Sam Dyson is now the closer in Texas
We’re heading into late May and there are plenty of surprises leading to plenty of questions in baseball. Are the Phillies good? Are the Astros bad? What’s wrong with the Twins? What’s right with the Mariners? Will UFC sponsor a playoff series if the Blue Jays and Rangers meet in October? Is the entire World Series going to take place in Chicago? None of these questions will be answered next, on this week’s Closer Report.
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Closer News From Around The League
- Texas Rangers
Rangers Opening Day closer Shawn Tolleson has had a rough season already. After a nice 35 save, 2.99 ERA season in 2015, Tolleson has opened 2016 with 11 saves, but a 9.20 ERA and 4 blown opportunities as well. His strikeouts are down and his walks are up. He has had some real blow up games in which he’s been seemingly unable to do anything right. On April 6, in his second outing of the season, he allowed five runs on five hits without getting a single batter out. He had three outings where he allowed one run in one inning, but his next blow up came on May 14, when he gave up three runs on three hits and a walk while only getting two batters out. In his next outing, on May 17, he also only got two outs, giving up four runs on three hits and a walk this time. After that May 17 outing, Tolleson was officially removed from the closer’s role and replaced by Sam Dyson. Dyson was acquired at last year’s trade deadline from the Miami Marlins for minor leaguers Tomas Telis and Cody Ege. For his career, Dyson has a 3.04 ERA and has struck out 7.48 batters per nine innings pitched. His strikeouts are down a bit this year, sitting at 6.16 K/9, but Dyson has always gotten his outs through ground balls. He’s at a 68.6% ground ball rate this year, just a bit above his career rate of 67.3%. Dyson won’t be an elite, top-tier closer, but he should be able to get the job done in the ninth inning for the Rangers. He’s currently owned in only about 10% of fantasy leagues, but that number is sure to shoot up very soon. Take a look at your wire and add him to your team right away if he’s available.
- Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies have 24 wins. That’s the second-highest win total in baseball. The Phillies. Closer Jeanmar Gomez, the team’s third option at closer after a tumultuous start to the season, leads the league in saves with 16. In fact, no other pitcher in baseball even has 16 save opportunities. The closest to Gomez in saves are four pitchers tied with 13, and the closest to Gomez’s 17 opportunities are Jake McGee and Shawn Tolleson with 15. 2016 Philadelphia Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez has more saves than anyone else has even had save chances. Seriously. And while luck has been on his side a bit, Gomez has actually been good in his new found role. In 23 2/3 innings, he’s allowed seven runs on 22 hits, walking six and striking out 17. While metrics show some regression is to be expected, he should be able to continue working effectively for early season Manager of the Year favorite Pete Mackanin. With the Phillies’ offense unable to score many runs, most of the team’s wins will be close games, leading to plenty of save opportunities for Gomez. He’ll never join the upper echelon of closers due to his low strikeout totals, but he may end up with more saves than any of the top-tier guys. He’s become a must-own in all applicable formats, yet is only owned in 79% of leagues right now.
- Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers came into the 2016 season expecting a competition for their closer role between lefty Will Smith and righty Jeremy Jeffress. Smith tore a ligament while putting on a shoe before the season began, however, handing the job to Jeffress in the process. Jeffress has done nothing but post a 2.50 ERA and save 11 of 12 games. He started the season with 11 consecutive saves, blowing his first save against the Cubs on May 18. Despite his success, Jeffress’ strikeouts are way down (career 8.30 K/9, 6.00 K/9 this season). His walks are also down, though (3.83 BB/9 career, 2.00 this season), perhaps contributing to his success. Jeffress should continue to be a solid, unspectacular closer. On a better team, he may move up a tier, but the Brewers likely won’t win enough games to provide Jeffress with the chance to rack up his save total.
Injury Report
Los Angeles Angels closer Huston Street, on the disabled list with an oblique strain since late April, played catch for the first time last week and was able to throw a 25-pitch bullpen session this week. He reported no issues and is scheduled for another bullpen session this weekend. He is shooting for a late May or early June return. In his place, Joe Smith has saved four games, allowing just four earned runs since Street hit the DL. Smith’s low strikeouts and temporary job severely limit his upside, but he should be owned for now until Street returns.
Top Performers From May 12 – May 19
- Jake McGee (COL): 4 IP, 5 K, 4 SV, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP
Any pitcher playing his home games in Coors Field is a risky fantasy option, and it showed with a very rough start to McGee’s season. He has more than settled down since then, however, putting in his best week of work so far this week. In four games, he fanned five batters, saved every game he appeared in, and allowed only three hits and a walk. He’s owned in just 71% of leagues, and while the Coors Caveat still applies, McGee’s reliance on his fastball over any breaking stuff should make him solid at worst for the rest of the season.
- Jeanmar Gomez (PHI): 4 IP, 2 K, 4 SV, 2.25 ERA, 0.75 WHIP
Gomez and McGee were the only two closers with four saves last week. As mentioned above, Gomez has more saves than anyone else even has save opportunities. Just for fun, let’s try a very, very basic and incredibly flawed premise, just so this sentence can be written/read: the closer with the most saves is the best closer in baseball. Jeanmar Gomez is the best closer in baseball.
- Aroldis Chapman (NYY): 3 IP, 3 K, 3 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP
Look who joined the Yankees’ bullpen after a month of dominance by Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller. Chapman picked up three saves in three innings along with three strikeouts. He did not allow a single batter to reach base. The Yankees have had Betances-Miller-Chapman pitch the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings already, but while it has not happened yet, it’s only a matter of time until we witness the amazing: Betances-Miller-Chapman, nine up, nine down, with nine strikeouts. A note to AL East teams; get to the Yankees starters or just go ahead and pack things up after the sixth.
- Zach Britton (BAL): 4 IP, 3 K, 3 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.27 WHIP
Britton is back from a sprained ankle and is as good as ever. He tossed four innings this week, saving three games and striking out three, all while allowing only one batter to reach base on a hit. Britton earned perhaps the toughest save of the season this week, entering a game in the eighth inning with one out and the bases loaded. He escaped the eighth, then pitched a scoreless ninth to collect the save.
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David A. Marcillo is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from David, check out his archive and follow him @DavidMarcillo77.
