Fantasy Baseball: Week 16 Closer Report

Senior Fantasy Baseball Expert Shawn Childs takes a look at each team’s bullpen to help you find the next closer to provide saves. Get ready to DOMINATE!

Arizona Diamondbacks

Over his last eight innings, Brad Boxberger has a 1.13 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with six saves in seven chances despite walking eight batters. Boxberger has four blown saves in 26 opportunities. Archie Bradley saw his 10.1-inning scoreless run end on July 10th when he allowed one run, three hits, and one home run over two-thirds of an inning. Bradley continues to have strength in his ERA (2.03) and WHIP (0.92). Yoshihisa Hirano struggled on July 4th (one run, three hits, and one home run over two-thirds innings) ending his 22.2 shutout streak.

Atlanta Braves

In his first two games since returning from the DL, Arodys Vizcaino pitched two shutout innings with no save chances. He’s 15-for-17 in save conversions with no runs allowed over his last 12 innings with 13 Ks. A.J. Minter blow up in his last game on July 10th when he allowed three runs and three baserunners over one-third of an inning. Minter has a 2.92 ERA and 15 Ks over his last 12.1 innings with two saves. Dan Winkler lost his way over his last ten games (nine runs and 15 baserunners over 8.2 innings with eight Ks).

Baltimore Orioles

Zach Britton pitched well over his last eight innings (2.25 ERA and 0.88 WHIP with six Ks) leading to a pair of saves in three chances. The rumor on the street is that Britton will be traded to a contender, which points to him losing his closing opportunity. Brad Brach pitched poorly over his last three games (five runs and eight baserunners over 2.2 innings with three Ks). Mychal Givens threw three shutout innings over his last three games with no walks and three Ks).

Boston Red Sox

Craig Kimbrel has two failed in 29 tries with an edge in his ERA (1.98), WHIP (0.91), and Ks (54) over 36.1 innings in 2018. Over his last 7.1 innings, Kimbrel didn’t allow a run with 12 Ks and six saves. Joe Kelly regained his form over his last four games (no runs over 3.2 innings with no walks and five Ks). Matt Barnes improved his scoreless streak to nine innings with 16 Ks.


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Chicago Cubs

Since returning from the DL, Brandon Morrow pitched five shutout innings with three Ks, four saves, and one blown save. Morrow is 20-for-22 in save conversions with a 1.63 ERA and 28 Ks over 27.2 innings. Carl Edwards didn’t allow a run over 1.2 innings with four Ks since coming off the DL. Steve Cishek posted a 3.37 ERA with five Ks and one save over 5.1 innings in July.

Chicago White Sox

On July 5th, Joakim Soria blew his third save in 15 chances when he allowed two runs and five baserunners over one-third of an inning. Soria has a 0.93 ERA over his last 19.1 innings with 24 Ks and eight saves. Jace Fry has been a disaster in July (eight runs and nine baserunners over 3.2 innings). Luis Avilan pitched well over his last 14.2 innings with 3.07 ERA and 15 Ks. Xavier Cedeno allowed one run over his first 12 innings in the majors in 2018 with 15 Ks.

Cleveland Indians

Cody Allen is off Trevor Bauer’s Christmas list after blowing a four-run lead on July 10th. Allen finished with six runs allowed with six baserunners over two-thirds of an inning. Cody has 18 saves in 19 tries with a 6.17 ERA over his last 11.2 innings with 19 Ks. Neil Ramirez struggles as well in his last game on July 7th (three runs, three hits, and two HRs over one-third of an inning), which ended 15.1-inning shutout run. Oliver Perez improved his scoreless streak to six innings with seven Ks.

Colorado Rockies

Wade Davis pitched better over his last seven games (1.29 ERA and 0.71 WHIP) leading to five saves and seven Ks. Davis is 24-for-29 in save conversions with correction still needed in his ERA (4.04). Over his last five games, Adam Ottavino allowed five runs and 18 baserunners with six walks and nine Ks. Chris Rusin allowed two runs over his last 11 innings with five walks and eight Ks.

Detroit Tigers

Detroit placed Shane Greene on the DL last week with a sore right shoulder. His injury creates a closer opportunity for Joe Jimenez. Over his last three games, Jimenez has a save, a win, a loss, and a blown save. He allowed five runs and 12 baserunners over his last 4.2 innings with five Ks. Louis Coleman struggled over his last 5.2 innings (9.53 ERA and 3.35 WHIP). Alex Wilson allowed three runs over his last 7.2 innings with three Ks.

Houston Astros

Hector Rondon blew his first save in eight chances since taking over the closing role, but he came into the game with the bases loaded via Ken Giles. Over his last 12.2 innings with a closing job, Rondon has a 1.42 ERA with 20 Ks. Giles struggled in his last two games (four runs, four hits, and one home run over one inning) pushing him further away from saves. Ken still hasn’t blown a save in 12 chances. Chris Devenski ran into trouble over his last three games (two runs, four baserunners, and one home run over 2.1 innings).

