Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Rankings

Welcome back to the newest edition of our Reliever Ranks series! Each morning it will bring you up to date bullpen depth charts for the day’s games and is an excellent resource for those looking to stream saves or wins. This series runs seven days a week, so check in each morning to get your daily bullpen fix!

Notes

Transactions and Schedule

• There were no notable pitching transactions on Sunday.

IYesterday’s performances

NYM 3 – PIT 2

Q: Edwin Diaz (3)

L: Aroldis Chapman (4)

HD file: Dedniel Nuñez (6)

• Edwin Diaz the final four outs of the game and was rewarded with the win as the Mets took the lead in the top of the ninth. He has two run-free seasons since returning from his suspension, proving that cheating wasn’t the key to his success. Díaz should be one of the top three closers. He has pitched on consecutive days, but also Reed Garrettso expected Adam Ottavino or Jake Diekman can be used in the ninth inning depending on the matchups.
• Aroldis Chapman completely lost his control, walked three batters and allowed two runs as he took the loss. Chapman has become the Pirates’ closer with David Bednar on the IL, but it hasn’t helped fantasy managers trying to capitalize on the short-term situation. Chapman has just two saves in six appearances and has pitched to a 5.40 ERA in that time. He’s always going to be the reliever’s version of a Cherry Bomb, meaning it’s always boom-or-bust with him, so assess your risk tolerance before taking him.

DET 5 – CIN 1

• Alexis Diaz pitched the eighth with the Reds down one, but gave up three unearned runs to put the game out of reach. Díaz has been excellent since early June, posting a 1.50 ERA (12 IP), though he has maintained a high walk rate (12.2%) and an xFIP above 4.50. Don’t be fooled; Díaz doesn’t have the stuff to be a high-end closer.

SFG 4 – CLE 5

Q: Cade Smith (4)

L: Sean Hjelle (3)

HD file: Tim Herrin (10), Hunter Gaddis (18)

SV: Emmanuel Clase (27)

• Emmanuel Clase is the #1 closer for a reason. He leads the American League in saves and led baseball in ERA before allowing a run in his Sunday outing. It was the first run he allowed since June 11. Still, his 0.85 ERA (42.1 IP) is the lowest among pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched. Clase has now pitched on two consecutive days, which means Scott Barlow should serve as a target for a vulture rescue.

CHW 4 – Missing 7

Q: JT Chargois (1)

L: Michael Kopech (8)

HD file: Tanner Banks (6), John Brebbia (12)

• Michael Kopech had a rough day, allowing four runs in the ninth inning, all of which resulted in a walk-off home run off the bat of Jake Burger. Kopech isn’t someone to bank on, as he has a 9.00 ERA (15 IP) as of May 25. That performance likely won’t deter other teams from considering him in a trade, as his underlying stats are still strong and he still has a level to unlock. It will only make his asking price cheaper.

HOUSE 2 – MIN 3

Q: Johan Duran (4)

L: Josh Hader (5)

• Josh Hader hit a walk-off homerun to Christian Vazquezwhich left him with the loss. It was another homer-filled season, but this one was the most egregious. Hader’s 1.85 HR/9 is the highest of his career and one of the worst marks among closers. Unfortunately, it’s the only criticism of his otherwise flawless play.
• Johan Duran took advantage of the walk-off and earned a win for his efforts in the top of the ninth. Duran has just four saves since early June, and his 3.29 ERA (13.2 IP) and 23.5% K% in that time are unusual for the typically elite closer. His velocity is essential to his success and it has declined this year, so improving it will be key to regaining the form of the first few years of his career.

LAA 0 – CHC 5

HD file: Porter Hodge (2)

SV: Hector Neris (12)

• Carlos Estevez pitched a hitless eighth in a maintenance game, having not pitched since last Saturday. With free agency looming, Estévez should be a relatively sought-after reliever at the trade deadline, though he likely won’t get any save opportunities in his new home. Matt Moore, Luis Garciaand others who are also likely to be treated, Ben Joyce could see himself as the one who closes off the present and the future.
• Hector Neris hasn’t been great this year, but his ERA (4.06 ERA, 31 IP) isn’t that bad and he has 12 saves. With a club option in 2025 that turns into a player option after 60 appearances, Neris will likely be traded at the deadline with the Cubs in last place. From there, his usage will likely be limited to prevent the option from vesting. Once he’s traded, his fantasy viability will evaporate.

BALL 6 – OAK 3

HD file: Jacob Webb (12), Yennier Cano (23)

SV: Craig Kimbrel (23)

• Craig Kimbrel was one of the biggest snubs from the All-Star Game rosters announced yesterday. He is coming off one of the best seasons of his career at age 36, posting his lowest ERA (2.10, 34.1 IP) and WHIP (0.90) since 2017 and his highest strikeout rate (38.5%) since 2016. Kimbrel also holds the sole hold of fourth place on the all-time saves leaderboard with 440.

TOR 5 – SEA 4 (F/10)

Q: Chad Green (2)

L: Collin Snider (1)

SV: Genesis Cabrera (2)

• Chad Green has fulfilled the role of closer in Canada with Yimi Garcia And Jordan Romano on the IL. With García expected to return soon, Green’s fantasy relevance comes to an end. Green only got a couple of saves and a win in his interim role, but he helped on the ratio front. He has another year of control, so don’t expect him to be traded at the deadline.
• Andres Muñoz pitched a scoreless ninth when the game was tied. Muñoz was another All-Star letdown, as he posted a career-best 1.50 ERA (36 IP), a top-ten mark in baseball. However, his 30.2% strikeout rate is a career-low, and he hasn’t struck out a batter in any of his last five outings. It’s something to watch, as Muñoz will struggle without the punchouts.

MIL 9 – LAD 2

Q: Jacob Junis (1)

• Trevor Megill was scheduled for maintenance after not pitching for four days. He showed no signs of rust, recording all three of his outs via strikeout in a scoreless ninth. Megill has struck out five batters in his last two appearances after going punchless three times in a row. Devin Williams is expected to return later this month, so time is running out for Megill as the closer.

BOS 3 – NYY 0

HD file: Justin Slaten (10)

SV: Kenley Jansen (18)

• Kenley Jansen is just behind Craig Kimbrel on the all-time saves leaderboard , and it’s staggering how much their careers overlap. They’re the same age, have played the same number of seasons, and are separated by just two career saves. Jansen is also in the midst of a renaissance season, posting his best ERA (2.01, 31.1 IP) since 2017. Jansen doesn’t have the same underlying metrics to support his comeback campaign as Kimbrel, and he may be a sell-high candidate as his 4.00+ xFIP suggests tough times ahead.

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