Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Phillies turn back to Jordan Romano following suspension to José Alvarado
In this week's Closer Report, Jordan Romano is thrust back into the closer role in Philadelphia following José Alvarado's 80-game suspension. Meanwhile, the Yankees aren't ready to hand ninth-inning opportunities back to Devin Williams yet with Luke Weaver holding things down. All that and more as we break down the week in saves.
Tier 1: At the Top
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Mason Miller - Athletics
Muñoz struck out one batter while recording a four-out save on Saturday against the Padres, then struck out the only batter he faced for his 15th save Monday against the White Sox. He collected save number 16 with a scoreless outing on Wednesday. The 26-year-old right-hander has started the season on a 21 2/3-inning scoreless streak with a 28/8 K/BB ratio.
Hader recorded saves on back-to-back days this week against the Rangers and Rays. The 31-year-old left-hander is up to 12 on the season to go with a 1.71 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, and a 29/5 K/BB ratio across 21 innings.
Miller took the loss in extra innings on Saturday against the Giants, issuing three walks to end the game in the bottom of the tenth. He's struggled a bit with command of late, walking seven batters over his last four outings.
Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins
Edwin Díaz - New York Mets
No action for Suarez this week. He remains at 15 saves with a 2.84 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and a 21/8 K/BB ratio across 19 innings. Elsewhere in the NL West, Scott had given up just one run since April 1 before allowing three runs on a pair of homers against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. He then bounced back with two strikeouts in a clean inning for his tenth save on Wednesday.
Duran was charged with a blown save on Wednesday, giving up a run on two hits against the Guardians. He fell in line for the win when Minnesota walked it off in the bottom of the ninth. He had gone into Wednesday's outing on a 12-game scoreless streak, collecting six of his eight saves in May.
Díaz struck out two batters in a clean inning against the Yankees on Saturday for his tenth save of the season. He's made nine straight scoreless appearances, recording a 2.84 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and a 27/9 K/BB ratio over 19 innings this season.
Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians
Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals
Luke Weaver - New York Yankees
Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
Ryan Walker - San Francisco Giants
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles
Will Vest/Tommy Kahnle - Detroit Tigers
Clase struck out two batters in a non-save situation against the Reds on Saturday. The Guardians then put a save chance just out of reach on Wednesday, with Clase pitching the ninth with a four-run lead.
Helsley tossed a clean inning against the Royals on Saturday for his ninth save. After struggling to limit walks for a stretch, he's now walked zero batters in seven of his last eight outings.
Weaver got the easiest two saves a closer could ask for this week, needing only two pitches to record the final out in each of his two save opportunities. He then picked up a win with a clean inning against the Rangers on Wednesday. He's up to six saves with a 0.42 ERA, 0.55 WHIP, and a 22/6 K/BB ratio across 21 2/3 innings. Despite Devin Williams pitching much better of late, the team has stated there are no plans to put him back in the closer role, for now.
Hoffman fell in line for a win Saturday with a scoreless inning against the Tigers. He then struck out one batter in a clean frame against the Padres on Tuesday for his tenth save. It's a start on the right track after giving up five runs against the Rays on May 13.
It was a productive week for Chapman as he earned a win Saturday, followed by back-to-back saves on Monday and Tuesday against the Mets. The 37-year-old veteran left-hander is up to eight saves with a 1.89 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a 26/7 K/BB ratio across 19 frames.
Megill worked two scoreless innings for a pair of saves this week against the Twins and Orioles. He then pitched the tenth against Baltimore on Wednesday and gave up an unearned run. The 31-year-old right-hander has been solid in his first season as a closer, recording seven saves with a 2.35 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a 17/8 K/BB ratio across 15 1/3 innings.
Fairbanks made two scoreless appearances this week in non-save situations. He hasn't recorded a save since May 4. However, it's been mostly situational with the team putting save chances just out of reach as they did Wednesday, taking a four-run lead into the ninth.
Iglesias has struggled a bit with a 7.84 ERA over the last month, going 4-for-6 in save chances in that stretch. He picked up two in the last week with back-to-back saves against the Nationals and Red Sox.
Walker picked up two saves this week, giving him nine on the season with a 5.00 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and a 16/7 K/BB ratio across 18 innings. He's been much better over the last week with three perfect outings.
