In this week’s saves and steals, we look at more detailed rankings and take a look at the situation during the All-Star break. And in the steals department, we look at Rece Hinds’ hot start in Cincinnati, Xavier Edwards’ viability in deep leagues and a prospect to consider stashing.
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Closest Fantasy Baseball Rankings
Layer 1: On top
Emmanuel Clase – Cleveland Guardians
Ryan Helsley – St.
Craig Kimbrel – Baltimore Orioles
Clase made a save on Saturday, making 29 saves, a 0.81 ERA, a 0.68 WHIP and a 39/5 K/BB ratio in 44 1/3 innings at the All-Star break. More strikeouts would be ideal, but you can’t ask for much more from the 26-year-old right-hander. Helsley finished the first half as the major league saves leader at 32. And despite having one save and coming away with a game-winner on a wild finish against the Yankees before the break, Kimbrel had an excellent season, with an ERA of 2 .80, 0.96 WHIP and 53 strikeouts while converting 23 saves in 35 1/3 innings.
Tier 2: The Elite
Mason Miller – Oakland Athletics
Josh Hader-Houston Astros
Kirby Yates – Texas Rangers
Miller leads all relievers in strikeouts at the break with 70 to go with a 2.27 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 15 saves in 39 2/3 innings. Hader comes in just behind Miller in strikeouts with 67. After posting a 6.39 ERA in April, he has recorded a 2.76 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and a 46/6 K/BB ratio in his last few 29 1/3 innings. A third closer in the AL West completes this tier with Yates. The 37-year-old right-hander enjoyed an incredible resurgence season, posting a 1.05 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 46 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings while converting 16 saves. Yates and David Robertson formed an excellent duo to close out the late Texas innings.
Tier 3: The Solid Options
Andrés Muñoz – Seattle Mariners
Robert Suárez – San Diego Padres
Raisel Iglesias-Atlanta Braves
Kenley Jansen-Boston Red Sox
Jhoan Duran – Minnesota Twins
Evan Phillips-Los Angeles Dodgers
Clay Holmes-New York Yankees
Paul Sewald-Arizona Diamondbacks
Edwin Diaz-New York Mets
Kyle Finnegan – Washington Nationals
Trevor Megill – Milwaukee Brewers
While strikeouts have dropped a bit, Muñoz has been steady as Seattle approaches, converting 15 saves with a 1.41 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 46 strikeouts in 38 1/3 first-half innings. Suarez started well, making 17 saves in May. Since then, he has converted just five since the start of June. Still, he’s been incredibly solid for the Padres, with an elite 1.67 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 37 2/3 innings.
Iglesias finished the first half with 22 saves and a 2.02 ERA in 35 2/3 innings. His strikeout rate has increased over the past two months after a slow start, with a strike rate of 9.31 K/9 and 15.7% since May 15. Jansen is another veteran performing well late in his career. He got the job done in Boston, converting 19 saves with a 2.16 ERA in 33 1/3 innings at the All-Star break.
Duran’s strikeouts fell short of his career standard. Still, he posted a 2.93 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP while converting 15 saves in 30 2/3 innings of work. Griffin Jax remains one of the best relievers to climb into deeper formats and holds leagues, recording a 1.91 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 42 1/3 frames.
Phillips stumbled a bit to close out the first half, wasting his last two save chances. He allowed runs to score in four of his last six starts before the break. Daniel Hudson, Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen were incredibly effective in setup roles. The All-Star break also came at a good time for Holmes, who has a 7.45 ERA and has converted just two saves in the last month. Meanwhile, Sewald bounced back from a rough patch with three straight scoreless games to close the first half after giving up seven runs in three games.
Díaz returned from suspension and managed three saves and a win. And since coming off the injured list on June 13, he has thrown 6 2/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.
Finnegan was surprisingly one of the best closers in the first half, converting 25 saves with a 2.45 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 42 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings. The Nationals already traded Hunter Harvey to the Royals before the All-Star break. Finnegan could be next in line before the trade deadline.
Megill did an excellent job approaching the Brewers. He was 18 in 20 save chances with a 2.05 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 37 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings. Devin Williams has begun a rehab assignment as he waits to return from a back injury during spring training. He struck out three batters in a perfect inning Sunday at High-A Wisconsin. It may not be long before he is activated from the major league roster and back into the closer role.
