The Hold Up 6/8: Ranking the Top 70 Relievers for Holds Every Week

No major chances this week, with Joaquin Benoit being the biggest name to land on the DL. While no closers were officially deposed this week, Felipe Rivero has to be close to taking over in Pittsburgh, while Pat Neshek may get have a short stint saving games until Hector Neris figures out his splitter.

TIER 1: Good Vibrations

1. Andrew Miller (Cleveland Indians)

• Quiet week for Andrew Miller, as he only pitched 1.1 innings in 2 games. Nevertheless, he still remains the top RP who is currently not a closer and a top 5 RP in save+holds leagues.

TIER 2: I’ll Be There For You

2. Felipe Rivero (Pittsburgh Pirates) 

3. Chris Devenski (Houston Astros) 

4. Archie Bradley (Arizona Diamondbacks) 

5. Arodys Vizcaino (Atlanta Braves)

6. Trevor Rosenthal (St. Louis Cardinals)

7. Will Harris (Houston Astros) 

8. Tommy Kahnle (Chicago White Sox)

9. Mychal Givens (Baltimore Orioles) 

10. Pedro Baez (Los Angeles Dodgers)

11. Brad Hand (San Diego Padres) 

12. Carl Edwards Jr. (Chicago Cubs) 

13. Darren O’Day (Baltimore Orioles)

14. Ryan Madson (Oakland Athletics)

15. Joe Smith (Toronto Blue Jays) 

• It had looked like Brad Hand was narrowing in on taking over the closing duties for the Padres just 2 weeks ago, but after recording 2 saves, he has yet to see another opportunity. It shouldn’t be ruled out still, as Brandon Maurer is about as rocky as closers come these days, but for now, Hand continues to be a borderline elite set up man.
• Joe Smith is in the midst of a very nice comeback season, and continuing to dominate setting up games for Roberto Osuna. While he has always done a nice job inducing groundballs, his SwStr% is way up this year at 13.5% (previous career high was 9.9% in 2009).

TIER 3: Torn

16. Mike Minor (Kansas City Royals) 

17. Jacob Barnes (Milwaukee Brewers)

18. Michael Lorenzen (Cincinnati Reds)

19. David Phelps (Miami Marlins)  

20. Shane Green (Detroit Tigers) 

21. Hector Rondon (Chicago Cubs) 

22. Tyler Clippard (New York Yankees)

23. Jake McGee (Colorado Rockies) 

24. Pat Neshek (Philadelphia Phillies)  

25. Ryan Buchter (San Diego Padres) 

26. Juan Nicasio (Pittsburgh Pirates) 

27. Koji Uehara (Chicago Cubs)

28. Keone Kela (Texas Rangers)

29. Derek Law (San Francisco Giants)

30. Blake Parker (Los Angeles Angels)  

• Pat Neshek was brought in to earn a save on Tuesday night, replacing Hector Neris after he allowed back to back base hits. While I doubt he is giving an extended look in that role, his stock is certainly rising as he has certainly been the most consistent and reliable option in that Phillies bullpen.
• With Tony Watson continuing to struggle in Pittsburgh, it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on Juan Nicasio as a potential sleeper closing candidate at some point this season. Felipe Rivero should and probably will be given the first shot at replacing Watson, but Nicasio has a case for the job too. He’s been just as dominant over the past month as Rivero has been, and he’s the more conventional right-handed option.

TIER 4: You Get What You Give

31. Pedro Strop (Chicago Cubs)

32. Matt Strahm (Kansas City Royals)  

33. Alex Wilson (Detroit Tigers) 

34. Josh Fields (Los Angeles Dodgers) 

35. Taylor Rogers (Minnesota Twins)

36. Bryan Shaw (Cleveland Indians) 

37. Luke Gregerson (Houston Astros) 

38. Kyle Barraclough (Miami Marlins)

39. Hunter Strickland (San Francisco Giants)  

40. Jose Leclerc (Texas Rangers)

41. Michael Feliz (Houston Astros)

42. Matt Barnes (Boston Red Sox) 

43. Joakim Soria (Kansas City Royals) 

44. Matt Albers (Washington Nationals)  

45.  Jose Ramirez (Atlanta Braves) 

46. Brett Cecil (St. Louis Cardinals)  

47. Adam Warren (New York Yankees)

48. James Pazos (Seattle Mariners)

49. Liam Hendriks (Oakland Athletics)

50. Drew Storen (Cincinnati Reds)

• Jose Leclerc is back from the DL and has a chance to rise quickly up this list with a lot of that bullpen struggling at the moment. As long as he can stay healthy and limit walks, he should be a great option in holds leagues.
• All things said, Liam Hendriks has pitched well the past month but still was only able to pick up 2 holds. With Sean Doolittle due back soon and Ryan Madson and Santiago Casilla pitching well, we may be seeing his ceiling right now. You still could do worse in deeper leagues.

