Bullpen stock watch: Andres Munoz remains the perfect closer

This season, ESPN fantasy managers made Seattle Mariners RHP Andres Munoz 1 of the archetypal 10 alleviation pitchers selected connected draught day. Still, fewer expected him to execute astatine rather this fantastic level. Roughly one-third of the MLB play is present complete, and Munoz not lone leads the majors successful saves (tied with the San Diego Padres RHP Robert Suarez), but helium has yet to licence an earned run. That's right, arsenic we attack June, 40 pitchers person saved 3 oregon much games, and Munoz is the lone 1 with a spotless 0.00 ERA!

As a result, it seems alternatively evident to bestow our made-up "Reliever MVP grant for the archetypal 2 months of the 2025 season" to Seattle's finest, arsenic Munoz plows toward his 2nd consecutive All-Star game. He is good connected his mode to breaking his idiosyncratic grounds for saves, acceptable past play erstwhile helium had 22. He is already astatine 17 and the Mariners pb the AL West. Munoz, with a 2.38 vocation ERA, a 1.01 WHIP and an fantabulous K rate, has ever been a phantasy favourite (despite much than a fewer IL stints), but contiguous helium definite looks similar baseball's apical alleviation pitcher.

Seattle's bullpen enters Tuesday with a 3.43 ERA, 10th successful the league, though that fig tin mislead arsenic non-leverage pitchers thin to impact the number. What truly matters are however the apical options perform. Save and clasp shares matter, too. Munoz boasts each but 1 of the Mariners saves. RHPs Carlos Vargas and Gabe Speier pb successful holds, with Speier being the preferred phantasy enactment owed to his K rate. Watch RHP Matt Brash, too. Now steadfast aft missing each of 2024, the electrical Brash (107 K successful 2023!) has thrown six scoreless innings since making his caller 2025 debut.

Munoz leads each axenic alleviation pitchers (Kansas City Royals LHP Kris Bubic boasts dual eligibility) successful ESPN modular phantasy points. For perspective, a specified 11 starting pitchers person outscored him. It has been rather an awesome start. Last season, Cleveland Guardians RHP Emmanuel Clase and St. Louis Cardinals RHP Ryan Helsley finished among the top-10 pitchers successful scoring. They permitted earned runs, though. Can Munoz marque it done six afloat months of perfection? We shall see!

As I proceed to marque up the rules for deciding phantasy MVP awards, we thin to absorption much connected draught time bargains than those who were expected to transportation phantasy rosters. As a mid-draft selection, Munoz qualifies, but for those looking for alleviation pitchers who were acold from coveted connected draught day, New York Yankees RHP Luke Weaver, Royals RHP Carlos Estevez and Cincinnati Reds RHP Emilio Pagan each merit recognition -- and much attraction successful leagues. Each is among the top-10 scorers among relievers, and each remains rather disposable successful modular leagues.

For the much negative/pessimistic readers retired there, determination are made-up Least Valuable Pitcher (LVP) awards arsenic well. Based connected results from mean unrecorded drafts, Yankees RHP Devin Williams seems to beryllium the wide victor for this dubious honor. Williams, helium of the vocation 1.83 ERA entering this season, has a 6.16 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP for his caller team, with lone 4 saves. Still, let's not place 8 consecutive scoreless outings, and 13 strikeouts against 28 hitters implicit that span. Weaver has pitched magnificently, but some helium and Williams tin beryllium top-10 phantasy alleviation pitchers for the remainder of the season, careless of who earns the saves.

Stock rising

Daniel Palencia, RHP, Chicago Cubs: Palencia, 25, boasts Chicago's 3 astir caller saves implicit the past week. He whitethorn clasp onto the ninth-inning relation for a while. Palencia, who saved games successful the minors and made his 2025 debut successful mid-April, pitched good capable to gain a setup role. Then, with RHP Ryan Pressly inactive struggling and RHP Porter Hodge (oblique) connected the IL, helium moved into the person relation a week ago. Palencia reaches 100 mph with his fastball, though power and the lure of issuing escaped passes person been a occupation for years. This doesn't marque Palencia truthful unsocial among closers, though. He should heap connected the saves.

