Yankees right-hander Chad Green boasts nary a save this season, and chances are good that no more than a stray one is coming his way, but this hardly means he cannot aid a fantasy team. In fact, Green, with his fancy 0.71 ERA and 0.47 WHIP, plus an ample strikeout rate as usual, is among the top five relief pitchers in ESPN points leagues, despite the big goose egg in the saves column, and there are myriad pitchers of his ilk with value just waiting to be rostered.
Fantasy managers continue to invest in potential save options on the worst clubs because they need every last save, but they might find themselves better off, even in roto leagues, simply going with the best relief pitchers. Giants right-hander Trevor Gott looked like a decent closer after one week, but then the home runs arrived and kept arriving, and he sure doesn't look appealing anymore. Green is a dominant reliever. Orioles right-hander Cole Sulser, despite the saves, is not.
Here are 10 readily available relief pitchers getting the job done, even though their jobs do not include even the occasional saving of baseball games.
Chad Green, Yankees: Why is anyone surprised? Green was awesome in 2017 and 2018, posting a cumulative 2.18 ERA and 0.89 WHIP those seasons, with 13 wins and more than 12 strikeouts per 9 innings. He has two wins already this season.
James Karinchak, Indians: The top volume strikeout pitcher among relievers does have one save, and lefty Brad Hand could certainly cede more opportunities at some juncture. Karinchak looks like a 100-strikeout fellow for 2021. Keep him in dynasty too.
Jordan Romano, Blue Jays: Romano might not be any closer to significant saves than Karinchak because the Jays seem to want to share the role, but the point here is to roster Romano for his fine pitching either way. Who cares that, unlike Karinchak, few foresaw this rise? He looks great.
Freddy Peralta, Brewers: OK, so he has made one start, and this team boasts the No. 1 closer, but Peralta is a multi-inning option and a really good one, leading the majors with a 57% K rate. Yeah, that will work.
Devin Williams, Brewers: Peralta's teammate has 15 strikeouts in his past 6⅓ innings with no runs allowed. Add in Corbin Burnes, the resurgent David Phelps and Corey Knebel, and the Brewers sure have arms.
Tanner Rainey, Nationals: Also among the top 10 in K rate, Rainey has harnessed his wildness, and the team's closer, Daniel Hudson, is perhaps a hiccup or two away from ceding saves.
Josh Staumont, Royals: A failed starter now overpowering hitters in relief, the threat of walks remains, but it does for team closer Trevor Rosenthal as well. Staumont has the higher K rate.
Jonathan Hernandez, Rangers: A wild starter in the minors last season, the desperate Rangers turned to him, and so far, all is well. He does not have a dominant strikeout rate, but Hernandez is next in line for saves in case something befalls Rafael Montero.
Matt Foster, White Sox: A multi-inning option who has been used as an opener a few times, Foster has yet to permit a run in 12⅓ innings, and none of the lefty hitters to face him have touched him.
Jake McGee and Blake Treinen, Dodgers: This organization figures out why once-useful but struggling relievers are struggling, and then, poof, they are fine again. McGee had a 4.78 ERA in four Rockies seasons. Treinen went from a 0.78 ERA and Cy Young votes to a 1.62 WHIP last season. In 20 innings, this duo has allowed two earned runs, won four games and fanned 24. Ignore what Kenley Jansen is up to -- and he looks rejuvenated, by the way -- and just add good relievers.
Random baseball thoughts
Feel like I have discussed Astros designated hitter in this space every day this week, but I promise, this is it! Yordan Alvarez is having knee surgery and you can move on. I suspect he is more like a sixth-round pick in 2021. The Astros could give Abraham Toro some playing time, and he hit nicely in relief of Alex Bregman Wednesday and last season in the minors.
Another season, another David Dahl injury. The Rockies replaced him on the active roster with Brendan Rodgers, but of course, the question with this franchise is whether they will play him. We cannot judge Rodgers off 81 plate appearances as a rookie. At least they are playing Garrett Hampson over Matt Kemp now. I would add Atlanta outfielder Cristian Pache over Rodgers, with no guarantee either aids a fantasy team.
Turns out Blue Jays right-hander Nate Pearson dealt with elbow tightness, which explains his poor performance lately, and now he is on the injured list. We hope this is not a big deal, or season ending, but if you want to move on in standard mixed, go for it. As for Bo Bichette and his injury, why would this non-contender rush back a key player for the future?
Cardinals ace Jack Flaherty continues to be treated differently from expected, as he got the hook after only 41 pitches Wednesday and had permitted only one run. Yes, the Cardinals missed myriad games and the pitchers need to build up, but still, this is a bit odd.
Blue Jays outfielder Randal Grichuk is enjoying one of his hot streaks, as he had nary an extra-base hit in his first 11 games, and after swatting two home runs on Wednesday, he has six home runs, two doubles and 14 RBIs in six games since. Grichuk boasts legit power, as his 31 blasts a year ago showed, but he will not suddenly help you in batting average.
It is certainly possible that Cubs manager David Ross was simply waiting for Craig Kimbrel to fix whatever was wrong, and perhaps that was fixed in Wednesday's save, in which he struck out the side. I remain skeptical it continues, but Rowan Wick investors, if they have room, should consider adding Kimbrel.
The Mets are so bereft of rotation options that closer Seth Lugo is heading into the role. Hey, it makes sense and Lugo can handle it, but this means Edwin Diaz is probably back to closing. As with Kimbrel, not everyone in the fantasy world will believe it, but Diaz is missing a ton of bats and seems to have fixed his home run issues.
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