Fantasy baseball closer stock watch: Holmes up, Hader down - ESPN

We are now roughly one-quarter into the 2024 fantasy baseball season. When it comes to closers, as always, two words tend to resonate: opportunity and volatility. A pitcher cannot accrue saves or holds (deserved or not) without that chance to do so, and there are few guarantees for performance and health even for the most trusted of the relief pitchers. It happens every season. Opportunity and volatility. You know the drill. Rinse and repeat.

Still, fantasy managers must invest in relief pitchers and hope for the best, so it seems like a wise time for the latest Stock Watch, aiming to explain some of the positives and negatives of the key fantasy role through the first six or so weeks. Only three-quarters of the fantasy baseball season remain. There will be lots of — say it with me — opportunity and volatility. Pace yourselves.

Robert Suarez, San Diego Padres: He entered this week leading all RP-eligible players (including the multi-eligible starting pitchers) in ESPN fantasy points. That is quite a feat, especially since Suarez was hardly among the more coveted pitchers on draft day. He was a late-round pick, at best, and remains available in nearly 20% of ESPN standard leagues. Suarez is not trying to fool hitters. He is throwing his fastball 91.3% of the time, and it is working. Opposing batters are 7-for-63 against him. Enjoy the ride. Suarez should continue to be a top-five fantasy closer.

Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland Guardians: Coming off an outstanding 2022 season, Clase was probably the first relief pitcher off the board in your 2023 drafts. Sadly, then came the mighty surprising volatility. Clase blew 12 saves, lost nine games and his strikeout rate plummeted. He saved 44 games, but it came with a 3.22 ERA. Clase