Fantasy Baseball: MLB Daily Bullpen Usage and Depth Chart 4/29
Published: Apr 01, 2013
Closer Rating System: EliteâPlayers with the strongest hold on their role in bullpen; SolidâPlayers that could lose their job/teamâs with solid backup in place; ShakyâPlayers that could lose their job at any moment; CommitteeâPlayers that are sharing the role with one or more teammates.
*Individual player pitch counts have now been added to each player update starting April 9, 2013 to help fantasy owners determine when a given pitcher will be available to take the mound next. The format will listed as pitch count-strikes.
Get all your latest up-to-date daily bullpen news by following @mlbdailybullpen.American League Bullpen ReportBaltimore Orioles(CL) Solid Jim Johnson (R)âEarned his 10th save of the season Saturday after pitching a scoreless ninth inning allowing one hit. Johnson has now pitched back-to-back days and three of his last four, so there is a chance he may be given the day off Sunday considering the team is not off on Monday. 15 PC-9 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) Darren OâDay (R)âPitched 0.2 innings of relief on Sunday allowing two walks on 18 pitches thrown. O'Day got himself into some trouble, but was able to end the seventh inning by forcing two fly ball outs to escape unharmed. 18 PC-9 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Pedro Strop (R)âTook the loss on Sunday after allowing one run (unearned) on one hit and one walk while striking out one batter. Strop was able to only record one out in the inning before  allowing Eric Sogard to cross home plate, resulting in a win for the Athletics. 16 PC-8 ST (4/28/13)
Boston Red Sox
(CL) Shaky Andrew Bailey (R)âPitched a scoreless ninth inning Sunday in a non-save situation allowing one hit on 13 pitches thrown. With Joel Hanrahan on a rehab assignment, Bailey's time at the closer could be coming to an end, but the team has yet to release who will be their closer, so owners will have to wait patiently to see if he holds any value moving forward. 13 PC-8 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Koji Uehara (R)âPitched a scoreless eighth inning Sunday allowing one hit while forcing one ground ball out and two fly ball outs to get the job done. The Red Sox are off on Monday, so Uehara and the rest of the team's bullpen will have an extra day to rest up before they open a series with the Blue Jays on Tuesday. 14 PC-12 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Junichi Tazawa (R)âPicked up his eighth hold of the season Saturday after recording the final out of the seventh inning. He allowed one base runner via a free pass, but struck out the next hitter needing 11 pitches to get the job done. 11 PC-5 ST (4/27/13)
Injuredâ Joel Hanrahan (Groin)Chicago White Sox(CL) Solid Addison Reed (R)âCollected his eighth save of the season Friday night despite allowing one run on two hits and one walk in the ninth inning. Reed has now pitched three consecutive days and will likely be unavailable to pitch out of the White Sox bullpen on Saturday. 31 PC-18 ST (4/26/13)
(SU) Matt Thornton (L)âFaced only one batter in his appearance on Sunday forcing a fly ball out on one pitch thrown. Thornton has now been used three times since Wednesday, but has pitching only 1.1 innings over that time frame, as it appears he is starting to be more of a situational pitcher rather than a typical setup man. 1 PC-1 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Jesse Crain (R)âWas used to record the final out of the eighth inning Sunday, facing two batters in the appearance forcing a strikeout. Like his teammate Matt Thornton, Crain has been used in certain matchups rather than in a specific role, but he still holds fantasy value in holds leagues. 13 PC-9 ST (4/28/13)
Cleveland Indians
(CL) Solid Chris Perez (R)âWas used in  a non-save situation in Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader, retiring the side in order. Perez has pitched well this season, but has just three saves to show for it, so unless the Indians start winning more games, it could be a long year for Perez owners. 16 PC-13 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Vinnie Pestano (R)âPitched one inning of relief in Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader allowing one run on one hit and two walks. The run allowed did not change the game at all, considering the Indians where up by so much, but it would have been nice to see a clean outing from him, since he last pitched on April 22. (4/28/13)
(MR) Bryan Shaw (R)âFailed to record an out in Saturday's appearance allowing two walks in 14 pitches thrown. Luckily for Shaw, the two base runners he allowed did not cross home plate, so he is still sitting on a sub-1.00 earned-run average after this rough outing. 14 PC-6 ST (4/27/13)Detroit Tigers(CL) Solid Jose Valverde (R)âPitched a scoreless ninth inning on Sunday in a non-save situation retiring all three batters he faced in order. It was a surprise to see Valverde take the mound in this contest, considering he pitched on Saturday, but he only threw six pitches, so he should be able to pitch, if needed, on Monday. 6 PC-5 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Joaquin Benoit (R)âEarned his fourth hold of the season Saturday despite allowing a solo-home run to Justin Upton in the eighth inning. Home runs have been an issue for Benoit since joining the Tigers, but he has managed to convert most hold situations even after allowing a run or two in a outing. 12 PC-9 ST (4/27/13)
