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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 8/9

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

Rick Graham

RP Roundup 2 Hours Ago

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

CIN 1 – WSN 7

Cincinnati Reds
Brock Burke	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	33% CSW
Tejay Antone	1.0 IP	3 ER	3 H	1 BB	2 K	6 Whiffs	41% CSW

Tejay Antone — Four-Seamer down 0.8 MPH (94.4 vs. 95.2 season avg); Sweeper usage 88% (+39 pts vs. 50% usual). First big hiccup from Antone on the year, so nothing to be too concerned with.

Washington Nationals
Will Dion – W (1)	3.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	5 Whiffs	27% CSW
Trevor Williams – HLD (1)	2.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	22% CSW
Jake Bird	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	42% CSW

Will Dion — Changeup usage 46% (+31 pts vs. 15% usual). Dion’s changeup is likely his best offering.
Jake Bird — Sweeper usage 67% (+28 pts vs. 39% usual). Could even argue Bird’s sweeper usage should be higher.

ATH 4 – BOS 3

Athletics
Brady Basso	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	22% CSW
Elvis Alvarado – W (4)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	36% CSW
Hogan Harris – SV (11)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	35% CSW

Elvis Alvarado — Four-Seamer usage 82% (+29 pts vs. 53% usual). He’s lost his feel for his slider at the moment, but the fastball has been steady for him.

Boston Red Sox
Erik Miller	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	35% CSW
Tyron Guerrero – HLD (15)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	33% CSW
Jovani Morán – HLD (4)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	40% CSW
Garrett Whitlock – BS (3)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	3 K	5 Whiffs	39% CSW
Aroldis Chapman – L (4)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	9% CSW

Tyron Guerrero — Sinker up 0.9 MPH (101.0 vs. 100.1 season avg)
Jovani Morán — Sinker up 1.4 MPH (94.3 vs. 92.9 season avg)
Aroldis Chapman did not have his best stuff or command here, slightly concerning, but I think he still has enough left in the tank to figure things out. We may need to see more offspeed usage from him moving forward.

NYM 11 – PIT 1

Pittsburgh Pirates
Evan Sisk	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	2 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	25% CSW
Kirby Yates	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	14% CSW
Camilo Doval	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	3 K	4 Whiffs	29% CSW
Gregory Soto	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	29% CSW
Mason Montgomery	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	3 K	4 Whiffs	47% CSW
Rafael Flores Jr. Jr.	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW

Evan Sisk — Sinker usage 58% (+30 pts vs. 29% usual)
Camilo Doval — Slider usage 54% (+30 pts vs. 24% usual); Sinker usage 14% (-29 pts vs. 44% usual)
Mason Montgomery — Sinker up 0.9 MPH (99.6 vs. 98.7 season avg); Four-Seamer usage 13% (-46 pts vs. 59% usual). We are witnessing the best version of Montgomery right now. Now if only we can get him consistent save chances…

TOR 6 – PHI 7

Toronto Blue Jays
Brendon Little	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	45% CSW
Spencer Miles	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	50% CSW
Tyler Rogers	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	2 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	31% CSW
Mason Fluharty	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	36% CSW
Braydon Fisher	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	3 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	6% CSW
Lazaro Estrada – L (1)	0.1 IP	1 ER	3 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	14% CSW

Tyler Rogers with five walks over his past two outings is very uncharacteristic…considering he walked just seven batters over 81 games last season.

Philadelphia Phillies
Orion Kerkering – BS (3)	1.0 IP	3 ER	4 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	30% CSW
Jhoan Duran	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	18% CSW
Tim Mayza	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	44% CSW
Brooks Raley	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Caleb Kilian – W (4)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	15% CSW

Orion Kerkering — Sinker down 1.5 MPH (95.0 vs. 96.5 season avg). Yeah…this isn’t working out, and you have to wonder if there is an underlying health issue here.

ATL 2 – NYY 1

Atlanta Braves
Dylan Dodd – HLD (10)	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	27% CSW
Didier Fuentes – BS (4)	1.1 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	3 K	5 Whiffs	42% CSW
Raisel Iglesias – W (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	60% CSW
Tyler Kinley – SV (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	20% CSW

Didier Fuentes — Four-Seamer up 0.8 MPH (98.0 vs. 97.2 season avg). Grisham was sitting on a 0-0 heater from Fuentes here and jumped it for a home run, but otherwise this was another positive outing for the rookie.
Raisel Iglesias needed this type of outing, and his changeup was responsible for the success, striking out Garcia and Jazz here.

