Fantasy Baseball: Closing Arguments – Post Trade Deadline

This week’s Closing Arguments is a tour of the new bullpen situations post trade deadline to help fantasy baseball owners find a closer. Closers are actually pretty available in most leagues. We need to look around the league post trade deadline because so much has changed in the past 10 days. First up, the Closer list as of 08 August 2017

Current Closer	Next in line	Team	League	Notes
Zach Britton	Brad Brach	Baltimore	American League
Craig Kimbrel	Joe Kelly	Boston	American League	Got Addison Reed - might get 8th
Aroldis Chapman	Dellin Betances	New York Yankees	American League	added multiple arms
Alex Colome	Brad Boxberger	Tampa Bay	American League
Roberto Osuna	Ryan Tepera	Toronto	American League	Osuna struggling
Tyler Clippard	unknown	Chicago White Sox	American League	No save chances since the trade deadline
Cody Allen	Andrew Miller	Cleveland	American League
Shane Greene	Bruce Rondon	Detroit	American League	Justin Wilson to the Cubs
Kelvin Herrera	Joakim Soria	Kansas City	American League	Traded for Ryan Buchter and Brandon Maurer from the Padres
Matt Belisle	Taylor Rogers	Minnesota	American League	Brandon Kintzler to the Nationals
Ken Giles	Luke Gregerson	Houston	American League	bullpen needs help
Bud Norris	Cam Bedrosian	Los Angeles Angeles	American League
Blake Treinen	Santiago Casilla	Oakland	American League	Sean Doolittle to Nationals
Edwin Diaz	Nick Vincent	Seattle	American League	Acquired David Phelps, so far in the 7th
Roberto Osuna	committee	Texas	American League	3 other players could also get saves
Arodys Vizcaino	Jim Johnson	Atlanta	National League
Brad Zeigler	unknown	Miami	National League	A.J. Ramos to Mets Kyle Barraclough (DL) - shoulder
A.J. Ramos	Jerry Blevins	New York Mets	National League	Reed to BOS Jeurys Familia - Blood clot issue - has resumed throwing
Hector Neris	Luis Garcia	Philadelphia	National League	Pat Neshek sent to COL
Sean Doolittle	Brandon Kintzler	Washington	National League	Acquired Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson and Brandon Kintzler
Wade Davis	Carl Edwards	Chicago Cubs	National League	Carl Edwards is struggling, added Justin Wilson
Raisel Iglesias	Michael Lorenzen	Cincinnati	National League
Corey Knebel	Anthony Swarzak	Milwaukee	National League	Acquired Anthony Swarzak
Felipe Rivero	Juan Nicasio	Pittsburgh	National League
Trevor Rosenthal	Brett Cecil	St. Louis	National League	Rosenthal improving
Fernando Rodney	Archie Bradley	Arizona	National League	Randall Delgado DL elbow
Greg Holland	Jake McGee	Colorado	National League	got Pat Neshek, exact role unknown
Kenley Jansen	Pedro Baez	Los Angeles Dodgers	National League
Brad Hand	Kirby Yates	San Diego	National League	Brandon Maurer Ryan Buchter traded to Royals
Sam Dyson	Hunter Strickland	San Francisco	National League	Mark Melancon DL, has resumed throwing

Who should you add?

The number one add here is clearly Sean Doolittle. He was the subject of a previous Closing Closing Arguments as a member of the lowly Oakland Athletics . His value skyrockets as the closer for the Washington Nationals. The Nationals have a death grip on the NL East and a potent offense. The only dings against Doolittle are that the Nationals now have plenty of fallback options and that his stuff doesn’t blow you away. Still, I am adding him everywhere I can.

Trevor Rosenthal, another Closing Arguments featured closer, is the 1B to Doolittle’s 1A for closers to pickup. Trevor Rosenthal is somehow available in 33% of leagues. The Cardinals project for less wins and Rosenthal has lost this role before. That is why I have him slightly below Sean Doolittle.

Tier 1
Sean Doolittle
Trevor Rosenthal
Brad Hand
Hector Neris

Tier 2
Shane Greene
Matt Belisle
Arodys Vizcaino
Brad Ziegler
Blake Treinen

Tier 3
Jim Johnson
Sam Dyson

Tier 4
Alex Claudio
Jose Leclerc

Brad Hand is the next best option here primarily because of his park and history of good performance out of the pen. However it is still possible he gets dealt in the complicated world of August MLB trades. Hector Neris doesn’t have any competition but the Phillies stink and his park is very hitter friendly.

The next grouping of Shane Greene to Blake Treinen are all serving as their team’s alleged closer. But they all have a weak grip on the role and could be in a committee situation any day now or already. Jim Johnson and Sam Dyson are stuck together as being respectively on the wrong side of a committee or just holding the spot for a DL arm. These are only options for the extremely needy fantasy baseball owner. 

The last two arms are all in the Texas Rangers bullpen. They are relevant due to the struggles and velocity issues for Roberto Osuna. Alas Keone Kela was placed on the DL during this writing.

 

Roberto Osuna’s velocity remains down from earlier in the season, and he’s allowed 9 runs in his last 4.1 innings (5 appearances)

— Brad Johnson (@BaseballATeam) August 8, 2017

 

As per a previous article, I am in the camp pulling for Keone Kela. Yet, Investing in a committee on either a bad team or bad home park [hitter friendly] is liking buying a Jets WR with anything but a late round pick. Don’t do it. Still I listed them because in AL-only leagues you can be desperate for those gambles.

Cut in Standard Leagues (own%):

• Brandon Kintzler (76%)
• David Robertson (67%)
• Brandon Maurer (44%)
• Justin Wilson (42%)
• Tony Watson (39%)
• Pat Neshek (21%)
• Anthony Swarzak (16%)

Fluid situations / trades can still happen so stay tuned here and on the twitter and don’t forget to use the #closingarguments .

 

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