Level 4: there are advantages here
Pete Fairbanks – Tampa Bay Rays
Tanner Scott-Miami Marlins
Jeff Hoffman/José Alvarado – Philadelphia Phillies
Carlos Estévez – Los Angeles Angels
Camilo Doval – San Francisco Giants
Alexis Díaz – Cincinnati Reds
David Bednar – Pittsburgh Pirates
Chad Green/Yimi García – Toronto Blue Jays
James McArthur – Kansas City Royals
Fairbanks is another reliever who isn’t getting the strikeouts we’re used to seeing. Still, he’s been solid for the Rays, converting 17 saves with a 3.21 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 32 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings during the All-Star break.
Scott has been fantastic in Miami. He has allowed just two runs, both in one outing, since April 14, recording a 1.34 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings while converting 14 saves. However, his time as a closer could be in jeopardy if he is traded to a competitor at the trade deadline.
Alvarado stumbled heading into the All-Star break, giving up at least one run in four of his last seven starts. Meanwhile, Hoffman appears to be gaining more and more confidence in the ninth inning, with four of his nine saves coming in recent weeks. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him lead the team in defense in the second half.
Estévez is another point to watch at the negotiation deadline. The Angels appear to be in a position to sell and the 31-year-old right-hander could be one of the most attractive players on the market with an expiring contract. He posted a 2.61 ERA, a 0.77 WHIP and a 31/4 K/BB ratio in 31 innings while converting 17 saves. He has been particularly good over the last two months, with no racing allowed since May 20th.
It’s been an extremely inconsistent season for Doval, mainly due to his high walk rate and harder contact allowed. The 27-year-old right-hander was 17 in 21 save chances with a 4.38 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 49 strikeouts in 37 innings. Much of the same can be applied to Díaz, who has also struggled with walk issues but hasn’t been able to strike out as many batters, which leads to greater volatility. Rounding out this group of disappointing finishers is Bednar, who was activated from the injured list last week and recorded his 17th save. He has battled some oblique issues this season and has struggled on the mound with a 5.01 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 33 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings.
With Jordan Romano and Yimi García on the injured list, Green stepped into the closer role, converting six saves for the Blue Jays. García has already joined the team and is expected to be activated before returning to action on Friday after the break.
McArthur did a good job in Kansas City, converting 17 saves with a 3.99 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 38 1/3 innings. We don’t often see closers sustain his role with 7.04 K/9, so newly acquired reliever Hunter Harvey could be a name to watch during the second half.
Tier 5: Just Surviving
Jason Foley – Detroit Tigers
Héctor Neris – Chicago Cubs
Michael Kopech-Chicago White Sox
Jalen Beeks/Victor Vodnik – Colorado Rockies
Like McArthur, Foley has struggled with hitting misses, striking out just 25 batters in 33 1/3 innings. He has converted just six saves in the last three months after blocking nine through April.
The ever-volatile Neris has been solid over the last month. He has as many as 13 saves with a 3.86 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 35 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings. Across town, Kopech has nine saves with a 5.05 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 41 innings for the White Sox. In Colorado, Vodnik and Beeks have traded saves recently, with Beeks leading the team with nine saves.
Injured
Devin Williams – Back
Jordan Romano – Elbow
Robbery Department
Elly De La Cruz is running away with the league lead in first-half steals, swiping 46 bases while slashing .256/.346/.483 with 17 home runs, 64 runs scored and 43 RBI in 412 plate appearances. His Cincinnati teammate, Rece Hinds, was one of the most added players last week. The 23-year-old outfielder is off to an incredible start, hitting .423/.464/1.192 with five homers, 11 RBI and two steals in his first seven games. While impressive, it would be smart to temper expectations and even consider selling on the rise. Hinds struck out nearly 40 percent of the time with just a .698 OPS in 328 Triple-A plate appearances. On the polar end of the contact spectrum, Xavier Edwards has a .352 batting average and a 16.4 percent strikeout rate in 61 plate appearances with the Marlins. He has stolen three bases in the last four games. While he doesn’t provide any power, Edwards provides a solid hitting tool and can complement some speed in deeper leagues. And Houston’s Shay Whitcomb could be a prospect to consider for the second half. The 25-year-old infielder is slashing .298/.383/.535 with 19 home runs and 22 steals in 376 plate appearances at Triple-A.
