Soon-To-Be Fantasy Baseball Closers To Add: Arodys Vizcaino, Kyle Barraclough and More
Jun 11, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Miami Marlins relief pitcher Kyle Barraclough (46) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Here are some soon-to-be fantasy baseball closers to add down the stretch of the season including Arodys Vizcaino and Kyle Barraclough. 

Every year around the trade deadline in Major League Baseball there are a handful of closers that get traded and it blindsides a lot of fantasy owners. It seems like every week a closer loses their job and it leaves us fantasy owners without a closer.

Saves are only one category in fantasy baseball but a good closer can help lower our team E.R.A. and W.H.I.P. along with saves.

How can we tell which closers will get traded? Veteran closers who are on bad teams usually get dealt to a team who is in the playoff contention but have been struggling at the back end of the bullpen. When one closer gets traded to another team it opens up a new job.

Let’s look at the set-up men who usually pitch in the eighth inning who would become the next closer for their team following a trade.

Arodys Vizcaino, Atlanta Braves

Here is my opportunity to talk about the 2019 World Series Champions, the Atlanta Braves. Arodys Vizcaino throws gas. His fastball reaches 100 MPH and has movement, which can be unfair at times. Vizcaino’s curve is thrown extremely hard and it generates an extremely high number of swings and misses compared to other pitchers’ curves. He averages over ten Ks per nine and the Atlanta Braves are ready to make him the closer of the future.

The Braves should be moving Jim Johnson at the trade deadline and when it happens, Arodys Vizcaino can be a top ten closer for the rest of the season. This is the perfect example of a team that won’t make the playoffs and will trade its veteran closer to a contender who needs bullpen depth. Keep an ear out for the trade rumors because this will be one of the first trades that will be made and grab Vizcaino off the free agent list.

Nate Jones/Tommy Kahnle, Chicago White Sox

David Robertson is in the last year of his contract and the Chicago White Sox are not making a run at a World Series this year. Robertson’s name has been in trade rumors since spring training and his likely destination will be with the Washington Nationals. Robertson will get more save chances with the Nationals and any pitcher that goes from the American League to the National League will have better numbers.

Both Nate Jones and Tommy Kahnle have been lights out and the White Sox can go with either or after the trade to take over the closer role. Nate Jones has a longer track record but Kahnle has 52 strikeouts in only 30 innings this year. Both can be top twelve closers for the rest of the year.

Archie Bradley, Arizona Diamondbacks

Fernando Rodney was bad at the start of the season but over the last 30 days he hasn’t given up a hit (only nine appearances). At any point, Rodney can blow up and give up ten runs in two innings. Archie Bradley has found his calling in the big leagues and that is in the bullpen. He has been lights out this year. He has 42 Ks in 34 innings to go along with a 1.04 E.R.A. on the year.

The Diamondbacks will make the playoffs this year and it will take another bad stretch from Rodney, which is more likely to happen than not. Bradley will be the next man up for the closer’s gig and he won’t give it up once he is handed the keys to the car.

Kyle Barraclough, Miami Marlins

Out of all the scenarios, this one is the most unlikely. AJ Ramos has been solid this year for Miami but the Marlins are a team that has very few players that they can trade and gets a decent prospect for. The team isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and if they were smart they would move Ramos to a contending team for a younger player. I play a lot of MLB the Show 17 and I am a master at pulling off trades so the Miami Marlins should listen to me here.

Kyle Barraclough has what it takes to be a closer and he can be a good cheap source for saves if Ramos is traded. When the Marlins do win games, they are close ones where the closer will get the opportunity to end the game. This is a long shot but if the Marlins get rid of Ramos, Barraclough will be a good pick up for the second half of the season.


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