National League Fantasy Baseball Closer Report (May 31): Edwin Diaz Injury Leaves Chaos in New York

Welcome to this week’s National League Fantasy Baseball Closer Report! Because we now have last week’s first edition to look back on as a baseline, this column will be mostly focused on what has happened over the last seven days. Most teams’ situations will still be the same, but things are constantly changing in MLB bullpens. Let’s take a look.

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Atlanta Braves: Stable — Raisel Iglesias

I said last week that this was one of the simplest situations in the league, and nothing has changed. The Braves only had one save opportunity over the last week, and it went, unsurprisingly, to Raisel Iglesias. Iglesias took care of business with a one-two-three inning, inducing a CJ Abrams lineout and then striking out the final two batters of the game. This lowered his ERA for the season to 2.21 and increased his share of the Braves’ save opportunities to 62.5%

Miami Marlins: Stable — Tanner Scott

Another team without much to report, the Marlins had just one save opportunity this week, and it went to Scott, who faced just three batters en route to his seventh save of the season on Sunday. Following a low-leverage ninth-inning appearance on Wednesday, Scott has now gone 16 appearances and over 40 days without allowing an earned run. 

New York Mets: Chaos — Reed Garrett, Adam Ottavino, Edwin Diaz (IL15)

This week was all over the place for the Mets. Diaz, who has been demoted to a “fluid” role after starting the season as the team’s closer, started the week strong with a seventh-inning hold against the Giants, while has biggest competition in Garrett picked up a loss after a four-run eighth inning. But Diaz then blew a save chance on Saturday and was eventually sent to the IL with a shoulder injury. 

Meanwhile, Ottavino blew a save chance of his own, while Garrett bounced back with a save against the Diamondbacks on Thursday. All three of these names had ERAs above 4.00 for the week (and the now-injured Diaz was the only one below 19.00), so to call this situation uncertain would probably be an understatement.

Philadelphia Phillies: Committee — Jose Alvarado, Jeff Hoffman

The Phillies as a team went without a save this week, as Alvarado blew the only opportunity to a Jacob Stallings home run. To be fair to Alvarado, a one-run lead at Coors Field is about the toughest save opportunity you can find. Meanwhile, Hoffman didn’t allow any runs in his two appearances, picking up a hold along the way. I expect the two to continue to trade off the majority of chances for Philadelphia depending on matchups and game situation.   

Washington Nationals: Stable — Kyle Finnegan

It was more of the same for the Nationals this week. Kyle Finnegan earned two saves in three appearances, allowing zero runs and racking up five strikeouts. Meanwhile, the rest of Washington’s bullpen is now up to six blown saves in six opportunities, as Dylan Floro failed to hold a one-run eighth-inning lead against the Mariners last Friday. Finnegan now has a WHIP below 1.00, and his concerning xERA is slowly creeping down (currently 4.28). As the only player in MLB with 100% of his team’s saves, he is as solid as it gets. 

Chicago Cubs: Unstable — Hector Neris, Mark Leiter Jr., Adbert Alzolay (IL15)

With Alzolay on the IL (and potentially heading for surgery), Leiter Jr. has stepped in alongside Neris as a high-leverage reliever. Both Neris and Leiter saw save opportunities this week … and they both blew them, although Neris was lucky enough to come away with a win. Neris is also clearly still the top option - Leiter’s save opportunity would likely have been a hold if he had managed to convert it, as it was in the eighth inning with Neris presumably tabbed for the ninth. 

The Cubs have shown a willingness to use Neris in high-leverage situations over a traditional closer role, so don’t expect him to ever approach the league leaders in saves, but he is still the reliever to roster. 

Cincinnati Reds: Stable — Alexis Diaz

Alexis Diaz continued his dominance of the Reds’ bullpen this week, recording back-to-back zero-run-allowed saves on Saturday and Sunday. Lucas Sims did get a save of his own (just the second time all season anyone other than Diaz has been called upon in a save situation by the Reds), but it came on Monday and was a relatively low-leverage situation, so this was likely simply a case of Reds’ management choosing not to pitch Diaz in three straight games. With his ERA trending down and his role still the best in the game, Diaz is as safe as they come.

