Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 9/18

Chicago Cubs
Javier Assad – BS (1)	1.2 IP	0 ER	4 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	32% CSW
Jacob Webb	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	42% CSW

Much better outing from Jacob Webb here, although Bleday ripped a curveball he left up a bit for a single. He also got a way with a slider to Trevino for the final out of the inning.

Cincinnati Reds
Julian Aguiar – W (1)	3.0 IP	2 ER	4 H	1 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	19% CSW
Brock Burke – HLD (21)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	38% CSW
Tejay Antone – HLD (10)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	29% CSW
Emilio Pagán – SV (24)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	17% CSW

Emilio Pagán continues to finish the season strong, and at this point, seems most likely to opt out of his deal this winter. I’d still be worried about committing to him as a closer for next year; the fastball has seen better days (Bregman just missed a game-tying home run here).

Kansas City Royals
Connor Thomas	1.1 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	42% CSW
Anthony Gose	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	32% CSW
Nate Pearson – L (2)	1.0 IP	3 ER	3 H	1 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	29% CSW
Lucas Erceg	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	33% CSW

Nate Pearson was Singled Out here with two infield singles (one probably an error), so I’m not too concerned. He is what he is, though; it won’t always be a clean outing from him.
Lucas Erceg — Sinker up 2.2 MPH (99.1 vs. 96.9 season avg). That’s now back-to-back games with this velocity. Doesn’t do much for us this year, but it gives us hope for next season.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Brandon Eisert	0.2 IP	1 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	21% CSW
Yohan Ramírez – W (7)	1.1 IP	0 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	45% CSW
Gregory Soto – SV (15)	1.0 IP	1 H	0 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	28% CSW

Brandon Eisert — Four-Seamer usage 64% (+26 pts vs. 39% usual)
Yohan Ramírez — Sweeper usage 85% (+46 pts vs. 39% usual)
Gregory Soto — Sinker down 1.5 MPH (94.9 vs. 96.4 season avg). No Monty available today, but Soto was able to hold it down despite the stuff diminishing down the stretch here.

Milwaukee Brewers
Shane Drohan	1.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	35% CSW
Antonio Senzatela	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	17% CSW
DL Hall	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	31% CSW
Abner Uribe	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	3 K	5 Whiffs	33% CSW
Trevor Megill – W (3)	1.0 IP	2 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	11% CSW
Chad Patrick – SV (6)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	22% CSW

Antonio Senzatela — Sinker up 1.6 MPH (98.4 vs. 96.8 season avg)
DL Hall — Sinker up 1.0 MPH (96.4 vs. 95.4 season avg)
Trevor Megill snuck out with a win here, but it wasn’t the prettiest outing, as Gunnar slapped a single to left to start the ninth before Mayo pulled a 2-0 fastball at 96 MPH down the line for a double (his 3rd of the game). Back-to-back sac flies later, the game was tied up. He could definitely use some rest over the final week, but the Brewers are still battling with the Dodgers for the top seed in the NL.
Chad Patrick — Sinker up 1.1 MPH (96.6 vs. 95.5 season avg)

Baltimore Orioles
Anthony Nunez	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	40% CSW
Luis De León	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	24% CSW
Yennier Cano	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	21% CSW
Josh Walker	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	22% CSW
Rico Garcia	0.2 IP	2 ER	2 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	33% CSW
Grant Wolfram – L (4)	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	40% CSW
Andrew Kittredge	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW

Rico Garcia pitches well when not in the closer role; maybe he’s just one of those guys. He entered the eighth inning with two men on in a tie game and got out of it. He then started the ninth with a strikeout of Chourio before a bloop single and a double by Contreras (a 1-2 fastball he left middle-middle) gave the Brewers the lead. The stuff still looks great; the command has just seen much better days.

Athletics
Scott Blewett – L (1)	1.2 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	3 K	7 Whiffs	36% CSW
Seth Johnson	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	32% CSW
Luis Medina	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	50% CSW
Elvis Alvarado	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	21% CSW

Seth Johnson — Four-Seamer down 1.0 MPH (96.9 vs. 97.9 season avg). Maddeningly inconsistent, just like the rest of this bullpen.
Luis Medina — Sinker up 1.2 MPH (98.5 vs. 97.3 season avg). Medina has been pretty consistent, actually; he just doesn’t get enough love (probably due to that gross walk rate).
Elvis Alvarado — Four-Seamer down 1.4 MPH (97.3 vs. 98.7 season avg). Ugh, this stinks man.

