It took a weekend save to earn Miami Marlins LHP Tanner Scott long-deserved inclusion on ESPN's most-added list, but the truth is Scott is having his best big league season and warranted fantasy baseball attention months ago. Scott ranks fourth among all qualified relief pitchers in fWAR, fourth in holds and total strikeouts and 10th in strikeout percentage. Yet, it took the struggles of new Marlins closer RHP David Robertson to get him noticed. Scott is the closer now and we should expect him to continue thriving.
Scott saved 20 games in relative obscurity for last season's Marlins, though it was far from pretty, with a 4.31 ERA and an even more bloated 1.61 WHIP, thanks to the highest walk rate among qualified relievers. The Marlins went with others to save games this season (LHP A.J. Puk, RHP Dylan Floro, trading for Robertson) but now, as they cling to the periphery of the NL wild-card race, Scott gets another chance. Really, this could have happened months ago.
Remove the first week of this season and Scott boasts a 2.03 ERA to go along with a .199 BAA, and the biggest reason for his success is better command of his wicked slider, which he still throws quite a bit (though not as much as last season). His rising fastball still moves at 96 mph, as has been consistent for the last seven seasons. Scott is inducing a career-high 34.4% strikeout rate and, for the first time, his walk rate is on the good side of 10%. Throw strikes and good things happen. Seems simple.
It is understandable that the Marlins traded for Robertson. After all, Robertson thrived in 2022 for both the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies. He wasn't supposed to close for the New York Mets this season, but RHP Edwin Diaz blew out a knee and the entire bullpen dynamic altered. Give the now-nomadic Robertson credit, but blowing three of his first seven save chances for the Marlins necessitated change. We shall see if Scott and the Marlins can make September interesting. By the way, in keeper leagues, see if Diaz is available. He should return to dominance in 2024.
One last thing on Scott: we try to communicate to fantasy managers that, in ESPN's standard points format, saves aren't everything. Holds count for half as many points, but they still count for something. Baltimore Orioles RHP Yennier Cano, now the closer after the Felix Bautista injury, leads all relief pitchers who have fewer than 10 saves in fantasy points. Houston Astros RHP Bryan Abreu is next, and then Scott, Milwaukee Brewers RHP Joel Payamps and Cubs RHP Mark Leiter Jr. These are valuable pitchers, too -- and eventually, they find their way into saves.
Five other pitchers to consider
DL Hall, LHP Baltimore Orioles: Cano is the obvious choice to save games with Bautista, the top relief pitcher in fantasy this season, on the IL. Still, keep an eye on Hall. The 2017 first-round pick with the mighty fastball is finally thriving in a relief role. The organization switched him from being a starter to the bullpen recently at Triple-A Norfolk and Hall struck out 18 hitters over 7 2/3 innings, with only four walks. Small sample indeed, but the Orioles really need setup stability. Perhaps Hall can provide it. As for his future, we presume he starts, but since he's never really found good, consistent command, perhaps Hall is the next dominant closer. One never knows.
Ryan Helsley, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals: It seems odd that the non-contending Cardinals would want to risk anything with Helsley, who hasn't pitched in the majors since early June due to a forearm strain and then recent discomfort, but here we are. Helsley repeatedly gets his fastball into triple digits and, if healthy, he is the easy choice for saves over LHP JoJo Romero and struggling RHP Giovanny Gallegos, should the Cardinals manage to enjoy some late-inning leads over the final month.
Jose Leclerc, RHP, Texas Rangers: Leclerc saved Monday's win, though it should be noted that neither LHPs Aroldis Chapman nor Will Smith were available. Still, Smith has pitched terribly of late and shouldn't see late-inning work at all until this theme changes, and we have waited all season for any Rangers RHP to enter the saves picture. Leclerc has saves in six consecutive seasons for this franchise but has never reached 15 of them -- and I doubt he gets there now. The Texas bullpen has been a problem, with more blown saves than actual saves this season, but Leclerc has a 2.03 ERA since the start of June. Perhaps he deserves more opportunity, too.
Tyler Rogers, RHP, San Francisco Giants: RHP Camilo Doval, who leads the majors with 35 saves, seems to be back on track after a recent stretch in which he blew four consecutive save chances. Doval saved wins on Sunday and Monday, and Giants manager Gabe Kapler never really wavered publicly in support. Doval mainly struggled to command his slider, opting more for his fastball in recent outings. Hitters figured that out. Rogers -- the right-handed, submarine-throwing twin to LHP Taylor Rogers -- is probably next in line should Doval sputter again, despite relying mainly on deception over stuff.
Justin Topa, RHP, Seattle Mariners: Washington Nationals RHP Kyle Finnegan and three Mariners comprise the top four among pure relief pitchers on the ESPN 30-day Player Rater. You know about RHP Andres Munoz, now the closer with Paul Sewald having been traded to Arizona, and RHP Matt Brash continues his chase to double-digit wins and triple-digit strikeouts, but Topa is good, too. He hasn't permitted an earned run in five weeks and boasts an 0.40 ERA over two months. The Mariners are streaking and the bullpen is a big reason why. Topa is out there in nearly every standard league.