Roto Riteup: May 17, 2026

Just a good old-fashioned complete game shut out, including lucky strikeout number 13, a new career high for Cristopher Sánchez.

On the Agenda: 

1. Closer Chaos
2. Quick Hits
3. Various News and Notes
4. Streaming Pitchers
5. Ottoneu Six Picks

Closer Chaos

George Soriano gave up a homer (and you’ll see below, it was no cheapie) but still got his second save for the Cardinals. Riley O’Brien had gone back to back days and three of the last four, so this was likely just a break for him. But Soriano does seem to be the second-choice righty.

Antonio Senzatela made a rare single-inning appearance Saturday, locking down his third save. His role is clearly still evolving, but I would be surprised if he is suddenly going to be used as a traditional closer.

Pete Fairbanks allowed an unearned run but ended up with the ever-popular BS-W – his second blown save and first win on the season. Rays closer Bryan Baker also gave up a run in the 9th – he was the one who put Fairbanks in a position to blow a save. With both closers out of the way, the two teams combined for 11 runs in the 10th inning, with the Marlins scoring eight for a 10-5 win. That was an unexpected final score for a game where two starting pitchers combined for 12 innings of one run (one unearned run) ball with 10 strikeouts. The pens didn’t do justice to Nick Martinez or Sandy Alcantara.

Bryan Abreu got his second save. I don’t think I was alone in thinking he might be pushing double digits by now, but he is closer to a double-digit ERA (7.80) than save count. And this wasn’t prime Abreu, either, as he went 1.1 IP with a walk and a hit, but no strikeouts. At least he didn’t allow any runs this time.

Here’s a new one: Chad Patrick got his first save for the Brewers. He piggybacked Logan Henderson (5 IP, 7 K, 1 BB, 1 ER, 6 H) and pitched the final four frames (3 K, 0 BB, 1 H, 0 R) for the atypical save. Given the score (2-1), this is interesting only because Patrick might keep being used this way and, if so, he might get more saves just be being allowed to finish if he is pitching well.

Two walks without a strikeout isn’t what we expect from Aroldis Chapman, but he still got his tenth save. He came in after Peyton Tolle matched Bryce Elder by going 8 innings. Tolle allowed two runs on four hits and a walk, but only had three strikeouts. Elder also only had three strikeouts, but allowed three runs on seven hits.

The Giants turned to Matt Gage for his first save. That bullpen is unsettled and Gage has a 1.40 ERA. Caleb Killian finished the 8th, Keaton Winn seems like he was available, Erik Miller struggled through 0.2 to end the 7th and start the 8th. So it seems like San Francisco had options and Gage was the one they picked.

Devin Williams got his 6th save, with a clean inning against the Yankees. Jeremiah Estrada got his first for the Padres, but I don’t think we have a closer debate in San Diego. Cade Smith got his 14th for Cleveland.

Quick Hits

Mitch Garver and Brendan Donovan were both late scratches for the Mariners, though neither situation seems serious. Garver has had some back-tightness and the Mariners called Donovan’s absence “load management.” They should both be back soon.

Friday we learned that Blake Snell would miss some time; Saturday we got the confirmation that he needs surgery. The Dodgers expect him back this year, but sounds like that isn’t a given and it might be very late this year. You might want to wait for more news, given how things shifted with Tarik Skubal, but Snell might be a drop in redraft, especially if you need a roster spot. Even in formats like Ottoneu, the cap space might be more valauble than he is.

Heliot Ramos hit the IL with a quad strain. The Giants are saying the 10-day IL stint will be longer than that; at least a couple of weeks, and maybe more.

Various News and Notes

Casey Mize lowered his ERA on the year to 2.43 with six shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out four. Mize has had runs like this in the past, but he is currently posting a career-high K-rate and a career-high K%-BB%. Sometimes that can be misleading – a “career-high” season might not actually be the best six-week run he has had, but even if you look at a rolling graph of his performance, this stands out:

He has increased his swinging strike rate without much of a repertoire change, but he seems to be locating his pitches differently. For example, in 2025 his four-seamer was mostly middle up to lefties and outer-third but a little too down the middle to righties. This year, he is pushing that pitch down and away to lefties and much closer to the outside corner to righties. That’s a pretty intriguing change.

