The Hold Up 7/4: Ranking the Top 90 Relievers for Holds Every Thursday

Rick Graham ranks the top pitchers to own for holds.

[holds_list_2019 list_id=”33383″ include_stats=”1″]

While it took longer than expected for Colin Poche to start living up to his preseason hype, the 25-year-old lefty is finally starting to deliver at the highest level. His 39.6% K-BB and 21.9% swinging-strike rate since being called up are fourth-highest among all relievers, and he’s been seeing hold chances of late, with three holds over the past week. He’s currently living off the Josh Hader blueprint, throwing his mid-90s fastball more than 90% of the time, and while it’s working for him now, I want to see his results over a bigger sample size before moving him into the teens or higher.
Despite picking up the loss last night, Austin Adams has been a revelation for the Mariners bullpen as of late, working as the bridge to closer Roenis Elias. While he had had been throwing his fastball around 60% of the time with the Nationals, he’s now flipped that with his slider, which is his true Money Pitch. The walk rate is a little higher than we’d like to see (4.8 BB/9) but the 15.9 K/9 is great and the new role makes him fantasy-relevant for the time being.

Matt Barnes‘ disastrous June finally came to end with the calendar flipping to July, but the long-term damage has been done and now he is in danger to lose out on high-leverage work in the Red Sox bullpen. After allowing 16 hits, 14 runs, and 10 walks over 13 innings this past month, and the fact that Nathan Eovaldi will be closing upon his activation from the IL, Barnes is off the fantasy radar in most leagues for the time being. He’s certainly talented enough to turn things around, but there are better options to chase right now.

AL East