Mark Melancon Fantasy News & Stats

Mark Melancon

33-Year-Old PitcherRP

San Francisco Giants

2018 Stats

W-L

0-1

ERA

2.60

WHIP

1.53

Rest-of-Season Projections

W-L

ERA

WHIP

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2018 Fantasy Outlook

Heading into the 2017 season, hopes were high that Melancon's reliable arm could cure San Francisco's bullpen woes. Unfortunately, a series of injuries shortened Melancon's season. Multiple trips to the disabled list with a recurring forearm and elbow injury limited Melancon to just 30 innings over 32 games, a significant decline after four straight seasons with at least 72 appearances. Ultimately, Melancon had season-ending pronator surgery in September to fix his elbow. When healthy, he wasn't as effective as he'd been previously as he picked up just 11 saves while blowing five opportunities and ended the season with a 4.50 ERA and 1.43 WHIP, his highest marks since 2012. However, bad luck could have played a role, as opponents posted a .374 BABIP with Melancon on the mound. Despite his down year, Melancon will serve as San Francisco's closer next season and should be fully healthy when spring training arrives, making him a prime candidate for a bounce-back season. Read Past Outlooks

RANKSFrom Preseason

#182

ADP

Overall

Reliever

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League Majors

Bats R

Throws R

40 Man Yes

Height 6'2"

Weight 210

DOB 3/28/1985

Born Wheat Ridge, CO

College Arizona

Drafted 9th Rd 2006 NYY

Pitches scoreless eighth inning

PSan Francisco Giants

September 16, 2018

Melancon gave up a hit over a scoreless inning while striking out two in Saturday's 3-0 win over Colorado.

ANALYSIS
Melancon is beginning to look like his former dominant self, posting a 1.74 ERA and 10.5 K/9 over his last 10 appearances. The 33-year-old picked up a couple of saves at the end of August during closer Will Smith's brief slump, but the latter has since righted the ship and even picked up a rare save for San Francisco on Saturday.

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Pitching Stats

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Minor League Game Log

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Left/Right Pitching Splits

Since 2016

-3%

BAA vs RHP

2018

-23%

BAA vs RHP

2017

-32%

BAA vs LHP

2016

-14%

BAA vs RHP

	BAA	Batters	K	BB	H	2B	3B	HR
Since 2016vs Left	.252	250	61	17	58	9	1	3
Since 2016vs Right	.244	296	62	11	69	14	0	4
2018vs Left	.327	57	16	4	17	2	0	0
2018vs Right	.253	89	13	6	21	5	0	1
2017vs Left	.246	70	13	5	16	3	1	2
2017vs Right	.362	60	16	1	21	5	0	1
2016vs Left	.221	123	32	8	25	4	0	1
2016vs Right	.190	147	33	4	27	4	0	2
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Home/Away Pitching Splits

Since 2016

-43%

ERA at Home

2018

-44%

ERA at Home

2017

-70%

ERA at Home

2016

-16%

ERA on Road

	ERA	WHIP	IP	W	L	SV	K/9	BB/9	HR/9
Since 2016Home	1.90	0.99	75.2	2	3	36	8.6	1.5	0.2
Since 2016Away	3.34	1.35	59.1	1	2	25	7.7	2.3	0.8
2018Home	1.96	1.25	18.1	0	1	3	8.3	2.0	0.0
2018Away	3.52	1.63	15.1	0	0	0	7.0	3.5	0.6
2017Home	2.20	0.92	16.1	0	0	4	9.9	1.7	0.6
2017Away	7.24	2.05	13.2	1	2	7	7.2	2.0	1.3
2016Home	1.76	0.90	41.0	2	2	29	8.1	1.3	0.2
2016Away	1.48	0.89	30.1	0	0	18	8.3	1.8	0.6
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Stat Review

How does Mark Melancon compare to other relievers?

This section compares his stats with all relief pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 30 innings). The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

K/BB

2.42

K/9

7.5

BB/9

3.1

HR/9

0.3

Fastball

91.4 mph

ERA

2.60

WHIP

1.53

BABIP

.368

GB/FB

3.33

Strand %

82.7%

Advanced Pitching Stats

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Defensive Stats

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Stats Vs Today's Lineup

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Past Fantasy Outlooks

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

Melancon was once again dominant in 2016, and while his strikeout rate is no longer above 9.0 per nine innings, his elite cutter produces as much weak contact and as many easy outs as any pitch in the majors. He hasn't allowed a BABIP above .275 in three seasons, and a HR/9 rate above 0.47 in four. The 32-year-old right-hander didn't miss a beat after being dealt to the Nationals at the deadline, and his 98 saves over the last two seasons lead the majors. The Giants signed him to a four-year contract in the offseason, and while his lack of an overpowering fastball does cause him to get overlooked when the league's best closers get named, Melancon's track record of success is a match for anyone's. Expect him to continue his exceptional run in San Francisco.

