Fantasy baseball analyst Dalton Del Don scans for save sources and provides updates on evolving bullpen situations.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Shelby Miller has recorded Arizona’s last two saves, while Kevin Ginkel has made just one appearance since getting blown up for five runs last week. Miller (27% rostered) has been solid, posting an 18.4 K-BB% and a 3.19 SIERA, and he’s the current favorite for saves in the Diamondbacks’ pen.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, Justin Martinez (55%) is expected to throw to live hitters this week and is ahead of A.J. Puk (24%) in their recoveries. A healthy Martinez will presumably take over closing duties, but he’s a question mark. Only the Dodgers have provided more save opportunities than Arizona (23) this season.
Atlanta Braves
Raisel Iglesias’ 5.71 ERA is accompanied by a 2.93 SIERA. His 20.8 K-BB% is right in line with last season, when he finished with a 1.95 ERA. Iglesias’ 30.0 HR/FB% is the fifth-highest among 185 qualified relievers. His average exit velocity is in the bottom 20% of the league one season after being in the top 3%. Iglesias’ velocity is a bit down (94.8 mph), and it’s possible he’s suddenly become much more hittable at 35 years old, but the likelier bet is regression to the mean.
Advertisement
Iglesias is seemingly on a shorter leash after three straight shaky appearances (Pierce Johnson got a save Tuesday with Iglesias unavailable), but he locked down Thursday’s save and appears to have his manager’s confidence.
Chicago Cubs
Ryan Pressly has pitched just 1.1 innings over the last nine days since getting clobbered for eight earned runs without recording an out. He hasn’t tallied a save since April 13, although at least Pressly was used in a high-leverage situation last appearance. Lefty Drew Pomeranz recorded the Cubs’ last save, but Porter Hodge (15%) was likely unavailable having pitched on back-to-back days. Hodge owns a 5.40 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP, but he appears to be the favorite for saves in Chicago. It remains highly likely the Cubs trade for their eventual closer.
Miami Marlins
Jesús Tinoco has somewhat quietly completely overtaken Miami’s closer’s role over the last month. Calvin Faucher’s last save came April 22, and Tinoco was likely unavailable having recorded saves the previous two days. Tinoco has tallied every Marlins save opportunity since then, including two wins and a save (and a loss) over the last 10 days. Miami won’t provide a ton of opportunities, but Tinoco is closing and available in 96% of Yahoo leagues.
Advertisement
[Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all]
New York Yankees
Luke Weaver (61%) looks like the current favorite for saves in New York and should be rostered in all fantasy leagues. However, Devin Williams has made three straight scoreless appearances (and six of his last seven). Williams (84%) needs to be stashed with the Yankees likely turning back to him at some point, but he can be benched for now.
Philadelphia Phillies
José Alvarado continues to pitch well, but he’s recorded just one save since April 19. Meanwhile, Jordan Romano has picked up the Phillies’ last two saves. Romano has allowed zero runs with a 0.50 WHIP and an 8:0 K:BB ratio over his last six innings (he also has three saves over the six appearances). It makes sense Romano got off to a slow start while coming off elbow surgery, but he’s looked far better recently.
Romano was dropped in many fantasy leagues after losing the closer’s role, but his 8.22 ERA comes with a 3.44 SIERA. The Phillies will still mix-and-match with lefties Alvarado and Matt Strahm, but Romano suddenly looks like the favorite for saves in Philadelphia’s pen again. He’s available in nearly 60% of Yahoo leagues and has the upside to be a top 10 fantasy closer moving forward.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Just when it looked like David Bednar (44%) was locked back in as the Pirates’ closer, new manager Rob Kelly has reentered Dennis Santana into the mix. Pittsburgh has totaled just one save so far during May. A timeshare on a Pirates team that’s 15-29 is a tough situation for fantasy.
Toronto Blue Jays
Jeff Hoffman has quickly watched his ERA balloon from 1.10 to 6.05 during his last five appearances (three innings). Hoffman’s 6.05 ERA is accompanied by a 1.64 SIERA and a 33.3 K-BB% that ranks fourth among 185 qualified relievers. However, Yimi García (10%) recorded his third save of the season during Toronto’s last chance, which was one day after Hoffman’s latest blowup.
