Baltimore Orioles RHPs Felix Bautista and Yennier Cano were fantasy baseball's most notable 1-2 punch among relief pitchers for the first half of the season, each producing significant statistics and earning inclusion on the AL All-Star team. An NL version has finally surpassed them, as Milwaukee Brewers RHPs Devin Williams and Joel Payamps rank 1-2 on the ESPN's 30-day Player Rater. The fact that Williams is thriving comes as no surprise, but Payamps -- a five-year MLB veteran of little distinction now with his fifth team -- sure is.
Williams, armed with a ridiculous changeup working off his four-seam fastball, was expected to be one of the top closers in the sport, and he has recorded 12 of his 23 saves over the past 30 days. April was slow, with only five saves and fewer than 10 innings pitched (but that's hardly his fault) and some fantasy managers grumbled at low usage. Ah, such volatility for relievers, not only for performance but in volume as well. Now things are excellent, as every Williams outing seems to end in a save. He has pitched 15 times since June 16, earning a win and 13 saves over that stretch with a 1.27 ERA.