New York Yankees
Kervin Castro	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	50% CSW
Paul Blackburn – L (2)	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	22% CSW

Paul Blackburn — Changeup usage 52% (+34 pts vs. 18% usual). I’ll take increased changeup usage from Blackburn over more sinkers or curveballs or cutters.

LAA 3 – MIA 12

Los Angeles Angels
Shaun Anderson	1.0 IP	6 ER	6 H	1 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	35% CSW
Blake Weiman	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	47% CSW
Ryan Watson	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	3 Whiffs	38% CSW
Tyler Heineman	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	14% CSW

Blake Weiman does possess a nasty sweeper from the left side, as long as he doesn’t have to lean on his fastball.

Miami Marlins
Michael Petersen – W (2)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	40% CSW
Tyler Zuber	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	39% CSW
Calvin Faucher	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	28% CSW
Victor Vodnik	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	46% CSW
Josh Ekness	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	23% CSW

Michael Petersen — Four-Seamer up 0.8 MPH (98.7 vs. 97.9 season avg). The command has been rough lately, but the stuff’s still excellent.
Victor Vodnik — Slider usage 54% (+27 pts vs. 27% usual). What a difference getting out of Colorado can make.

CHC 10 – KCR 2

Chicago Cubs
Ryan Zeferjahn	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	29% CSW
Javier Assad	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW

Ryan Zeferjahn — Four-Seamer usage 62% (+31 pts vs. 31% usual). Only one sinker here and zero sliders as Zeferjahn stayed mostly with his four-seamer and sweeper, which, more often than not, should be good enough for him.

Kansas City Royals
Easton McGee	2.0 IP	6 ER	5 H	2 BB	3 K	4 Whiffs	22% CSW
Lucas Erceg	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	35% CSW
Josh Rojas	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	8% CSW

Blegh.

CLE 3 – CHW 5

Cleveland Guardians
Tim Herrin	1.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	29% CSW
Craig Yoho – L (1)	0.1 IP	4 ER	2 H	4 BB	0 K	3 Whiffs	16% CSW
Colin Holderman	1.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	27% CSW
Erik Sabrowski	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	3 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	11% CSW
Hunter Gaddis	1.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	16% CSW
Cade Smith	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	33% CSW

Tim Herrin — Sinker down 1.6 MPH (92.3 vs. 93.9 season avg)
Erik Sabrowski had no command here once again, and at this point, I’m not sure he’ll have much fantasy value for the rest of the season.
Cade Smith — Four-Seamer up 1.7 MPH (99.0 vs. 97.3 season avg). Better command with the increased velocity from Smith here.

Chicago White Sox
Hagen Smith – W (1)	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	4 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	27% CSW
Sean Newcomb – HLD (10)	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	31% CSW
Huascar Brazobán – HLD (9)	1.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	32% CSW
Bryan Hudson – HLD (8)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	24% CSW
Jordan Hicks – HLD (8)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	14% CSW
Trevor Richards – SV (1)	1.0 IP	1 ER	0 H	2 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	14% CSW

Huascar Brazobán — Sinker down 1.0 MPH (95.1 vs. 96.1 season avg)
Bryan Hudson — Four-Seamer down 1.1 MPH (91.0 vs. 92.1 season avg)
Jordan Hicks — Sinker usage 21% (-32 pts vs. 53% usual)
Trevor Richards — Four-Seamer down 0.9 MPH (91.2 vs. 92.1 season avg). Interesting choice for the save, but they had exhausted all other options before the ninth.

MIN 3 – MIL 4

Minnesota Twins
Tommy Nance	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	45% CSW
A.J. Minter	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	19% CSW
Andrew Morris	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	7% CSW
Kody Funderburk	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	27% CSW
Yoendrys Gómez – L (2)	0.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	44% CSW

Andrew Morris — Four-Seamer up 0.8 MPH (97.9 vs. 97.1 season avg); Four-Seamer usage 79% (+35 pts vs. 44% usual)
Yoendrys Gómez — Four-Seamer up 1.2 MPH (96.9 vs. 95.7 season avg). Stuff looked great, just the one single allowed to Bauers here in extras did him in. Still seems locked into the closer role though.

Milwaukee Brewers
Aaron Ashby	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	3 K	7 Whiffs	41% CSW
Abner Uribe	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	18% CSW
Trevor Megill	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	38% CSW
DL Hall – W (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	27% CSW

Aaron Ashby — Sinker up 0.8 MPH (98.4 vs. 97.6 season avg); Curveball usage 44% (+25 pts vs. 19% usual)
DL Hall — Four-Seamer up 1.3 MPH (96.1 vs. 94.8 season avg). Hmm, this velocity with his curveball could be something special. Lets see if we can get any sort of consistency from him now.