(MR) Phil Coke (L)âTook the loss on Thursday after surrendering four runs on one hit and four walks over 1.1 innings of work. The wheels have officially fallen off for Coke, who has now given up five runs over his last two appearances, factoring into his 0-3 start to the season. 33 PC-14 ST (4/25/13)
Injuredâ Octavio Dotel (Shoulder)
Houston Astros
(CL) Shaky Jose Veras (R)âPitched a scoreless eighth inning on Saturday retiring all three batters he faced in order striking out one. This is the type of outing we have grown accustomed to seeing from Veras, considering how poor the Astros have been playing, which has limited his fantasy value more than originally anticipated. 13 PC-9 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) Rhiner Cruz (R)âPitched one inning of relief on Friday allowing one run on four hits while striking out one batter. Cruz has turned into an earned-run machine, allowing at least one earned-run in five of his last six relief appearances, which makes him not worth owning, even in AL-Only leagues that use holds as a category. 24 PC-13 ST (4/26/13)
(MR) Wesley Wright (L)âPitched a scoreless sixth inning on Saturday allowing two walks while striking out one batter. Wright has now pitched back-to-back days so there is a good chance we won't see him pitch on in Sunday's series finale. 22 PC-9 ST (4/27/13)
InjuredâJosh Fields  (Forearm)
Kansas City Royals
(CL) Shaky Greg Holland (R)âEarned his sixth save of the season Saturday night despite allowed two runs (zero earned) on two hits while striking out two batters. Holland has been dominate since a shaky start to the season, and has now struck out six batters of his last three innings of work. 24 PC-17 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) Kelvin Herrera (R)âCollected his fourth hold of the season Saturday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing one hit and one walk while striking out two batters. Herrera got himself into a jam early in the appearance, but was able to work out of it to escape the inning unharmed and the lead. 25 PC-15 ST (4/27/13)
(MR) Aaron Crow (R)âEarned his fourth hold of the season Sunday after recording the final out of the eighth inning on seven pitches thrown. Crow got himself into a jam, by allowing a walk, which turned into the third base runner allowed in the inning, but was able to end the threat by forcing a ground ball out. 7 PC-1 ST (4/21/13)
Los Angeles Angels
(CL) Shaky Ernesto Frieri (R)âEarned his third hold of the season Friday after pitching a scoreless ninth inning. He allowed one walk in the appearance on 13 pitches thrown, but the base runner didn't become an issue after he forced one ground ball out and two fly ball outs to close down the final frame. 13 PC-8 ST (4/26/13)
(SU) Sean Burnett (L)âPicked up his third hold of the season Friday after recording the final two outs of the sixth inning. He needed only 10 pitches to get the job done, forcing one ground ball out and one fly ball out, as he continues to be the best bridge between the Angels starters and Ernesto Frieri. 10 PC-5 ST (4/26/13)
(MR) Scott Downs (L)âCollected his fourth hold of the season Friday night after pitching 1.1 innings of scoreless relief. As he has all season, Downs allowed a few too many base runners, but it did not become an issue, as he was able to work about them to get the job done. 27 PC-15 ST (4/26/13)
Injured:  Ryan Madson (Elbow)Minnesota Twins(CL) Solid Glen Perkins (L)âWas used in a non-save situation on Saturday allowing two runs on one hit and two walks in the ninth inning. This was Perkins' first outing since Tuesday night, so the team likely just wanted him to get some work in even though they had a seven-run leading before he entered the game. 28 PC-17 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) Jared Burton (R)âPitched a scoreless eighth inning on Saturday allowing one hit while striking out one batter. With this appearance Burton lowered his earned-run average to 0.96 on the season as he continues to develop into one of the better setup men in the American League, that no one know about. 21 PC-17 ST (4/27/13)
(MR) Casey Fien (R)âPitched a scoreless ninth inning Sunday in a non-save situation allowing one hit while striking out one batter. Fien is typically used in specific batter/hitter situations, but was used for a whole inning in this game and looked good in an expanded role, but has little fantasy value at this point. 18 PC-14 ST (4/28/13)New York Yankees(CL) Elite Mariano Rivera (R)âRecorded his ninth save Sunday after pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning needing only 10 pitches. Rivera struck out one batter while forcing one ground ball out and one fly ball out to remain perfect in save situations. 10 PC-8 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) David Robertson (R)âEarned his fourth hold of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning retiring all three batters he faced in order. Robertson needed only 7 pitches to force two ground ball outs and one strikeout to pass the ball to the Sandman in the ninth inning. 7 PC-6 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Boone Logan (R)âPicked up the win Sunday after pitching a scoreless seventh inning allowing one hit while striking out two batters. Since a shaky start to the season, Logan has started to turn things around and has only allowed one earned-run since the first week of the season. 18 PC-11 ST (4/28/13)Oakland Athletics(CL) Solid Grant Balfour (R)âWas used in a non-save situation on Sunday allowing one run on two hits in the ninth inning. Balfour has now allowed an earned-run in two of his last three appearances, resulting in an increase in his earned-run average, which is now up to 3.00 on the season. 