Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 8/7

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

NYM 6 – PIT 4

New York Mets
Dedniel Núñez	1.0 IP	2 ER	3 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	7% CSW
Jefry Yan	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	27% CSW
Daniel Duarte	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	39% CSW
Devin Williams	1.0 IP	2 ER	3 H	1 BB	0 K	5 Whiffs	24% CSW

Dedniel Núñez — Four-Seamer down 1.3 MPH (94.9 vs. 96.2 season avg). Ugh, well that’s not ideal.
Jefry Yan — Sinker down 1.3 MPH (97.5 vs. 98.8 season avg). Great stuff still, but no idea where it’s going.
Devin Williams was Singled Out here, technically speaking, because Gonzalez just missed a home run here by a few inches. Williams remains frustrating to roster, and with the Mets in the tank and Williams himself dealing with some arm fatigue, I’m not sure if he’s even a most roster closer anymore.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Evan Sisk	1.2 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	27% CSW
Luke Weaver	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	9% CSW

Luke Weaver made his Pirates debut against his former team here and looked fine, but the stuff was a bit down from usual (changeup and fastball movement profiles were down).

TOR 5 – PHI 4

Toronto Blue Jays
Mason Fluharty	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	50% CSW
Lazaro Estrada – W (1)	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	22% CSW
Brendon Little – HLD (2)	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	18% CSW
Matt Waldron – HLD (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW
Tyler Rogers – SV (4)	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	3 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	9% CSW

Uncharacteristically poor command from Tyler Rogers here, but he was still able to hang on for the save with Varland out.

Philadelphia Phillies
Tim Mayza	1.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 K	1 Whiffs	19% CSW
Caleb Kilian	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	12% CSW
Chase Shugart	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	26% CSW

Caleb Kilian — Four-Seamer down 2.0 MPH (94.8 vs. 96.8 season avg). After debuting with the Phillies, sitting near 98 MPH with his fastball, Kilian was down to sub-95 MPH here, and it’s not unusual for his stuff to fluctuate, but it’s never been down this bad.

CIN 3 – WSN 5

Cincinnati Reds
Chase Petty	1.2 IP	2 ER	2 H	1 BB	1 K	5 Whiffs	29% CSW
Julian Garcia – L (3)	2.1 IP	2 ER	2 H	0 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	33% CSW
Luis Mey	2.2 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	4 K	7 Whiffs	38% CSW
Zach McCambley	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	2 K	6 Whiffs	38% CSW

Good to see Luis Mey back in the MLB bullpen, and the command actually wasn’t that bad here. Hoping we can see him in a setup role at least by the end of the season.

Washington Nationals
Yovanny Cruz – HLD (1)	1.0 IP	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	31% CSW
Orlando Ribalta – HLD (10)	1.0 IP	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	43% CSW
Clayton Beeter – SV (12)	1.0 IP	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	38% CSW

Yovanny Cruz — Four-Seamer up 1.4 MPH (101.5 vs. 100.1 season avg). Not a lot of dudes can throw 101+ MPH, so that’s always going to make Cruz an interesting name, but the command is a mess. He may be a guy you just tell to focus on throwing all of his pitches middle-middle and hope they end up somewhere in or around the strike zone.
Clayton Beeter — Four-Seamer up 0.9 MPH (96.5 vs. 95.6 season avg). Maybe the best Beeter has looked all season, as the slider was great here.

ATL 2 – NYY 3

Atlanta Braves
Didier Fuentes	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	5 Whiffs	38% CSW
Dylan Lee – HLD (26)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	30% CSW
Raisel Iglesias – BS (3)	0.2 IP	2 ER	3 H	1 BB	2 K	6 Whiffs	37% CSW
Dylan Dodd	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Tyler Kinley – L (5)	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	25% CSW

Didier Fuentes — Four-Seamer up 1.0 MPH (98.2 vs. 97.2 season avg). The Braves may be a team bold enough to make the necessary switch here. Fuentes is way better than Raisel Iglesias at this moment.
Iglesias allowed a swinging bunt hit to Lombard here before giving up a double to Wells, and the game-tying “single” to Rice was off the wall in right (granted it’s Yankee Stadium, but it was that close to ending this game). Iglesias also allowed a walk somewhere in there, and a hit by pitch wound up ending his night. A very ugly outing.
Tyler Kinley — Four-Seamer down 1.9 MPH (92.5 vs. 94.4 season avg). Not great.

