Braves Arodys Vizcaino: New closer on the market

The Braves may have had a switch in the bullpen. Arodys Vizcaino has recorded three straight saves and looks to be the closer to own from Atlanta.

The Atlanta Braves are one of a few teams rebuilding. They have a group of young players the team is trying to build around. While it isn’t as important, having a solid closer takes away a lot of pressure. The Braves may have found that guy, finally, in Arodys Vizcaino.

Vizcaino has dabbled as the Braves closer in the past, 24 career saves, but hasn’t been looked at as the full-time closer. The team has had capable closers in previous seasons but it’s either an older player in the twilight of his career or a young player they trade.

This season was more of the same with Jim Johnson as the Braves closer. He has 22 saves, already two more than last season, with a 3.94 ERA, 1.270 WHIP, 10.6 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9. The ratio stats are all up from last season. For strikeouts, that is a good thing, not for everything else.

Vizcaino, on the other hand, is pitching better than Johnson. He has a 2.45 ERA, 1.116 WHIP, 9.4 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 with five saves.

More from Fantasy Baseball

• 5 fantasy baseball waiver wire pivots to replace Triston McKenzie
• Fantasy baseball mock draft 2023, 12-team: Aaron Judge over Trea Turner?
• 3 fantasy baseball sleepers being drafted too late
• NBA DFS picks December 25: Merry Bucking Christmas
• Fantasy Baseball: Hot pitchers worthy of starting this weekend

Over his last six appearances, Vizcaino has a 1.59 ERA, 0.882 WHIP, three strikeouts and one walk with two holds and three straight saves. He isn’t a big strikeout guy, but he gets himself out of any difficult situations, as evident by his 87.7 left on base percentage.

His fly ball rate is 13.3 percent higher than last season but he isn’t giving up many home runs. It does help that Vizcaino’s fast ball is close to 98 MPH and he has a low 90s changeup with a pretty good curveball. That is a dangerous trio of pitches for a reliever.

Vizcaino is getting a lot of swinging strikes, first-pitch strikes and swings out of the strike zone. He is posting career highs in all three statistics.

Looking at ESPN’s top added players, six of the 25 are relief pitchers, second-most behind starting pitchers with seven. With the number of relievers that were traded and opening up spots for other teams, some relievers are getting their shot.

Ironically, that is not what happened in Atlanta but Vizcaino is getting the call in the ninth inning and making the most of it. I wrote about Vizcaino being a second-half sleeper last month and this is what I’m talking about. Though, I did think Johnson would have been traded.

Next: Yonder Alonso traded to Seattle

Vizcaino has been added in 12.2 percent of ESPN leagues over the last week. He is now up to 20.8 percent owned. If you need some saves or low ratio stats, Vizcaino should be someone you target on your waiver wire.