19 PC-13 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Ryan Cook (R)âPitched one inning of relief on Sunday allowing one run o two hits while striking out one batter. Cook has now allowed an earned-run in his last two relief appearances, and will need to turn things around considering how well Sean Doolittle has been pitching lately. 20 PC-12 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Sean Doolittle (L)âPitched one inning of relief on Sunday allowing one run on two hits in the eighth inning. The run cam via a Chris Davis home run, luckily for Doolittle no one was on base, so he only allowed one run in the contest. 12 PC-10 ST (4/28/13)Seattle Mariners(CL) Solid Tom Wilhelmsen (R)âRecorded his eighth save of the season Sunday after pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Wilhemlsen has now pitched back-to-back days and three of the last four, so there is a chance he will be given the day off when the Mariners open up their next series with the Orioles on Monday. 12 PC-10 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Carter Capps (R)âPicked up the win on Sunday after pitching two scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit while striking out three batters. Capps limited his pitch count enough in this contest to keep him in the loop for Monday, considering closer Tom Wilhelmsen has been used a lot as of late, so he may wind up being the closer Monday if needed. 25 PC-17 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Charlie Furbush (L)âWas used to face only one batter in Friday's game against the Angels, striking the batter out on three pitches. This was Furbush's first outing since Tuesday, so expect him to be available for the remainder of this weekend's series as the team's top lefty. 3 PC-3 ST (4/26/13)InjuredâStephen Pryor (back)Tampa Bay Rays(CL) Solid Fernando Rodney (R)âWas used in a non-save situation Sunday allowing one walk while striking out two batters on 17 pitches. Since blowing his first save of the season back on April 3, Rodney has converted all three save chances, but over a month of baseball, that just doesn't cut it considering where he was drafted. 17 PC-10 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Joel Peralta (R)âPicked up his fifth hold of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing one walk while striking out one batter. Peralta has now pitched back-to-back days, but with the team having an off day on Monday, he will be ready to get back out there for their next game. 12 PC-7 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Jake McGee (L)âPitched a scoreless seventh inning on Saturday allowing two hits and one walk while striking out three batters. Luckily for McGee he has an over powering arsenal, or else he would have never been able to work out of a bases loaded jam without allowing any runs. 22 PC-17 ST (4/27/13)
Texas Rangers
(CL) Elite Joe Nathan (R)âRecorded his eighth save Friday night despite allowing a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Nathan was only responsible for one of the runs that scored, with the other two being charged to Joe Ortiz, so it didn't effect his earned-run average too much. 8 PC-7 ST (4/26/13)
(SU) Tanner Scheppers (R)âPicked up his fifth hold Friday night after pitching a 1-2-3 eighth inning to remain perfect on the season. Scheppers has now pitched back-to-back days and will likely get the day off on Saturday. 13 PC-9 ST (4/26/13)
(MR) Jason Frasor (R)âFailed to record an out in his appearance on Sunday, allowing a walk to the only batter that he faced in the sixth inning. Frasor threw only four pitches, and has pitched just 1.1 innings over the last week of the season. 4 PC-2 ST (4/28/13)
Injuredâ Joakim Soria (Elbow)Toronto Blue Jays(CL) Solid Casey Janssen (R)âEarned his sixth save of the season on Wednesday after pitching a 1-2-3 11th inning. He needed 14 pitches to mow down the competition, striking out two batters while forcing one fly ball out and has now solidified himself as one of the better closers in the American League. 14 PC-9 ST (4/24/13)
(SU) Steve Delabar (R)âPitched 0.2 innings of relief on Sunday allowing two walks on 17 pitches thrown. Luckily for Delabar both base runners allowed did not cross home plate, after he forced two fly ball outs to work through the appearance. 17 PC-8 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Esmil Rogers (R)âTook the loss and was charged with his first blown-save of the season Saturday after allowing two runs on two hits in the seventh inning. The two runs allowed by Rogers were the first runs he allowed since April 18, which was five appearances ago, so he had been pitching well prior to this rough outing. 18 PC-10 ST (4/27/13)
Injuredâ Sergio Santos (Triceps)Continue to Page 2 to view the National League Bullpen Reportâ¦
National League Bullpen ReportArizona Diamondbacks(CL) Solid J.J. Putz (R)âCollected his fifth save of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless ninth inning allowing one hit and one walk while striking out one batter. Putz has now pitched back-to-back days, and with David Hernandez off Sunday, there is a good chance Putz will not pitch Monday if a save situation arises. 17 PC-9 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) David Hernandez (R)âPitched two innings of relief on Saturday allowing two hits while striking out one batter. This was a nice bounce back performance for Hernandez, who has been on the down swing, so hopefully this will help him to continue moving in the right direction. 29 PC-16 ST (4/27/13)
(MR) Heath Bell (R)âEarned his first hold of the season Sunday after pitching a 1-2-3 eighth inning striking out one batter. Bell has now pitched back-to-back days and will likely be given the night off on Monday. 12 PC-8 ST (4/28/13)
