Savings and theft: The effects of closing down the exchange window

This week on Saves and Steals, we take a closer look at the fallout from the trade deadline. The Padres were aggressive in upgrading their bullpen. Carlos Estévez and Michael Kopech found new homes. And the Royals added some competition for James McArthur. All that and more as we go through the closer rankings after the deadline.

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Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

Level 1: At the Top

Emmanuel Clase – Cleveland Guardians
Ryan Helsley – St. Louis Cardinals

There wasn’t much reason for the Guardians to make any additions to their bullpen at the trade deadline. The team’s relievers have the best collective ERA in baseball, led by Clase’s 0.72 ERA in 50 1/3 innings. He had two more saves last week, giving him 33 on the season. Clase matched Helsley’s 33, which is tied for the league lead. Helsley didn’t have a save this week, but he did get the win, which goes along with a 2.15 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 54 strikeouts in 46 innings.

Level 2: Elite

Kirby Yates – Texas Rangers
Andrés Muñoz – Seattle Sailors
Josh Hader- Houston Astros

Yates continues to excel in the 37-year-old veteran’s incredible revival season. This week, he added a save, giving him 19 starts with a 1.17 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 53 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings. Texas added left-handed specialist Andrew Chafin from the Tigers. Chafin has allowed just a .474 OPS against left-handed batters.

Muñoz ranks just behind Yates with 18 saves after adding two more this week. He was outstanding, posting a 1.25 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 53 strikeouts in 43 1/3 frames. Seattle made one of the biggest acquisitions of the deadline, acquiring Yimi García from the Blue Jays. García already has two holds as the Mariners’ primary setup man.

Home runs have been Hader’s problem this season. He gave up his ninth of the season against the Pirates on Monday, giving up three runs and giving up the score. He also was excellent, rebounding Wednesday with a scoreless inning for his 21st save with a 4.02 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 73 strikeouts in 47 innings.

Level 3: Solid Options

Robert Suarez – San Diego Padres
Raisel Iglesias – Atlanta Braves
Edwin Diaz-New York Mets
Devin Williams – Milwaukee Brewers
Craig Kimbrel – Baltimore Orioles
Kyle Finnegan – Washington Nationals
Kenley Jansen – Boston Red Sox
Jhoan Duran – Minnesota Twins
Clay Holmes – New York Yankees
Pete Fairbanks – Tampa Bay Rays

The Padres were one of the most aggressive teams at the trade deadline, acquiring two of the best relievers on the market, adding Jason Adam from the Rays and Tanner Scott from the Marlins. Both should step into high-leverage play behind Suarez, who has a 1.48 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in 42 2/3 innings and converted 23 saves.

Iglesias didn’t get a chance to make a save this week, but he did have four scoreless outings, striking out two batters in three of his four appearances. He remains with 22 saves with a 1.77 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 38 strikeouts over 40 2/3 innings.

Díaz recorded a clean four-out save against the Twins on Tuesday, striking out two batters for his 13th save to go with a 3.77 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 43 strikeouts in 31 innings. He has allowed just one run in his last 12 appearances since returning from the injured list on June 13.

Williams worked around a hit and a walk, striking out one batter in one inning of work in his season debut for the Brewers on Sunday. He returns as the team’s closer because Trevor Megill goes on the injured list with a back injury. The team will likely be cautious with Williams as he warms up, avoiding back-to-back work. But he should be one of the better closers down the stretch if he returns to form.

Kimbrel is in the midst of another rough patch, giving up seven runs in his last six appearances, including a pair of blown saves. He went through a similar stretch in early May before going scoreless for 14 consecutive times. Yennier Cano got a save this week when Kimbrel was unavailable. The team added some depth to the bullpen by trading Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto to the Phillies. Still, Kimbrel likely will get every chance to get into the game in the ninth inning.

Finnegan staying in Washington was one of the surprises of the trade deadline. He gave up five runs against the Diamondbacks on Monday. He has had an excellent season, posting a 3.48 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 44 innings while converting 28 saves.

Jansen worked his way into consecutive saves against the Yankees, securing his 20th save Friday before squandering a chance for his 21st Saturday. The team bolstered the back of the bullpen with the acquisitions of Luis García and Lucas Sims on Tuesday.

Duran’s only appearance this week came Wednesday, in a save-and-sack situation when the Twins led by six runs against the Mets. He gave up one run, striking out two batters. He remains with 15 saves with a 3.67 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 34 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings.

Holmes has been inconsistent on the mound over the past two months. On Wednesday, he secured a save with a scoreless inning of work against the Phillies, his 22nd of the season. The Yankees added Mark Leiter Jr. to the bullpen in a trade with the Cubs at the deadline. In Tampa Bay, Fairbanks earned a save this week, giving him 20 on the year, a 3.11 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 35 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings.

