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These Pitchers Can Help You In The Holds Category
It's difficult to create a lineup that includes pitchers who can generate holds since you need to try to determine if a pitcher will enter the game in the right situation. The players noted in this article feature some previously overlooked relievers who may be sleepers off the waiver wire depending on your league format, including AL-Only and NL-Only leagues. These players are looking to reclaim some of the glory that they once had. The more likely the team is to win, the more likely these following players will be eligible to earn the holds that could be the difference between winning or losing in your fantasy league. The following list includes a few pitchers that may be overlooked because of the team they play for and a couple of relievers that are worth keeping an eye on for an eventual waiver wire pickup.
Jonathan Broxton, Cincinnati Reds
4 holds, 0.61 ERA, 14.2 innings, 10 strikeouts
Early in the season, Jonathan Broxton filled in for Aroldis Chapman as the Reds’ closer. He was a perfect five for five in his save opportunities. He returned to his eighth inning set up duties when Chapman returned and Broxton has hardly missed a step.
Broxton recorded his four holds of the season in four of his previous five appearances. The Reds’ offense is in a bit of a tailspin but if they can generate the offense needed to get some wins, Broxton will be there to bridge the game to Chapman. If you're looking for some holds off the waiver wire, Broxton may still be available as he's currently only owned in 23% of Yahoo leagues.
Neil Ramirez, Chicago Cubs
5 holds, 0.77 ERA, 11.2 innings, 19 strikeouts
Holds by a Cubs reliever may slip the mind of even the best fan of baseball. The 25-year-old Neil Ramirez is someone that should not be overlooked if you need holds. His five holds in just 11.2 innings are indicative of how highly management thinks of him. With the sub-1.00 ERA and 19 strikeouts (14.7 K/9), it’s hard to blame them. The Cubs may not be projected to get a lot of wins but when they do get a "W", expect Ramirez to be a part of it.
A.J. Ramos, Miami Marlins
7 holds, 2.35 ERA, 23.0 innings, 27 strikeouts
The Marlins have gotten off to good start, and are tied for the lead in the East. A.J. Ramos has benefited from the Marlins winning ways. In 13 of his 25 appearances, Ramos entered with a lead and in seven of those games he was also credited with a hold. Nearly all of his appearances were in the seventh or eighth inning. He has more than a strikeout per inning (10.6) but a flaw in his game may be his walk totals. He has given up 16 walks so far this season. If he can keep the walks to a minimum and the Marlins can keep the winning going, Ramos will have many holds by season’s end.
Dominic Leone, Seattle Mariners
3 holds, 1.57 ERA, 23.0 innings, 26 strikeouts
Dominic Leone, the 22-year-old rookie, has slowly moved his way up the pecking order in the Seattle Mariners bullpen. Leone started the season pitching occasionally in the sixth or seventh inning with some appearances in the early three innings. But as he pitched better, he has seen himself being used in winning games with the opportunity to get a hold. Using his fastball that reaches the mid 90's he averages more than a strikeout per inning (10.2). It still may be too early to pick up Leone but he certainly is worth keeping an eye on.
Chris Capuano, Boston Red Sox
4 holds, 1.95 ERA, 27.2 innings, 25 strikeout
The issue with picking Chris Capuano for holds is he is the long reliever of the Red Sox bullpen. He has appeared in many games where the team is trailing because of a struggling starter, which the Red Sox have a few of. In nearly half of Capuano’s appearances, the Red Sox were trailing. If the Red Sox can start getting some consistency from their starting pitchers, Capuano will find himself in more winning games and he will not need to pitch multiple innings of long relief.