Atlanta Braves
(CL) Elite Craig Kimbrel (R)âWas charged with his first blown-save of the season Wednesday after allowing two runs on three hits and one walk in the ninth inning. This goes to show you even the best of players have a bad day every once and a while, but expect Kimbrel to be pick up right where he left off before this slip up when the Braves open their weekend series with the Tigers on Friday. 18 PC-12 ST (4/24/13)
(SU) Eric OâFlaherty (R)âPicked up his seventh hold of the season Wednesday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing two hits. OâFlaherty got himself into a jam, but was able to work his way through it but forcing two ground ball outs and one fly ball out to get the job done. 12 PC-10 ST (4/24/13)
(MR) Jordan Walden (R)âPitched 1.2 innings of relief on Saturday afternoon retiring all five batters he faced in order. He struck out two batter while forcing one ground ball out and two fly ball out to lower his earned-run average to 2.00 on the season. 19 PC-14 ST (4/27/13)
Injuredâ Jonny Venters (Elbow)
Chicago Cubs
(CL) Committee Carlos Marmol (R)âEarned his second hold of the season Saturday after recording the final out of the eighth inning. In a strange turn of events, Kevin Gregg, not Marmol, was used in the ninth inning, so Gregg has now emerged as a contender in the Cubs closer committee. 6 PC-1 ST (4/27/13)
(CL) Committee Kevin Gregg (R)--Collected his third save of the season Saturday after pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning. After joining the Cubs bullpen late last week it was believed that Gregg would be a long shot for saves in the Windy City, but he already has three saves on the season and may be in line for more after being used in the ninth inning role with Carlos Mamol and Shawn Camp available to pitch on Saturday. 13 PC-7 ST (4/27/13)
(CL) Committee Shawn Camp (R)âEarned his third hold of the season Friday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing two hits while striking out one batter. With Carlos Marmol unavailable, it was thought Camp would get a chance to close out the game, but it was Kevin Gregg who was given the chance, so it is possible that Camp has fallen out of the closer committee in Chicago. 19 PC-12 ST (4/26/13)
InjuredâKyuji Fujikawa (Forearm)Cincinnati Reds(CL) Elite Aroldis Chapman (L)âRecorded his fifth save of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless ninth inning allowing one walk while striking out one batter. With this appearance Chapman lowered his earned-run average to 0.73 while bringing his total strikeouts up to 21 this month. 20 PC-13 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Jonathan Broxton (R)âPitched one inning of relief on Sunday allowing one run on one hit and one walk while striking out one batter. After stringing together five straight solid outings, Broxton was roughed up once again, but at least this time it wasn't six runs that scored on him, like his previous bad outing. 30 PC-20 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Sean Marshall (L)--Earned his second hold of the season Sunday after retiring the final two batters of the seventh inning. Marshall has now pitched each of the last two days since returning from the disabled list, so don't expect him to be used on Monday when the Reds take on the Cardinals. 12 PC-9 ST (4/28/13)Colorado Rockies(CL) Solid Rafael Betancourt (R)âCollected his eighth save of the season Friday night after pitching a 1-2-3 eighth inning. Betancourt forced three fly ball outs to work quickly through the ninth inning, but fly balls eventually turn into home runs, especially playing at Coors Field, so hopefully that doesn't become a trend. 14 PC-9 ST (4/26/13)
(SU) Rex Brothers (L)âPitched 0.1 innings of relief on Saturday allowing one walk on seven pitched thrown. Brothers was needed to get the final out of the seventh inning and was able to do so, lowering his earned-run average on 0.79 in the season. 7 PC-2 ST (4/27/13)
(MR) Wilton Lopez (R)âPitched a scoreless eighth inning Saturday allowing one hit in the appearance. Lopez has now put together a few solid outing since his meltdown last weekend, so those in holds leagues may want to add him to your watch list, considering the Rockies have been in a lot of close games this season. 20 PC-13 ST (4/27/13)Los Angeles Dodgers(CL) Shaky Brandon League (R)âEarned his eighth save of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless ninth inning retiring all three batters he faced in order. League was able to put his recent struggles behind him, forcing two ground ball outs and one fly ball out to get the job done. 8 PC-6 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Kenley Jansen (R)âPicked up the win on Thursday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing one hit and one walk while striking out one batter. The Dodgers flamethrower has now pitched back-to-back days and will likely get the day off on Friday, so plan accordingly. 20 PC-13 ST (4/25/13)
(MR) Ronald Belisario (R)âEarned the win Friday after pitching 1.2 innings of relief striking out three of the six batters he faced. Belisario looked great in this one, and was lucky that League didn't allow any more runs int he ninth inning to blow the victory for him and the Dodgers. 37 PC-25 ST (4/26/13)Miami Marlins(CL) Shaky Steve Cishek (R)âEarned his third save of the season Sunday despite allowing a solo-home run to Dioner Navarro in the top of the ninth inning. Cishek has now allowed an earned-run in three of his last four relief appearances, and if he doesn't turn things around, Mike Dunn or Jon Rauch could be in there in no time.
