Paul’s Call to the ‘Pen: May 28

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  • By Paul Williamson

    I am going to change up this piece, once again.

    Instead of doing a saves and a holds article, I will combine them once again.

    As always, I will list relievers in the following tiers.

    Must-roster – they should be rostered in all leagues.

    Solid play – They are 12-team viable, fringe options for shallower leagues.

    Fringe-play – I would only roster them in 12-team leagues if I was starved for saves or holds

    Deep league play – I’m only using them in deeper than 12-team leagues

    Dart throw – Are you desperate?

    Then, within each tier, I will differentiate between SAVES ONLY LEAGUES and SAVES + HOLDS LEAGUES.

    MUST ROSTER

    SAVES ONLY LEAGUES

    Cade Smith – CLE – Got his 19th save on Wednesday. He is ‘da man.

    Mason Miller – SDP – Is there any doubt?

    Josh Hader – HOU – He is trending toward returning in the first week of June.

    Raisel Iglesias – ATL – He just keeps chugging along. This is his job.

    Riley O’Brien – STL – In his 24 appearances, he has 19 scoreless. His latest two-run implosion is easily filed under ‘don’t read too much into this’. He has 13 saves and the Cards are competing.

    Daniel Palencia – CHC – The Cubs are better than the 10-game skid they are on now. The saves will come.

    Paul Sewald – ARI – Time to give this man his rightful spot in the top tier. After blowing his last save he has four outings where his only blemish is one walk. He has three saves and a W in these four outings. He has been rock solid all year as the closer.

    Tanner Scott – LAD – The last ninth inning came after Scott wasn’t available due to a heavy workload as Alex Vesia was pulled mid-ninth when a RHB was called upon to face him. They have not really used anyone else in a true save situation where Scott was available.

    Andres Munoz – SEA – hasn’t been the cleanest year for him but he has settled down of late with just three earned allowed in his last 10 outings with 15 Ks to just one walk.

    Jhoan Duran – PHI – He is so back and so are the saves.

    Bryan Baker – TBR – He just keeps chugging along and so do the Rays.

    David Bednar – NYY – has settled down since having a rough three outings as I still trust him.

    SAVES + HOLDS LEAUGES

    Jose A. Ferrer, Matt Brash, Munoz – SEA – Brash is back from the IL and should be resume his usual role as the top setup man for Munoz though Ferrer is still going to hold a valuable spot in this ‘pen as well.

    Baker, Kevin Kelly, Ian Seymour – TBR – Kelly has 11 holds and Seymour has 11 save+holds. Both have been mainstays, with Baker, in the late innings for Tampa. But watch out for Garrett Cleavinger.

    Smith – CLE

    Hader – HOU

    Duran, Brad Keller – PHI – If he didn’t have to fill in as the closer, he would be at double digit holds.

    Louis Varland, Jeff Hoffman – TOR – there might be a question as to who gets the ninth right now but both are easy adds for leagues counting holds.

    Iglesias, Robert Suarez, Dylan Lee – ATL – Iglesias and Suarez are the obvious ones but Lee has quietly turned in an elite campaign and leads this team in holds. The Braves should provide plenty of leads to protect late.

    Abner Uribe, Trevor Megill – MIL – We might be a bit in the dark in terms of who gets the saves but they are the top high-leverage arms for a winning ball club.

    O’Brien, JoJo Romero – STL – Romero has 15 holds and his setting up for a surprisingly competitive Cardinal’s squad.

    Palencia – CHC

    Scott, Alex Vesia – LAD – These two are a consistent presence late in games for the Dodgers.

    Miller, Adrian Morejon, Jason Adam – SDP – They both have double digit holds and Morejon has been a lot better lately.

    Bednar, Fernando Cruz – NYY – Cruz is having a great year, double digit holds and a 31.9% K%.

    SOLID PLAY

    SAVES ONLY LEAGUES

    Devin Williams – NYM – The blow out on Sunday were the first runs he allowed in nine games. No reason to panic. When the Mets turn things around, I’ll put him back in top tier.

    Aroldis Chapman – BOS – The Red Sox just are not giving him many save chances.

    Louis Varland – TOR – While we did see Hoffman get two saves this week, Varland may not have been available due to his workload in both games. Keep an eye out but odds are, this is still his job. WEDNESDAY UPDATE – Varland faced the middle of the Marlins order in the eighth. Varland is still the most likely to get the ninth but this usage pushes him out of ‘must roster’ territory.

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    May 28, 2026, 8:00 am