Advertisement
Hoffman’s leash is undoubtedly shorter having allowed 11 earned runs over his last three innings, but he’s likely to remain the Blue Jays’ closer barring further setbacks. His peripherals are elite, so hopefully this latest stretch is just an ugly blip. But García would provide insurance. The Blue Jays are tied for the second-most save opportunities (23) this year.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Ditching the drama: Why a 49ers-Brock Purdy deal was so essential this offseason
The San Francisco 49ers almost had to complete Brock Purdy’s extension before OTA practices begin later this month.First, they needed to avoid even a whiff of the dysfunction that marked last year’s offseason, one in which Brandon Aiyuk’s and Trent Williams’ contract issues overshadowed — sometimes seemingly by design in Aiyuk’s case — everything that was happening on the field.AdvertisementThat, in conjunction with the injuries and aftereffects of a 20-game 2023 season, led to the most disjointed spring and summer sessions the 49ers have had under Kyle Shanahan. And that choppy, fractured feeling — like the team wasn’t fully coalesced — spilled into the regular season. The 49ers never found their footing and finished 6-11.What’s more, the team had to get its money business out of the way this offseason because of all the business it must address on the […]
2025 PGA Championship missed cuts: Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Ludvig Åberg among stars not playing weekend
Getty Images Friday's action at the 2025 PGA Championship could be split into two parts. One was the battle for position at the top of the leaderboard as there were plenty of opportunities to climb into contention after the first-round leaders all stagnated. The other battle was happening further down at the cut line, which was 1 over coming into the day and barely ever moved off that number.A few of golf's biggest stars barely skirted into the weekend: Rory McIlroy bogeyed his final two holes to fall back to 1 over after looking like he would be under par following a resurgent second round, while Xander Schauffele had to play the back nine in 2 under just to make the cut on the number.Some stars were not as lucky, though. Jordan Spieth, Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka all missed […]
Where to watch Knicks vs. Celtics: TV channel, NBA playoffs live stream, Game 6 odds, prediction, time
Getty Images The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks have renewed their rivalry in the second round of the 2025 NBA playoffs. New York is one win away from its first Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2000. The Knicks are up 3-2 in the series, but the Celtics are trying to rally and force a Game 7 without star Jayson Tatum, who underwent surgery for a torn Achilles this week. Boston kept its season alive with a Game 5 win on Wednesday, but New York is favored in Game 6 on Friday at Madison Square Garden.Derrick White and Jaylen Brown combined for 60 points for the Celtics in the Game 5 victory in Boston. The Knicks pulled off two huge road comebacks to start the series, but went relatively quietly at TD Garden earlier this week. Jalen Brunson was limited to […]
PGA Championship 2025: You want to get weird? Quail Hollow is getting weird
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Maybe it was the moment the leader’s tee shot bounced off a rake, ricocheted left and rolled to the center of the green that the collective golf world turned to each other and asked: What the hell is this PGA Championship?A major championship led by a 40-year-old journeyman with so many past surgeries his doctor once told him he’s out of luck. He’d have to just live with the pain.AdvertisementA major championship with constant talk of mudballs and slammed clubs and an angry Irishman flipping the bird to an inanimate object.A major championship where one of the only stars in contention had been going through such an emotional gauntlet he’s missed more cuts than times he’s finished in the top 50 this season.Welcome to the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, where nothing makes sense and anything […]
Mets’ Juan Soto met with boos at Yankee Stadium
NEW YORK — The booing started in batting practice, intensified when the starting lineup was read over the PA system and reached its crescendo at 7:10 p.m., when Juan Soto, deciding to have a little fun, doffed his helmet before stepping into the Yankee Stadium batter’s box in the gray uniform of the visiting New York Mets for the first time. Juan Soto is booed in his first at-bat back at Yankee Stadium and tips his helmet to the crowd pic.twitter.com/N30aXYGKeC — SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) May 16, 2025In his first game in the Bronx since signing across town with the Mets, Soto was greeted with hostility, the boos enduring throughout his plate appearance — a walk, if you could believe it. Soto proceeded to steal second base, leaving too early but arriving safely at second when Carlos Rodón’s throw went […]
WATCH: Juan Soto playfully salutes booing Yankees fans in his first visit to the Bronx since joining Mets
Getty Images Friday night, Juan Soto returned to Yankee Stadium for the first time as a member of the Mets. Soto left the Yankees, who he helped reach the World Series last year, for the Mets and a record $765 million free-agent contract this past offseason. Friday is the first game of 2025 Subway Series (GameTracker). They'll play three games in the Bronx this weekend, and three games in Citi Field in July.How would Soto be received by the Yankee Stadium crowd? Listen for yourself: No love lost, I would say. Soto, after acknowledging the crowd, would work a 3-0 count against Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodón before eventually drawing a five-pitch walk.When it was time to play in right field, some of the fans in the bleachers turned their backs on Soto: Soto had an incredible season for the Yankees […]