Jason Adam, RHP, San Diego Padres: While Suarez remains successful steadfast power of San Diego's ninth innings, Adam has enjoyed the superior statistical play with his 1.35 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 28.8% K rate. Oh, and Adam boasts a 5-0 record, which isn't truthful predictive, but astir phantasy managers similar wins. Adam has conscionable arsenic galore of them arsenic Detroit Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal and 2 much than Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Paul Skenes. Adam is simply a top-10 reliever successful phantasy points, conscionable 1 clasp disconnected the MLB lead. He should beryllium mode much fashionable successful phantasy leagues.

Will Vest, RHP, Detroit Tigers: It's inactive a comparative committee bullpen attack for A.J. Hinch's league-leading Tigers, but Vest is the 1 with 3 of the team's 5 saves successful May (and 3 wins!). He besides leads Detroit relievers successful phantasy points for 2025. Vest, 29, hasn't permitted an earned tally successful May, and helium is holding left-handed hitters to an wide .352 OPS (they are 3-for-33 disconnected him!). Don't beryllium disappointed if RHP Tommy Kahnle oregon different Tiger saves a crippled connected occasion, but Vest is the 1 to people these days successful fantasy.

Abner Uribe, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers: While RHP Trevor Megill leads Milwaukee with 10 saves successful 11 chances, Uribe is having the amended season. He leads shot with 14 holds, and portion they aren't saves, holds bash substance successful ESPN modular (points) leagues. Uribe boasts a 32.4% strikeout rate, apical 20 among qualified alleviation pitchers. Walks tin beryllium a problem, but past again, Megill walked a trio of Red Sox (though 1 intentionally) successful Monday's nail-biting win. It would hardly beryllium a astonishment to spot Uribe handling ninth inning enactment this season.

Stock falling

Shelby Miller, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks: Well, that didn't instrumentality long. Miller, the absorption of our most caller blog connected alleviation pitchers, enters Tuesday having not pitched successful a crippled for a afloat week. That's a occupation for phantasy managers seeking volume. The different contented is that RHP Justin Martinez (shoulder) returned from his caller IL stint and appeared successful 2 high-leverage situations successful that span. Martinez is the amended pitcher, and comes much recommended for fantasy, but wellness remains a concern. Miller hasn't been needfully atrocious arsenic the closer, but it is hard to archer if helium really inactive is the closer.

Mason Miller, RHP, Athletics: Miller is intelligibly the person present and 1 of the apical options from draught day, but his investors are not enjoying his 5.79 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. Miller hurled successful each 3 of the A's play games against the Philadelphia Phillies, permitting 4 hits and 3 earned runs connected Friday and blowing the prevention acknowledgment to a Max Kepler location tally connected Saturday, earlier successfully finishing disconnected Sunday's win. It is uncommon for immoderate pitcher to execute connected 3 consecutive days -- particularly 1 who is lone successful the bullpen due to the fact that helium couldn't support steadfast successful the rotation. Nevertheless, portion the numbers and possibly usage interest us, Miller is inactive idiosyncratic to target. He leads each pitchers with a 44.4% strikeout complaint and his utmost .419 BABIP should normalize. Let's conscionable anticipation helium stays healthy.

Dennis Santana, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates: Pittsburgh's apical alleviation pitcher is earning lone immoderate of the prevention chances due to the fact that RHP David Bednar is simply a two-time All Star with 89 vocation saves to his credit. Perhaps the Pirates privation to store the costly Bednar successful a mid-season trade. Bednar features an unsightly 5.17 ERA with a 1.60 WHIP and, portion helium has 2 of the team's astir caller 3 saves, helium is inactive showing fewer signs of being, well, valuable. Santana boasts 7 consecutive scoreless outings, and helium has struck retired 7 of the past 13 hitters helium faced. Oh well! The champion relievers don't ever get the saves, and it's not similar the Pirates contiguous their pitchers with galore of them anyway. Perhaps phantasy managers should look anyplace different than Pittsburgh.