7 years agoPittsburgh Pirates reliever Felipe Rivero had a breakout 2017 and emerged as the team's closer, but his momentum didn't carry over into spring training. The left-hander allowed a 5.14 ERA (plus seven unearned runs) and struggled primarily with his command, walking five and allowing two home runs in only seven innings. Fortunately, Grapefruit League play ended on a high note, as he pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout on Tuesday in his final preseason tuneup. He finished last season with 21 saves and an elite 29.3% strikeout rate, making him a top-10 fantasy closer in 2018. Despite his spring speed bumps, his job isn't in any jeopardy and he should have a fairly long leash without much competition in the bullpen.--Matt Wilkes
Source: MLB.com