In life, we forget something every day.
Lock the house when you leave. Turn off the stove when dinner is ready. The next sentence I came up with for a fantasy baseball column was…
Like many things in life, fantasy managers forget that there are players hiding on the waiver wire who can help their fantasy team, especially closers and relief pitchers. Whether they’re racking up saves, holds or strikeouts, they’re all valuable to a team.
Carlos Estevez could be the guardian angel your team has been looking for (get it? He’s with the Angels. Sorry for the lame dad joke).
Estevez started well, holding opponents to a .067 batting average in his first five starts and earning three saves, but was much more shaky in his next 11 starts, going 0-3 in seven chances with four saves, a 7.36 ERA, three home runs allowed, a 13-3 strikeout/walk ratio and an opponents batting average of .340.
But the 31-year-old right-hander turned that around in 11 appearances through Friday, allowing just two hits against 34 batters and not allowing a run or a walk in 11 innings, finishing with a 1-0 record, nine saves, a .059 batting average, a .118 OPS and a 14 percent strikeout rate.
The pitcher’s fastball velocity (96.3 mph) ranks in the 86th percentile, and his expected ERA (2.40) and FIP (2.94) indicate some bad luck.
Estevez is rostered in just 35 percent of ESPN leagues despite being 11th in saves (16), sixth-lowest in walks allowed (1.0 per nine innings), posting a 3.00 ERA, 27 percent strikeout rate, .196 batting average, 0.81 WHIP and a 12.3 percent strikeout rate.
He may not be the flashiest closer, but he certainly hasn’t put up numbers that are hurting teams, especially since May 15, when he posted a 0.59 ERA, 13-3 strikeout rate and 0.137 walk rate while recording 10 saves in 10 opportunities.
Let’s take a look at some other widely available relievers that could help you not only now but in the future.
Among eligible relief pitchers from June 1 through Thursday, Milwaukee’s Trevor Megill was second in the majors in saves (10) and seventh-lowest ERA (0.63). During that span, Megill had a .163 batting average and a 17 percent strikeout rate. In 30 games this season, he converted 18 of 19 save opportunities, striking out 10.2 batters per nine innings and posting a .988 WHIP.
Megill has been underrated for much of the season, but he’s still available in about 70 percent of ESPN leagues. Don’t worry about Devin Williams likely returning after the All-Star break. Let’s keep an eye on how well Megill can put up numbers.
One closer destined to be traded at the deadline is Miami’s Tanner Scott, who is still available in over 40 percent of ESPN leagues despite having a 6-2 record with a 0.61 ERA, 34 strikeouts, a 17% strikeout rate, a .144 batting average and 11 saves in 12 attempts in his last 29 games.
If Scott is traded, AJ Park (16.5%) could get the next ninth inning, and he could be valuable until then. He was 0-4 with a 9.22 ERA and .328 batting average in four starts, but is 2-4 with a 2.95 ERA, 0.938 WHIP, one save and .203 batting average in 20 games with the bullpen. In his last 10 appearances, he is 2-1 with one run allowed, three holds, 14 strikeouts (12 innings) and a 16% strikeout rate.
Griffin Jacks (14%) isn’t Minnesota’s closer, and he has just two of his six saves since May 17, but he still has plenty of fantasy value. He has seven holds and only two earned runs in his last 20 appearances, holding a 0.92 ERA, 28-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a .169 opponent batting average and a 20.9% strikeout rate.
Do you bet on baseball?
Among relief pitchers who have been eligible since May 17, Jacks ranks fourth in strikeout rate, seventh in strikeout percentage (37.3%), 15th in WHIP (0.75) and 23rd in walk rate (4%). He has seven saves in 10 chances this season and there’s no reason to think he can’t reach double digits.
You can also check if Tampa Bay’s Pete Fairbanks (56%) is available in your league. He is 2-1 with a 1.52 ERA, 21 strikeouts, 5 walks and a .183 ERA, and has succeeded in 11 of 12 save attempts in that span. He has 14 saves this season.
If you’re desperate, turn to Detroit’s Jason Foley (26.5%), who has saved 13 of 15 save opportunities and entered Friday’s game having allowed just one run in his past nine appearances.
big hit
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Blue Jays
After hitting just five home runs in his first 58 games, he has hit eight home runs in 28 games since June 3rd, batting .306 with 24 RBI and a .937 OPS.
Bailey over SP, Twins
He has won three of his last four starts, posting a 1.65 ERA, a 35-5 strikeout-walk ratio, a .194 batting average and an 18 percent strikeout rate.
CJ Abrams SS, Nationals
He not only stole six bases in 26 games since June 4, but he also batted .347 with four home runs, 17 RBI, 21 runs scored, 14 walks and a 1.035 OPS.
Michael Wacha SP, Royals
He hasn’t allowed more than two runs in his last eight starts since giving up seven runs on May 4. During that stretch, he’s 4-2 with a 2.31 ERA, 44 strikeouts and a .189 batting average.
A big miss
Matt Olson, first baseman, Braves
Through Friday, he had 9 hits in 59 at-bats (.153 batting average), 25 strikeouts, and a .422 OPS. He had only one extra-base hit during that span (a home run on June 21).
Carlos Rodon SP, Yankees
His last win came on June 10th, and he is 0-4 with a 10.89 ERA, seven home runs allowed, a 26-8 strikeout/walk ratio, a .356 batting average and a 1.135 OPS.
Marcell Ozuna, DH, Braves
His batting average dropped from .327 on June 15 to .296 through Friday, but he still had 10 hits in 60 at-bats (.167), one home run, five RBIs, 21 strikeouts and an OPS of .563.
Hunter Harvey RP, Nationals
In his last 11 ¹/₃ innings, he is 0-3 with a 10.32 ERA, three home runs, two blown saves and allowing 13 earned runs for a .373 ERA.
Check your swing
Jonathan India had at least one hit in 25 of 32 games played through Friday, batting .370 with three home runs, 18 RBI, 24 runs scored and three stolen bases for a 1.045 OPS. He is the third-most signed in ESPN leagues this week, with more than 65% still available.
Christian Yelich is in great form, entering the weekend having gotten at least one hit in 18 of his past 22 games, with 30 hits in 85 at-bats (.353 batting average), three home runs, eight RBIs, 17 runs scored, nine stolen bases and a .962 OPS.
– Jake Irvin (48.7% appearance rate) has allowed two or more runs and scored just once in his last nine starts and is 5-2 with a 1.79 ERA, 56 strikeouts, a 12% strikeout rate and a .184 batting average.
– Luis Gil was 9-1 with a 2.03 ERA, 96 strikeouts, a 12 percent strikeout rate and a .142 batting average against opponents despite recording the second-highest walk rate in 14 starts from April 1 through June 15. In his last three starts, he was 0-3 with a 14.90 ERA, a 6-to-9 strikeout rate and a .333 batting average in just 9 2/3 innings pitched.
– Despite having seven stolen bases in his last 35 games before Friday, Andres Jimenez has just 29 hits in 141 at-bats (.206 batting average) with two home runs, 13 RBIs, 16 runs scored and a .535 OPS during that span, and his batting average has plummeted from .276 on May 31 to .245.
Taj Bradley (31.9% of the roster) was 2-1 with a 1.24 ERA, 40 strikeouts and a .175 batting average in his last five starts prior to Saturday, with 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings. He was 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA, 33 strikeouts and a .177 batting average in his last four starts, with a 13% strikeout rate including 11 strikeouts in two of those starts. His only major flaw is that he is allowing 3.3 walks per nine innings.
This week’s team name
We don’t need Yelich