(SU) Jon Rauch (R)âPitched 0.2 innings of relief on Sunday surrendering five runs on four hits and one walk. With closer Steve Cishek unavailable, there was a chance Rauch could have got a spot save today, but that was clearly not the case, in was what his worst outing of the season. 40 PC-28 ST (4/21/13)
(MR) Mike Dunn (L)âEarned his fourth hold of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing two hits on 16 pitches thrown. Dunn has now pitched back-to-back days and will likely get the day off on Monday when the Marlins open up a series with the Mets. 16 PC-13 ST (4/28/13)Milwaukee Brewers(CL) Solid Jim Henderson (R)âRecorded his sixth save of the season Saturday night after pitching yet another scoreless ninth frame. Henderson is now 6-for-6 in save chances this season and despite reports that the Brewers want Axford to regain the closer role, there is no way they can remove him if he keeps pitching like this. 23 PC-13 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) John Axford (R)âPicked up his fifth hold of the season Saturday despite allowing one run on one hit in the eighth inning. To no one's surprise, the run allowed was a home run, which has haunted him all season, but at least this was the first one he has allowed since being demoted. 15 PC-9 ST (4/27/13)
(MR) Michael Gonzalez (L)âPitched a scoreless eighth inning on Sunday allowing one hit while striking out one batter. Gonzalez has now pitched three of the last five days, so there is a chance he will be given a day off on Monday when the Brewers open up a series with the Pirates. 15 PC-11 ST (4/28/13)New York Mets(CL) Shaky Bobby Parnell (R)âPitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning Sunday, forcing three fly ball outs in a non-save situation. With Frank Francisco now throwing, but not 100 percent, Parnell will hold onto the closer role for at least a few more weeks, but it may be wise to stash Francisco now before he returns from injury. 11 PC-7 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Brandon Lyon (R)âPitched 0.2 innings of relief on Sunday allowing one run o two hits before recording the first two outs of the eighth inning. The wheels have now begun to fall off Lyon, which was only a matter of time, and if you own him in holds leagues you should probably cut bait since it will only get worse, as we have seen in the past. 9 PC-7 ST  (4/28/13)
(MR) LaTroy Hawkins (R)--Pitched two innings of relief on Saturday allowing one run (unearned) on two hits while striking out one batter over two innings of work. Hawkins needed only 26 pitches to work through the appearance so expect him to be available for Sunday's series finale. 26 PC-21 ST (4/27/13)
Injuredâ Frank Francisco (Elbow)Philadelphia Phillies(CL) Elite Jonathan Papelbon (R)âPitched a scoreless ninth inning Sunday in a non-save situation retiring all three batters he faced in order. Papelbon forced three fly ball outs on nine pitches thrown in his first appearance since April 22. 9 PC-6 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Mike Adams (R)âPitched a scoreless eighth inning Sunday retiring all three batters he faced in order. Adam forced one ground ball out and two fly ball outs to work a perfect eighth inning, rebounding nicely from a tough outing on Wednesday. 15 PC-11 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Antonio Bastardo (L)âEarned his third hold of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless seventh inning allowing one hit on 15 pitches thrown. With this appearance Bastardo lowered his earned-run average to 0.96 on the season, which is the best among Phillies relievers. 15 PC-9 ST (4/28/13)Pittsburgh Pirates(CL) Elite Jason Grilli (R)âRecorded his 10th save of the season on Saturday despite allowing one run on tow hits while striking out one batter in the ninth inning. The earned-run allowed by Grilli was his first of the season, which is truly remarkable, as he almost made it through the entire both of April without a runner crossing home plate, so owners should be very pleased with him thus far. 24 PC-17 ST (4/27 13)
(SU) Mark Melancon (R)âEarned his ninth hold of the season Saturday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing one hit while striking out one batter. Melancon needed 21 pitches to work through the appearance, forcing two ground ball outs to accompany with sole strikeout. 21 PC-15 ST (4/27/13)
(MR) Jared Hughes (R)âTook the loss on Monday night after allowing one run on two hits and one walk while striking out one batter in the sixth inning. Hughes has now pitched back-to-back days and will likely get the day off on Tuesday to clear his head. 24 PC-14 ST (4/22/13)San Diego Padres(CL) Solid Huston Street (R)âRecorded his fifth save of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless ninth inning allowing one hit while striking out one batter. Street has now pitched three straight days, so don't expect to see him take the mound on Monday when the Padres take on the Cubs.
(SU) Luke Gregerson (R)âEarned his fifth hold of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing one walk on 18 pitches thrown. Like his teammate Huston Street, Gregerson has now pitched three consecutive days, so he will likely be unavailable to pitch on Monday. 18 PC-9 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Dale Thayer (R)âPitched two innings of relief on Saturday night in extra innings allowing only one hit on 29 pitches thrown. Thayer was able to extend the game into the 12th inning by forcing three ground ball outs and three fly ball outs keep the Padres in the game. 29 PC-22 ST (4/27/13)San Francisco Giants(CL) Elite Sergio Romo (R)âTook the loss Saturday night after allowing one run on the 12th inning. He recorded only one out before allowing the game-winning run to cross the plate, which was a ground ball that was a fielder's choice to score Yonder Alonso and seal the win for the Padres. 9 PC-8 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) Santiago Casilla (R)âPitched a scoreless eighth inning on Saturday allowing two walks on 19 pitches thrown. Casilla got himself into trouble, but was able to work out of the jam by forcing two ground ball outs and one fly ball out to keep the game tied up heading into the ninth inning. 19 PC-8 ST (4/27/13)
(MR) Javier Lopez (L)â Recorded the final two outs of the seventh inning Saturday needing only three pitches to force two ground ball outs. With this appearance Lopez lowered his earned-run average to 1.80 on the season, but it will only take one bad outing to destroy that small number, considering most of his appearances are less than one inning a piece. 3 PC-2 ST (4/27/13)
St. Louis Cardinals
(CL) Shaky Edward Mujica (R)âEarned his fourth save of the season Wednesday after pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Mujica has now converted all four of his save chances this season, including three saves in the last three days, so luckily for him the Cardinals have a day off on Thursday to rest his arm. 11 PC-8 ST (4/24/13)
