After a dizzying few days, we’re finally starting to recover from the chaos of the 2023 trade deadline. The landscape of the league has shifted dramatically just over the last 48 hours or so: Justin Verlander is an Astro; Max Scherzer (and Jordan Montgomery) is a Ranger; the Dodgers, Rays and Orioles all found themselves a starting pitcher, while the Reds didn’t. The Angels (and Cubs) are all the way in, the Mets are all the way out, and the Twins and Yankees … apparently did not have cell reception on Tuesday afternoon.
Of course, the real-life game isn’t the only thing that’s been flipped upside down. As it does every year, the trade deadline will have fantasy baseball ramifications that will be felt for the rest of the season, leaving managers with plenty to keep track of as they get their rosters ready for the stretch run. Luckily, our weekly waiver wire recommendations are here to help, with position-by-position looks are players you should consider snagging off the waiver wire as the deadline dust settles. Next up: relievers.
Fantasy baseball waiver wire: Week 19 relief pitcher targets
Gregory Santos, RP, Chicago White Sox
Roster percentage: 1.8%
After Kendall Graveman, Reynaldo Lopez, Joe Kelly and Keynan Middleton were sent packing as part of Chicago’s deadline fire sale, Santos is just about the only one left in that bullpen. He’ll slot into the ninth inning almost by default — at least until Liam Hendriks returns from his elbow injury — but he also has electric stuff, with a sinker that can touch 100 mph and a slider that batters are hitting just .192 against. He owns a 2.63 ERA on the year and converted the Sox’ most recent save chance back on July 28. While there don’t figure to be a ton of opportunities on a team playing out the string, this should be Santos’ job to lose.
Brooks Raley, RP, New York Mets
Roster percentage: 5.7%
Most assumed that the closer’s role in Queens would go to Adam Ottavino with David Robertson departed for Miami, but instead it’s been the lefty Raley who locked down two save chances last week. His ERA is nearly a full run lower than Ottavino’s this year, and he appears to have the trust of manager Buck Showalter. The Mets are obviously a depleted team, but there’s still enough offensive punch here to give Raley some regular leads to hold over the last two months.
Giovanny Gallegos, RP, St. Louis Cardinals
Roster percentage: 8.5%
The Jordan Hicks trade to Toronto (and Ryan Helsley’s arm injury) means that the closer’s role in St. Louis once again belongs to Gallegos. The righty lost the job to Hicks thanks to a brutal month of June, but he’s been much better in July, with a 0.68 ERA across his last 12 appearances. It’s not like the Cardinals don’t have enough offensive firepower to give Gallegos some leads to protect, and he’s been a very reliable arm for several years now.
Carlos Hernandez, SP/RP, Kansas City Royals
Roster percentage: 2.0%
Scott Barlow was Kansas City’s closer, but the team’s best reliever of late had been Hernandez, who has a 1.40 ERA over 18 appearances dating back to June 18. With Barlow now serving as Josh Hader’s set-up man in San Diego, this job is unquestionably Hernandez’s for the rest of the year, and the Royals’ lineup has been surprisingly frisky of late. Worst case, he’ll help smooth out your ratios while serving as a steady source of strikeouts.