New York Yankees
Fernando Cruz	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	2 K	4 Whiffs	29% CSW
Brent Headrick	0.2 IP	0 ER	2 H	2 K	2 Whiffs	32% CSW
Tim Hill	0.2 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	30% CSW
Yerry De los Santos	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	50% CSW
David Bednar – W (5)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	20% CSW

David Bednar — Splitter usage 70% (+33 pts vs. 37% usual). Bednar was ultra-cautious here, throwing just two fastballs and one curveball, but did get away with leaving some of those splitters up in the zone.

ATH 1 – BOS 13

Athletics
Hayden Juenger	1.0 IP	4 ER	5 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	14% CSW
Luis Medina	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	44% CSW
Scott Blewett	1.2 IP	2 ER	3 H	2 BB	0 K	5 Whiffs	20% CSW
José Suarez	0.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	29% CSW
Carlos Cortes	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW

Blegh.

Boston Red Sox
Raymond Burgos – SV (1)	3.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	24% CSW

The Red Sox have some great pitching depth, but Raymond Burgos is not exactly a name I’d keep an eye on.

LAA 4 – MIA 3

Los Angeles Angels
Tayler Saucedo	1.2 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	40% CSW
Shaun Anderson – W (2)	0.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW
Blake Weiman – HLD (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	40% CSW
Ben Joyce – HLD (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	31% CSW
José Fermin – SV (1)	1.0 IP	1 ER	3 H	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	21% CSW

Ben Joyce looked really good here; it could be just a matter of time before he starts seeing some save chances.
José Fermin — Sinker up 0.8 MPH (97.2 vs. 96.4 season avg). Fermin hung on for the save here, as I’m guessing the team didn’t want to go to Natera on back-to-back days for some reason.

Miami Marlins
Michael Petersen	1.1 IP	0 H	2 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	27% CSW
Josh Ekness – L (1)	1.2 IP	1 H	1 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	30% CSW
Calvin Faucher	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	39% CSW
John King	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	19% CSW

Michael Petersen — Four-Seamer up 1.5 MPH (99.4 vs. 97.9 season avg). It’s a shame his talent is being wasted in the 5th inning of games. Perhaps that changes next year?
Calvin Faucher — Cutter usage 6% (-35 pts vs. 41% usual). Faucher was dealing here and without his signature pitch.

CLE 8 – CHW 2

Cleveland Guardians
Franco Aleman	2.0 IP	0 ER	4 H	1 BB	4 K	5 Whiffs	34% CSW

Franco Aleman — Four-Seamer down 1.3 MPH (94.9 vs. 96.2 season avg). Fastball is still down. When he’s in that 96+ MPH range, he’s nasty.

Chicago White Sox
Trevor Richards	2.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	20% CSW
Erick Fedde	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	40% CSW

Trevor Richards — Four-Seamer down 0.9 MPH (91.2 vs. 92.1 season avg). This doesn’t help.

MIN 8 – MIL 6

Minnesota Twins
Tommy Nance – HLD (6)	0.2 IP	1 H	0 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW
A.J. Minter – HLD (2)	0.1 IP	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	67% CSW
Jeff Hoffman – HLD (13)	1.0 IP	0 H	2 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	28% CSW
Andrew Morris – HLD (18)	1.0 IP	1 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	38% CSW
Yoendrys Gómez – SV (16)	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW

Yoendrys Gómez — Four-Seamer up 1.8 MPH (97.5 vs. 95.7 season avg); Four-Seamer usage 75% (+33 pts vs. 42% usual). This was the best Gómez has looked in a while, and maybe the added “competition” in Hoffman has given him a boost here. I’d still imagine Hoffman takes over this closer role at some point, but Gómez is doing his part to hang on to it.