(SU) Trevor Rosenthal (R)âWas used to record the final two outs of the seventh inning on Saturday and was able to do so working around one base on balls. Rosenthal has the best arsenal out of all the Cardinals relievers, but his lack of command has limited his upside thus far, but if he can string together a few good outings, combined with a Edward Mujica meltdown, he could wind up in the closer role sooner than later. 24 PC-12 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) Mitchell Boggs (R)âPitched 0.2 innings of relief on Sunday surrendering three runs on two hits and one walk. The game was already out of reach prior to his entry into the game, but this is still a terrible thing to see, considering just two weeks ago he was the team's closer. 23 PC-16 ST (4/28/13)
Injuredâ Jason Motte (Elbow)Washington Nationals(CL) Elite Rafael Soriano (R)âCollected his seventh save of the season Saturday after pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning striking out two batters. After a few shaky outings earlier in the season, Soriano has worked out the kinks and is now back on track as one of the top options as his position. 13 PC-8 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) Drew Storen (R)âPicked up his fourth hold of the season Saturday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing two hits. Storen was able to work around the two base runners he allowed by forcing three ground ball outs to pass the ball to Rafael Soriano in the ninth inning. 13 PC-8 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) Tyler Clippard (R)âEarned his fourth hold of the season Saturday after recording the final out of the seventh inning. It was a shaky outing for Clippard, who allowed two base runners himself, but was able to walk away unharmed and keep the Nationals slim lead. 12 PC-5 ST (4/27/13)Matthew Beck is a Fantasy Sports Columnist for Rotoinfo.com. If you have any questions or comments feel free to e-mail him at matthewbeck@rotoinfo.com. Also follow him on Twitter @MatthewRBeck for up-to-date Q&A and fantasy information. And, to make setting your Fantasy Baseball lineup easy, be sure to And, to utilize RotoInfo.comâs new MLB Lineup Grids.

National League Bullpen ReportArizona Diamondbacks(CL) Solid J.J. Putz (R)âCollected his fifth save of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless ninth inning allowing one hit and one walk while striking out one batter. Putz has now pitched back-to-back days, and with David Hernandez off Sunday, there is a good chance Putz will not pitch Monday if a save situation arises. 17 PC-9 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) David Hernandez (R)âPitched two innings of relief on Saturday allowing two hits while striking out one batter. This was a nice bounce back performance for Hernandez, who has been on the down swing, so hopefully this will help him to continue moving in the right direction. 29 PC-16 ST (4/27/13)
(MR) Heath Bell (R)âEarned his first hold of the season Sunday after pitching a 1-2-3 eighth inning striking out one batter. Bell has now pitched back-to-back days and will likely be given the night off on Monday. 12 PC-8 ST (4/28/13)
Atlanta Braves
(CL) Elite Craig Kimbrel (R)âWas charged with his first blown-save of the season Wednesday after allowing two runs on three hits and one walk in the ninth inning. This goes to show you even the best of players have a bad day every once and a while, but expect Kimbrel to be pick up right where he left off before this slip up when the Braves open their weekend series with the Tigers on Friday. 18 PC-12 ST (4/24/13)
(SU) Eric OâFlaherty (R)âPicked up his seventh hold of the season Wednesday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing two hits. OâFlaherty got himself into a jam, but was able to work his way through it but forcing two ground ball outs and one fly ball out to get the job done. 12 PC-10 ST (4/24/13)
(MR) Jordan Walden (R)âPitched 1.2 innings of relief on Saturday afternoon retiring all five batters he faced in order. He struck out two batter while forcing one ground ball out and two fly ball out to lower his earned-run average to 2.00 on the season. 19 PC-14 ST (4/27/13)
Injuredâ Jonny Venters (Elbow)
Chicago Cubs
(CL) Committee Carlos Marmol (R)âEarned his second hold of the season Saturday after recording the final out of the eighth inning. In a strange turn of events, Kevin Gregg, not Marmol, was used in the ninth inning, so Gregg has now emerged as a contender in the Cubs closer committee. 6 PC-1 ST (4/27/13)
(CL) Committee Kevin Gregg (R)--Collected his third save of the season Saturday after pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning. After joining the Cubs bullpen late last week it was believed that Gregg would be a long shot for saves in the Windy City, but he already has three saves on the season and may be in line for more after being used in the ninth inning role with Carlos Mamol and Shawn Camp available to pitch on Saturday. 13 PC-7 ST (4/27/13)
(CL) Committee Shawn Camp (R)âEarned his third hold of the season Friday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing two hits while striking out one batter. With Carlos Marmol unavailable, it was thought Camp would get a chance to close out the game, but it was Kevin Gregg who was given the chance, so it is possible that Camp has fallen out of the closer committee in Chicago. 19 PC-12 ST (4/26/13)
InjuredâKyuji Fujikawa (Forearm)Cincinnati Reds(CL) Elite Aroldis Chapman (L)âRecorded his fifth save of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless ninth inning allowing one walk while striking out one batter. With this appearance Chapman lowered his earned-run average to 0.73 while bringing his total strikeouts up to 21 this month. 20 PC-13 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Jonathan Broxton (R)âPitched one inning of relief on Sunday allowing one run on one hit and one walk while striking out one batter. After stringing together five straight solid outings, Broxton was roughed up once again, but at least this time it wasn't six runs that scored on him, like his previous bad outing. 30 PC-20 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Sean Marshall (L)--Earned his second hold of the season Sunday after retiring the final two batters of the seventh inning. Marshall has now pitched each of the last two days since returning from the disabled list, so don't expect him to be used on Monday when the Reds take on the Cardinals. 12 PC-9 ST (4/28/13)Colorado Rockies(CL) Solid Rafael Betancourt (R)âCollected his eighth save of the season Friday night after pitching a 1-2-3 eighth inning. Betancourt forced three fly ball outs to work quickly through the ninth inning, but fly balls eventually turn into home runs, especially playing at Coors Field, so hopefully that doesn't become a trend. 14 PC-9 ST (4/26/13)
