2

Cleveland Guardians
Codi Heuer – L (1)	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	26% CSW
Matt Festa	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	27% CSW

Matt Festa’s velocity was up over a MPH here, and when that cut fastball is up over 93 MPH, he’s really tough to hit. The stuff just fluctuates too much with him right now.

New York Yankees
Brent Headrick – W (4)	1.0 IP	1 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	16% CSW
Fernando Cruz – HLD (11)	1.0 IP	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	40% CSW
David Bednar – SV (13)	1.0 IP	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	25% CSW

No strikeouts for David Bednar, but the fastball velocity was in the 96 MPH range, and he didn’t throw a curveball again, so he really is backing off that pitch for now. Again, I don’t think he needs to completely ditch it as he has, but the priority should be the splitter/four-seamer for now. We may see a lower K rate with this, but it should help with his ERA at least.

SFG 12 – MIL 9

San Francisco Giants
Sam Hentges – W (1)	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	13% CSW
JT Brubaker – HLD (1)	2.0 IP	2 ER	2 H	2 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	26% CSW
Tristan Beck	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	42% CSW
Wilkin Ramos	0.0 IP	3 ER	2 H	2 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	29% CSW
Caleb Kilian – SV (4)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	23% CSW

Caleb Kilian was called on to bail out Ramos in the ninth inning, leading to a relatively easy save. I’d still imagine Keaton Winn is the 1a closer option here for the time being, but it looks like there is still some faith in Kilian getting key outs in the ninth.

Milwaukee Brewers
DL Hall	2.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 K	3 Whiffs	44% CSW
Grant Anderson	1.1 IP	2 ER	3 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	19% CSW
Jake Woodford	3.0 IP	4 ER	7 H	1 K	4 Whiffs	20% CSW

Grant Anderson left this game with an injury as he was hit in the forearm with a line drive. It may not look like a big injury (if he misses time), but this Brewers bullpen is lacking right-handed depth behind Uribe and Megill. Maybe it’s time we see Craig Yoho again? Yoho has been dominant since the start of May, not allowing any earned runs, with just six hits allowed and a 20/4 K/BB rate over his past 14 innings.

TOR 7 – ATL 2

Toronto Blue Jays
Chad Dallas – W (1)	3.2 IP	1 ER	2 H	2 BB	2 K	7 Whiffs	28% CSW
Tyler Rogers – HLD (12)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	8% CSW
Jeff Hoffman – HLD (7)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	67% CSW
Braydon Fisher – HLD (7)	0.2 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	56% CSW
Louis Varland – SV (9)	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	29% CSW

Nice bounce back outing from Jeff Hoffman here, who leaned on his slider, and outside of two pitches did a great job locating it. The four-seamer hasn’t even been a big issue for him this year, with the slider getting hit the hardest. Not sure what the ultimate answer is, maybe just completely change the usage, similar to what Raisel Iglesias did last season?

Atlanta Braves
Didier Fuentes	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	22% CSW
Dylan Dodd	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	27% CSW
Reynaldo López	1.0 IP	4 ER	5 H	1 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	28% CSW

Well Reynaldo López had been looking better lately, but even with the improved velocity on the fastball, it’s still below average. If he can’t get back to 97+ MPH, he’s going to be hard to trust as anything more than a mop-up/long relief option.

KCR 8 – MIN 6

Kansas City Royals
John Schreiber – BS (1)	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	60% CSW
Daniel Lynch IV	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW
Matt Strahm – W (2)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	20% CSW
Alex Lange – SV (2)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	4 Whiffs	25% CSW

Back-to-back saves for Alex Lange now, and he may be gaining some momentum. I don’t trust it long term, but I think he’s pitching well enough now that we can Vargas Rule it. He’s (wisely) avoiding his fastball as much as possible. The offspeed offerings are still great, though.

Minnesota Twins
Mike Paredes	3.2 IP	3 ER	2 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	20% CSW
Anthony Banda – BS (1)	0.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW
Eric Orze	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	12% CSW
Yoendrys Gómez	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	39% CSW
Taylor Rogers – L (3)	0.2 IP	2 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	18% CSW
Justin Lawrence	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	2 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	29% CSW

“Closer” Yoendrys Gómez got the first two outs in the eighth inning before allowing a walk and getting pulled for Taylor Rogers (and things unraveled). Frustrating.

ATH 6 – CHC 7

Athletics
Scott Barlow	1.0 IP	2 ER	2 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	21% CSW
Mark Leiter Jr. Jr. – HLD (3)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 K	6 Whiffs	50% CSW
Joel Kuhnel – L (2)	0.2 IP	4 ER	5 H	0 K	1 Whiffs	19% CSW
Luis Medina – BS (2)	0.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW

Joel Kuhnel was unfortunately due for some regression, and it looks like it hit all at once here. The stuff is just not good enough to sustain quality ratios.

Chicago Cubs
Trent Thornton	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	2 BB	0 K	3 Whiffs	18% CSW
Ryan Rolison – W (4)	1.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	3 K	4 Whiffs	41% CSW

Ryan Rolison was awesome here and snagged a well-deserved win. The breakers are great, and the fastball was up 1 MPH here. If he can sustain 95+ MPH with the fastball, I could see him overtaking Thielbar as the team’s top left-handed setup man.

PIT 5 – HOU 1

Pittsburgh Pirates
Carmen Mlodzinski – SV (1)	4.0 IP	1 ER	4 H	0 BB	3 K	7 Whiffs	35% CSW

Not a traditional relief outing for Carmen Mlodzinski, but he picked up a save nonetheless. Will we see the same stuff he was showing in the second half of last year again? That remains to be seen, but he’s someone worth monitoring as he transitions back to a relief role.

Houston Astros
Steven Okert	2.0 IP	1 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	17% CSW
Enyel De Los Santos	1.0 IP	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	42% CSW
Bryan Abreu	1.0 IP	0 H	1 BB	3 K	2 Whiffs	39% CSW

This line from Bryan Abreu is interesting, given that he struck out the side and the fastball velocity was a bit better, but still just 95 MPH with no command. What is more interesting is that we saw 4 cutters from Abreu to try and combat lefties, and while it didn’t look great, at least he is trying to tinker and add something to get better.

LAD 2 – ARI 3

Los Angeles Dodgers
Kyle Hurt – HLD (5)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	40% CSW
Will Klein – HLD (8)	0.1 IP	2 ER	2 H	1 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	19% CSW
Alex Vesia – BS (1)	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	17% CSW
Tanner Scott – L (3)	0.1 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	38% CSW

Tanner Scott started Marte off with a fastball down and in, and well, that was a mistake, as Marte has just been dominating left-handed relievers lately. Rough week for Scott, but he looks fine, and I’m not overly concerned about him.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Brandyn Garcia	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	14% CSW
Paul Sewald – W (2)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	43% CSW

Paul Sewald pitched through the middle of the Dodgers lineup here, pitching around a two-out one double to Smith (luckily Espinal entered the game for Muncy earlier). A.J. Puk will be back soon, but there’s no reason to think Sewald won’t continue as the team’s closer.

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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 6/4

Rick Graham