Jordan Romano pitched in 17 games for the 2019 Toronto Blue Jays, permitting 14 runs in 15⅓ innings. I think it is fair to say that few people (and especially not too many fantasy managers) had an inkling he would be a relevant option in 2020.
I mean, have you met 2020? It's been a tough year in myriad ways, both on and off the field in American sports. When it comes to relief pitching, it's been way tougher than usual. Romano is 27 but still rookie-eligible. He has shined through and, at the midpoint of this wild 2020 season, gets the slight edge over Trevor Rosenthal for fantasy MVP among relievers.
Romano enters Thursday behind five traditional (not the SP-eligible Kenta Maeda or Framber Valdez) relief pitchers on the Player Rater. Three of those options -- Liam Hendriks, Kenley Jansen, Josh Hader -- were top-100 overall selections. Rosenthal is fourth, but his Wednesday outing reminds us of the dangers of rostering someone with control issues. Rosenthal was a late choice in most ESPN drafts, as we knew by Opening Day that saves could come his way. We also knew about Yankees fill-in closer Zack Britton, the No. 5 pure reliever on the Rater.
The unknown Romano comes next on the Rater, and to say he has been a revelation for the Blue Jays and fantasy managers is quite the understatement. Ken Giles was the Toronto closer, and Anthony Bass came next. Romano, far down on the list in late July, still has earned only two saves -- but saves are not everything. You have to love the 0.64 ERA, the 0.86 WHIP and the 20 strikeouts in 14 innings. I believe this hard thrower can continue his success, even if Giles returns from injury to handle the ninth-inning work.
As I noted in my surprise MVP blog earlier in the week, Fernando Tatis Jr. is all sorts of incredible, but as a top-25 pick in most leagues, incredible was mostly expected. The top-10 list of relief pitchers from draft day has been half-shredded by injury (Kirby Yates, Roberto Osuna, Aroldis Chapman, Giles) and we appreciate how great Hendriks and Hader, notably, have been. Romano you got for free. Frankly, you still can get him! The reliever MVP remains available in 68% of ESPN standard leagues!
Fantasy Focus Baseball podcast co-host Tristan H. Cockcroft deftly noted on Thursday's show that surprises such as Romano, Seattle's Taylor Williams, Miami's Brandon Kintzler and the Cubs' Jeremy Jeffress remain so available in standard leagues that it's tough to call them MVPs, as they are helping so few fantasy managers. It is a fair point that Hendriks is the relief version of Tatis, in a way. Rosenthal and Britton boast more saves than Romano, which is also fair to argue if all your team needs is help in that category.
Still, I'd like to think that the fantasy managers who have been paying the most attention -- the ones who really want to win their leagues on whatever their website of choice -- have gotten to this point the way I have, by mainly avoiding the likes of Hendriks and Hader in lieu of top hitters or potential aces and then adding saves during the season. OK, so Romano is on pace for just four saves. Seattle's Williams has six saves, which is the same as fill-in Rangers right-hander Rafael Montero, just a few off the lead. Rosenthal, based strictly on the numbers (as expressed by the Rater) deserves MVP honors but only because he has more saves. It seems odd to regale him after Wednesday's outing. ERA and WHIP matter too.
Romano, Jonathan Hernandez, Williams, James Karinchak, Kintzler, Jeffress, Matt Foster, Cole Sulser, Montero and Scott Barlow are all among the top 30 relief pitchers on the Rater, and I doubt any of them were draft picks in your mixed league. What a season -- what a year -- of upheaval!
More bullpen banter
Another day, another new Rays pitcher earns a save. I simply cannot get over how effective the Tampa Bay bullpen continues to be despite 10 different pitchers earning a save. Diego Castillo saved the team's Wednesday win. In fact, the team's past nine saves -- spread out over 16 days! -- were achieved by nine different pitchers. Unprecedented! Who is next, Rafael Soriano and Danys Baez? Stop guessing in fantasy, add Nick Anderson before he gets healthy and just enjoy the wackiness.
Left-hander Will Smith remains rostered in more than 60% of ESPN standard leagues, but Atlanta keeps going with right-hander Mark Melancon as its closer. He has five of the team's six saves, with Chris Martin having the other. I do not see Smith earning saves this season, and he is not dominating enough in terms of whiffs and ERA to warrant a roster spot.
Struggling Tigers right-hander Joe Jimenez pitched the sixth inning on Wednesday and did so quite poorly. Electric left-hander Gregory Soto handled the eighth inning with aplomb, then watched ordinary veteran Buck Farmer allow three runs with a four-run lead to the Cubs. Watch Jose Cisnero (1.62 ERA) get the next save chance. The journeyman is 31, in his fourth big league season and sans a big league save, but ... 2020.
In that same game, Cubs manager David Ross employed Rowan Wick in the sixth inning -- and he was bad. Craig Kimbrel handled the eighth inning down four runs. It sure seems that Jeffress is the closer all by himself now.
Move on from Jairo Diaz. He was terrible again on Wednesday. If Daniel Bard does lose the closer role in Colorado, Carlos Estevez would be next, not Diaz.
Other random MLB thoughts
Mets first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith was already one of my favorite players, and perhaps a top-100 fantasy option for 2021 drafts. He took it to another level after the Wednesday game and for a far more important reason. Roster him for the statistics, but I like to enjoy the people I roster as well. Remember, they are people first.
Watch Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge unfortunately end up right back on the injured list after he reinjured his calf on Wednesday. Hey, I blogged about this weeks ago, when he was homering every single day. He just cannot stay healthy. I told you he was the quintessential trade option in fantasy. Yankees fans on Twitter reacted poorly. I do not root for injuries, but how much more evidence do we need with this fellow?
More on this Friday, but the Yankees seem likely to promote pitching prospects Clarke Schmidt and Deivi Garcia this weekend. Get ahead of the news and add them now. They are both better than J.A. Happ.
I watch Vladimir Guerrero Jr. performances like what he did on Wednesday, when he doubled twice and knocked in three runs. That is why I remain convinced this is a potential MVP candidate in future seasons. Remember, he is only 21.
No, I did not activate Atlanta right-hander Ian Anderson for his big league debut against the Yankees and Gerrit Cole. Yes, the outing went well. Perhaps Anderson is the rare rookie starter who overcomes this irregular season, but I am still not sure I will activate him for two starts next week. As for Cole, he allowed three home runs and now has permitted at least one long ball in all seven of his starts. Do not be concerned at all. The top tier of starters is Cole, Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber.
Recent work: Awesome Giolito | Surprise MVPs | Abreu, White Sox | Reliever report | Finding stolen bases | Dominating Seagers