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Eric Karabell
Fantasy managers long have wondered how Cleveland Guardians RHP Cade Smith, blessed with excellent numbers since debuting last season, would perform as the team’s closer. They dreamed of myriad saves. With incumbent closer Emmanuel Clase, one of the top relief pitchers in baseball the past four seasons, placed on indefinite leave Monday as part of an MLB sports-betting investigation, Smith should get that chance.
Smith, 26, entered Monday with eight wins, four saves, a 2.33 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over 120 career innings since the start of 2024, and with the most fWAR among relief pitchers in that span. His 35.1% strikeout rate ranked eighth. Before the news of Clase’s absence, Smith was rostered in 17.3% of ESPN standard (points) leagues, thanks to the run prevention, strikeouts and 19 holds, a top 50 relief pitcher in points and roto/categories formats, and he was even better in 2024. By Tuesday morning, Smith was up to 20.8% rostered.
Monday night was not Smith’s best performance, as he inherited a 5-4 lead against the lowly Colorado Rockies and permitted four runs, though only one of them earned. Smith’s own throwing error on a Brenton Doyle sacrifice bunt allowed the tying run to score. Colorado’s final two runs scored on a Hunter Goodman double after Smith left the game. RHP Hunter Gaddis, who leads the Guardians with 21 holds, also permitted a Goodman home run in the eighth inning. Expect Smith to receive more chances and perform better.
Even with Monday’s blow-up, the Guardians feature a top 10 MLB bullpen in fWAR, ERA and strikeout rate, and Smith is their best option to close. Clase, one of the first relievers off most fantasy draft boards this season, boasts a career-worst 3.23 ERA and 1.23 WHIP, and he has been below average for strikeout rate the past three seasons. He will not extend his streak of 40-save streak to four seasons. In fact, Clase may not pitch again in 2025 as the MLB investigation moves slowly. Feel free to move on in redraft formats to add Smith.
Trade talk
Meanwhile, baseball’s trade deadline arrives on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET, and most contending teams are likely targeting relief pitchers like Minnesota Twins RHP Jhoan Duran, St. Louis Cardinals RHP Ryan Helsley and Pittsburgh Pirates RHP David Bednar. Clase likely would have been dealt prior to the shocking news but it is possible the Guardians, with much work to do to contend, could also make Smith and Gaddis available too.
Regardless, keep an eye out for relievers on the move as there are rather unsettled situations for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies and the Detroit Tigers, among other teams. Duran and Helsley, should they be traded, may or may not accrue saves for new clubs. Others potentially on the move include Washington Nationals RHP Kyle Finnegan, Atlanta Braves RHP Raisel Iglesias and Tampa Bay Rays RHP Pete Fairbanks. Each of these three are not having their best seasons but saved wins on Monday night.
Stock rising
Edwin Diaz, RHP, New York Mets: Give Diaz much credit after he sputtered through a 3.52 ERA in 2024, his first season back after missing 2023 with a torn ACL. While Diaz saved seven games this March/April, his 4.50 ERA and 1.25 WHIP did not excite fantasy managers. He also threw four wild pitches in those 12 innings. Since then, Diaz has been the best relief pitcher in the sport, permitting one run over 30 2/3 innings, registering 44 strikeouts. It is hard to beat a 0.29 ERA. We like this season more and Diaz ranks second to Houston Astros LHP Josh Hader among relievers on the Player Rater and in fantasy points.
Kevin Ginkel, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks: Ginkel boasts Arizona’s lone conventional save since the All-Star break, a tidy, six-pitch outing in Pittsburgh last week, as the bullpen has been ravaged by injuries to RHPs Justin Martinez and Shelby Miller, along with LHP A.J. Puk. Ginkel’s overall numbers of a 7.66 ERA and 1.66 WHIP are frightening, but he has a 2.13 ERA over his past 13 appearances. For those seeking every save, Ginkel, may keep seeing opportunities, though he too may end up on another franchise by the weekend.
Kenley Jansen, RHP, Los Angeles Angels: Jansen is also potentially on the move, though the Angels may try to add talent this week rather than subtract. Jansen, rostered in only 25.4% of leagues, is the No. 10 pure relief pitcher (excluding starters with relief eligibility) over the past 30 days, as he hasn’t permitted an earned run in six weeks. The active saves leader is on track for his first 30-save season since 2022 with the Braves. He remains quite effective and, for yet another season, underrated.
Stock falling
Felix Bautista, RHP, Baltimore Orioles: Bautista made a successful return to the mound this season after recovering from Tommy John surgery, but now he is shelved again, this time for shoulder inflammation. Given Baltimore’s disappointing place in the standings, there seems little reason to aggressively push Bautista, the league’s dominant closer in 2023, back to the mound. RHP Seranthony Dominguez likely handles save chances for the Orioles but, we repeat, he could be a contender’s seventh-inning option by the time you read this.
Tanner Scott, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers: Scott hit the injured list last week with elbow inflammation, though the team expects he will return this season. However, there is no guarantee Scott’s future role includes saves, whether the team adds a relief pitcher or two at the deadline or not. RHPs Kirby Yates, Blake Treinen and Ben Casparius and LHP Alex Vesia should see high leverage work, with Treinen struggling through his Monday outing. Scott was selected as a top 10 relief pitcher in most fantasy leagues, but he hasn’t returned value, with his 4.14 ERA and seven blown saves.
Tommy Kahnle, RHP, Detroit Tigers: Kahnle was cruising toward the All-Star break with a 2.84 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, nine saves and 12 holds until July 12 and 13 versus the Seattle Mariners, when he faced eight hitters and didn’t retire any of them. Kahnle was charged with seven earned runs. Then he allowed two more runs in the first outing after the break to the Texas Rangers. Now Kahnle has a 4.71 ERA, and he hasn’t struck out anyone in five of his past seven outings. Things change quickly with relief pitchers. Volatility is often the word!
