Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: 3 Trending Up and 3 Trending Down
We check in on six fantasy baseball closers and examine how they've performed over the past couple weeks.
It's time for another MLB closer update, where we highlight three fantasy baseball closers trending up and down.
We'll look at stats since August 13, which was the last time we did a closer update. Let's dive in!
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Trending Up
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
Over the timeframe we are using, four saves is the most any reliever has gotten. Iglesias is one of four relievers who has earned four saves, and he's only pitched that many times in that stretch.
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Over 4 1/3 innings, he's allowed a run on three hits and three walks, while also striking out three.
He's been a pretty good fantasy asset most of the season, and he's trending up as August winds down. With Atlanta being a good team and winning often, Iglesias should remain a high-level fantasy closing option for the remainder of the season.
Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays
Baker also has earned four saves over the timeframe we are using in this article. He pitched in six games total.
Unfortunately, in the two appearances he didn't earn a save, Baker took two losses. He only allowed one earned run (three total) on six hits and a walk, while also striking out seven.
So despite the two losses, Baker has pitched pretty well of late. He's a good fantasy option down the stretch as well with the Rays being one of the better teams in the league, and winning a lot of tight games.
Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Smith also earned four saves over the past couple weeks. He pitched in six games in total.
He worked 5 1/3 innings over those six appearances, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks - he also hit two batters. Smith worked out of more trouble by striking out seven batters.
Smith has been one of the better fantasy relievers all season, so it's no surprise to see him trending up of late. Cleveland wins a lot of tight games as well, so he's got a good outlook down the stretch in the fantasy world.
Trending Down
Andres Munoz - Seattle Mariners
Munoz earned four saves over the past couple weeks, but his other two appearances resulted in blown saves, and one loss.
He has also surrendered six runs (five earned) on five hits and three walks over that span, so a 7.94 earned run average puts him in the trending down category. His four saves and 10 strikeouts in that stretch are masking some otherwise concerning outings for Munoz.
Seattle has found a little life of late, which gives Munoz more fantasy value down the stretch. He needs to lock in and limit runs/baserunners to be a better fantasy pitching option though, so we'll see which way he goes from here.
Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs
Palencia just returned from the injured list, but two rough appearances already puts him back on the trending down list.
He worked 1 2/3 innings over those appearances, allowing three runs on two hits and a walk - he's struck out three along the way. Something else worth noting is that he's worked the seventh and eighth innings in his first two games back, so he's not the closer for now.
That makes Palencia droppable in all standard leagues, and a good amount of deeper leagues, especially with him struggling on the hill. He's worth tracking in case he locks in and gets the closer role back down the stretch, as Chicago is winning enough games to have its closer be a high-level fantasy option.
Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals
O'Brien has pitched five times over the timeframe we are using. He has three saves and no blown saves, but also has a loss and an ugly 13.50 ERA.
He's covered four innings over his five outings, and given up six runs on six hits and three walks. O'Brien has struck out four batters to work out of even more trouble. Facing 21 batters over that stretch is a big reason for concern.
O'Brien has been up and down as a fantasy asset all season, so be ready for him to bounce back now that we labeled him as trending down. Keep close tabs on him, but don't be afraid to cut him loose if you need more from your fantasy relief options. He's at about 85% owned in fantasy leagues now, and that should go down with how he's fared of late.
