RADIO
Two more no-hitters were thrown in the American League this week, making bullpen and closer news very much secondary in the pitching world. But it's only a matter of time until we see a team turn a bullpen game into a no-hitter, right? A couple of bullpen games have turned into shutouts already, so it seems like the next logical step.
This week, some bullpens that seemed solid turned back into committees, some committees turned a bit more solid, and some relievers were placed on or activated from the injured list. On some teams, relievers seem to already be showing signs of wearing down, probably a result of the short 2020 season combined with some starting pitchers just not going deep into games. Let's see what went down this week.
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 9 - May 24 through May 30.
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Bullpen News For The Week
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland bullpen has been excellent at the back end this season, with Emmanuel Clase and James Karinchak pretty much striking everyone out. There was a committee in Cleveland for a while earlier in the season, with those two along with Nick Wittgren sharing the late innings. Things settled in to where Clase was getting the ninth inning and Karinchak was throwing the eighth. That was the case for a while, making Clase the closer and Cleveland no longer a committee.
That looks like it might be changing now though, as Karinchak earned two saves this week. Granted, the first one was on a day that Clase was unavailable, but the next day, Clase pitched the eighth and Karinchak the ninth. Manager Terry Francona said he was simply playing matchups that day and that Clase was still the closer, but we've all seen this happen before and it's definitely something worth keeping an eye on. Clase remains atop the Cleveland pen, but it may be a timeshare with Karinchak now.
Risers: James Karinchak
Fallers: (potentially) Emmanuel Clase
Detroit Tigers
Sticking around in the AL Central, the Tigers are another team that went with a committee for most of April and May. As it usually happens in these committee situations, one pitcher has emerged as the best option, and it's one that wasn't even really considered an option when the season began. Michael Fulmer suddenly has three saves and a solid 29:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Gregory Soto has four saves and Bryan Garcia has two, but they both walk over six batters per nine innings, which is certainly not what you want out of your closer. Fulmer has taken over as, at the very least, the head of the committee in Detroit. He's worth a roster spot for fantasy managers hurting in the saves department. Soto and Garcia (and Jose Cisnero) might still mix in now and then, but Fulmer is the only one worth a roster spot in a standard league.
Risers: Michael Fulmer
Fallers: Gregory Soto, Bryan Garcia, Jose Cisnero
San Francisco Giants
The Giants seemed to have their ninth inning set, with Jake McGee taking on closing duties at the start of the season. A less-than-stellar start from him and lots of good pitching from Tyler Rogers has shaken things up a bit though, leaving the Giants with a closer committee (which is likely what manager Gabe Kapler wanted all along). McGee and Rogers will share save opportunities going forward, and due to Kapler, there's less of a chance of this committee turning into a single closer soon.
Rogers has been the better pitcher this season, but McGee has been mostly solid outside of a few bad outings. It could be as close to an even split as we'll see out of any two-man closer committee around the league. Both are worth rostering in holds leagues and deeper standard league managers might want to flip a coin and pick one or the other.
Risers: Tyler Rogers
Fallers: Jake McGee
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays bullpen has been one injury after another this season, but they got Rafael Dolis back this week. Jordan Romano, who also missed time earlier in the season, has been holding down the closer's role mostly on his own while Dolis was on the injured list.
Dolis should quickly work his way back into significant innings and should split some time with Romano for saves, although Romano seems to have at least a slight upper hand and could see the larger share of the committee work. Romano is still worth rostering and Dolis could be a solid deep league pickup. Both should be rostered in holds leagues.
Risers: Rafael Dolis (check waiver wires)
Minnesota Twins
This season has not gone as planned for the Twins, who are currently the owners of the worst record in baseball. The team leader in saves is a three-way tie between Alex Colome, Taylor Rogers, and Hansel Robles...with two each. Rogers is putting up solid numbers for the year (2.81 ERA, 23:2 K:BB), but he's struggled lately and seemingly ceded his role as head of the ninth inning committee to Hansel Robles. Robles (3.06 ERA, 21:10 K:BB) has been far from elite, but he's been pitching well, with only one run allowed in his last nine appearances.
If the Twins keep struggling overall, this will be more of a bullpen to just avoid altogether in standard leagues since there just won't be enough save opportunities to go around. But if the team does happen to get things going and pulls themselves out of an AL Central cellar that was already decorated with Tigers gear before the season started, Robles and Rogers could be decent deep league options.
Risers: Hansel Robles
Fallers: Taylor Rogers
Short Relief
-Tejay Antone seems to be securing his hold as the top option in the Cincinnati closer committee. A few more good outings and he may take over the ninth inning outright.
-Pete Fairbanks got a save for the Rays in a game that Diego Castillo pitched the eighth inning, but it's likely an issue of matchups in those innings and not something to really look too deeply into. It is a reminder, however, that the Tampa Bay pen will almost always remain a committee to some extent.
-Archie Bradley is back from the IL for the Phillies and should see some high-leverage innings before long. It's still Hector Neris in the ninth inning though.
-Josh Staumont has two saves in a row for the Royals and might be on his way to shed the committee role and become the full-time closer. The problem? The first of his two saves in a row came at the end of April. The Royals aren't winning many close games.
-Mike Mayers earned a save for the Angels this week, but there's no controversy in Anaheim. Closer Raisel Iglesias was summoned to get some work in the eighth inning when the Angels were losing, but they took the lead in the ninth and called on Mayers for the somewhat unexpected save opportunity.
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