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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 7/9

A Review of Key Bullpen and Reliever Usage from Yesterday's Games

Rick Graham

RP Roundup 7 Hours Ago

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

ATL 10 – PIT 5

Atlanta Braves
Dylan Dodd – W (2)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	7% CSW
JR Ritchie – HLD (1)	1.1 IP	1 ER	2 H	2 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	29% CSW
Danny Young – HLD (2)	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	50% CSW
James Karinchak – HLD (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	25% CSW
Victor Mederos	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	6 Whiffs	38% CSW

JR Ritchie and Victor Mederos are interesting arms as relievers, but I’m not sure there’s a path for them to become hold league relevant in this deep bullpen.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Cam Sanders	0.2 IP	3 ER	2 H	3 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	23% CSW
Hunter Stratton	1.1 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	32% CSW
Yohan Ramírez	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	26% CSW
Gregory Soto	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	18% CSW
Dennis Santana	1.0 IP	4 ER	3 H	2 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	20% CSW

The wheels have fallen off for Dennis Santana in Pittsburgh. I’d imagine he’s a candidate to be DFA’d now that he holds a 5.95 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and just a 20% K rate. The slider and changeup can still play, but he has no fastball to go with them.

KCR 3 – NYM 7

Kansas City Royals
Lucas Erceg	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	13% CSW
Beck Way	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	12% CSW
Jose Cuas	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	33% CSW

Nothing to see here.

New York Mets
Huascar Brazobán	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	55% CSW
Devin Williams	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	24% CSW

Devin Williams has figured out his changeup over the past month or so (130 Stuff + over his past 12.2 IP vs. 100 Stuff+ over his first 18 innings), but it hasn’t exactly led to better results. The WHIP is still too high, but at least it’s mostly from bad BABIP luck and not walk issues.

NYY 12 – TBR 4

New York Yankees
Jake Bird	0.2 IP	2 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	20% CSW
Ryan Yarbrough – W (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	24% CSW
Camilo Doval	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	38% CSW
Brent Headrick – HLD (10)	1.2 IP	1 ER	3 H	0 BB	3 K	4 Whiffs	36% CSW
Angel Chivilli	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	3 K	5 Whiffs	32% CSW
Tim Hill	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	27% CSW

This was a great outing from Angel Chivilli, but I don’t love that his changeup has just fallen off as much as it has. The commands also an issue, but also keep in mind that Chivili is still just 23 years old.

Tampa Bay Rays
Cam Booser	1.2 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	29% CSW
Casey Legumina	2.0 IP	3 ER	2 H	3 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	18% CSW
Craig Kimbrel	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	28% CSW
Chris Roycroft	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	7% CSW
Ben Williamson	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	40% CSW

This bullpen’s going to need reinforcements sooner rather than later. They’ll most likely need to come externally as well since it seems like Edwin Uceta won’t be pitching this year.

CHC 2 – BAL 3

Chicago Cubs
Gavin Hollowell	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	1 K	5 Whiffs	32% CSW
Caleb Thielbar	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Tyler Ferguson – L (1)	0.1 IP	2 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Ryan Rolison – BS (2)	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	15% CSW

Great to see Caleb Thielbar’s fastball up 1.4 MPH here…although he only threw one four-seamer. At least we know that velocity is there if needed.

Baltimore Orioles
Yennier Cano	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	9% CSW
Tyler Wells – W (2)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	5 Whiffs	30% CSW
Andrew Kittredge – SV (2)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	31% CSW

Tyler Wells getting the eighth inning here is likely a result of the Cubs having the top of their order due up, and it didn’t matter much as no one has been hotter than PCA lately. The Orioles just can’t give up on Andrew Kittredge, though, despite the stuff tumbling this year and the overall numbers being way down. I don’t think he’s a long-term threat for saves in Baltimore…I mean, does this look like a closer to you?

CLE 5 – MIN 2

Cleveland Guardians
Hunter Gaddis – HLD (16)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	50% CSW
Cade Smith – SV (27)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	47% CSW

Cade Smith has just been casually averaging 98+ MPH on his fastball the past two games. Not sure where that came from or if it will last, but I’m here for it.

Minnesota Twins
Kendry Rojas – L (1)	2.0 IP	3 ER	2 H	3 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	28% CSW
Kody Funderburk	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	30% CSW
Woo-Suk Go	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	17% CSW

Woo-Suk Go made his long-anticipated MLB debut three years after signing with the Padres for $4.5 million. The stuff grades out pretty average at best, and I’m not sure he’s going to make much of an impact, even in a shallow Twins bullpen.

BOS 2 – CHW 1

Boston Red Sox
Tyron Guerrero – W (1)	1.2 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	32% CSW
Garrett Whitlock – HLD (15)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	24% CSW
Justin Slaten – HLD (11)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	38% CSW
Aroldis Chapman – SV (19)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW

As (kind of) a Red Sox fan, I’m at a crossroads about whether this team should sell off pieces from their pitching staff or keep the guys together and see what happens, as this group of arms is really talented overall. Guys like Tyron Guerrero and Jovani Morán give this bullpen much-needed depth, but I could also see them selling high on those guys and looking towards the future.

Chicago White Sox
Jordan Hicks	1.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	47% CSW
Grant Taylor	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	27% CSW
Tyler Davis	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	23% CSW

Over his past 10 innings, Jordan Hicks has gone 15% four-seamers, 35% sinkers, and 48% sweepers (2% splitters), holding a 2.26 SIERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 42% K rate (30.2% K-BB). Over his first 14.2 innings, Hicks threw just 4% four-seamers, 67% sinkers, and 26% sweepers (3% splitters) and held a 6.31 SIERA and 1.98 WHIP with a 13% K rate (–5.8% K-BB).

