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Fantasy Baseball 2018: Astros, Blue Jays Swap Closers

By Bill Pivetz

TORONTO, ON - JULY 25: Roberto Osuna #54 of the Toronto Blue Jays acknowledges a defensive play by Josh Donaldson in the ninth inning to end the game against the Oakland Athletics at Rogers Centre on July 25, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JULY 25: Roberto Osuna #54 of the Toronto Blue Jays acknowledges a defensive play by Josh Donaldson in the ninth inning to end the game against the Oakland Athletics at Rogers Centre on July 25, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /
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The Astros acquired arguably the best closer available in Roberto Osuna on Monday. How does the move to the AL West affect fantasy baseball owners?

The Houston Astros have been in need of bullpen help for most of the season. Only three of their top eight relief pitchers has an ERA under 3.00. With a repeat World Series on the horizon, the front office needed to make a move. In a surprising decision, the Astros acquired closer Roberto Osuna for Ken Giles, Hector Perez and David Paulino. How does this move affect fantasy baseball?

Osuna is finishing up a rehab assignment as he serves a 75-game suspension. He is also still facing domestic assault charges in Canada, but we don’t focus on legal matters here.

Osuna was having a fantastic season before the suspension. In 15.1 innings, 15 games, he posted a 2.93 ERA, 1.109 WHIP, 7.6 K/9, 0.6 BB/9 and nine saves. Giles, the Astros closer at the beginning of the season.

He benefits from not having to face the power duo of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Osuna also avoids the recently hot Tampa Bay Rays.

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However, he will have to face the Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Angels and Oakland A’s, all teams that can crush the ball and put up crooked numbers. Though, the Astros rotation has done a good job at limiting that.

Giles, before being sent down to Triple-A, had a 4.99 ERA, 1.272 WHIP, 9.1 K/9, 0.9 BB/9 and 12 saves. He wasn’t walking a lot of batters but the number of hits added up and resulted in some bad losses for the Astros.

The team then turned to Hector Rondon as their closer. He hasn’t done a bad job in the interim. He has a 2.41 ERA, 1.152 WHIP, 11/3 K/9 and nine saves in 37.1 innings.

Rondon will likely go back to a set-up role when Osuna’s suspension ends on August 5. He will join Chris Devenski and Brad Peacock in what is now a solid bullpen. We’ve seen other playoff contenders add reliable arms to the bullpen in order to shorten the game for their starters. The Astros are just the most recent case.

As for Giles, I believe he will join a closer by committee situation in Toronto. The Blue Jays previously traded away Seunghwan Oh to Colorado. The only closer-eligible relievers are Ryan Tepera and Tyler Clippard. Even with his struggles, I’d take a combination of Giles and Tepera over the final two months.

If you picked up Rondon, he will lose value next week. He’s still worth owning in deeper leagues or if your league keeps track of holds. Rondon will still be a reliable source for ratios and strikeouts. Osuna is still available in 65 percent of ESPN leagues.

Next. Should you have a co-commissioner?. dark

Those owners that picked up Tepera early definitely got their money’s worth. However, with Giles in the mix, he may not be the only Blue Jays reliever picking up saves. He can still provide help with strikeouts and somewhat low ratios.

There are still saves to be found on the waiver wire. It may just take more than one player to get them.

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