Melancon led the majors with 51 saves in 2015, recovering from a shaky April when his fastball didn’t touch 90 mph. The 31-year-old set a club record with 35 straight saves — he blew only two save opportunities all season — courtesy of a devastating cutter. His finished with a 7.28 K/9 rate, his lowest in seven years, but the results were never better. Neither Melancon nor the team ever stated what led to his diminished velocity, but he regained speed as the season went along. So long as the reliever demonstrates impeccable command — he boasts a 203:33 K:BB ratio in three years with Pittsburgh — there’s reason to believe he’ll remain one of the top closers in the majors.

Melancon finally took over for an ineffective Jason Grilli as Pittsburgh's closer in early May and never looked back. Armed with a cutter learned from former teammate, Mariano Rivera, the 28-year-old right-hander converted 33 of 37 save opportunities and added 14 holds. The Pirates seem to like Melancon more as a setup man but really have no one better to close out games. He allowed 51 hits in 71 innings and fashioned an impressive 71:11 K:BB ratio, compiling a 1.90 ERA and career-low 0.87 WHIP. He remains ahead of lefty Tony Watson in the bullpen pecking order and the team is still finding out how to use newcomer John Holdzkom, making it likely Melancon closes again for Pittsburgh in 2015.

Melancon is expected to serve as Pittsburgh's primary setup man for closer Jason Grilli again in 2014. He collected 26 holds during the first four months before a Grilli injury gave him a chance to close, where the cut-fastball extraordinaire saved 16 games. Melancon's numbers -- 1.39 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 70:8 K:BB ratio -- show his dominance. Right-handed batters seemed to figure him out late in the year, taking his pitches opposite field to the tune of a .286 OBA. Lefties hit just .148/.168/.189 against the right-hander. Fantasy owners wonder whether Melancon's 4.22 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in September was a blip on the radar or a sign of future performance in 2014.

Melancon flamed out spectacularly in April last season and was sent to Triple-A Pawtucket before the month was over. He pitched better in his stay with the PawSox, and was eventually recalled to Boston in June. He had a sneaky good September, while closer Andrew Bailey finished poorly. Making things more interesting, Melancon was sent to Pittsburgh in December as part of the Joel Hanrahan deal. It's expected that Melancon will be the next in line for saves if Jason Grilli is unable to handle the ninth-inning role for the Bucs.

An injury to Brandon Lyon opened the door for Melancon to take over the closing duties for the Astros last season. He doesn't have overpowering stuff, but Melancon responded to the opportunity with a strong 2.78 ERA and 1.224 WHIP, while racking up eight wins and 20 saves. Melancon is an extreme groundball pitcher, posting the fourth highest groundball rate for a reliever pitching at least 70 innings in the National League last year. It's no wonder he's able to keep the ball in the park. The Astros traded Melancon to the Red Sox in December, where he'll set up for Andrew Bailey.

Melancon came over to the Astros in the deal that sent Lance Berkman to the Bronx. He has a live arm and a good mentality for the bullpen. Control has often been a problem, but continued success at making batters miss mitigates the impact. With Matt Lindstrom traded to Colorado, Melancon is one step closer to getting save chances should anything happen to Brandon Lyon this season.

Melancon carried over his 2008 success into 2009, posting a 2.89 ERA and 54:11 K:BB ratio in 32 Triple-A relief appearances. He was adequate in 16.1 innings with the Yankees, and the team still views him as a potential closer down the road because of his temperament and pitching arsenal, highlighted by a sinking fastball that can touch 95 mph and a power curve. He’ll compete for a bullpen spot with the Yankees this season.

Returning from a missed season in 2007 due to Tommy John surgery, Melancon actually came back very strong last season while starting the year at High-A Tampa and eventually finishing at Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Melancon racked up 96 innings of relief over three levels and managed to improve his strikeout rate at each stop. In his arsenal, Melancon has a low-90s fastball that can still touch 95 mph along with a power curveball and a tough changeup. A set-up role at some point in 2009 isn't out of the question and he could win an Opening Day spot in the bullpen. Long term, Melancon profiles as a potential successor to Mariano Rivera as the team's closer.

More Fantasy News

Nails down third save

PSan Francisco Giants

August 26, 2018

Melancon struck out two batters and allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth to earn the save in the 3-1 win over Texas on Sunday.