Related
Ditching the drama: Why a 49ers-Brock Purdy deal was so essential this offseason
The San Francisco 49ers almost had to complete Brock Purdy’s extension before OTA practices begin later this month.First, they needed to avoid even a whiff of the dysfunction that marked last year’s offseason, one in which Brandon Aiyuk’s and Trent Williams’ contract issues overshadowed — sometimes seemingly by design in Aiyuk’s case — everything that was happening on the field.AdvertisementThat, in conjunction with the injuries and aftereffects of a 20-game 2023 season, led to the most disjointed spring and summer sessions the 49ers have had under Kyle Shanahan. And that choppy, fractured feeling — like the team wasn’t fully coalesced — spilled into the regular season. The 49ers never found their footing and finished 6-11.What’s more, the team had to get its money business out of the way this offseason because of all the business it must address on the […]
2025 PGA Championship missed cuts: Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Ludvig Åberg among stars not playing weekend
Getty Images Friday's action at the 2025 PGA Championship could be split into two parts. One was the battle for position at the top of the leaderboard as there were plenty of opportunities to climb into contention after the first-round leaders all stagnated. The other battle was happening further down at the cut line, which was 1 over coming into the day and barely ever moved off that number.A few of golf's biggest stars barely skirted into the weekend: Rory McIlroy bogeyed his final two holes to fall back to 1 over after looking like he would be under par following a resurgent second round, while Xander Schauffele had to play the back nine in 2 under just to make the cut on the number.Some stars were not as lucky, though. Jordan Spieth, Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka all missed […]
Where to watch Knicks vs. Celtics: TV channel, NBA playoffs live stream, Game 6 odds, prediction, time
Getty Images The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks have renewed their rivalry in the second round of the 2025 NBA playoffs. New York is one win away from its first Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2000. The Knicks are up 3-2 in the series, but the Celtics are trying to rally and force a Game 7 without star Jayson Tatum, who underwent surgery for a torn Achilles this week. Boston kept its season alive with a Game 5 win on Wednesday, but New York is favored in Game 6 on Friday at Madison Square Garden.Derrick White and Jaylen Brown combined for 60 points for the Celtics in the Game 5 victory in Boston. The Knicks pulled off two huge road comebacks to start the series, but went relatively quietly at TD Garden earlier this week. Jalen Brunson was limited to […]
PGA Championship 2025: You want to get weird? Quail Hollow is getting weird
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Maybe it was the moment the leader’s tee shot bounced off a rake, ricocheted left and rolled to the center of the green that the collective golf world turned to each other and asked: What the hell is this PGA Championship?A major championship led by a 40-year-old journeyman with so many past surgeries his doctor once told him he’s out of luck. He’d have to just live with the pain.AdvertisementA major championship with constant talk of mudballs and slammed clubs and an angry Irishman flipping the bird to an inanimate object.A major championship where one of the only stars in contention had been going through such an emotional gauntlet he’s missed more cuts than times he’s finished in the top 50 this season.Welcome to the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, where nothing makes sense and anything […]
Mets’ Juan Soto met with boos at Yankee Stadium
NEW YORK — The booing started in batting practice, intensified when the starting lineup was read over the PA system and reached its crescendo at 7:10 p.m., when Juan Soto, deciding to have a little fun, doffed his helmet before stepping into the Yankee Stadium batter’s box in the gray uniform of the visiting New York Mets for the first time. Juan Soto is booed in his first at-bat back at Yankee Stadium and tips his helmet to the crowd pic.twitter.com/N30aXYGKeC — SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) May 16, 2025In his first game in the Bronx since signing across town with the Mets, Soto was greeted with hostility, the boos enduring throughout his plate appearance — a walk, if you could believe it. Soto proceeded to steal second base, leaving too early but arriving safely at second when Carlos Rodón’s throw went […]
WATCH: Juan Soto playfully salutes booing Yankees fans in his first visit to the Bronx since joining Mets
Getty Images Friday night, Juan Soto returned to Yankee Stadium for the first time as a member of the Mets. Soto left the Yankees, who he helped reach the World Series last year, for the Mets and a record $765 million free-agent contract this past offseason. Friday is the first game of 2025 Subway Series (GameTracker). They'll play three games in the Bronx this weekend, and three games in Citi Field in July.How would Soto be received by the Yankee Stadium crowd? Listen for yourself: No love lost, I would say. Soto, after acknowledging the crowd, would work a 3-0 count against Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodón before eventually drawing a five-pitch walk.When it was time to play in right field, some of the fans in the bleachers turned their backs on Soto: Soto had an incredible season for the Yankees […]
Be the first to leave a comment