Seven Viable Firemen
The emergence of the fireman reliever hit the fantasy landscape a couple years back when Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller proved themselves to be entirely too good not to roster despite not occupying a traditional saves role. From there we’ve seen Chris Devenski, Chad Green, and the new king of the role, Josh Hader, emerge as lockdown fantasy options across just about every format.
Here are seven more relievers putting up big numbers that might be worthy of your roster as strikeout and ratio stabilizers. Plus, there’s always a chance that they ascend into the closer’s role as Betances, Miller, and Hader have at times over the last couple years.
Seranthony Dominguez, RP | Philadelphia Phillies| 0.00 ERA, 0.17 WHIP, 35% K in 11.7 IP
Dominguez was a flavor of the week in NFBC leagues a while back after notching a random save and so I considering not including, but he’s still widely available across all three major providers (CBS, Yahoo!, and ESPN) so I got him on the list. He gets whiffs with both his 98 mph fastball and 87 mph slider. He’s allowed a whopping two hits while notching 13 strikeouts in his 10 appearances thus far. He’s got an elite name, elite stuff, and the 23-year old could definitely usurp Hector Neris for the ninth inning role if Neris has extended struggles.
Dan Winkler, RP | Atlanta Braves | 0.84 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 38% K in 21.3 IP
A.J. Minter was my guy coming into the season, but he just hasn’t gotten it done and Winkler has emerged as the best non-closer in the Braves pen. You may remember Winkler from his 175-strikeout season in the minors back in 2013, but injuries took over with a Tommy John surgery in 2014 and then a fractured elbow two innings into his 2016 season. That he’s even pitching in the majors is damn impressive let alone the fact that he’s beasting on the league.
The 28-year old works fastball-cutter primarily, mixing in a slurve when ahead. He destroys righties (.258 OPS, 42% K) while more than holding his own against lefties (.671, 30%). Winkler would be a major free agent buy if Arodys Vizcaino went sideways so speculate now if you’re scrounging for saves.
Amir Garrett, SP/RP | Cincinnati Reds | 2.12 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 32% K in 29.7 IP
The fireman role’s rebirth in baseball is boon for Garrett as he really seems cut out for more of a 1-3 inning role as opposed to the 5-6 asked of starters. His move to the bullpen has added velocity to his fastball (+3 to 94.6 mph) and slider (+3 to 82.4) while allowing him to shelve his mediocre changeup. Lefties have actually knocked the fastball around a bit, giving him a reverse platoon, but his 27% K-BB rate against them is actually better than his 20% mark against righties. Garrett is still a work in progress as he continues to allow too many homers and that’s a big reason why Jared Hughes and not Garrett has jumped into the closer’s role after Raisel Iglesias hit the disabled list. Garrett’s strikeout stuff and ability to go more than one inning regularly gives him a good shot to log 100+ strikeouts out of the bullpen.
Collin McHugh, SP/RP | Houston Astros | 0.79 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 34% K in 22.7 IP
Yep, this is that McHugh, the former starter who rose to some prominence with the Astros, but has been squeezed out by the bevy of studs populating their rotation. He’s been awesome as a reliever this year. He has eight multi-inning outings in his 17 appearances and the strong swinging strike rate we saw throughout his time as a starter is netting more strikeouts than ever for the 31-year old righty. He’s added a couple ticks of velocity to his fastball (now up to 92) while his curveball/slider combo have done the heavy lifting on the strikeout rate. He seems to have taken the multi-inning role from Devenski, who only has two outings eclipsing an inning this year after 24 a year ago.
Joe Kelly, RP | Boston Red Sox | 1.82 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 29% K in 24.7 IP
Is it finally happening? Kelly has long had impressive stuff, but never seems to get the most out of it. In 2016, he spiked a 26% K rate, but did so with a 5.18 ERA. In 2017, he had a 2.79 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, but fanned just 22% of his batters faced. Kelly allowed four runs in a third of an inning to open his season (March 29th), but since then he’s allowed just one run and 16 base runners in 24.3 innings (0.37 ERA, 0.66 WHIP). Maybe he’ll get that Cy Young after all!
Richard Rodriguez, RP | Pittsburgh Pirates | 2.21 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 38% K in 20.3 IP
Rodriguez is a 28-year old journeyman reliever has been extremely successful so far with his fastball (92.9 mph)/slider (80.6 mph) combination. He’s getting ahead often with a shiny 73% first-pitch strike rate and then leveraging a 15% swinging strike rate to finish batters at a fantastic clip. He’s gotten a strikeout in 15 of his 17 appearances (and the two he didn’t were both sub-1 inning outings), including two 6-strikeout showings. Rodriguez’s profile was no doubt raised when Felipe Vazquez left Sunday’s outing with forearm discomfort, but it seems Edgar Santana got more attention in the most recent waiver period on Sunday.
Joe Jimenez, RP | Detroit Tigers | 2.49 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 25% K in 25.3 IP
Could it be? Have the Tigers finally developed a capable reliever for the first time since… forever? OK, I’m sure there’s one in the team’s history, but bullpen issues plagued the club throughout their successful run that preceded this current rebuild. Jimenez labored through a disastrous 19 innings last year, but he’s been much better this year. He has reigned in his 95 mph fastball and turned it into a major weapon. His .491 OPS on the pitch is 8th-best of the 116 pitchers who have thrown at least 250 heaters while his 30% strikeout rate with it is 14th.
