Yoendrys Gómez picks up 21st save in win Saturday

Gómez struck out Tigers outfielder Riley Greene to begin the ninth inning before retiring the next two batters and locking down his 22nd save. He’s come out of nowhere this season to be a crucial pickup for fantasy managers. Gómez began the year with Tampa Bay, had an 6.23 ERA with the Rays and didn’t get his first save with the Twins until May 10. He just picked up his eighth save since the start of August and has a 2.44 ERA in 44 1/3 innings with the Twins.

Jeff Hoffman set him up by striking out three out of four batters in the eighth. We thought Hoffman might close today, but the Twins thought it was fine to use Gómez for a third straight day. He picked up saves in every game of the sweep of the Braves.

Gómez pitched around a Michael Harris II double to record a scoreless ninth inning and pick up the save against the Braves on Tuesday. It was his 19th save of the season. With a 3.25 ERA, Gómez has emerged as the top reliever for the Twins this year after many different relievers recorded saves for Minnesota in the first half of the season.

Gómez walked the next batter after the Leody Taveras homer, but he then got a liner back to the mound that he turned into a double play, followed by a groundout. It’s the third time in five appearances this month that Gomez has allowed a run, though one of those was just the automatic runner in the 10th. He still hasn’t blown a save chance this year.

Gómez entered after the Twins failed to score in the top of the 10th. He intentionally walked Garrett Mitchell and then struck out William Contreras before giving up a game-winning single to Jake Bauers. It’s Gómez’s second loss in four appearances this month, but just allowing the automatic runner to score shouldn’t really be held against him. He does need to be sharp going forward with Jeff Hoffman waiting in the wings.

Gómez struck out one batter in this one and needed only 12 pitches to get through the frame. Gómez has now picked up saves in back-to-back days for the Twins despite the team going out and acquiring Jeff Hoffman at this year’s deadline. Gómez continues to be worth holding onto until we see Hoffman eat into his closing role.

In the first save chance since Jeff Hoffman was acquired at the trade deadline, it was Gómez tasked with protecting the lead after Hoffman worked the ninth inning with the team trailing by a run on Wednesday. He made things interesting by allowing a leadoff walk to Salvador Perez but he picked off the pinch-runner at first before retiring Michael Massey on strikes and Issac Collins on strikes to end it. Fantasy managers may not want to drop Gómez just yet, but he very clearly still has a role in the ninth inning, even if it’s sharing the role with Hoffman.

Aaron Gleeman reports that the Jays are covering $3.77 million of the approximately $14.2 million that Hoffman is owed through the end of next year. The 33-year-old Hoffman figures to go back to closing in Minnesota after losing his job in Toronto to ex-Twin Louis Varland. He has a 3.94 ERA this season, but that comes with a 75/18 K/BB and only four homers allowed in 48 innings. He’s allowed three earned runs in 22 1/3 innings since the beginning of June. The acquisition of Hoffman probably makes Yoendrys Gómez droppable in mixed leagues.

Gómez had some of his best velocity of the year tonight, topping out at 97.7 mph, which probably helped him get around walking a couple of batters in the ninth. His month of July saw him pick up two wins and five saves while allowing two runs in 10 1/3 innings. He’s no lock to remain useful going forward, but he’s been plenty valuable in mixed leagues of late.

Gómez tossed a perfect ninth inning, recording a strikeout and his 13th save of the season in the process. He lowered his ERA to 3.40. Gómez remains perfect in save opportunities this year and has helped stabilize the ninth inning for Minnesota.