Cleveland Guardians
Daniel Espino	1.0 IP	3 ER	1 H	3 BB	1 K	5 Whiffs	30% CSW
Hunter Gaddis – HLD (30)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	27% CSW
Cade Smith – SV (38)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	3 Whiffs	50% CSW

Cade Smith — Four-Seamer up 0.9 MPH (98.4 vs. 97.5 season avg). Three straight seasons with 70+ IP for Smith, and he’s throwing harder than ever. I guess not pitching in the WBC was the right call.

Boston Red Sox
Wyatt Olds – HLD (1)	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	17% CSW
Greg Weissert – HLD (8)	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	22% CSW
Erik Miller – SV (5)	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	2 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	28% CSW

Wyatt Olds — Four-Seamer usage 83% (+33 pts vs. 50% usual). Yeah, the command was a huge problem here.
Erik Miller — Sinker usage 72% (+25 pts vs. 47% usual). Yep, so Miller has definitely reverted back to his pre-July self. He has now walked eight batters over 5.1 innings in September.

Tampa Bay Rays
Ty Johnson	1.0 IP	0 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	31% CSW
Casey Legumina	2.0 IP	2 H	4 K	3 Whiffs	55% CSW
Alex Cook	1.0 IP	0 H	1 K	1 Whiffs	38% CSW

Ty Johnson — Four-Seamer down 1.1 MPH (92.2 vs. 93.3 season avg). Even still, the fastball graded out pretty well (19″ of iVB, 10″ of HB, 1.7° HAVAA). But the command is still a work in progress

Philadelphia Phillies
Tim Mayza – L (4)	0.1 IP	3 ER	3 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	9% CSW
Orion Kerkering	1.0 IP	3 ER	3 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	44% CSW
Tanner Banks	2.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	24% CSW

Orion Kerkering now holds an 8.53 ERA (5.22 xFIP), 1.84 WHIP, and 7% K-BB rate over the last two months (19 IP). I know Bowlan is hurting, and everyone else is struggling in this bullpen, but I don’t see how they can trust Kerkering at all at this point. The stuff doesn’t even look bad, the opposite, in fact, but the results aren’t there. Anytime he leaves his sweeper over the plate lately, it gets hammered, and the sinker has been getting hit all year.

New York Mets
Nate Lavender	1.2 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	33% CSW
Dedniel Núñez – SV (1)	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	27% CSW

Dedniel Núñez — Slider usage 0% (-42 pts vs. 42% usual); Four-Seamer usage 91% (+35 pts vs. 56% usual). This wasn’t even Núñez at his best (zero sliders, seriously?), but he still got the job done with just his fastball (and one changeup, that wasn’t a strike but still looked pretty nasty). I’m not sure if he gets another save chance this year, but he should enter 2027 as one of the top setup men for Devin Williams (who may return this weekend).

Detroit Tigers
Andrew Sears	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	3 BB	0 K	5 Whiffs	27% CSW
Beau Brieske	2.1 IP	2 ER	5 H	0 BB	4 K	7 Whiffs	29% CSW
Brant Hurter	1.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	19% CSW
Tyler Kinley	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	41% CSW
Drew Sommers – W (2)	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	5 K	5 Whiffs	64% CSW
Kenley Jansen – SV (21)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	50% CSW

Brant Hurter — Sinker down 1.1 MPH (90.8 vs. 91.9 season avg)
Kenley Jansen — Sinker up 1.3 MPH (95.2 vs. 93.9 season avg). Cool to see Kenley finish the year strong, and it looks like he’s got one more year in him at least.

Chicago White Sox
Hagen Smith	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	3 K	4 Whiffs	40% CSW
Chris Murphy – HLD (2)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	26% CSW
Jordan Hicks – HLD (10)	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	1 K	5 Whiffs	26% CSW
Sean Newcomb – L (5)	0.2 IP	3 ER	2 H	1 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	17% CSW
Bryan Hudson	0.1 IP	2 ER	4 H	0 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	29% CSW
Trevor Richards	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	26% CSW

Sean Newcomb — Four-Seamer up 1.7 MPH (96.6 vs. 94.9 season avg); Four-Seamer usage 67% (+29 pts vs. 38% usual)
Bryan Hudson — Four-Seamer down 1.0 MPH (90.9 vs. 91.9 season avg). Oof, that’s back-to-back games now with the velocity being down. Time to get Hagen Smith some leverage work finally?