(SU) Rex Brothers (L)âPitched 0.1 innings of relief on Saturday allowing one walk on seven pitched thrown. Brothers was needed to get the final out of the seventh inning and was able to do so, lowering his earned-run average on 0.79 in the season. 7 PC-2 ST (4/27/13)
(MR) Wilton Lopez (R)âPitched a scoreless eighth inning Saturday allowing one hit in the appearance. Lopez has now put together a few solid outing since his meltdown last weekend, so those in holds leagues may want to add him to your watch list, considering the Rockies have been in a lot of close games this season. 20 PC-13 ST (4/27/13)Los Angeles Dodgers(CL) Shaky Brandon League (R)âEarned his eighth save of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless ninth inning retiring all three batters he faced in order. League was able to put his recent struggles behind him, forcing two ground ball outs and one fly ball out to get the job done. 8 PC-6 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Kenley Jansen (R)âPicked up the win on Thursday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing one hit and one walk while striking out one batter. The Dodgers flamethrower has now pitched back-to-back days and will likely get the day off on Friday, so plan accordingly. 20 PC-13 ST (4/25/13)
(MR) Ronald Belisario (R)âEarned the win Friday after pitching 1.2 innings of relief striking out three of the six batters he faced. Belisario looked great in this one, and was lucky that League didn't allow any more runs int he ninth inning to blow the victory for him and the Dodgers. 37 PC-25 ST (4/26/13)Miami Marlins(CL) Shaky Steve Cishek (R)âEarned his third save of the season Sunday despite allowing a solo-home run to Dioner Navarro in the top of the ninth inning. Cishek has now allowed an earned-run in three of his last four relief appearances, and if he doesn't turn things around, Mike Dunn or Jon Rauch could be in there in no time.
(SU) Jon Rauch (R)âPitched 0.2 innings of relief on Sunday surrendering five runs on four hits and one walk. With closer Steve Cishek unavailable, there was a chance Rauch could have got a spot save today, but that was clearly not the case, in was what his worst outing of the season. 40 PC-28 ST (4/21/13)
(MR) Mike Dunn (L)âEarned his fourth hold of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing two hits on 16 pitches thrown. Dunn has now pitched back-to-back days and will likely get the day off on Monday when the Marlins open up a series with the Mets. 16 PC-13 ST (4/28/13)Milwaukee Brewers(CL) Solid Jim Henderson (R)âRecorded his sixth save of the season Saturday night after pitching yet another scoreless ninth frame. Henderson is now 6-for-6 in save chances this season and despite reports that the Brewers want Axford to regain the closer role, there is no way they can remove him if he keeps pitching like this. 23 PC-13 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) John Axford (R)âPicked up his fifth hold of the season Saturday despite allowing one run on one hit in the eighth inning. To no one's surprise, the run allowed was a home run, which has haunted him all season, but at least this was the first one he has allowed since being demoted. 15 PC-9 ST (4/27/13)
(MR) Michael Gonzalez (L)âPitched a scoreless eighth inning on Sunday allowing one hit while striking out one batter. Gonzalez has now pitched three of the last five days, so there is a chance he will be given a day off on Monday when the Brewers open up a series with the Pirates. 15 PC-11 ST (4/28/13)New York Mets(CL) Shaky Bobby Parnell (R)âPitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning Sunday, forcing three fly ball outs in a non-save situation. With Frank Francisco now throwing, but not 100 percent, Parnell will hold onto the closer role for at least a few more weeks, but it may be wise to stash Francisco now before he returns from injury. 11 PC-7 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Brandon Lyon (R)âPitched 0.2 innings of relief on Sunday allowing one run o two hits before recording the first two outs of the eighth inning. The wheels have now begun to fall off Lyon, which was only a matter of time, and if you own him in holds leagues you should probably cut bait since it will only get worse, as we have seen in the past. 9 PC-7 ST  (4/28/13)
(MR) LaTroy Hawkins (R)--Pitched two innings of relief on Saturday allowing one run (unearned) on two hits while striking out one batter over two innings of work. Hawkins needed only 26 pitches to work through the appearance so expect him to be available for Sunday's series finale. 26 PC-21 ST (4/27/13)
Injuredâ Frank Francisco (Elbow)Philadelphia Phillies(CL) Elite Jonathan Papelbon (R)âPitched a scoreless ninth inning Sunday in a non-save situation retiring all three batters he faced in order. Papelbon forced three fly ball outs on nine pitches thrown in his first appearance since April 22. 9 PC-6 ST (4/28/13)
(SU) Mike Adams (R)âPitched a scoreless eighth inning Sunday retiring all three batters he faced in order. Adam forced one ground ball out and two fly ball outs to work a perfect eighth inning, rebounding nicely from a tough outing on Wednesday. 15 PC-11 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Antonio Bastardo (L)âEarned his third hold of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless seventh inning allowing one hit on 15 pitches thrown. With this appearance Bastardo lowered his earned-run average to 0.96 on the season, which is the best among Phillies relievers. 15 PC-9 ST (4/28/13)Pittsburgh Pirates(CL) Elite Jason Grilli (R)âRecorded his 10th save of the season on Saturday despite allowing one run on tow hits while striking out one batter in the ninth inning. The earned-run allowed by Grilli was his first of the season, which is truly remarkable, as he almost made it through the entire both of April without a runner crossing home plate, so owners should be very pleased with him thus far. 24 PC-17 ST (4/27 13)
(SU) Mark Melancon (R)âEarned his ninth hold of the season Saturday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing one hit while striking out one batter. Melancon needed 21 pitches to work through the appearance, forcing two ground ball outs to accompany with sole strikeout. 21 PC-15 ST (4/27/13)
(MR) Jared Hughes (R)âTook the loss on Monday night after allowing one run on two hits and one walk while striking out one batter in the sixth inning. Hughes has now pitched back-to-back days and will likely get the day off on Tuesday to clear his head. 24 PC-14 ST (4/22/13)San Diego Padres(CL) Solid Huston Street (R)âRecorded his fifth save of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless ninth inning allowing one hit while striking out one batter. Street has now pitched three straight days, so don't expect to see him take the mound on Monday when the Padres take on the Cubs.
