Jhoan Duran was the only reliever to pick up four SV+HLDs over the past week. Duran has been fantastic since returning from the IL and is clearly a top-five reliever in the game. The question is then, for those in save-only leagues, what will Duran’s usage look like moving forward as two of those four SV+HLDs were in fact holds. Definitely surprising usage considering Duran had just one holds all of last season while closing out 27 games. Perhaps Rocco Baldelli is taking a page from Scott Servais’s playbook here, but I just don’t think the Twins need to be messing with Duran’s usage. They have Griffin Jax and (when healthy) Brock Stewart for the 7th and 8th and Caleb Thielbar and Steven Okert to get lefties out. I’m hoping Duran returns to the full-time closer role now, but it is worth monitoring I suppose. Austin Adams, John Brebbia, Yennier Cano, Craig Kimbrel, and Angel Zerpa all had three SV+HLDs this past week as well.
Notes
- Paul Sewald, Blake Treinen, Hunter Stratton, Adrian Morejon, Jacob Webb, Luke Weaver, John Brebbia, Erik Miller, Cole Sands, Keegan Akin, Anthony Maldonado and Tim Herrin all join the list this week. Sewald and Treinen returned from the IL while the rest are intriguing upside options if they get more high-leverage work.
- Héctor Neris, Yuki Matsui, Elvis Peguero, Steven Wilson, Rafael Montero, Hoby Milner, Evan Phillips, Brock Stewart, Josh Sborz, Giovanny Gallegos, Pierce Johnson, and Joe Kelly all fell off the list this week. Phillips, Stewart, Sborz, Gallegos, Johnson, and Kelly all landed on the IL this week. Neris has been the worst reliever in baseball this season despite being the Cubs closer currently (it can not last). Matsui isn’t very exciting and could be falling down the pecking order in San Diego. Peguero and Milner are more secondary set up options behind Hudson and Payamps. Wilson has struggled and Brebbia or Leasure figure to see the bulk of the holds chances. Montero just isn’t worth chasing unless theres an injury.
- Kyle Finnegan, Hunter Harvey, David Robertson, and Robert Suarez lead the league in SV+HLDs for the season with 12 apiece now. The Nationals’ back end keeps getting the job done although I’m still skeptical about Finnegan’s future success (13.1% K-BB, 3.79 SIERA, and 27% CSW). Robertson has been amazing this season with a 25% strikeout-minus-walk rate, 2.48 SIERA, and 36% CSW. We saw similar success from him last season in the first half before falling apart after the trade deadline.
- Quick closer update since Closing Time came out on Tuesday. Craig Kimbrel struggled again on Wednesday, getting pulled from his save chance but after the game, Brandon Hyde committed to Kimbrel as the team’s closer despite his recent struggles. Kimbrel’s command has eluded him, which is obviously concerning this early in the season, but perhaps a quick IL reset could be in store to get him right. I’m not giving up yet, but we are getting close. In Detroit, it appears as if Jason Foley is out as the Tigers closer as he has not been the same guy we’ve seen since opening week. Alex Lange would be my guess as the next reliever to get a save chance here, but who knows with A.J. Hinch.
And if you want more daily reliever updates, please check out our Reliever Ranks series.
| PITCHER | TIER | INJURY. NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Devin Williams | 1 | Back. On the 60-day IL now. Likely out until the All-Star break. |
| Pete Fairbanks | 2-3 | Nerve. Made his second rehab appearance last night and could return at any moment |
| Evan Phillips | 2-3 | Hamstring. Grade 1 strain, should be back by the end of May. |
| Matt Brash | 3-4 | Elbow. Added to 60-day IL, no timetable/status is unclear. |
| Julian Merryweather | 4-5 | Rib. Could be a rather lengthy injury with the rib stress fracture. No timetable. Added to 60-day IL. |
| Josh Sborz | 4-5 | Shoulder. Another rotator cuff strain for Sborz, I’d expect he’s out for a while this time. |
| Brock Stewart | 4-5 | Shoulder. MRI came back clean and Stewart can resume throwing this weekend. Could return in May. |
| Gregory Santos | 6-7 | Lat. Close to mound work, could return in May. Added to 60-day IL |
| Tommy Kahnle | 6-7 | Shoulder. Started a rehab assignment and could return in a week or two. |
| Keynan Middleton | 7-8 | Forearm. Nearing rehab assignment, should return in May. |
| Brusdar Graterol | 7-8 | Shoulder. Added to the 60-day IL, and had another setback. He’s shut down for now. |
| Brooks Raley | 7-8 | Elbow. More concern than originally thought, could be facing season-ending surgery. |
| Joe Kelly | 7-8 | Shoulder. Should be a fairly short stay. |
| Giovanny Gallegos | 7-8 | Shoulder. No timetable as of yet. |
| Pierce Johnson | 7-8 | Elbow. No timetable yet. |