Fantasy baseball: The relievers that can propel your playoff push
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With power down across the board and such a massive run of injuries to starting pitchers, categories like saves and steals can be the difference-makers you need to win your fantasy baseball championship.
Though you can find steals in a variety of places on your waiver wire, finding saves can be a little more difficult. We aren't seeing as much volatility at the position as we have in years past, but there are still a few bullpens that should warrant your attention.
The first two places to check out are the Rangers and the Cubs.
Left-hander Robert Garcia seems to have settled in as the closer for the Rangers, and Danny Palencia seems to be favored over Ryan Pressly for the Cubs.
Robert Garcia has been a stabilizing force at the back-end of the bullpen for the Texas Rangers.
Getty Images
It doesn't feel like Garcia is on solid ground, but given the chronic failures of Luke Jackson and Chris Martin, Garcia going 4-for-6 on save chances seems to be the direction manager Bruce Bochy wants to lean. He prefers to have one guy working the ninth, as we've seen in his managerial stops in San Diego and San Francisco, so expect the leash to stay lengthened.
As for the Cubs' situation, Palencia should be your target for now, but don't expect manager Craig Counsell to sit on his hands and hope for the best. He is notorious for playing matchups, which is why you still see Pressly listed as part of the Cubs' closing team.
But Palencia has been incredibly reliable lately, having allowed just one run over his past 11 appearances, and seems fairly entrenched. He should carry the bulk of the work for now, but stay vigilant on the progress of righty Porter Hodge. He's recovering from an oblique and hip issue and is headed for his rehab assignment. If all looks good, he could be closing in the second half.
One more speculative add can be found with the Diamondbacks. With Arizona announcing closer Justin Martinez is heading into Tommy John surgery, the back end of their bullpen just got flipped upside down. Right-hander Shelby Miller appears to be the safe pick for now if he is available, but given the history and his career 4.04 ERA and 1.32 WHIP, he just doesn't seem long for the role.
In fact, no one on this roster seems long for the role.
Justin Martinez of the Arizona Diamondbacks will undergo Tommy John Surgery.
Getty Images
Should Miller fail and with no prospects on the horizon, manager Torey Lovullo may just have to turn to veteran Kevin Ginkel once again. He has been roughed up recently, but he has posted solid ratios over the past three seasons and is literally the only guy on this staff with any experience in the role.
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Finding saves on your waiver wire has become a much tougher task than in years past. We haven't completely gone back to the late-'90s, when more than a dozen guys were notching 40-plus saves, but the lack of volatility makes your waiver-wire selections that much more important.
Stay ahead of your competition and keep studying those bullpens that are still seeing movement. Adding even just one arm for saves could be your ticket to a title.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning 'Fantasy Alarm Radio Show' on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy baseball news and advice.
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