Baltimore Orioles fans seemed a bit displeased when the franchise traded closer Jorge Lopez to the Minnesota Twins for no major-league return on deadline day four weeks ago, but perhaps they knew something. The organization knew intimidating right-hander Felix Bautista could handle the ninth inning, and they were certainly correct. In fact, in those four weeks, no relief pitcher ranks better on the ESPN Player Rater.
Eleven pitchers have saved five or more games over the last 30 days and, of that group, five remain available in 50% of ESPN standard leagues. That seems like rather relevant information, no? You need saves in your roto league or a valuable relief pitcher in your points version, and some of the very best over the past month remain readily available. Bautista boasts seven saves and 21 strikeouts in August, and he remains available in 52.4% of ESPN standard leagues.
In addition to his having pitched as well as any relief pitcher this month, Bautista is positioning himself to be a top-10 relief pitcher on draft day 2023. Now 27, Bautista pitched well across three minor-league levels last season, posting a 1.54 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP over 46 2/3 innings, saving 11 wins with a strikeout rate of nearly 40%. Yet, few seemed to notice back in April and May. He seemed to be one of those fungible middle relievers that sprout up on an annual (and occasionally monthly) basis.
Journeyman Lopez was also one of them, of course, and he emerged as Baltimore's closer, despite a career ERA on the wrong side of 6.00. He earned himself an All-Star berth and, eventually, the trade to the contending Twins. Now the Orioles are contending, too, and have a better record than the Twins! Bautista, armed with a 99-mph fastball, an effective split-finger and the occasional slider, emerged as a high-leverage option this season and waited for his chance to close. He remains dominant and a reminder of how some of the best closing options surprise even their own big-league franchises.
San Francisco Giants right-hander Camilo Doval, Washington Nationals right-hander Kyle Finnegan, Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Ian Kennedy and Miami Marlins lefty Tanner Scott are the other readily available pitchers in ESPN leagues with at least five saves over the past month, with differing levels of run prevention and strikeouts. They may be sitting there on your free-agent list, lonely and looking for a fantasy team to help.
Padres drinking the Hader-ade?
Meanwhile, last week in this space we discussed, in rather great detail, whether once-awesome Josh Hader still deserved a spot on your fantasy team. It seemed preposterous to even hint at this and it was a rather one-sided argument (in part because I was the one making it). Of course, how can you drop Josh Hader? Are you still feeling that way? Um, not so much.
On Sunday, Hader entered the eighth inning of a game in which his team trailed 9-6 at Kansas City -- and turned it into a 15-6 deficit. Those five earned runs spiked Hader's ERA to 6.52. Oh my goodness! Hader has allowed 22 earned runs in his last 13 appearances, for a 22.00 ERA. Hader had allowed 22 earned runs over his previous 111 appearances. He's broken, at least for now.
Hader, who continues to struggle to locate his fastball, is down to 93% rostered in ESPN standard leagues and yeah, it kind of looks like there are no saves pending in his immediate future. If he hasn't torpedoed your season and you need the roster spot for a pitcher that can help your team, sure, move on. I'd keep him firmly on my bench rather than letting a league competitor add him, but that's me.
Nick Martinez has San Diego's most recent saves and the trust of manager Bob Melvin. He is the top option for now, over Luis Garcia, Adrian Morejon, Hader and everyone else. Martinez, 31, returned to the big leagues this season after pitching well in Japan, and he has made 10 starts with the Padres. However, the team has rotational depth, and Martinez hardly thrived in the role (4.30 ERA, 1.548 WHIP).
So Martinez throws four pitches at least 15% of the time, and doesn't get much swing-and-miss out of any of them (7.7 K/9 as a reliever), but he's been far more effective as a reliever (1.40 ERA, 0.93 WHIP) and has allowed only one run since the All-Star break. Can this last? Well, with such a low strikeout rate, probably not. Still, in a bullpen featuring Hader, Martinez does seem the more valuable asset now. Incredible.
Stock rising
Clay Holmes, New York Yankees: Holmes came off the IL on Monday and tossed a solid inning, though we should remember how much he struggled before the injury. Perhaps the back spasms that shelved him for two-plus weeks were the reason? Regardless, Holmes could easily close again, with only ordinary right-hander Lou Trivino and perhaps journeyman lefty Wandy Peralta seemingly in the way. Aroldis Chapman hit the IL this weekend himself with -- we didn't make this up -- a leg infection due to a tattoo. Smart. Scott Effross (shoulder) is on the IL for a more legitimate and concerning reason. Sparky Lyle isn't closing anytime soon. Holmes, if he can pitch even reasonably well, likely gets all the saves here.
Jason Adam/Pete Fairbanks, Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays are incredible. Adam, 31, had a 5.91 ERA for the 2021 Cubs, and no saves on his career record. At least Fairbanks had saved games in previous seasons. These now-dominant right-handers have permitted one earned run between them over the last 30 days, covering 21 2/3 innings. They've struck out 29 hitters in that span, allowing only four walks. Just be aware that if you add one of them, the other one is likely to get the next save, because that's how it always works with your tortured fantasy team. The timeshare will continue, and by the way, Shawn Armstrong has Tampa Bay's most recent save anyway. Next week, the closer will be someone not even on the current roster, or perhaps not pitching in organized baseball at all.
Stock falling
Ryan Pressly, Houston Astros: A bout of neck spasms has sent Pressly to the IL, and the Astros should be in no hurry to push him back to action. After all, the AL West is locked up and the way the Yankees are playing, probably the top AL seed as well. Pressly is just the No. 15 relief pitcher on the Player Rater this season, so he hasn't been "awesome" with his low innings total -- he likely won't reach 50 IP -- and average strikeout rate. Still, he does have 25 saves. He was worth the mid-round pick. Rafael Montero has Houston's last two saves and, while he has allowed runs in two of three outings, he should keep getting chances over Hector Neris. There is little indication that lefty Will Smith is in the mix for saves.