[holds_list_2019 list_id=”34089″ include_stats=”1″]
- Matt Barnes seems to have found himself the past couple weeks and is back to being the Red Sox best setup man again. That will probably change this weekend with Nathan Eovaldi’s return pushing Brandon Workman back into a setup role, but for now, we can consider Barnes an option again in holds leagues. Having reliever inconsistencies of their own, it looks like Ryne Harper is making a push to be the Twins’ most reliable setup option. He barely touches 90 mph and doesn’t strike out a lot of hitters, but he does have great command of his pitches, especially his curveball that holds a 61% strikeout rate and .317 OPS against.
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Colin Poche’s 95% fastball usage seem to finally be catching up to him as the young lefty has been torched for nine earned runs on four home runs over his past four outings. He still has a nice 28:3 K/BB ratio and the 18.7% swinging-strike rate is great, but he needs to find a secondary pitch he can trust to really take the next step toward being an elite reliever. Heath Hembree allowed a triple, double, and a single Tuesday night against the Blue Jays without recording an out, which seems to be a rare feat. He figures to lose out on hold chances with Nathan Eovaldi returning this weekend as the Red Sox reliever carousel keeps turning.
- Adam Morgan and Jake Diekman have both had their fair share of problems in the past, but both seem to be locked in to steady setup roles for now, so that at the very least puts them on the radar in holds leagues. Both have the ability to miss bats at a high rate (15.5% and 16.6% swinging-strike rates respectively), but Diekman’s walk rate (13.1%) leaves something to be desired while Morgan has benefited from a lucky .215 BABIP (.302 career average).