Milwaukee Brewers
Antonio Senzatela – L (3)	1.0 IP	2 ER	3 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW
Bryse Wilson	3.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	32% CSW

Antonio Senzatela — Four-Seamer usage 10% (-29 pts vs. 39% usual). I was wondering what the Brewers saw in Senzatela or what they would do to get the most out of him, and to this point it seems like they are just having him spam sinkers and hope for the best. The results were not the best in this one.

CHC 6 – KCR 4

Chicago Cubs
Caleb Thielbar	0.1 IP	2 ER	3 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	38% CSW
Trent Thornton – HLD (3)	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	21% CSW
Jacob Webb – SV (7)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	54% CSW

Jacob Webb continues to dominate in the Cubs bullpen, and at this point, are we sure Daniel Palencia is still guaranteed the closer role when he returns?

Kansas City Royals
Daniel Lynch IV – L (3)	1.2 IP	4 ER	3 H	2 BB	2 K	7 Whiffs	40% CSW
Jose Cuas	1.1 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	21% CSW
Lucas Erceg	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	33% CSW

Daniel Lynch IV had an 8.7% K rate and 25% CSW over the past 12 weeks (26 IP) as a reliever…what is the rationale in moving him into the rotation (he’s no Bubic)?

COL 2 – STL 3

Colorado Rockies
Brennan Bernardino	0.2 IP	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Jimmy Herget	1.0 IP	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	40% CSW
Nick Frasso	1.0 IP	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	30% CSW

Nick Frasso looks interesting outside of Coors at least, but not sure this matters much given where his home games are played.

St. Louis Cardinals
Justin Bruihl – HLD (8)	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	20% CSW
Caleb Ferguson – HLD (4)	1.1 IP	1 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	29% CSW
Ryne Stanek – HLD (21)	0.2 IP	1 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	10% CSW
Riley O’Brien – SV (28)	1.0 IP	0 H	1 BB	0 K	3 Whiffs	29% CSW

Riley O’Brien — Sinker down 1.5 MPH (96.5 vs. 98.0 season avg). Just hanging on for dear life here as O’Brien’s stuff and command continue to decline. Just have to Vargas Rule it from here on out, I guess.

BAL 1 – TEX 2

Texas Rangers
Tyler Alexander – W (3)	0.2 IP	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Robby Ahlstrom – HLD (6)	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Jacob Latz – SV (22)	2.0 IP	2 H	1 BB	3 K	5 Whiffs	25% CSW

Jacob Latz got bailed out here on one of the coolest relays you’ll see, as the double by Franklin would have tied the game (Taveras started the inning with a leadoff swinging bunt “single”). Latz bore down and struck out Encarnacion-Strand to end the game, and despite some shakiness as of late, continues to be a rock-solid closer option.

LAD 3 – ARI 4

Los Angeles Dodgers
Edgardo Henriquez	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	6 Whiffs	58% CSW
Tanner Scott – HLD (8)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	2 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	25% CSW
Edwin Díaz – L (1)	0.1 IP	2 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	29% CSW

Edgardo Henriquez — Four-Seamer up 1.4 MPH (102.0 vs. 100.6 season avg). Perhaps Henriquez has jumped in front of Phillips as the top right-handed setup guy here. Throwing like this sure helps.
Tanner Scott — Four-Seamer down 1.5 MPH (95.2 vs. 96.7 season avg). Scott may be hitting a wall here in August, and at a particularly bad time as Edwin Díaz has struggled since returning from the IL.
Edwin Díaz — Four-Seamer up 1.3 MPH (97.3 vs. 96.0 season avg). So the good news is that fastball velocity is back to normal. The bad news is Díaz is still hanging sliders, as Waldschmidt took him deep on a slider here for a two-run walk-off home run. It sounds like Roberts will stick with him as the closer for now, but this wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Juan Morillo – HLD (15)	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW
Taylor Clarke – BS (2)	0.1 IP	1 ER	3 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	17% CSW
Brandyn Garcia	1.2 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	19% CSW
Kevin Ginkel – W (5)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 K	1 Whiffs	27% CSW