TIER 5: There She Goes 

51. Shawn Kelley (Washington Nationals)

52. Paul Sewald (New York Mets)

53. Jerry Blevins (New York Mets) 

54. Nick Vincent (Seattle Mariners) 

55. Mike Dunn (Colorado Rockies) 

56. Danny Farquhar (Tampa Bay Rays)

57. Anthony Swarzak (Chicago White Sox)

58. Ross Stripling (Los Angeles Dodgers) 

59. Joe Kelly (Boston Red Sox)

60. Kevin Siegrist (St. Louis Cardinals)  

61. Andrew Chafin (Arizona Diamondbacks) 

62. Chase Whitley (Tampa Bay Rays) 

63. Nick Wittgren (Miami Marlins)

64. Ryan Tepera (Toronto Blue Jays)

65. James Hoyt (Houston Astros)

66. Fernando Salas (New York Mets)

67. Enny Romero (Washington Nationals)

68. Tony Zych (Seattle Mariners)

69. Ian Krol (Atlanta Braves)

70. Danny Barnes (Toronto Blue Jays)

• Fernando Salas and Enny Romero find their way back in to the rankings after having solid weeks. Ryan Tepera is the most interesting new name here, as he has basically locked down the secondary set-up role in Toronto. He may have a Joe Biagini type career path ahead of him, as he has stated he’d like to move in to the rotation at some point.

 

Top 50 RP’s for SV+HD Leagues

1. Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles Dodgers)

2. Craig Kimbrel (Boston Red Sox)

3. Greg Holland (Colorado Rockies)

4. Andrew Miller (Cleveland Indians)

5. Dellin Betances (New York Yankees)

6. Wade Davis (Chicago Cubs)

7. Roberto Osuna (Toronto Blue Jays)

8. Felipe Rivero (Pittsburgh Pirates) 

9. Mark Melancon (San Francisco Giants)

10. Chris Devenski (Houston Astros) 

11. Raisel Iglesias (Cincinnati Reds)

12. Ken Giles (Houston Astros)

13. Matt Bush (Texas Rangers)

14. Cody Allen (Cleveland Indians)

15. Archie Bradley (Arizona Diamondbacks) 

16. Edwin Diaz (Seattle Mariners)

17. Arodys Vizcaino (Atlanta Braves)

18. Trevor Rosenthal (St. Louis Cardinals)

19. Corey Knebel (Milwaukee Brewers)

20. Will Harris (Houston Astros) 

21. Tommy Kahnle (Chicago White Sox)

22. Alex Colome (Tampa Bay Rays)

23. Mychal Givens (Baltimore Orioles) 

24. Justin Wilson (Detroit Tigers)

25. Seung Hwan Oh (St. Louis Cardinals)

26. Brad Hand (San Diego Padres)

27. Addison Reed (New York Mets)

28. Pedro Baez (Los Angeles Dodgers)

29. Kelvin Herrera (Kansas City Royals)

30. Carl Edwards Jr. (Chicago Cubs) 

31. Brad Brach (Baltimore Orioles)

32. Darren O’Day (Baltimore Orioles)

33. Koda Glover (Washington Nationals) 

34. Ryan Madson (Oakland Athletics)

35. Joe Smith (Toronto Blue Jays) 

36. Bud Norris (Los Angeles Angels)

37. David Robertson (Chicago White Sox)

38. Mike Minor (Kansas City Royals) 

39. David Phelps (Miami Marlins) 

40. Brandon Kintzler (Minnesota Twins)

41. Michael Lorenzen (Cincinnati Reds)

42. Jacob Barnes (Milwaukee Brewers)

43. A.J. Ramos (Miami Marlins)

44. Jim Johnson (Atlanta Braves)

45. Hector Neris (Philadelphia Phillies)

46. Pat Neshek (Philadelphia Phillies)

47. Juan Nicasio (Pittsburgh Pirates)

48. Fernando Rodney (Arizona Diamondbacks)

49. Brandon Maurer (San Diego Padres) 

50. Jake McGee (Colorado Rockies)