(SU) Luke Gregerson (R)âEarned his fifth hold of the season Sunday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing one walk on 18 pitches thrown. Like his teammate Huston Street, Gregerson has now pitched three consecutive days, so he will likely be unavailable to pitch on Monday. 18 PC-9 ST (4/28/13)
(MR) Dale Thayer (R)âPitched two innings of relief on Saturday night in extra innings allowing only one hit on 29 pitches thrown. Thayer was able to extend the game into the 12th inning by forcing three ground ball outs and three fly ball outs keep the Padres in the game. 29 PC-22 ST (4/27/13)San Francisco Giants(CL) Elite Sergio Romo (R)âTook the loss Saturday night after allowing one run on the 12th inning. He recorded only one out before allowing the game-winning run to cross the plate, which was a ground ball that was a fielder's choice to score Yonder Alonso and seal the win for the Padres. 9 PC-8 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) Santiago Casilla (R)âPitched a scoreless eighth inning on Saturday allowing two walks on 19 pitches thrown. Casilla got himself into trouble, but was able to work out of the jam by forcing two ground ball outs and one fly ball out to keep the game tied up heading into the ninth inning. 19 PC-8 ST (4/27/13)
(MR) Javier Lopez (L)â Recorded the final two outs of the seventh inning Saturday needing only three pitches to force two ground ball outs. With this appearance Lopez lowered his earned-run average to 1.80 on the season, but it will only take one bad outing to destroy that small number, considering most of his appearances are less than one inning a piece. 3 PC-2 ST (4/27/13)
St. Louis Cardinals
(CL) Shaky Edward Mujica (R)âEarned his fourth save of the season Wednesday after pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Mujica has now converted all four of his save chances this season, including three saves in the last three days, so luckily for him the Cardinals have a day off on Thursday to rest his arm. 11 PC-8 ST (4/24/13)
(SU) Trevor Rosenthal (R)âWas used to record the final two outs of the seventh inning on Saturday and was able to do so working around one base on balls. Rosenthal has the best arsenal out of all the Cardinals relievers, but his lack of command has limited his upside thus far, but if he can string together a few good outings, combined with a Edward Mujica meltdown, he could wind up in the closer role sooner than later. 24 PC-12 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) Mitchell Boggs (R)âPitched 0.2 innings of relief on Sunday surrendering three runs on two hits and one walk. The game was already out of reach prior to his entry into the game, but this is still a terrible thing to see, considering just two weeks ago he was the team's closer. 23 PC-16 ST (4/28/13)
Injuredâ Jason Motte (Elbow)Washington Nationals(CL) Elite Rafael Soriano (R)âCollected his seventh save of the season Saturday after pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning striking out two batters. After a few shaky outings earlier in the season, Soriano has worked out the kinks and is now back on track as one of the top options as his position. 13 PC-8 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) Drew Storen (R)âPicked up his fourth hold of the season Saturday after pitching a scoreless eighth inning allowing two hits. Storen was able to work around the two base runners he allowed by forcing three ground ball outs to pass the ball to Rafael Soriano in the ninth inning. 13 PC-8 ST (4/27/13)
(SU) Tyler Clippard (R)âEarned his fourth hold of the season Saturday after recording the final out of the seventh inning. It was a shaky outing for Clippard, who allowed two base runners himself, but was able to walk away unharmed and keep the Nationals slim lead. 12 PC-5 ST (4/27/13)Matthew Beck is a Fantasy Sports Columnist for Rotoinfo.com. If you have any questions or comments feel free to e-mail him at matthewbeck@rotoinfo.com. Also follow him on Twitter @MatthewRBeck for up-to-date Q&A and fantasy information. And, to make setting your Fantasy Baseball lineup easy, be sure to And, to utilize RotoInfo.comâs new MLB Lineup Grids. Player News
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