Sometimes it seems like the entire baseball and fantasy world is scrutinizing the New York Yankees more than any other MLB team. They have the most championships and perhaps the highest expectations -- and, this season, they have among the biggest bullpen problems. The once-reliable RHP Devin Williams, acquired in the offseason from the Milwaukee Brewers for IF Caleb Durbin and LHP Nestor Cortes, was supposed to solve all problems. He entered the season with a 1.83 career ERA and a 1.02 WHIP.
Williams enters Tuesday with a 5.60 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP (with a 8.44 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP over the past 30 days). Two of his three blown saves have come in the past two weeks, which coincides with the franchise adding critical depth. Williams pitched the non-leverage sixth inning of a weekend outing, with the Yankees trailing 4-0. Yeah, he struck out the side on 11 pitches, but he had permitted runs in each of his previous five consecutive outings.
Frustrated fantasy managers are wisely moving on in favor of recent acquisition RHP David Bednar. Because this is the Yankees and not, well, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bednar is one of the most-added relief pitchers in ESPN standard leagues. (Williams leads the list of most-dropped relievers.) Bednar, acquired from the Pirates at the deadline, took fantasy managers on his own wild ride last season, but his 2025 has mostly been superior. New York's closer role appears to be his -- at least today.
Bednar struggled to open the season, even earning a demotion to Triple-A Indianapolis. Since his return, Bednar boasts a 1.84 ERA and a 35% strikeout rate. Beleaguered manager Aaron Boone may opt for Bednar in high-leverage moments regardless of the inning at some point, especially since he has retired more than three batters in three of his five Yankees outings, which would permit someone else -- Williams? Camilo Doval? Luke Weaver? Dave Righetti? -- to save a game. This week, however, the go-to guy appears to be Bednar, and everyone is noticing.
Stock rising
Kyle Finnegan, Detroit Tigers: Count me as one of the surprised observers that Finnegan, who hasn't exactly performed like a prime Mariano Rivera this season (or ever), became Detroit's closer upon coming to town from the Washington Nationals. RHP Will Vest was doing fine, but manager A.J. Hinch has opted to utilize him earlier in games, albeit in high-leverage spots.
Until Monday, when Finnegan entered in the eighth inning of a tie game (then earned the win) and Vest was left to save it, Vest's last save had come on July 20. Finnegan has pitched in four games for Detroit, saving three and permitting just one of 14 hitters to reach base. He has fanned six. This doesn't look like the same fellow with a 4.38 ERA for Washington this season. Vest deserves to stick around fantasy rosters in points formats, but so does Finnegan.
Phil Maton, Texas Rangers: Another situation that hasn't exactly played out as expected, the journeyman RHP Maton -- now with his seventh franchise in the past seven years after the deadline trade with the St. Louis Cardinals -- boasts the lone Rangers save in August. Then again, the Rangers have won only once in regulation innings this month. Still, LHP Robert Garcia entered a weekend game with the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth inning. He has seven losses, five blown saves and a sore back. Maton has eight career saves. It sure looks like he will get chances for more.
Raisel Iglesias, Atlanta Braves: Give credit where it is due, we haven't reacted kindly to Iglesias in this space this season, as he permitted seven home runs over the first eight weeks and ultimately lost his closer role. But then a funny thing happened... he stopped doing that! Iglesias is among the top-10 relief pitcher scorers over the past 30 days. He has a 1.90 ERA since June 9 (only one home run allowed), and he is back in the closer role for Atlanta after oddly not being dealt at the deadline. Fantasy managers should rely more on closers on contending teams these final six weeks, but the proven Iglesias is an exception.
Stock falling
Josh Hader, Houston Astros: Fantasy's No. 1 relief pitcher in points formats and on the roto-inclined Player Rater was deemed unavailable for Monday's game due to shoulder stiffness, and he last pitched on Friday. Perhaps it is nothing, but let's be real, it usually is something. It has been four weeks since Hader permitted an earned run, and his fastball velocity and strikeout rate is only modestly down from typical figures. Still, now is a wise time to add Astros RHP Bryan Abreu, who despite saving nary a game this season, is among the top-20 relief pitchers in points formats thanks to all his other numbers, including 25 holds. A bunch of saves may be on the way, too.
Ryan Helsley, New York Mets: Unlike RHP Jhoan Duran, who went to the rival Phillies at the trade deadline and has been near-perfect in the closer role, Helsley is not only not closing, but not performing well. He has allowed runs in three of his five Mets appearances on a total of six hits and two walks (with six strikeouts) to 21 hitters. Many Mets seem to be in a malaise these days. This includes Helsley, who was not having a dominant season to start with (3.38 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, ordinary 26.4% K rate). Frankly, it makes sense that his former Cardinals teammate LHP JoJo Romero is among the most-added relief pitchers in ESPN leagues, while Helsley is far more frequently being sent packing in fantasy.
Pay attention to...
The Los Angeles Dodgers: While most contenders boast clear-cut closers, four different Dodgers have earned saves over the past two weeks, and none of them are named LHP Tanner Scott, RHP Kirby Yates or RHP Blake Treinen. It's RHP Ben Casparius and LHPs Justin Wrobleski (a three-inning save), Alex Vesia and Jack Dreyer who have had the saves. Sometimes it feels like manager Dave Roberts views the long, six-month regular season as merely exhibition time, with constant experimenting and tinkering and no downside. Perhaps he does.
Scott (elbow) and Yates (back) should both return to active duty soon, with roles to be determined, but who are we kidding? They should see save chances. Treinen has permitted eight hits (two home runs) and four walks in his first five appearances (7.36 ERA, 3.75 WHIP) since coming off his own long, IL stint two weeks ago. Scott is available in more than 37% of standard leagues. Do not wait to add him until the day he returns to active duty.
Robert Suarez, San Diego Padres: Perhaps Padres manager Mike Shildt remains loyal to Suarez, the two-time All-Star closer who leads the league with 33 saves this season. The addition of harder-throwing (perhaps the hardest-throwing) RHP Mason Miller from the Athletics, however, is more than a distraction. Miller, 26, has pitched in five games for the Padres, with 12 of 20 outs coming via strikeout. He has a save and three holds in that span.
Suarez, 34, blew the save against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, though he rebounded nicely against the San Francisco Giants on Monday (albeit with nary a strikeout). It doesn't mean Miller supplants Suarez at some point for saves (more critical in roto/category formats), but one of these fellows is dominating and a lot younger than the other, so a ninth-inning change would not surprise anyone.
Don't pay much attention to...
The Arizona Diamondbacks, Athletics, Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, Nationals: Sure, those in roto/categories formats may need every save, but points formats are different. Nationals LHP Jose Ferrer may or may not matter, and White Sox RHP Grant Taylor bears some watching, but in general, trying to guess whether the likes of Diamondbacks LHP Jalen Beeks or Twins RHP Justin Topa save more than a few games is dangerous business. Baltimore Orioles LHP Keegan Akin may be an exception since he appears to have a clear ninth-inning role, but he isn't thriving. None of these teams are.
In ESPN standard leagues, don't seek out every save. Seek out good pitchers, such as the Astros' Abreu, Brewers RHP Abner Uribe and Padres RHPs Jeremiah Estrada and Jason Adam.