So far, so good for Gregory Soto, with the lefty closer picking up three saves here in the early going while allowing just one earned run. The strikeouts are down, but also is his slider usage which I can’t imagine will be the trend for the entirety of the season. Michael Fulmer has also pitched well and while he does have one save to his name, it doesn’t look like he’s going to cut into Soto’s chances anytime soon. Fulmer is also more likely to be moved at the deadline than Soto given his contract situation, so something to keep in mind if deciding between the two Tigers relievers in SV+HLD leagues.
Notes
- The Twins finally gave us a save chance this season and it was Emilio Pagán who worked the ninth, with electric rookie Jhoan Duran getting the seventh (and the complete opposite of “electric rookie” Joe Smith working the eighth). I’m not exactly interested in Pagán just yet, Duran is clearly the better upside play here for the long run and there’s no reason to think Pagán’s role is set in stone yet.
- Clay Holmes has gotten off to a fantastic start this season and with speculation as to who the Yankees may turn to should Aroldis Chapman falter, I feel like I’m not hearing Holmes name enough. Since his trade to the Yankees last July, Holmes has been one of the best relievers in baseball, ranking second in WAR, xFIP, and SIERA.
- Daniel Bard has been great this year and while I still have some reservations it’s worth noting his current pitch usage, as throwing his slider 64% of the time is a huge chance for him. He went slider 46% of the time last year as his fastball was getting hammered. If he keeps up this usage, it could be a good season for Bard, but we’ll see how his arm holds up this way.
- Luis García returned from the IL this past week and while the Padres bullpen is a bit crowded, it’s worth keeping in mind that García was considered for the closer role prior to his injury (and the Taylor Rogers trade). The Padres face off with the Dodgers this weekend and we should get a better sense of how the bullpen will shake out moving forward then.
- With Lou Trivino on the Covid IL, Dany Jiménez is getting a chance to close out games for the Athletics and so far things have gone smooth. Trivino will probably get his job back, but it looks like the A’s finally found their #2 bullpen option in Jiménez who’s slider, a pitch he is throwing 57.3% of the time, currently has a 60.9% Whiff rate on the season.
- Scott Barlow, David Bednar, Josh Hader, Clay Holmes, Josh Staumont, Devin Williams, and Steven Wilson all had 3 SV+HLD’s over the past week. Most of these names shouldn’t be surprising, expect Wilson who has gotten off to a hot start for the Padres. I’m interested in seeing how he fares against tougher competition moving forward as he hasn’t exactly faced any tough hitters this season.
Injured List
| PITCHER | TIER | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Pressly | 2-3 | Knee. Chance he returns this week, but not sure thats the smart move. |
| Drew Pomeranz | 3-5 | Flexor Tendon. Starting the year on the 60 day IL so don’t expect to see him until June/July. |
| Nick Anderson | 3-5 | UCL. It’s looking like another potential short season for Nick Anderson, who will be out until (at least) the All-Star break. |
| Ken Giles | 3-5 | Finger tendon injury. Giles was making his way back from TJS this spring before a finger injury derailed him. Expect him back by June |
| Kirby Yates | 3-6 | TJS. Don’t expect to see Yates until after the All-Star break (at the earliest). If he’s back to his normal self, he should be a top 50 RP. |
| José Leclerc | 4-6 | TJS. Similar story to Yates, but he has a higher chance to close out games despite a lower overall floor. |
| Jonathan Hernández | 4-6 | TJS. Should also return at some point this season to help boost the Rangers pen, but likely not as a closer. |
| Pete Fairbanks | 4-6 | Torn Lat. Tough break for Fairbanks who will now miss at least 3 months of the season. Look for him to be back around the All-Star break. |
| Tommy Kahnle | 4-7 | TJS. Kahnle should be ready to go early in the 2022 season, but how he looks or what his role will be remains to be seen. Started rehab assignment this week |
| James Karinchak | 5-8 | Shoulder. A teres muscle strain has shut down Karinchak for the time being, with no timetable to date. Perhaps late May is realistic. |
| Andrew Chafin | 6-8 | Groin. While it sounds like a minor injury, Chafin will still miss some time to start the year with his new club. Had a setback recently in a bullpen session. |
| Joe Kelly | 6-8 | Biceps. Kelly is still recovering from the nerve issue injury he sustained in last years NLCS. He should be available at some point in May. |
| Jorge Alcala | 6-9 | Elbow. Alcala landed on the IL after a significant drop in velo during his latest outing. Remains to be seen how long he will be out. |
| Dylan Floro | 6-9 | Arm. Floro is also dealing with arm soreness and likely to miss a couple weeks to begin the year. Once he returns, he should factor back into the saves mix. |
| JT Chargois | 6-9 | Oblique. The side injury for Chargois has been classified as minor and he should be back in May, but obliques can be tricky |
Photo by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)
