Perhaps the most glaring similarity between right-handers Mark Melancon of the San Diego Padres and Cesar Valdez of the Baltimore Orioles is that neither of these closers throws particularly hard, at least not by this era's standards. Melancon gets his fastball up to 92 mph but relies quite a bit on an effective curveball, and his ground ball rate is a ridiculous 72%. Well, that's not a lot different from Valdez! His ground ball rate is 62.1%, achieved mainly with an effective changeup. Valdez throws his fastball around 85 mph, which is not so fast.
While Melancon leads the sport with eight saves, Valdez secured his fifth save against the New York Yankees on Monday (tied for third overall) -- and he did it his way. Well, Melancon's way. Valdez escaped an eighth-inning mess and the ninth inning went without incident. He retired four hitters in all, one via strikeout, and threw only nine pitches -- eight for strikes. Just throw strikes! Melancon and Valdez have combined to throw 21 2/3 nearly pristine innings, each permitting just one walk and striking out 11.
Fantasy managers took their time showing interest in Melancon, perhaps presuming that harder-throwing Padres such as left-hander Drew Pomeranz and right-hander Emilio Pagan would earn the team's saves. Maybe in time they will, but Melancon is clearly the top option for now. Well, that's not a lot different from Valdez! So many believed that left-hander Tanner Scott would handle the saves in Baltimore. However, he is walking everyone, so Valdez seems to have some security. By the way, Valdez remains available in 43% of ESPN standard leagues.
Yeah, I mainly scoffed at Valdez piling on the saves this season because of his odd pitch mix and lack of velocity. Now ... well, I still scoff at it. This is a hittable pitcher for sure, the proverbial needle in the haystack when it comes to soft throwers, and the Orioles, still hanging around the .500 mark, may not hang there for long. The team is overmatched. Still, Doug Jones saved 303 career games (likely before your time, kids) and he was not breaking glass with his heater, either. Perhaps Valdez can do this!
A few weeks ago, I added Valdez in one league, much as I have gone with Toronto Blue Jays RHP Julian Merryweather, Arizona Diamondbacks RHP Chris Devenski and Cincinnati Reds RHP Lucas Sims at various times this season. They all seemed to be in line for saves. Perhaps they still will be. Valdez would seem riskier for implosion, but we can just move on if (or when) the statistics turn. After all, have we not viewed Melancon this way for nearly a decade? He had 11 saves and 14 strikeouts last season! He just finds a way. So far, Valdez is finding a way.
Value rising
Giovanny Gallegos, St. Louis Cardinals: Manager Mike Shildt let Gallegos throw the final two innings of a weekend win for his first save, and the right-hander did not walk anyone. Contrast that with actual closer Alex Reyes, perhaps unavailable that day, who has walked 10 of the 43 batters he has faced and leads the league with four wild pitches. Reyes has more walks than whiffs! It seems like just a matter of time before Gallegos earns more saves.
Tejay Antone, Cincinnati Reds: He seems to be between roles, but when it comes to skills, clearly he has them. Antone won Monday's game at intimidating Dodger Stadium with three excellent shutout innings, while Sims entered the game in the sixth inning and left-hander Amir Garrett allowed his fourth home run in just 6 1/3 innings, pumping his ERA up to 14.21. Antone should probably start games, or become a multi-inning closer. Either way, go get him.
Josh Staumont, Kansas City Royals: When did this happen? Oh, it happened in the past few days because Greg Holland is still Greg Holland, featuring a 2.13 WHIP! Staumont is the best pitcher in the team's bullpen. He's still a walker, so perhaps he gives the role right back to Holland or Wade Davis, but he also averages 97 mph with his fastball (as does Antone). Only 20 relief pitchers are doing this.
Value falling
Alex Colome, Minnesota Twins: Yeah, I am surprised at what has happened to him so far because it is so extreme. Colome benefited from the BABIP gods in recent seasons for sure, and now the opposite is happening. Then again, the ball Cleveland's Jordan Luplow whacked 399 feet for a game-winning home run on Monday was not the result of bad luck. Colome has a 22% LOB thus far. Last season it was 86.4%. His other skills seem similar to previous campaigns. I see his numbers evening out and those that confidently choose to cut him this week may be trying to add him back in a month. Still, left-hander Taylor Rogers should get some saves.
Garrett Crochet, Chicago White Sox: Crochet is hardly the lone White Sox rookie being utilized in an odd way but, for fantasy purposes, he is not starting, he is not closing, and he is not last season's Devin Williams, either. Crochet threw three shutout innings on Sunday, which is great, but with only one strikeout among the 12 batters he faced. He faced 14 hitters over his prior four outings and struck out only one of them. Crochet may be solid in terms of run prevention, but he needs a better K-rate in order to intrigue us.
Daniel Bard, Colorado Rockies: He remains the team's closer but, unfortunately, there is little to close. The team is terrible, especially on the road, where they are winless in seven tries. When Colorado does win, it tends to be by more than a few runs. Bard has both of Colorado's saves this season, so there is some level of job security, but the most recent one came a full three weeks ago. In the interim, Bard has permitted runs in three of his last four appearances. It is going to be a long season in Denver!