Finnegan continues to get things done for the Nationals. He added two saves over the last week. The 33-year-old right-hander is up to 15 with a 2.55 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and a 17/7 K/BB ratio over 17 2/3 innings.
Bautista blew a save chance Wednesday against the Brewers, giving up one run on two walks and a hit. It was his fourth consecutive outing with at least one run allowed after a nine-game scoreless streak. The 29-year-old right-hander has a 4.30 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and a 17/11 K/BB ratio across 14 2/3 innings while converting 7-of-8 save chances.
Vest was charged with a blown save, allowing an inherited runner to score in the eighth inning on Saturday against the Blue Jays. He then locked down a save with a scoreless inning Sunday and earned the win after pitching the eighth Tuesday against the Cardinals. Kahnle pitched the ninth on Tuesday and is up to six saves to Vest's five, though Vest seems to be the preferred option over the last month.
Jordan Romano - Philadelphia Phillies
Emilio Pagan - Cincinnati Reds
Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels
Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals
Shelby Miller - Arizona Diamondbacks
David Bednar/Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates
Luke Jackson - Texas Rangers
We got some shocking news this week when José Alvarado was handed an 80-game suspension for violating the performance-enhancing substance policy. The suspension will keep the 30-year-old left-hander out until August and make him ineligible for the postseason. Romano seems to have fixed his issues just in time to take over as the team's closer. He's picked up three saves over the last two weeks and has not allowed a run over his last eight appearances.
After giving up three runs and taking the loss on May 13 against the White Sox, Pagán bounced back this week with three consecutive saves against the Guardians. He's up to 12 on the year with a 3.52 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and a 26/6 K/BB ratio across 23 innings.
Jansen had a busy week on the mound, pitching in four out of five games and collecting three saves. Three of the four outings were scoreless. The 37-year-old right-hander is up to ten saves with a 5.28 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and a 15/3 K/BB ratio over 15 1/3 innings.
Estévez worked a pair of scoreless outings for two saves this week to give him 14 this season. The 32-year-old right-hander has pitched well over the last month, issuing just one walk over his last 11 outings.
Miller got save chances on three consecutive days this week. He pitched a scoreless inning against the Rockies on Sunday, then recorded the final out against the Dodgers on Monday before blowing the save in extra innings on Tuesday. It hasn't come easily for the Diamondbacks in the late innings, but they should be getting some help with Justin Martinez set to return from the injured list by the end of the week.
Bednar and Santana have operated as a closer duo in Pittsburgh. Bednar recorded a save on Tuesday against the Reds before Santana got the opportunity on Wednesday, with both locking down saves.
Jackson returned after missing nearly a week recovering from a hand injury after getting hit by a comebacker. He worked around a walk with one strikeout in a scoreless inning in a non-save situation against the Astros on Sunday before giving up a walk-off homer in a tie game Wednesday against the Yankees.
Ryan Pressly/Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs
Jesus Tinoco - Miami Marlins
Zach Agnos - Colorado Rockies
Jordan Leasure - Chicago White Sox
Just as we thought Porter Hodge would be getting his opportunity to take over as the Cubs' closer, he landed on the 15-day injured list with an oblique injury. Palencia got two save chances on Monday and Wednesday. He blew the opportunity Monday before locking down his first save Wednesday against the Marlins. Pressly could also factor back into the ninth-inning mix until Hodge returns.
Ronny Henriquez is quietly putting together an excellent season in the Marlins' bullpen. The 24-year-old right-hander was claimed off waivers from the Twins in February after posting a 3.26 ERA over 19 1/3 innings in Minnesota last season. The young righty has found something that's clicked for him this season as he's seen a drastic increase in his strikeout rate behind higher usage of his slider. After posting an 18.3% strikeout rate last season, he's striking out 30% of batters this year while recording a 1.99 ERA and six holds over 22 2/3 innings in Miami. With so much in flux in their bullpen, it wouldn't be shocking to see Henriquez put his name into the closer mix if he keeps up this level of production. In Milwaukee, Abner Uribe has been one of the best setup men in baseball, recording 12 holds with a 1.19 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 32/10 K/BB ratio across 22 2/3 innings. The 24-year-old right-hander had a busy week on the mound, picking up a hold, a win, and a save for the Brewers while striking out the side in back-to-back outings.
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