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What a disappointing week for pitching. Not a single no-hitter? That's not very 2021 of you. So there weren't any no-hitters this week, but there were some bullpen changes, with a new committee forming and an old committee getting even more confusing. A couple of injuries have complicated things around the league as well.
With fantasy leagues now in full swing as we head into the summer months, most fantasy managers should have an idea of where their teams stand. There are some sell-high and buy-low opportunities forming, and some of those windows may be quickly closing. With rumors swirling about teams potentially making trades earlier than usual this season, we could start seeing some significant changes soon.
Be sure to keep an eye on our RotoBaller Closers and Saves Bullpen Depth Charts. They're updated daily, or sometimes even more often in this already abnormal baseball season. With that being said, here are the closers, saves, and bullpen waiver wire pickups to consider for Week 10 - May 31 through June 6.
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Bullpen News For The Week
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles "closer of the future" was supposed to start this season as the closer of the present, but Hunter Harvey (oblique) began the year on the injured list with an oblique injury. He's currently rehabbing so there could be even more movement in the Baltimore bullpen coming up. For now though, Cesar Valdez has ceded his role as the surefire closer. Valdez began the season as the team's unquestioned closer, and pitched really well for a while. In his last five outings though, his season ERA has gone from 1.23 to 3.93, and he's lost his spot in the ninth inning. The Orioles will work with a committee for now, with manager Brandon Hyde saying the ninth will be "a mixed bag." Paul Fry is having an excellent season and figures to get the first crack at it, but Tanner Scott will mix in and Valdez should still get chances here and there as well.
Risers: Paul Fry
Fallers: Cesar Valdez
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays just hate consistency in their bullpen, don't they? When Diego Castillo came back from the injured list, some of us thought he might take over the ninth inning all to himself, or at least take back his position as head of the committee. Instead, things are even more confusing in the Rays bullpen, as the newly acquired J.P. Feyereisen has received a few save chances, and Pete Fairbanks has as well. It looks like it could be an all-out group project for the Rays in the ninth inning. In standard leagues, this is a bullpen best left alone for now, but holds league managers could do decently well with any of Castillo, Fairbanks, or Feyereisen on their rosters.
Risers: J.P. Feyereisen, Pete Fairbanks
Fallers: Diego Castillo
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers committee is in full swing, with Michael Fulmer and Gregory Soto more or less taking turns. Soto being left-handed and Fulmer right could make this more of a platoon than a committee, but it should be just as difficult to predict which pitcher will get a save chance on any given day. Neither pitcher is anywhere near an elite reliever, but Fulmer has enough upside to be worth keeping an eye on. If he ultimately takes over as a full-time closer or anywhere close, he'd be worth picking up in most mixed leagues with standard scoring. Soto has decent strikeout upside, but his huge walk rate is a concern and could lead to multiple big innings going forward.
No real risers or fallers in this bullpen this week.
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners bullpen has been a fixture of this weekly report, as there seems to be something different going on every week. Just as Kendall Graveman seemed to be finally settling in as the closer, he landed on the COVID injured list. Keynan Middleton has seen a couple of save chances and Rafael Montero has worked his way back into the conversation. Graveman should get his job as head of the committee back when he is able to return to the mound, but if Middleton performs well, he could take a larger piece of the ninth inning pie than he's had so far.
Risers: Keynan Middleton
Cincinnati Reds
Another consistent fixture of this weekly report has been the Reds bullpen. Tejay Antone has more than proven himself as the best pitcher in the Cincinnati pen, but that fact is likely what's keeping him out of the closer's role. The Reds need to have him available for multiple innings and tough situations earlier in the game. Antone might sneak into some save situations when the game allows it, but the Reds are more likely to mix and match with Lucas Sims, Heath Hembree, Sean Doolittle, and even Amir Garrett. It'll be a free-for-all in the ninth inning, making Antone the only one really worth rostering since he'll at least provide the best ratios. He should be picked up in holds leagues, but standard formats are better off leaving this bullpen alone. All that being said, Sims quietly recorded two saves this week and might slowly be turning into the favorite for the ninth inning mess, but we've thought that before and been burned, so we'll see.
Risers: Tejay Antone (in holds leagues), Lucas Sims
Fallers: The rest of the Cincinnati Reds bullpen
Short Relief
-The Astros bullpen has been consistent and solid all season. Until now. Closer Ryan Pressly (neck) is dealing with a neck injury and reportedly could not even turn his head on Wednesday. Bryan Abreu ended up earning a save, but Ryne Stanek should be the guy until Pressly comes back.
-The Twins bullpen has settled down lately, and Alex Colome has worked his way back into significant innings. He, along with Taylor Rogers and Hansel Robles, will split save chances going forward.
-The Royals looked like they had a closer in Greg Holland. Then it looked like Josh Staumont. Now it looks like maybe Kyle Zimmer? Manager Mike Matheny isn't one for a committee, so he's likely to stick with a guy once he starts using him in the ninth. He did say several pitchers were unavailable on the day Zimmer got the save chance, so this is a bit up in the air for now.
-The Cleveland bullpen continues to be very good as they split the eighth and ninth innings between James Karinchak and Emmanuel Clase. Clase seems to be the slight favorite for saves still, but we have another committee here for sure.
-The Oakland bullpen has settled into Jake Diekman as the head of the committee and Lou Trivino in a supporting role. There hasn't been quite enough to claim Diekman as the fully entrenched closer yet, but things do seem to be trending in that direction.
-The closer role seems to be wide open for the Blue Jays, as Tyler Chatwood, Jordan Romano, and Rafael Dolis have been splitting things pretty evenly lately. It looked like Chatwood maybe had a chance to create some separation, but he had an awful inning in a save chance and things went right back to the drawing board. Romano still seems like the best bet, but there's no clear right answer in Toronto.
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