Toronto Blue Jays
Brendan Cellucci	1.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	3 Whiffs	54% CSW
Braydon Fisher	0.2 IP	1 ER	1 H	2 BB	0 K	2 Whiffs	26% CSW
Brendon Little	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	2 BB	2 K	6 Whiffs	36% CSW
José Rodríguez	1.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	2 K	7 Whiffs	42% CSW
Joe Mantiply	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	29% CSW

Braydon Fisher — Four-Seamer down 2.8 MPH (91.6 vs. 94.4 season avg). Maybe time to shut it down for the season?
Brendon Little — Four-Seamer down 0.9 MPH (95.1 vs. 96.0 season avg); Four-Seamer usage 40% (+29 pts vs. 11% usual). Little had been throwing better lately, but I’m here for Brendon Cellucci taking over the secondary lefty role in this bullpen. His breakers are legit.
José Rodríguez has a pretty good sinker-changeup combination working for him; not sure about the slider at this point, though.
Joe Mantiply — Sinker down 1.5 MPH (86.7 vs. 88.2 season avg)

Texas Rangers
Tyler Alexander	0.2 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	10% CSW

Seattle Mariners
Gabe Speier – BS (2)	0.1 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 K	1 Whiffs	23% CSW
Seranthony Domínguez	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	2 K	6 Whiffs	42% CSW
José A. Ferrer	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 K	1 Whiffs	25% CSW
Carlos Vargas – W (2)	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW
Andrés Muñoz – SV (28)	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	2 K	2 Whiffs	24% CSW

Gabe Speier — Four-Seamer down 1.1 MPH (94.3 vs. 95.4 season avg). Oh no, it had been up lately.
Carlos Vargas — Sinker up 1.9 MPH (97.7 vs. 95.8 season avg)
Andrés Muñoz — Four-Seamer up 1.0 MPH (100.8 vs. 99.8 season avg). Glad to see him finishing the season strong.

Colorado Rockies
Mark Manfredi	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	24% CSW
Brennan Bernardino – BS (5)	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	0 Whiffs	25% CSW
Jaden Hill	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	29% CSW
Jordan Romano – L (4)	1.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	2 Whiffs	36% CSW

Mark Manfredi — Four-Seamer down 1.2 MPH (93.1 vs. 94.3 season avg)
Brennan Bernardino — Sinker up 0.8 MPH (91.1 vs. 90.3 season avg)
Jordan Romano — Four-Seamer down 1.7 MPH (92.1 vs. 93.8 season avg). Gave up a home run on the second pitch he threw to Montes.

Atlanta Braves
Didier Fuentes – HLD (18)	2.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	1 BB	3 K	8 Whiffs	32% CSW
Raisel Iglesias	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	3 K	4 Whiffs	73% CSW

Didier Fuentes — Four-Seamer up 1.0 MPH (98.3 vs. 97.3 season avg)
Raisel Iglesias — Four-Seamer usage 9% (-28 pts vs. 38% usual). I love it. Iglesias threw five changeups, four sliders, one four-seamer, and one sinker. The fastballs are toast, but he still has the changeup and slider, as long as he mixes and commands well.

Houston Astros
AJ Blubaugh	1.0 IP	2 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	18% CSW
Bennett Sousa	0.2 IP	0 ER	2 H	0 BB	0 K	4 Whiffs	43% CSW
Enyel De Los Santos	2.0 IP	2 ER	2 H	0 BB	3 K	6 Whiffs	33% CSW

Bennett Sousa — Four-Seamer up 0.8 MPH (94.9 vs. 94.1 season avg); Four-Seamer usage 64% (+43 pts vs. 21% usual); Slider usage 29% (-43 pts vs. 72% usual). The two hits came off sliders, so it wasn’t the fastballs’ fault.

Washington Nationals
Brad Lord	2.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	3 K	2 Whiffs	29% CSW
Jack Sinclair	1.0 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	9% CSW
Josiah Gray	1.0 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	12% CSW

Jack Sinclair — Four-Seamer down 1.4 MPH (95.6 vs. 97.0 season avg). Ugh, this was not great.

St. Louis Cardinals
Cade Winquest	2.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	39% CSW

Cade Winquest may be a top-three reliever in his bullpen, talent-wise, right now. Would be able to say the same thing about him if he were still with the Yankees.