Level 4: There is potential here

Paul Sewald – Arizona Diamondbacks
Jeff Hoffman/Carlos Estévez – Philadelphia Phillies
Alexis Díaz – Cincinnati Reds
Camilo Doval – San Francisco Giants
David Bednar – Pittsburgh Pirates
Daniel Hudson/Evan Phillips/Blake Treinen – Los Angeles Dodgers
Chad Green – Toronto Blue Jays

Sewald has been falling back in the rankings amid his struggles. He earned a save against the Pirates on Friday, then blew a chance on Sunday. With the Diamondbacks leading by three against the Nationals on Wednesday, he walked three batters and allowed two runs before Ryan Thompson stepped in to secure the save. While Sewald should continue to have chances to save and deal with his issues, this could be a situation worth watching.

The Phillies acquired Carlos Estévez from the Angels, one of the best relievers on the market, while also trading away Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto. Estévez will likely assume a co-closer role with Hoffman after securing 20 saves with a 2.31 ERA with the Angels. Estévez could get the bulk of the save opportunities to keep Hoffman available in high-leverage positions. Hoffman remains at nine saves with a 0.98 ERA in 46 innings.

Díaz has two scoreless outings and two saves in his 21st season. He’s improved over the past two months, posting a 2.12 ERA since early June. However, walks have remained a problem with a 14/10 K/BB ratio over that span.

Doval added two saves to his tally this week, giving him 20th with a 4.39 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 53 strikeouts in 41 innings. With Robbie Ray no longer on the injured list, Jordan Hicks has been moved to the bullpen, where he could play multiple innings or slot into a high-leverage role. In Pittsburgh, Bednar gave up a run against the Astros on Monday but held on for his 19th save. Jalen Beeks is leaving Coors Field via trade, joining the Pirates after posting nine saves with the Rockies.

The back of the Dodgers’ bullpen has struggled this week, with Hudson and Treinen wasting opportunities to save. And Phillips continues to struggle, giving up two homers against the Astros on Saturday. The team acquired Michael Kopech in a trade with the White Sox, though it’s unclear whether Los Angeles will be able to unlock more from the 28-year-old right-handed pitcher after he posted a 4.74 ERA in 43 2/3 innings with Chicago.

After sending Yimi Garcia to Seattle, Green appears to have a handle on Toronto’s closer role, adding a win, seven saves, a 1.67 ERA, a 0.87 WHIP and 28 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings this week.

Level 5: I can barely get by

James McArthur – Kansas City Royals
Jason Foley-Detroit Tigers
Hector Neris – Chicago Cubs
Hunter Strickland/Ben Joyce – Los Angeles Angels
Calvin Faucher – Miami Marlins
John Brebbia – Chicago White Sox
Victor Vodnik – Colorado Rocky Mountains
Tyler Ferguson – Oakland Athletics

Lucas Erceg joins the Royals on trade deadline day, increasing competition for the closer role after the team already acquired Hunter Harvey. After giving up eight runs in two appearances, McArthur rebounded with a save against the White Sox on Monday. In Detroit, Foley has allowed two runs in each of his last two appearances, while Shelby Miller notched his second save of the season.

Neris didn’t get a chance to save this week, but he’s allowed just one run in his last 12 appearances. Strickland, meanwhile, got the first save for the Angels without Estévez. Joyce is expected to join him in the ninth inning.

With Tanner Scott leaving Miami, Calvin Faucher will likely get his first crack at closer. He threw a clean ninth inning with one strikeout Wednesday against the Rays with a four-run lead. And Brebbia steps in to take over in Chicago after the White Sox traded Kopech to the Dodgers. Although that likely won’t offer much in the way of saves, as the team is riding a 17-game losing streak.

In Colorado, Vodnik appears poised to take over as closer, and Beeks was traded to the Pirates. He had his fourth save Wednesday against the Angels. And Ferguson has two saves for the A’s since Mason Miller was placed on the 15-day injured list last Thursday with a broken pinky. Miller is not expected to miss more than the minimum 15 days.

Injured

Mason Miller – The Hand
Jordan Romano – Elbow

Theft Department

Elly De La Cruz led the way in steals this week with six, adding to his season-high 55, which ties him for the MLB lead. At this rate, he could end up stealing twice as many as every other player. After De La Cruz, Xavier Edwards had an impressive week at the plate and on the bases with five steals. He’s slashing a remarkable .379/.451/.484 with one home run, 15 runs scored, 12 RBIs and nine steals in 114 plate appearances. The Jazz’s trade of Chisholm and Bryan De La Cruz at the deadline opened up Edwards’ path to the top of Miami’s lineup, where he’s led the way over the past four games. And with him being widely available in fantasy leagues, it might be time to take a chance on Miguel Vargas, who’s coming to the White Sox in the trade that sent Michael Kopech to Los Angeles. Vargas never got a chance to play regularly with the Dodgers after slashing .290/.440/.566 with eight homeruns and eight steals in 41 games at Triple-A. Now he gets a chance to play regular work in Chicago while also playing near the top.