Milwaukee Brewers: Unstable — Trevor Megill, Joel Payamps, Bryan Hudson

Last week, I declared that Megill had separated himself from the pack in the Brewers’ committee since his return from the IL. He did record a save this week, as well as appear in the highest-leverage situation the Brewers faced this week (a 10th-inning tied game against the Cubs) … but he allowed two runs (one earned and one ghost runner) and took the loss in that situation. Meanwhile, Elvis Peguero picked up his first save of the season, although he also picked up a loss on the week. I still think Megill is the closer to roster, but this situation is dangerously close to pure committee status.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Stable — David Bednar

The Pirates didn’t have too many high-leverage situations this week, but Bednar did record the team’s only save, allowing two hits but keeping the Braves off the scoreboard in the ninth inning last Saturday. He also pitched the ninth inning for the second game of their Wednesday doubleheader, maintaining a comfortable 10-2 lead to finish the game out. 

St. Louis Cardinals: Stable — Ryan Helsley

This week was a very mixed bag for Helsley. He was handed the ball in all three save opportunities (and three of the four highest-leverage situations) that the Cardinals saw, and he got the job done each time.

However, he also allowed at least one earned run in each of those three appearances. As a result, previously stellar ERA more than doubled up to 2.52. Given that even this rough week still saw him record a perfect three for three saves, Helsley’s closer job should be fairly safe.     

Arizona Diamondbacks: Stable — Paul Sewald

The Diamondbacks went 1-5 over the last week, with Sewald recording a save in the team’s only win (his only appearance of the week). Meanwhile, Ryan Thompson, who I mentioned last week as a potential threat to Sewald, picked up a loss against the Mets, allowing one run in the eighth inning of a previously tied game. Although it wasn’t a hugely productive week for Sewald, his spot seems safe. 

Colorado Rockies: Unstable — Jalen Beeks, Tyler Kiney, Justin Lawrence (IL15)

The biggest news out of Colorado this week was that Justin Lawrence (who allowed three runs and blew a save on Saturday) was placed on the IL with a shoulder strain on Monday. In his absence, Jalen Beeks (who recorded a save despite one earned run on Monday) is the clear top option for the Rockies. Tyler Kinley also picked up his second save of the season this week, but he’s not a real threat to Beeks’ job with an 8.06 ERA for the year.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Unstable — Evan Phillips (IL15 for now), Daniel Hudson, Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia 

Treinen and Vesia both recorded saves this week, but I would still argue that Hudson (whose one appearance came in a super high-leverage tied ninth-inning game) is still the top option in this bullpen. However, that “is” will likely become a “was” by the end of today - it isn’t confirmed as I write this Friday morning, but all indications are that Phillips will return from his stint on the IL for the Dodgers’ home series against the Rockies. If and when Phillips does return, he should reclaim his role as the closer for one of the best teams in baseball.

San Diego Padres: Stable — Robert Suarez

Suarez picked up two more saves this week, allowing one meaningless run to the Yankees across 1.1 innings but shutting things down where it mattered to hold a one-run lead against the Marlins. Even with that run against the Yankees, Suarez still boasts a stellar 0.73 ERA and 0.689 WHIP for the season. He is also now a perfect 16 for 16 in save opportunities - no other pitcher with a 100% success rate has more than nine (Jhoan Duran).

San Francisco Giants: Stable — Camilo Doval

The Giants won three games this week, and Doval finished on the mound for all three of them, although just one came in a game close enough to earn him a save. Meanwhile, Tyler Rogers imploded when given a save opportunity of his own, recording just one out while allowing three runs (including the walk-off winner) to the Mets. If those results are anything to go by, Doval’s job is very safe.