Kansas City Royals

The Royals haven’t produced a save chance in July. Wily Peralta tossed 6.1 shutout innings over his last seven games with five hits, three walks, and six Ks while earning two saves. He remains the top option for saves in Kansas City. Over his last 9.2 innings, Kevin McCarthy has a 0.93 ERA with eight walks and six Ks. Tim Hill struggled in his last four games (five runs and seven baserunners over 1.2 innings).

Los Angeles Angels

Over the last week, Blake Parker picked up a win and a save while extending his shutout run to 7.1 innings with three hits, no walks, and three Ks. LA gave Justin Anderson the last save chance when Parker pitched in the two previous two games. Anderson pitched well over his last five games (1.69 ERA over 5.1 innings with no walks and six Ks). His downfall remains his high volume of walks (20 over 32.1 innings). Cam Bedrosian extended his scoreless streak to 1.2 innings with six walks and 12 Ks.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Kenley Jansen blew his third save in 27 chances on July 6th when he could throw a strike to Shohei Ohtani after getting ahead in the count (1-2) with two outs and no one on base. Jansen has a 1.32 ERA over his last 13.2 innings with 14 Ks. Daniel Hudson pitched at a high-level over his last 18 innings (one run, 19 baserunners, and 21 Ks). Scott Alexander tossed 4.1 no-hit shutout innings with five Ks in July.

Miami Marlins

Kyle Barraclough regressed in July (two runs and nine baserunners over four innings with five Ks) with his first blown save in eight chances since taking over the closing role. In 2018, Barraclough allowed more walks (20) than hits (16) over 30.1 innings with strength in his ERA (1.34) and WHIP (0.89). Drew Steckenrider saw his 19.2-inning shutout streak end in his last game on July 9th when he allowed one run and three hits over one inning of work. Brad Ziegler didn’t allow a run over his last nine innings with two hits and ten Ks.

Milwaukee Brewers

Over his last nine games, Corey Knebel has two wins, five saves, and one loss with a 2.16 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 14 Ks. Knebel gave up a run in two of his last three games while converting 11 of his 13 save chances on the year. Josh Hader only pitched once (three shutout innings with two Ks) over a nine-game stretch before delivering his worst outing of the year on July 9th (two runs, six baserunners, and two HRs over 1.2 innings). Jeremy Jeffress pitched well over his last 7.2 innings (no runs with nine Ks).

Minnesota Twins

Fernando Rodney is trending backward over his last six innings (4.50 ERA and 2.00 WHIP) while blowing two of his last five saves opportunities. Rodney has been successful in 20 of his 25 saves chances. Addison Reed landed on the DL with a triceps issue. Trevor Hildenberger tossed three shutout innings over the last week with five Ks.

New York Mets

Over his last four innings, Jeurys Familia didn’t allow a run with three Ks, one win, and two saves. Familia is 16-for-20 in save conversions with some risk in his WHIP (1.33). Seth Lugo regained his form over his last three games in the bullpen (one run and nine baserunners over 7.2 innings with six Ks). Robert Gsellman allow one run over his last 2.2 innings with three Ks.

New York Yankees

The Yankees haven’t turned to Aroldis Chapman since July 7th due to a battle with a knee issue. They might shut him down until after the All-Star break. Chapman has one failed save in 25 tries with a plus ERA (1.42) and 66 Ks over 38 innings. David Robertson picked a save over the last week while tossing three shutout innings with no walks and three Ks. Dellin Betances allowed one run and three baserunners over two-thirds of an inning in his last game on July 10th ending his 17.2 inning shutout streak with 30 Ks.

Oakland A’s

Blake Treinen blew his third save in 26 chances in his last game on July 10th when he allowed one run and two baserunners over one-third of an inning. Treinen has a 0.64 ERA over his last 14 innings with 19 Ks. Lou Trivino remains on an upward path after pitching at an elite level over his last 18 innings (0.50 ERA, six hits, and 21 Ks). Emilio Pagan struggled over his last three games (five runs and six baserunners over 2.2 innings with three Ks).

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies turned to Victor Arano in their last three save chances. Over his last eight games, Arano has a 1.08 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with eight Ks over 8.1 innings. Seranthony Dominguez pitched eight scoreless innings with three hits, ten Ks, and four saves over his last six games. The closer job remains fluid in Philly. After missing 11 days with a shoulder issue, Edubray Ramos tossed 2.2 shutout innings in his last three games with no walks and one K.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Felipe Vazquez has a win and seven saves over his last 11.2 innings with no runs allowed, two walks, and 22 Ks. Vazquez is 19-for-23 in save conversions. Kyle Crick extended his shutout streak to 11 innings with 14 Ks to lower his ERA to 2.18. Edgar Santana pitched at a high-level over his last 5.2 innings (no runs, no walks, and nine Ks).

