In the world of fantasy baseball, the bullpen is a critical component, and the recent upheaval in several teams' closer roles has left many managers scratching their heads. From injuries to poor performance, the dynamics of these bullpens are ever-changing, and it's essential to stay on top of the latest developments. Let's take a closer look at some of the most intriguing bullpens in the league and the players who are stepping up to fill the void.
A Change is Coming
Phillies
Jhoan Duran, the top reliever to target, is currently sidelined with a strained oblique, but Brad Keller is poised to step up and replace him. However, Jose Alvarado, who has 30 saves over the past three years, could also factor in when the matchups are right. While neither has been particularly sharp so far, Alvarado has been the worst of the two.
Cubs
The Cubs also lost their closer, Daniel Palencia, to an oblique strain, and their situation is made worse by the absence of Phil Maton and Hunter Harvey. This has left Caleb Thielbar as the front-runner by default, and he has been used like a closer twice over the weekend. The Cubs bullpen is currently lefty-dominant, which works in Thielbar's favor.
Astros
Bryan Abreu's fastball is down 2 mph, and he has no confidence in his delivery right now, forcing the Astros to experiment with other options in the ninth inning. Enyel De Los Santos has been around long enough for us to know he's not cut out for the role, and Bryan King has failed to preserve a tie in the ninth. The Astros' future as a closer remains uncertain until Josh Hader returns or Abreu regains his confidence.
A Change May Be Coming
Blue Jays
Jeff Hoffman has struggled to follow through on his claim of increasing his slider usage, and as a result, he's encountered many of the same issues he faced a year ago. Manager John Schneider has been steadfast in his support, but everyone reaches a breaking point eventually. Louie Varland, who has struck out 16 batters in 11 innings so far, would make the most sense as a replacement if Schneider reaches his breaking point with Hoffman.
Dodgers
After a velocity dip, Edwin Diaz was backed off for nine days. Manager Dave Roberts turned to Diaz in the eighth inning of a tie game, and he gave up three earned runs without recording an out. The Dodgers owe Diaz $60 million over the next three years, so he will return to the closer role at some point. However, a longer break may be in the offing, and Alex Vesia has recorded each of the Dodgers' past two saves. Tanner Scott makes more sense as a closer fill-in, given his past experience in the role.
Brewers
Manager Pat Murphy hasn't said much about Trevor Megill's claim to the closer role, but if actions speak louder, well, they're a bit confused as well. Abner Uribe has put himself in a better standing, so I'll go with that view here, but my suspicion is that Murphy would prefer to have Megill in the role if the 32-year-old can navigate out of this bumpy stretch.
Rangers
The Rangers seemed to have settled on Jake Junis as their closer, but his usage since then hasn't been typical. Manager Skip Schumaker is still weighing his options, and Cole Winn, who worked the ninth inning for a save when Junis was unavailable, is an interesting option. However, his usage since then hasn't been in line with what you'd expect from a closer.
Not Clear What's Going On
Reds
Emilio Pagan was diagnosed with a mild hamstring strain but has appeared in two of the Reds' past three games, recording a save in one but blowing a save in the other. Manager Terry Francona is reluctant to work Pagan on back-to-back days until fully healthy, and it's still possible the right-hander could land on the IL if he isn't recovering fast enough.
Pirates
Gregory Soto recorded the Pirates' first save back on April 3, and for a while, it seemed like Dennis Santana was being used mostly in the eighth. However, Santana's past six appearances have all been in the ninth or 10th, and he remains the preferred choice for Fantasy. Manager Don Kelly may still view them as a tandem, but Santana would appear to be the preferred choice for Fantasy.
Giants
Manager Tony Vitello identified Ryan Walker, Keaton Winn, and Erik Miller as relievers he could use in the ninth, and the team's latest save went to the left-handed Miller on Thursday. However, the latest save chance went to the right-handed Walker, who failed to convert. He remains the front-runner because of his history, but Winn has seen the most consistent usage and has the fewest red flags.
White Sox
Seranthony Dominguez has struggled with control, blowing two saves while recording four. Manager Will Venable seems to have a different role in mind for Grant Taylor, one that allows him to throw a couple of innings at a time. The White Sox actually ponied up for Dominguez this offseason, agreeing to pay him $20 million over the next two years, and that's such an uncommon investment for them that you have to figure he'll have a considerable leash.
Athletics
Joel Kunel now leads the Athletics with three saves, but Mark Leiter and Hogan Harris have each notched a save. Kunel didn't set up for either of them, but he's emerging as the clearest front-runner this team has had so far this year.
Royals
Lucas Erceg reeled off five quick saves for the Royals after Carlos Estevez hit the IL with a foot contusion, but Erceg's latest chance saw him cough up a two-run lead for a loss. Upon closer inspection, he hasn't actually been pitching all that well, giving up hard contact with an embarrassingly low swinging-strike rate. Estevez will soon begin a rehab assignment, but he'll need to regain significant velocity before he can return to the closer role.
Marlins
The unusual usage for Pete Fairbanks started with him being deployed as an opener, but normalcy seems to be being restored in the Marlins bullpen. His return outing saw him work the eighth inning rather than the ninth, coughing up the lead in the process. More reps are needed to say for sure, but normalcy seems like it's being restored in the Marlins bullpen.
