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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 8/1

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

Rick Graham

RP Roundup An Hour Ago

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

STL 1 – TOR 5

Toronto Blue Jays
Braydon Fisher – HLD (9)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	22% CSW
Mason Fluharty – HLD (12)	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW
Jeff Hoffman	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	28% CSW
Tyler Rogers	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW

Braydon Fisher: Four-Seamer down 1.3 MPH (93.4 vs. 94.7 season avg)
Jeff Hoffman: Four-Seamer down 1.3 MPH (95.2 vs. 96.5 season avg). Hoffman’s fastball has been down this month, but overall, the stuff is still grading out well.

MIN 3 – SEA 4

Minnesota Twins
Travis Adams	0.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	27% CSW
A.J. Minter	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW
Tommy Nance	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	19% CSW
Kody Funderburk	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	67% CSW
Taylor Rogers	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	21% CSW
Andrew Morris – L (3)	0.2 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW

Andrew Morris: Four-Seamer up 1.0 MPH (98.0 vs. 97.0 season avg). Fastball is up, but it still grades out as just an average-ish pitch.

Seattle Mariners
Gabe Speier	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	24% CSW
Andrés Muñoz – W (4)	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	37% CSW

Andrés Muñoz didn’t have his best command here, but was still effective with a nice 50/50 fastball/slider mix, which has been the key to his turnaround lately.

CHW 0 – TBR 1

Chicago White Sox
Jordan Hicks	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	50% CSW
Seranthony Domínguez	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	36% CSW
Trevor Richards	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	41% CSW

Seranthony Domínguez had a great final outing as a member of the White Sox, as he was dealt to Seattle after this game. He has been far from the closer role here for some time and won’t sniff that role in Seattle, but he could find himself in the mix for holds with his new club.

Tampa Bay Rays
Cam Booser – HLD (6)	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW
Kevin Kelly – HLD (22)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	1 Whiffs	50% CSW
Garrett Cleavinger – HLD (20)	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	50% CSW
Bryan Baker – SV (31)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	50% CSW

Bryan Baker: Four-Seamer down 2.5 MPH (94.3 vs. 96.8 season avg). I’m not panicking yet, the stuff is still grading out well given how great his changeup is and the shape of his fastball…but this steady velocity drop is making me a bit nervous.

MIA 6 – NYM 2

Miami Marlins
John King	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Lake Bachar – SV (2)	3.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	26% CSW

Lake Bachar with the rare three-inning save here. July was a bit rough on him with both a 4 ER and 5 ER outing mixed in, but those look more like blips than anything.

New York Mets
Daniel Duarte	1.1 IP	2 ER	3 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	24% CSW
Jonathan Pintaro	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	2 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	33% CSW
Kevin Herget	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	18% CSW

Daniel Duarte: Sinker down 1.0 MPH (92.0 vs. 93.0 season avg). Well, he was kind of interesting for a moment.

PIT 4 – CIN 1

Pittsburgh Pirates
Carmen Mlodzinski – HLD (3)	3.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	4 K	8 Whiffs	43% CSW
Gregory Soto – SV (14)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	36% CSW

Gregory Soto was called on for the save with Mason Montgomery off, so this still doesn’t answer who is the 1A closer here, does it? Soto, for his part, looked good, but the stuff still isn’t what it was back in April.

Cincinnati Reds
Zach McCambley	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	24% CSW
Sam Moll	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW
Julian Garcia	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	21% CSW
Caleb Ferguson	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	21% CSW

Julian Garcia: Four-Seamer down 1.2 MPH (91.2 vs. 92.4 season avg). This is kind of a bummer as I think he could see some saves after the deadline if the Reds move their expiring bullpen pieces. Still think that’s possible, and the fastball still graded out nicely here despite the velo decrease.

PHI 5 – BAL 0

Philadelphia Phillies
Jonathan Bowlan – HLD (7)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	3 K	3 Whiffs	45% CSW
José Alvarado	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	20% CSW
Jhoan Duran	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	15% CSW

Jhoan Duran: Four-Seamer up 1.2 MPH (101.5 vs. 100.3 season avg). Duran has yet to record a save since the All-Star break, and had just three total in July as the Phillies hit a bit of a rough patch. Everything still looks great and better days should be ahead for this club.

