Deadline Coverage: Miami Has a New Closer
The Astros added some much need bullpen depth with the following trade.
Astros trade outfielder Bryan De La Cruz to Miami for reliever Yimi García
Truthfully, I was hoping for some more closer trades to add to this one, but it’s time to clean the slate and wait for some more trades.
Note: The following players are ranked from most redraft fantasy value added to the most lost.
Up
The 30-year-old righty will likely slot in as the Marlins closer. For Garcia’s last two Saves. Floro setup Garcia.
On the surface, Floro has performed fine with a 2.63 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. Both of those numbers are suppressed by batted ball luck. While his .275 BABIP isn’t completely out of place, not allowing a single home is the kicker. His 48% GB% will allow for a lower than normal home run rate, but it’s impossible to keep every ball in the yard.
Additionally, his 8.6 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 are both below average for a reliever, let alone a closer. His 11.9 K%-BB% ranks 119th among qualified relievers. He’s a fine replacement but isn’t close to being elite.
Bryan De La Cruz
The 24-year-old outfielder has been hitting this season (.324/.362/.518 with 12 HR and 2 SB in AAA) and could be called up by Miami to help fill the outfield void created by the Starling Marte trade. While most of the prospects traded at the deadline are irrelevant for this season, De La Cruz is one of the few to keep an eye on.
Astros Starters
In the last couple of days, the Astros have pieced together a nice bridge to Ryan Pressley by adding Garcia and Kendall Graveman. For a playoff team, the Astros bullpen has struggled to get to Pressley. They are tied for third in the AL Blow Saves (16), fourth in losses (20), and fourth in meltdowns (59). Hopefully, not as many quality starts will be wasted and the starters can come home with a Win.
Same
In my opinion, which is definitely different than others, I think Bender’s value stays the same. While he’s been great (2.27 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 11.4 K/9), the Marlins aren’t likely to use him as a closer thereby keeping his arbitration costs down. He’s a great pitcher to roster to accumulate great ratios and vulture the occasional Win, that was his previous role.
Down
Yimi Garcia
Whenever a closer loses their job, their value tanks but Garcia’s will drop to near nothing. First, he will not even have the eighth-inning role. Graveman will have it. Additionally, Garcia is just not that good. His 3.47 ERA and 1.21 WHIP are acceptable and his 14.6 K%-BB% ranks 90th among qualified relievers. Waiver wire fodder.
Jeff, one of the authors of the fantasy baseball guide,The Process, writes for RotoGraphs, The Hardball Times, Rotowire, Baseball America, and BaseballHQ. He has been nominated for two SABR Analytics Research Award for Contemporary Analysis and won it in 2013 in tandem with Bill Petti. He has won four FSWA Awards including on for his Mining the News series. He's won Tout Wars three times, LABR twice, and got his first NFBC Main Event win in 2021. Follow him on Twitter @jeffwzimmerman.
Why are you so convinced that Floro is the closer and not Bender? Just those last two setup outings by Floor?
What else should be used, gut feeling? It seems like Miami trusts Floro.
Arbitration costs => Bender won’t close.