Outlook Anthony Bender
Bender Dominates in Setup Role, Elevating Value in Holds Leagues
Anthony Bender has been stellar of late, posting a sharp 2.00 ERA and 11 strikeouts over his last 4.5 innings. His surge supports the fourth-place Marlins (36-36), who are riding a hot streak with eight wins in their last ten games. With Andrew Nardi and Josh Ekness sidelined, Bender has locked down his role as Miami's primary late-inning setup man.
While our season projection predicted a conservative 3.98 ERA, Bender's current run mirrors his superb 2.39 ERA from last year. His elite strikeout rate over the last 30 days, featuring 18 punchouts in 10.8 innings, indicates his swing-and-miss stuff is fully back. Expect him to continue limiting damage as a highly sustainable late-inning asset.
Miami plays six games this week, opening with three tough road matchups against the division-rival Phillies before hosting the Giants. Our models project Bender for a pristine 2.32 ERA and 0.94 WHIP over 2.1 expected innings. He remains a high-value contributor in holds and high-leverage formats, making him a priority weekly hold.
Updated 11 hrs ago
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Outlook Kevin Kelly
Kevin Kelly's elite control and solidifying setup role make him a key holds target
After a difficult 2025 season where his ERA ballooned to 6.96, Kevin Kelly has bounced back in a major way for the second-place Rays, asserting himself as a vital late-inning weapon. Currently slotting in as a key setup option in Tampa Bay's bullpen, Kelly has benefited from a series of injuries to fellow relievers Edwin Uceta and Steven Wilson. This has cleared a path for consistent high-leverage opportunities, which was highlighted by a recent crucial save against the Red Sox. At 28 years old, Kelly is pitching with the confidence of a seasoned high-leverage arm.
The underlying numbers suggest Kelly's turnaround is highly sustainable. Across 27.0 innings of work this year, he has logged a sparkling 2.67 ERA and an elite 0.93 WHIP, which stands in stark contrast to our conservative season projection of a 3.89 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. The secret to his success has been pinpoint control, having walked only six batters all season. While he remains more of a groundball specialist than a pure bat-misser—averaging under a strikeout per inning—his ability to limit base runners keeps his ratios incredibly clean and protects his fantasy value.
For fantasy managers, Kelly is a highly valuable asset in leagues that reward holds, and he is a useful ratio stabilizer even in standard formats. While his lack of consistent save opportunities caps his absolute ceiling, his reliable volume and ability to protect ERA and WHIP make him a very safe floor play. He should be rostered and active in all deep and holds-leagues as he continues to play a prominent late-inning role for a winning club.
Updated 11 hrs ago