Minnesota Twins
Tommy Nance – HLD (7)	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	1 BB	2 K	5 Whiffs	35% CSW
Travis Adams – SV (3)	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	20% CSW

Travis Adams — Slider usage 60% (+38 pts vs. 22% usual); Changeup usage 0% (-27 pts vs. 27% usual). The Twins had almost no one available in their bullpen, so Adams got the call in the ninth and survived despite some loud contact. He’s not a real contender to take over the closer role should the Twins move on from Gómez.

Los Angeles Angels
Sammy Peralta	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	30% CSW
Luke Murphy	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	1 K	4 Whiffs	38% CSW

Luke Murphy — Cutter usage 0% (-27 pts vs. 27% usual). Fine with me, I still don’t trust the four-seamer though.

Miami Marlins
Cade Gibson – L (2)	0.1 IP	2 ER	2 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	18% CSW
Tyler Zuber – BS (2)	1.0 IP	4 ER	4 H	0 BB	0 K	1 Whiffs	16% CSW
Jack Ralston	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	2 BB	2 K	1 Whiffs	38% CSW
Josh Ekness	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	35% CSW
Dax Fulton	1.0 IP	2 ER	4 H	1 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	30% CSW

Cade Gibson — Sinker down 1.1 MPH (91.1 vs. 92.2 season avg)
Much better outing from Josh Ekness here than we had been seeing. The closer role for 2027 (and now, I suppose) is wide open, and I’d consider Ekness a potential dark horse.

San Diego Padres
Wandy Peralta	1.1 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 K	1 Whiffs	14% CSW
David Morgan	1.1 IP	1 ER	3 H	1 K	4 Whiffs	29% CSW
Adrian Morejon	0.1 IP	0 ER	0 H	1 K	0 Whiffs	50% CSW
Griffin Canning	1.0 IP	0 ER	2 H	1 K	3 Whiffs	25% CSW

David Morgan — Sinker up 1.4 MPH (98.3 vs. 96.9 season avg)
Griffin Canning — Four-Seamer up 1.0 MPH (95.6 vs. 94.6 season avg). Fastball is still an issue, but the changeup/slider are not.

New York Yankees
Ryan Yarbrough	1.1 IP	2 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	38% CSW
Michael Fulmer	0.2 IP	0 H	0 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	38% CSW
Luis Gil	1.0 IP	1 H	1 BB	2 K	1 Whiffs	35% CSW

The fastball command is still an issue, but the Yankees need to get Luis Gil cooking here, as this bullpen needs an arm talent injection for the postseason.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Taylor Clarke	0.2 IP	0 ER	1 H	0 BB	0 K	0 Whiffs	0% CSW
Zac Gallen	3.0 IP	1 ER	2 H	2 BB	2 K	7 Whiffs	25% CSW

San Francisco Giants
Jason Foley – L (2)	1.1 IP	1 ER	1 H	1 BB	1 K	1 Whiffs	22% CSW
Carson Seymour	1.0 IP	0 ER	0 H	0 BB	2 K	4 Whiffs	60% CSW
Philip Abner	1.0 IP	5 ER	4 H	1 BB	2 K	2 Whiffs	36% CSW

Blegh.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Kris Bubic – HLD (1)	1.0 IP	1 H	1 K	3 Whiffs	21% CSW
Tanner Scott – HLD (13)	1.0 IP	0 H	1 K	2 Whiffs	29% CSW
Edwin Díaz	1.0 IP	1 H	2 K	3 Whiffs	41% CSW

Kris Bubic — Four-Seamer up 1.4 MPH (93.3 vs. 91.9 season avg). I’m not sure where he lands in terms of left-handed Dodgers relievers. I’m pretty sure I’d take Scott, Vesia, Dreyer, and Wrobleski (the reliever) over him still, so it may be tough to find a playoff spot for Bubic.
Edwin Díaz — Four-Seamer up 1.2 MPH (97.6 vs. 96.4 season avg). And he got the ninth inning with Scott in the eighth…hmm. No, but in all seriousness, this is the best Díaz has looked this season, at least with his fastball. If the fastball continues to look like this, he’s probably safely in the bullpen this October, along with Phillips, Stewart, and Henriquez (if healthy) from the right side.

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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 9/18

Rick Graham

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Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 9/18

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