Baltimore Orioles
Rico Garcia	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW
Grant Wolfram	0.1 IP	2 ER	0 H	2 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	27% CSW
Andrew Kittredge	0.1 IP	2 ER	3 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	20% CSW
Yaramil Hiraldo	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	35% CSW

Rico Garcia: Four-Seamer up 1.2 MPH (96.5 vs. 95.3 season avg). Zero whiffs, but at least there were zero home runs and the fastball velocity is sticking in the 96 MPH range.
Yaramil Hiraldo: Four-Seamer up 0.8 MPH (96.3 vs. 95.5 season avg). This was kind of interesting; the fastball had nearly 19″ of iVB, and the splitter/slider looked good.

TEX 4 – HOU 5

Texas Rangers
Cole Winn	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Tyler Alexander	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	5 Whiffs	43% CSW
Peyton Gray	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	31% CSW
Chase Silseth	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	35% CSW

Cole Winn: Four-Seamer up 1.0 MPH (96.2 vs. 95.2 season avg)
Peyton Gray: Four-Seamer up 2.0 MPH (94.9 vs. 92.9 season avg)
Chase Silseth made his Rangers debut here and didn’t throw one splitter, which had been his go-to secondary offering. He only faced right-handed hitters, so that could be the reason, but either way, I’d prefer to see more of the sweeper than splitter from him.

Houston Astros
Bennett Sousa	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	33% CSW
Enyel De Los Santos – HLD (9)	0.2 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	31% CSW
Steven Okert – W (5)	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	33% CSW
Bryan Abreu – HLD (7)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	31% CSW
Josh Hader – SV (15)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	30% CSW

Josh Hader: Sinker down 0.9 MPH (94.2 vs. 95.1 season avg). Hader’s velocity has been down over the past 10 games or so, and, similar to Baker, everything’s still working out fine for him, and the stuff grades out well… but Hader also has injury concerns with that left arm of his.

ARI 12 – CLE 8

Arizona Diamondbacks
Gerardo Carrillo – W (2)	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	3 K	3 Whiffs	35% CSW
Juan Morillo	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	31% CSW
Paul Sewald	0.0 IP	5 ER	5 H	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	24% CSW
Kevin Ginkel	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	3 Whiffs	20% CSW
Jonathan Loáisiga	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	3 Whiffs	33% CSW

Jonathan Loáisiga: Sinker up 1.3 MPH (99.0 vs. 97.7 season avg)
Paul Sewald is going through a rough patch (to put it mildly) as he gave up a home run on his first pitch here, followed by four straight singles. He won’t be closing out games anytime soon and can be dropped in almost every format at this point.

Cleveland Guardians
Colin Holderman	1.2 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	6 Whiffs	42% CSW
Hunter Gaddis – L (3)	0.2 IP	4 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	20% CSW
Franco Aleman	0.1 IP	3 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW
Will Dion	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	12% CSW
Tim Herrin	1.0 IP	2 ER	3 H	1 BB	1 K	5 Whiffs	26% CSW

Colin Holderman: Sinker down 1.2 MPH (95.8 vs. 97.0 season avg)
Tim Herrin: Four-Seamer up 2.3 MPH (96.8 vs. 94.5 season avg)
Hunter Gaddis’s fastball (and slider, to be honest) just aren’t cutting it these days, but the Guardians don’t have a clear setup man in front of Cade Smith right now, perhaps something that will be on their shopping list the next 24 hours.

WSN 3 – ATL 8

NYY 2 – CHC 5

New York Yankees
Angel Chivilli	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	22% CSW
Fernando Cruz – L (6)	0.2 IP	2 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	11% CSW
Brent Headrick	0.1 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	27% CSW
Yovanny Cruz	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	29% CSW

Rough day for this bullpen, with four walks and five hits allowed to go with zero strikeouts (and just 3 Whiffs) over 2.2 innings.

Chicago Cubs
Trent Thornton – W (4)	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	2 BB	0 K	3 Whiffs	24% CSW
Jacob Webb – HLD (8)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	35% CSW
Caleb Thielbar – SV (3)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	23% CSW

Jacob Webb got the 8th inning here up two runs, and not the ninth, but it was to face the Yankees 3-4-5 hitters (and eventually the pinch hitter Rice) so he’s still very much the highest leverage reliever in this bullpen at the moment.

