MLB sellers have wasted no time pawning their best relievers. Brad Hand, Jeurys Familia, and Zach Britton all changed teams with a week to spare before Tuesday’s non-waiver trade deadline. More could follow with a host of others (Kirby Yates, Joakim Soria, Keone Kela, Shane Greene, Raisel Iglesias, and Miami’s bullpen pieces) still swarming the rumor mill.

These relocations create new opportunities before the ninth inning. While the typical fantasy manager need only monitor the spinning closer carousel, those in holds leagues must note high-leverage promotions for relievers stuck on losing teams cleaning house. In an odd turn, the secondary reliever moving from a last-place squad will now enjoy a more prominent role on a title contender.

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Adam Cimber (CLE): 1 Percent Owned
Don’t mistake Adam Cimber as a mere throw-in to Cleveland’s Hand-Francisco Mejia exchange. With short-lived breakout Neil Ramirez reeling, Cody Allen cradling a 4.83 ERA and Andrew Miller still sidelined, the Indians may have also acquired their second-best bullpen option.

In 50.2 highly impressive innings, the 27-year-old rookie has registered a 3.02 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. Even more impressive are his 51 strikeouts, 10 walks, 53.3 percent ground-ball rate and 2.37 FIP. His sinker and slider — the only two pitches in his arsenal — have each induced a double-digit swinging-strike rate and wOBA below .260.

Terry Francona has quickly put Cimber to work in three eighth-inning appearances. He relieved Hand to record a hold in his team debut, only for Allen to blow the save. While the sidearming righty sports a 33.3 strikeout percentage against lefties, he has also welcomed them to a .389 wOBA. That could lead to more one- or two-out holds in the way a left-handed specialist is frequently deployed. Or maybe he’s just a playoff contender’s top right-handed setup man. That’s a pretty good role, too, so his breakout can no longer go unnoticed in holds formats.

Paul Fry (BAL): 1 Percent Owned
Darn it, I already used the Futurama jokes on Jace Fry. Another one of Philip’s great, great uncles has emerged from the Blernsball bullpen. Since promoted on June 29, Paul Fry has posted a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings with 13 strikeouts, one walk, and a 56.3 ground-ball percentage.

Stuck in Triple-A since 2016, the 25-year-old righty finally broke free by recording a 25.8 K-BB percentage and 2.97 FIP at the final minor league barrier. Now he’s boasting hearty first-pitch and swinging-strike rates of 68.1 and 12.2 percent, respectively.

The Britton trade allows him to climb one step up Baltimore’s bullpen ladder. On Tuesday night, he entered the seventh frame and recorded four outs in a win over Boston. Brad Brach, another pending free agent, may not enjoy his newly minted closer role for long. Another trade would likely elevate Mychal Givens to the ninth, leaving Fry with a real opportunity to spend two months as Baltimore’s primary setup man.

Scott Alexander (LAD): 5 Percent Owned
Caleb Ferguson (LAD): 1 Percent Owned
The Dodgers are always a midseason candidate to bolster the bullpen beyond Kenley Jansen. Yet after missing out on some options, perhaps they will stick with a unit that has tallied a 2.74 ERA and 32.6 strikeout percentage in July.

They may have found an elite precursor to Jansen in Scott Alexander, who ceded his first baserunner since July 13 and run since June 29 on Wednesday. Having still allowed just four hits this month, the lefty sports a .180 opposing wOBA with 14 strikeouts and three walks over 11.1 frames. He’s especially tough on fellow lefties, who are hitting .179/.276/.224 against the 29-year-old.

An 11.2 K-BB percentage remains pedestrian, but only Brad Ziegler has engineered a higher ground-ball rate than Alexander’s 72.0 percent. Recent dominance has allowed him to collect six holds (and a win) with frequent eight-inning appearances. It’s probably too late to grab him in a highly competitive holds format, but take a quick look to see if he’s claimed.

Caleb Ferguson, on the other hand, has yet to pocket a hold this season. Yet the 22-year-old has deposited a pair of wins and three-inning saves in a stretched-out relief role. Since allowing 10 runs in three starts, the southpaw has relinquished three runs in seven relief outings spanning 18 innings. He has amassed 24 strikeouts, two walks, and a 57.1 ground-ball percentage in the new assignment. By working two or three innings each turn, he could produce major strikeout and ratio dividends.

Austin Davis (PHI): 0 Percent Owned
Philadelphia’s bullpen gets even better. Yet another prolific arm to materialize from their farm system, Austin Davis has delivered a 2.60 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 17.1 major league innings. Eliminating some debuting jitters, he has submitted a .225 opposing wOBA in July.

His money pitch is a slider that has already induced 10 strikeouts with a 17.4 swinging-strike and 34.9 outside-swing percentage. On another team, we’d already by plotting his path to the late innings. The Phillies, however, already have Edubray Ramos, Tommy Hunter, Victor Arano, Pat Neshek, and Seranthony Dominguez. He picked up his two holds in the sixth and his only win relieving Jake Arrieta in the fourth, so this is simply a case of highlighting an intriguing talent just in case he forces or lucks into a big break.

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