ATH 1 – DET 4

Athletics
Jack Perkins – L (5)	3.0 IP	3 ER	2 H	2 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	21% CSW
Luis Medina	1.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	38% CSW
Hogan Harris	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	22% CSW
Mark Leiter Jr. Jr.	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	37% CSW

Mark Leiter Jr. Jr. is back, but I can’t picture him factoring into saves moving forward.

Detroit Tigers
Kyle Finnegan – HLD (11)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	50% CSW
Kenley Jansen – SV (11)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	16% CSW

Kenley Jansen worked around a leadoff walk and a single before getting two lineouts to end the game. The stuff’s not what it once was, and the command is hit-or-miss. I feel like he’s just hanging on by a thread here, hoping to grind out 13 more saves and make it to 500.

SEA 4 – MIA 8

Seattle Mariners
Michael Rucker	2.0 IP	2 ER	3 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	28% CSW
Cole Wilcox	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW

I had hopes for Michael Rucker, and I still believe in the stuff, but the command is not good enough yet (too many middle-middle fastballs).

Miami Marlins
Lake Bachar	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	3 K	5 Whiffs	29% CSW
William Kempner	0.1 IP	2 ER	2 H	2 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	12% CSW
Calvin Faucher – HLD (11)	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	14% CSW
Tyler Zuber	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW

This bullpens hanging on for dear life, with some significant injuries plaguing them, but they need Calvin Faucher to stabilize things right now as

PHI 1 – CIN 0

Philadelphia Phillies
Jonathan Bowlan – HLD (4)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW
Jhoan Duran – SV (23)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	29% CSW

Jonathan Bowlan getting the eighth inning up one run, even with Brad Keller back?!
Keep Bowlan, Bowlan, Bowlan, Bowlan (What?)

Keep Bowlan, Bowlan, Bowlan, Bowlan (Come on)

Keep Bowlan, Bowlan, Bowlan, Bowlan (Yeah)

Keep Bowlan, Bowlan, Bowlan, Bowlan

Cincinnati Reds
Sam Moll	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	45% CSW
Tejay Antone	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	33% CSW

Tejay Antone’s fastball continues to improve with time, and he touched 96.3 MPH here in this one.

MIL 8 – STL 4

Milwaukee Brewers
Chad Patrick	1.2 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	43% CSW
Aaron Ashby – HLD (7)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	32% CSW
Abner Uribe	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	3 Whiffs	19% CSW

Aaron Ashby with a hold and not a win? The walk rate and WHIP still worry me, but he’s great at accumulating counting stats.

St. Louis Cardinals
Luis Gastelum	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	32% CSW
Gordon Graceffo	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	4 K	2 Whiffs	34% CSW
Matt Svanson	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	21% CSW

Gordon Graceffo’s slider is legit, and even with poor fastballs, he’s able to ride that slider to dominant outings now and then.

LAA 6 – TEX 7

Los Angeles Angels
Chase Silseth	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	14% CSW
Brent Suter	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	1 Whiffs	29% CSW
Ryan Zeferjahn	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	24% CSW
Sam Bachman	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	75% CSW
Kirby Yates – L (4)	0.1 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	12% CSW

Great to see Sam Bachman not only bounce back performance-wise, but also continue to be trusted in important spots (tie game in the eighth inning here).

Texas Rangers
Peyton Gray – HLD (6)	0.2 IP	2 ER	2 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	17% CSW
Tyler Alexander – BS (2)	0.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	38% CSW
Jacob Latz	1.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	3 K	7 Whiffs	27% CSW
Cole Winn – W (4)	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW

Jacob Latz is usually super efficient with his pitch count, but he had a couple of long at-bats here and wound up throwing 41 pitches thanks to a ten-pitch walk to Grissom here. The hit he allowed was a double to Schanuel on a pitch at his head, so that’s more fluky than anything. Overall, Latz looked great per usual here.

ARI 3 – SDP 1

Arizona Diamondbacks
Kevin Ginkel – HLD (7)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	25% CSW
Paul Sewald – SV (21)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	70% CSW

This might have been the best Paul Sewald has looked all year, with his fastball velocity up in the 92 MPH range and the sweeper doing its thing. If he stays in Arizona, he should be just fine as the teams closer moving forward.

San Diego Padres
Yuki Matsui	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	2 BB	0 K	3 Whiffs	25% CSW
Bradgley Rodriguez	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	41% CSW
Wandy Peralta	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	22% CSW
Adrian Morejon	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	36% CSW

I keep hearing about Mason Miller potentially being available at the deadline with the Padres falling out of contention…but what about Adrian Morejon? Morejon would easily be the best reliever on the market if available (free agent to be).

COL 2 – SFG 8

Colorado Rockies
Victor Vodnik	1.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	3 K	5 Whiffs	29% CSW
TJ Shook	2.0 IP	4 ER	6 H	1 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	23% CSW

He’s just a Shook one (but seriously, there’s nothing to see here).

San Francisco Giants
JT Brubaker – HLD (3)	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	42% CSW
Erik Miller – HLD (10)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	33% CSW
Caleb Kilian	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	28% CSW

Erik Miller has been pitching better as of late, but walks and his overall WHIP will probably always be a concern.

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

Rick Graham

Rick resides in the Boston area and has experience as a player and coach at the collegiate level. He has been covering relievers for Pitcher List since 2017.

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