COL 4 – STL 7

St. Louis Cardinals
Justin Bruihl – HLD (9)	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	44% CSW
George Soriano – W (5)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	19% CSW
Riley O’Brien – SV (29)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	12% CSW

George Soriano — Four-Seamer down 1.0 MPH (95.6 vs. 96.6 season avg)
Riley O’Brien — Sinker down 1.1 MPH (96.9 vs. 98.0 season avg). Til the wheels fall off.

BAL 10 – TEX 5

Baltimore Orioles
Yaramil Hiraldo – W (1)	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	34% CSW
Alex Hoppe	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	29% CSW
Andrew Kittredge	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	33% CSW
Albert Suárez	2.0 IP	2 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	16% CSW

Alex Hoppe — Sinker usage 79% (+63 pts vs. 16% usual); Slider usage 7% (-39 pts vs. 46% usual)
Andrew Kittredge — Sinker down 0.9 MPH (94.1 vs. 95.0 season avg). Not entirely sure what the Orioles are still seeing in Kittredge, but the stuff just has not been near what it was last season.

DET 3 – SFG 1

Detroit Tigers
Kyle Finnegan – BS (8)	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	39% CSW
Drew Sommers	1.1 IP	0 ER	2 H	1 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	22% CSW
Kenley Jansen – W (3)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	47% CSW
Tyler Holton – SV (2)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	3 K	4 Whiffs	75% CSW

Tyler Holton — Cutter usage 67% (+35 pts vs. 32% usual). I don’t mind the cutter/changeup mix from Holton, and it clearly worked here for him.

San Francisco Giants
Dylan Smith	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	3 K	3 Whiffs	35% CSW
Sam Hentges – L (4)	0.1 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	25% CSW
Jason Foley	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	22% CSW

Dylan Smith — Sweeper usage 0% (-33 pts vs. 33% usual). Smith got the ninth inning here and was fantastic, mainly only needing his fastball as well. He should be locked into the closer role here with no competition.

LAD 2 – ARI 4

Los Angeles Dodgers
Edgardo Henriquez	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	30% CSW
Evan Phillips	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	1 Whiffs	67% CSW
Kyle Hurt	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	33% CSW
Jonathan Hernández	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	23% CSW

Edgardo Henriquez — Sinker down 1.5 MPH (99.3 vs. 100.8 season avg). Still pretty good.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Taylor Clarke – HLD (13)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	22% CSW
Kevin Ginkel – SV (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	38% CSW

Kevin Ginkel — Four-Seamer up 1.7 MPH (97.3 vs. 95.6 season avg); Four-Seamer usage 77% (+33 pts vs. 44% usual); Slider usage 23% (-28 pts vs. 51% usual). #SaveChanceEnergy for Ginkel here, who had his best fastball in years (maybe ever?) to close out the Dodgers.

TBR 4 – SEA 1

Tampa Bay Rays
Cam Booser – HLD (7)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	29% CSW
Casey Legumina – HLD (7)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	14% CSW
Steven Matz – SV (1)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	29% CSW

Steven Matz was called on here for the save, not Tyler Wells as it appears Matz is gaining more trust from Cash and the coaching staff. It worked here, but I’m not sure that should be the case.

Seattle Mariners
José A. Ferrer	1.1 IP	2 ER	3 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	27% CSW
Eduard Bazardo	1.2 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	19% CSW
Michael Rucker	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	50% CSW
Nick Davila	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	33% CSW

Nick Davila — Sinker up 1.2 MPH (96.0 vs. 94.8 season avg). Ehh, even with the velo increase its still a questionable pitch.

HOU 2 – SDP 7

Houston Astros
AJ Blubaugh	2.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	5 Whiffs	32% CSW
Bryan King	1.0 IP	2 ER	2 H	0 BB	3 K	3 Whiffs	38% CSW

At least we have the three strikeouts from Bryan King, I guess? All of a sudden, maybe the lefty depth in this bullpen will be tested.

San Diego Padres
Kyle Hart – HLD (6)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	43% CSW
Bradgley Rodriguez – HLD (9)	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	35% CSW
Jeremiah Estrada	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	42% CSW

I don’t know, I guess this is just fine for Jeremiah Estrada, right? It’s kind of working still. This may just be the new norm (and it’s probably fine).

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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.