Brandyn Garcia entered in the 7th inning here to get what would have been Feduccia (Rojas pinch hit) and Ohtani, which I suppose makes sense if Garcia is your top high-leverage option (and lefty vs. Ohtani). He stayed in for the eighth, where he gave up a leadoff homer to Pages on a first-pitch cutter middle in that I’m sure he’d want back. We were told this would be some closer committee, but Garcia had been seeing the bulk of save chances, so this is a bit frustrating.

HOU 6 – SDP 3

Houston Astros
Bennett Sousa	0.1 IP	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW
AJ Blubaugh – HLD (6)	0.2 IP	1 H	1 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	26% CSW
Steven Okert – HLD (16)	1.0 IP	2 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Bryan Abreu – W (4)	1.1 IP	0 H	1 BB	2 K	6 Whiffs	33% CSW
Josh Hader – SV (16)	1.0 IP	0 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	29% CSW

Bryan Abreu — Four-Seamer up 1.6 MPH (97.0 vs. 95.4 season avg). This is Bryan Abreu. It took him until August, but we finally have the Abreu of old back, and the timing couldn’t be any better for the Astros. Now the command was atrocious here, but the stuff is finally resembling his 2022-2025 self.

San Diego Padres
Yuki Matsui	2.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	14% CSW
Wandy Peralta	2.0 IP	1 ER	3 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	23% CSW

TBR 2 – SEA 1

Tampa Bay Rays
Garrett Cleavinger – HLD (21)	0.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 K	1 Whiffs	23% CSW
Kevin Kelly – HLD (23)	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	43% CSW
Bryan Baker – SV (33)	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	3 K	2 Whiffs	53% CSW

Kevin Kelly — Sinker up 1.4 MPH (92.8 vs. 91.4 season avg). Kelly’s been great as is, so any velo boost here is just a cherry on top. Maybe it can help squeeze out some more strikeouts.
The velocity was back to normal-ish here for Bryan Baker, and that’s the big takeaway in this one. Julio took a changeup down and out of the zone deep somehow, not even a mistake pitch.

Seattle Mariners
Eduard Bazardo	0.1 IP	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW
José A. Ferrer	1.0 IP	1 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	44% CSW
Seranthony Domínguez	1.0 IP	1 H	1 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	38% CSW

Seranthony Domínguez — Four-Seamer usage 69% (+31 pts vs. 38% usual). I’m not sure I’d prefer the four-seamer over the sinker for Seranthony; the Mariners seem to prefer it.

DET 2 – SFG 5

Detroit Tigers
Drew Sommers	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	36% CSW
Enmanuel De Jesús	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	42% CSW

Drew Sommers has turned into a fun sinker/slider lefty, while fellow lefty Enmanuel De Jesús has a larger pitch mix and is more of a four-seam/changeup specialist. They should both be factoring into more leverage situations in this bullpen.

San Francisco Giants
JT Brubaker	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	31% CSW
Keaton Winn – HLD (13)	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	18% CSW
Sam Hentges – HLD (8)	1.1 IP	0 ER	2 H	1 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	30% CSW
Dylan Smith – SV (2)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	25% CSW

Dylan Smith is the Giants closer as expected, by default really, as the three guys who pitched in front of him all happen to have “D” or worse stuff grades. Smith at least can mix in some swing and miss and has two plus pitches.

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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 8/7

Rick Graham

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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 8/7

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