San Diego Padres

Over his last two games, Brad Hand threw three shutout innings with six Ks, one win, and one save. His improvement is much higher than failure over his last five games (12.60 ERA and 2.20 WHIP). Kirby Yates blew up on July 7th (three runs and four baserunners over one-third inning) ending his scoreless run at 14 innings with 15 Ks. Craig Stammen struggled over his last six games (7.11 ERA and 1.89 WHIP).

San Francisco Giants

The best option for saves in San Fran remains Will Smith who’s been electric over his last six games (no runs over 5.2 innings with no walks, nine Ks, and three saves. Smith has an exception ERA (1.03) and WHIP (0.68) on the year. Mark Melancon allowed two runs and 12 baserunners over his last eight innings with four Ks. Tony Watson improved his shutout streak to 18 innings with five hits, three walks, and 17 Ks.

Seattle Mariners

Edwin Diaz has a save in 16 of his last 17 appearances with a 1.04 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 28 Ks. Diaz has 35 saves in 39 chances with 78 Ks over 47 innings. Alex Colome threw four shutout innings with three walks and five games in his last four games. Juan Nicasio is trying to correct bad three games in June (eight runs and nine baserunners over 1.1 innings with two Ks) by allowing one run over his last four innings with three Ks.

St. Louis Cardinals

Over his last ten games, Bud Norris has a 0.96 ERA with nine Ks and five saves. Norris is 17-for-19 in save tries with continued success in ERA (2.87) and WHIP (0.93). Jordan Hicks struggled over his last four games (four runs and four baserunners over 5.1 innings with six Ks). So much for Greg Holland getting closer to saves. After pitching 6.2 shutout innings with eight Ks in his return to the majors, the Giants beat him for five runs and six baserunners over two-thirds of an inning on July 8th.

Tampa Bay Rays

Sergio Romo has nine saves in 11 tries over the last month with a 1.80 ERA and 11 Ks over 15 innings to lower his ERA from 5.40 to 4.05. Jose Alvarado has a win and two saves over his last eight games with no runs allow over 5.2 innings with six Ks. Diego Castillo has a 1.65 ERA over his last 16.1 innings with 17 Ks.

Texas Rangers

Over the first half of 2018, Keone Kela doesn’t have a failed save in 22 tries. In his last 21 games, Kela has a 1.71 ERA and 0.86 WHIP over 21 innings with 26 Ks and 16 Ks. Jake Diekman pitched 3.1 shutout innings over his last four games with two Ks. Jose Leclerc pitched 7.1 no-hit shutout innings in his last seven games with 12 Ks to move closer to saves if Kela had an issue.

Toronto Blue Jays

Tyler Clippard didn’t have a save chance over the last week. He allowed one run over his last 5.1 innings with no walks, seven Ks, and two saves. Seung Hwan Oh has a 1.15 ERA over his last 15.2 innings with 21 Ks. Roberto Osuna will start to work his way back to the majors after his lengthy suspension. Osuna will be back in early August while expecting to regain the 9th inning quickly.

Washington Nationals

The Nationals placed Sean Doolittle on the DL over the last week with a left toe issue. He’s expected to return after the All-Star break. Doolittle is 22-for-23 in save conversions with strength in his ERA (1.45), WHIP (0.54), and Ks (49) over 37.1 innings. Kelvin Herrera will take over the ninth inning. Herrera struggled over his last ten games (five runs, 15 baserunners, and three home runs over 9.2 innings with nine Ks). Kelvin has 14 saves in 16 chances with the Royals. Ryan Madsen pitched poorly as well over his last ten games (9.35 ERA and 1.85 WHIP).


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About Shawn Childs 970 Articles
Shawn Childs has been a high stakes Fantasy baseball and football player since 2004 where he had success in his first season (three titles and $25,000 in winnings). In early years of the high stakes market in Fantasy baseball, he was ahead of the curve in player evaluation, draft value, and free agent bidding setting up four top-five finishes in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship. He has four AL-only Auction titles, one NL-only title, and five Main Event titles plus an overall title in 2012 at RTFBC (netted $10,000). This success led to an induction into the NFBC Baseball Hall of Fame. His success in the high stakes market led to a career in providing Fantasy Baseball and Fantasy Football content. On the football side, he’s competed and won in all different formats – auctions, draft championship, main events, and high-dollar leagues. He won 2nd place overall in the 2014 Most Accurate Salary Cap Expert contest at FantasyPros. As a dual-sport player, it was natural to transition to the daily games where he is a “swing for the fences type of guy.” Childs has appeared in one FanDuel NFL Live Final and one DraftKings NFL Live Final, a season-ending tournament which led to a couple of chances to win over $1,000,000.