—
Any middle relievers with devastating stuff you’re keeping a close eye on as a potential assets?
Love these guys. Any way you can note which guys (like Garrett and McHugh) who qualify as SPs? They helps me fill in the gaps around my weekly points league start caps.
Gsellman is SP eligible. Although he’s not as dominant as the guys mentioned above (3.72 SIERA, 22% K), he makes it up a bit with volume (33.2 IP)
Speaking of Mets, Seth Lugo is another, but he’ll be starting Thursday in place of Thor.
Taylor Williams 35% K Rate is nice, and hitters are going to hack and K when hes brought in with big leads.
Great list, some guys I might add would be Jace Fry, Jeremy Jeffress, Will Smith. Does the thing the Rays have been doing with Ryan Yarbrough qualify? Because he has quietly put up nice numbers, backed by a decent K-BB and big popup rate.
Agree with the commenter above, SP-eligible relievers can be really solid in daily lineup formats. Seranthony has been elite, but the SP-elig is the cherry on top. Gsellman, Lugo are two others that fit that mold, though both could be slotted back into the rotation at any moment now. Jonny Venters is also a guy to watch in that vein, IMO.
Joe Kelly always had a blistering fastball. But his curve this year is something I have never seen from him before. Sharper, better control – really devastating pitch. I am absolutely buying him as a (more than merely) viable fireman. I think he is the Red Sox best reliever – better than Kimbrel this year.
Seranthony Dominguez looks so smooth – his 99 mph heat seems out-of-nowhere. He seems like a potential long term closer.
Richard Rodriguez should get plenty of holds and some saves with Felipe Rivero/Vasquez hurt (dreaded forearm tightness). But I like Edgar Santana more.
Loving Jace Fry on my roster. Too bad he’s a lefty.
Ya, he just missed the cut because the K% isn’t off the charts and I don’t see a big IP total.
Don’t think McHugh has taken Devenski’s role. Devenski did fit that definition of a fireman. McHugh’s first 16 appearances were with Houston either trailing, or up by 5+. This week’s game, when he entered in the 12th with the game tied, and was sent back out for the 13th with a 1-run lead which he then gave up, is the first time he’s been trusted more, and he failed. Whereas Devenski was trusted with a tied game or small lead in more than half his appearances.
Ratios are nice, but he seems to be the least trusted member of their bullpen.
Pardon my lack of clarification, I just meant as a multi-inning guy. Devo has more than an IP just twice this year. He is definitely still their go-to guy, though.
Paul was right here buddy, devenski took the three step process from erstwhile starter (2015/16) to elite multi inning (2017) to finally best reliever on the team (2018) and mchugh is now CLEARLY the long guy its not even a debate..
if i were you id worry about peacock hes not a reliever either but he has higher leverage roles because the astros pen isnt there yet
Right, just meant that Devenski was the multi-inning do everything fireman, just like Hader is this year or Miller has been in the past. He’s transitioned into the more traditional setup role, whereas McHugh’s just the long guy, like a more effective Tyler Glasnow.
Was basically quibbling over calling them all firemen. some on the list are trusted with high leverage stuff and also trusted to go longer than 1IP. Some on the list are putting up decent numbers but aren’t trusted, being in low leverage situations probably contributes to them staying in for more than 1 IP.
Raisel Iglesias is high on my list of multi-inning types, though he won’t be available. 5 out of 20 this year and 18 out of 63 last year where he pitched longer than an inning. Brad Hand too, with 8 out of 24 this year. Though both of those guys obviously also do the traditional closing job for their team.
Jordan Hicks is another who seems to be stepping into that role, though the Ks aren’t there yet. Has Ked 7 of the last 18 he’s faced after only getting 9 of the first 95.
Yeah Raisel and Hand are beasts at it but unavailable.
Jordan Hicks is SO unimpressive when you consider his stuff. Long way from fantasy viability IMO
Holder is on my radar
How about Ryan Pressly? 1.98 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 32% K, 17% SwStr in 27.1 IP.
Cingrani’s been really good since he joined the Dodgers despite a 55% LOB leading to a 5.89 ERA this year (2.51 FIP, 37% k)
But what about FLAMETHROWER adam cimber?? if only i played NL-only leagues i’d put him above stinkin joe kelly (ok ill be honest im a yankee fan)
Rodriguez doesn’t even have a Hold on the season. Can we really call him a fireman? I love his ratios but that seems to be all he’s good for right now, no?
Paul you like Chad Green more than all of these guys OR NAH
Yes, he’s part of my obvious group w/Hader, Miller, Devo, and Betances and I trust those 5 above all the ones listed here.
Aside from the ones you mentioned above, Paul, I’m also intrigued by Taylor Williams, Jonathan Holder, Jace Fry, Kyle Crick, Tanner Scott, and Ryne Stanek. I’m also keeping an eye on Victor Arano – I think he has the potential to increase his K rate a bit from where it’s already at, but we’ll see. Bracho, too, if he’s ever given a regular role in the Arizona bullpen.
OH… no? He’s been pretty solid. 28 Ks in 25.1 innings in Toronto… Osuna is def gone for the time being and Oh is only 12% owned in yahoo leagues… he’s a decent speculation pickup (for saves) and won’t crush your counting stats 2.13 era 1.11 whip
Oh blew up today, at least the 2nd time that’s happened since Osuna was suspended and I had him active both times. Ugh.