KCR 6 – COL 12

Kansas City Royals
Easton McGee	1.1 IP	1 ER	5 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	19% CSW
Matt Strahm	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	27% CSW
Alex Lange	2.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 BB	3 K	4 Whiffs	21% CSW
Lucas Erceg	1.0 IP	3 ER	4 H	1 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	13% CSW

Ooof. I know it’s Coors and all, but another rough day for this group. The main three here (excluding McGee) now hold ERA’s over 6.25 and WHIP’s over 1.50.

Colorado Rockies
Victor Vodnik	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	27% CSW
Juan Mejia	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	22% CSW
Jimmy Herget	1.0 IP	2 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	33% CSW

Juan Mejia: Four-Seamer down 1.5 MPH (95.9 vs. 97.4 season avg). Ugh, we’ve come a long way here (in the wrong direction).

SFG 5 – SDP 6

San Francisco Giants
Keaton Winn	1.1 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW
Caleb Kilian	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	7 Whiffs	53% CSW
Dylan Smith – L (3)	0.2 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	22% CSW

Keaton Winn: Four-Seamer down 2.3 MPH (94.0 vs. 96.3 season avg)
This was the best Caleb Kilian has looked in some time, with both breakers on point and the fastball even generating four whiffs. This type of stuff with consistency alongside the July version of Erik Miller could at least give the Giants a solid trio to work with next season with Randy Rodríguez returning.

San Diego Padres
Wandy Peralta	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	29% CSW
Adrian Morejon – HLD (17)	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	3 K	4 Whiffs	56% CSW
Jeremiah Estrada – HLD (8)	0.1 IP	2 ER	2 H	1 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	20% CSW
Mason Miller – W (4)	1.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	3 K	7 Whiffs	37% CSW

Jeremiah Estrada still doesn’t look quite right. Maybe the command will return over time, but I have doubts about the velocity.

BOS 3 – LAD 2

Boston Red Sox
Justin Slaten – W (2)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	38% CSW
Tyron Guerrero – HLD (12)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	27% CSW
Aroldis Chapman – SV (27)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	36% CSW

Justin Slaten: Sinker up 0.8 MPH (97.9 vs. 97.1 season avg).
Tyron Guerrero: Sinker up 1.8 MPH (101.8 vs. 100.0 season avg).

Los Angeles Dodgers
Alex Vesia	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	30% CSW

Alex Vesia with a much-needed clean outing here after his past four have been a bit rocky. Stuff’s still great, just don’t know what you are going to get with the command.

MIL 3 – LAA 1

Milwaukee Brewers
Chad Patrick – W (6)	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	5 K	10 Whiffs	47% CSW
Abner Uribe – HLD (16)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	40% CSW
Trevor Megill – SV (18)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW

Abner Uribe: Sinker up 0.8 MPH (99.5 vs. 98.7 season avg); Sinker usage 33% (-33 pts vs. 67% usual); Slider usage 67% (+33 pts vs. 33% usual). Love seeing this from Uribe, not just the velocity bump but the upped slider usage as well.

Los Angeles Angels
Brent Suter	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	3 BB	1 K	5 Whiffs	32% CSW
Samy Natera Jr. – L (1)	2.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	4 K	8 Whiffs	41% CSW
Kirby Yates	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	27% CSW

Samy Natera Jr. made a mistake to Chourio here, leaving a fastball down in the zone, which led to a double, but other than that (Turang blooped a single to CF off a pretty nasty slider), he was nasty per usual. There are makings of a legit closer here.

DET 8 – ATH 6

Detroit Tigers
Kyle Finnegan	0.1 IP	3 ER	3 H	1 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	20% CSW
Jacob Waguespack – HLD (2)	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Kenley Jansen – SV (13)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	35% CSW

Kenley Jansen allowed a Sutter Health Park double to Soderstrom and a bunt hit to McNeil (Athletics/status/2083778734117814454?s=20″>which Jansen was not happy about), but overall he at least looked healthy in what may be his final appearance as a Tiger.

Athletics
José Suarez	1.1 IP	1 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	17% CSW
Scott Blewett	1.1 IP	1 ER	4 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	16% CSW
Luis Medina	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	29% CSW

Sure.

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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.