Jose Alvarado, Scott Barlow, Taylor Clarke, Jason Foley, Josh Hader, Jordan Hicks, and Jeff Hoffman led all relievers with 3 SV+HLD’s this past week. It was great to see Hader contribute this week, and with the Padres creeping back into the playoff mix, we may see a lot of him over the next week and a half. That being said, he hasn’t looked his best lately, with a 6.1% K-BB rate, 2.37 WHIP, and 5.88 xFIP over his past 6.1 IP dating back to late August. Clarke just missed the list (he’s at 102), but if you are really desperate for saves down the stretch in your roto leagues, he’s still likely a top 30-40 option.
Notes
- Adam returns to the Rays bullpen, and while he’s likely been replaced by Robert Stephenson as the team’s top setup option, he should remain in the mix for secondary hold chances with the likes of Colin Poche and Jake Diekman. The Rays bullpen is getting healthy and getting hot at the right time, as this should be the best bullpen group in the postseason.
- Adam Ottavino has been awesome in September so far, allowing just 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 12 over 6.2 innings. He also has four saves this month and appears to be the sole closing option in this bullpen. Brooks Raley has not had a save since July and Drew Smith has just one over the past month.
- Kyle Finnegan has reverted back to being closer to the pitcher we thought he was and probably doesn’t need to be rostered down the stretch anymore. He was great in the middle part of the year, but his start and finish the the seasons leave something to be desired. Over his last 14.1 innings of work, Finnegan has a 7.53 ERA, 2.02 WHIP, plus brutal 2.9% K-BB and 23.5% CSW rates while adding just one save since late August.
And if you want more daily reliever updates, please check out our Reliever Ranks series.
Injured List
| PITCHER | TIER | INJURY (SURGERY DATE). NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Félix Bautista | 1 | UCL. Has advanced to mound work and it looks like there’s a real possibility he will return before the season ends. |
| Adbert Alzolay | 1-2 | Forearm. Has been playing catch (advanced to long toss) so there remains a chance he can return for the playoffs. |
| Kenley Jansen | 1-2 | COVID. Has yet to be cleared and may not return from the IL until next week. |
| JoJo Romero | 2 | Knee. Is still dealing with some pain and weakness in his knee but is ready for bullpen sessions. |
| Josh Sborz | 3-4 | Hamstring. Facing hitters in live batting practice, and could return before the end of the season. |
| Brock Stewart | 3-4 | Elbow. Started rehab assignment and could be a late-season option for the Twins. |