Brenton Doyle singled, doubled and scored twice. That may not seem like a big deal, but that was only his fifth multi-hit and third multi-run game of the year. Doyle seemed like a prime bounce back candidate but it hasn’t happened. He has increased his swing speed, which seems like a good thing, but he is striking out way too much and the faster swings are not turning into harder contact. Ketel Marte singled, doubled and walked in that same game, and he could also use a change in his fortunes.

The Nats may have pushed Cade Cavalli a little further than necessary. He threw six shutout innings but then gave up three runs while only getting one out in the 7th. He finished with 8 K and 0 BB, but did allow a couple of homers. Cavalli’s velocity was up across the board, but he managed only eight whiffs, relying on called strikes to pile up those strikeouts. That’s not often sustainable. But I think we are seeing growth from Cavalli.

There has been chatter that Bubba Chandler might be destined for a trip to the minors when Jared Jones gets healthy, and he didn’t help his case Saturday. He lasted just three innings, striking out two and walking four, inching him ever closer to having the same number of walks (31) as strikeouts (36) on the season. The real concern though, is that Chandler has always had this problem. He seemed to have put the walks behind him in his 31.1 MLB IP last year, but even that came after a 12% Triple-A walk rate. Some time in the minors to reset can’t hurt, but it is worth wondering: how much should we be lowering our expectations for Chandler’s peak? Another stint in Triple-A will push him over 400 minor league innings, and there isn’t much evidence he can fix this issue.

The Chicago White Sox are over .500, and they are fun. Munetaka Murakami hit a couple more HR (he now has 17), but he wasn’t alone – Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery, and Andrew Benintendi joined him. I don’t think there is much to see with Beni, but the other three are all players I am holding or continuing to buy, where I can. Speaking of buying Sox, Davis Martin pitched six more strong innings with 7 K, 0 BB, and 1 ER on 5 H. His ERA is now 1.61.

I was asked in yesterday’s comments if I would have started Connor Prielipp against Milwaukee. I didn’t get back in time to answer, but…let’s go with yes? Six innings of 2-run baseball (only 1 ER) with 8 strikeouts for Prielipp.

Shohei Ohtani hasn’t been himself at the plate this year, but as part of an offensive explosion from the Dodgers (I hope you benched Jose Soriano…), the reigning MVP doubled, tripled, and stole a base. He was one of only two Dodgers with two hits – pretty wild when you score 15 runs! – but the Angels walked nine and committed two errors. That allows 10 hits to go a long way!

Streaming Pitchers

Streamers are under 50% rostered on CBS.

Pitcher for Today: I gave you two good options yesterday, so I am sticking with what I said in that article and telling you there is no one I trust today. Roki Sasaki is closest, but I don’t have faith in him to find the zone enough.

Pitcher for Tomorrow: Walbert Ureña (LAA, 14%) vs. ATH

If this were in Sacramento, I would be out. Anaheim isn’t exactly a pitcher’s paradise, but it is enough for me.

Ottoneu Six Picks

A new addition to my Roto Riteups will be sharing my Ottoneu Six Picks lineups. You can read more about Six Picks here but the concept is simple: six lineup spots (C, CI, MI, OF, SP, RP); $120 to fill those six spots; Ottoneu FanGraphs Points scoring. The only thing to keep in mind: Your SP will only score points if he starts and your RP will only grab points if he relieves. So no grabbing an RP-eligible player slated to start today.

For my Sunday lineup, I am going to introduce you to the “Otto-picker,” a big green button on top of the Six Picks lineup page. Click this and it’ll set a legal lineup for you. You can keep what it picks, or swap out the pieces you don’t love. Here is what it gave me – and what I landed on:

• Samuel Basallo ($7.00) – I can live with this, especially against a RHP that doesn’t scare me.
• Kyle Karros ($0.50) – Even at home, there isn’t enough in this bat to accept this choice. I swapped him out for an $8 Josh Naylor.
• Matt McLain ($5.75) – I don’t love this. Not at all. But if I take him out and he tortures the Guardians, I’ll be doubly upset. I’ll accept the Otto-picker supplied hedge.
• Aaron Judge ($78.75) – Can’t turn this down, right?
• Peter Lambert ($0.50) – I don’t really know that I understand Lambert, but he keeps on keeping on.
• Michael Soroka ($0.5o) – He is set to start, so this isn’t really a valid choice for the relief spot. Andrés Muñoz for $13.75 is a better choice, so in he goes.