MLB Closers 2024: Closer Report - Fantasy Baseball This Week, September 19th
As the fantasy baseball season winds down, it was a fairly quiet week for MLB Closers 2024 with no major changes to bullpen hierarchies. We heard whispers of high-leverage relievers pitching through some discomfort, but it wasn’t enough to shut them down.
Another one of baseball's all-time save leaders made some minor news but none that will affect your fantasy team. If you’re reading this column you’re still grinding it out and looking for that high-leverage reliever that will help put your fantasy baseball team over the top. We might have a few suggestions that can help you out.
MLB Closers 2024: Fantasy Baseball Closer Report
Make it a point to check out our Fantasy Baseball Closer Grid. We update it on a regular basis based on all the latest trends and news related to baseball’s high-leverage relievers.
In the meantime, here’s a few bullpen related updates regarding fantasy baseball closers that you should be aware of!
(All stats quoted in this article are accurate as of the morning of 9/18/2024)
New York Yankees Bullpen Has Too Many Moving Parts for Fantasy Baseball Closers
Three different Yankees relievers recorded a save since our last column. Luke Weaver was one of them. He threw 3.2 scoreless innings and struck out eight while walking none. Tommy Kahnle threw three scoreless innings this week and picked up his eighth career save. Lastly, Marcus Stroman was demoted from the starting rotation and picked up a three-inning save on Tuesday night.
Detroit Tigers Reliever Jason Foley Recorded Four Saves Last Week
In our last column in August, we told you that Tyler Holton was the Tigers reliever that you should be looking to roster. Since that column Holton has been great! He’s pitched 12.2 scoreless innings, won two games, saved three others and recorded two holds. However, Foley has held his own as well.
He seems like the leader of the Tigers’ high leverage late inning bullpen committee at this point. Since August 15th, Foley has recorded 10 saves and pitched to a 1.23 ERA. The fact that Tigers relievers have been pitching well lately shouldn’t be a surprise since they’ve been one of the best teams in baseball lately.
Baltimore Orioles Reliever Yennier Cano Dealing with Forearm Tightness.
If you’ve been relying on Cano for holds, and with him having recorded 32 this season why wouldn’t you, this news is concerning. He had been able to pitch through the discomfort but as this article is being written he hasn’t pitched since September 11th.
It’s kind of a mind-blowing stat but Orioles relievers didn’t record a hold over the past week. As an aside, the Orioles DFA’d Craig Kimbrel this week.
Fantasy Baseball Reliever Trends
Since we’re talking about holds, the following seven relief pitchers recorded three holds last week. Their stats over the past week are included in the following chart:
Player | Team | IP | ERA | BB | Strikeouts |
SDP | 5.1 | 1.69 | 4 | 4 | |
WSH | 4.2 | 3.86 | 2 | 6 | |
MIL | 4.0 | 2.25 | 2 | 5 | |
OAK | 4.1 | 4.15 | 1 | 4 | |
PIT | 3.2 | 2.45 | 3 | 5 | |
DET | 3.1 | 5.40 | 1 | 1 | |
CLE | 4.0 | 0.00 | 0 | 8 |
The following are a few other relievers that can help pad your fantasy baseball team’s ratios as we finish out the last week and a half or so of the season. Their stats over the past week are included in the following chart:
Player | Team | IP | ERA | BB | Strikeouts |
CIN | 3.1 | 1.69 | 3 | 8 | |
BAL | 4.0 | 2.25 | 1 | 7 | |
BOS | 3.2 | 0.00 | 1 | 7 | |
STL | 4.1 | 2.08 | 2 | 6 | |
HOU | 4.2 | 0.00 | 1 | 8 |