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The Toronto Blue Jays announced Sunday that closer Casey Janssen will open the season on the disabled list with a lower back/abdominal strain, and general manager Alex Anthopoulus has confirmed that Sergio Santos will take over the role in his absence. Janssen’s spring debut was delayed by offseason shoulder surgery, so it’s good news that he has apparently not suffered any setbacks there, but fantasy owners that drafted him are now already left seeking another option very early in the season.
Is Santos now a must-add for fantasy baseball owners that seek saves?
Santos made 29 appearances last season for the Blue Jays, posting a 1.75 ERA with a 28:4 K/BB ratio over 25.2 innings after returning from elbow surgery. He made just six appearances in 2012 due to a shoulder issue that eventually required surgery, which adds some durability concern, but Santos did have 30 saves with a 13.1 K/9 rate with the Chicago White Sox in 2011 and has a closer-worthy skill set.
Santos is currently available in over half of Yahoo! leagues, but that is likely to change very quickly as owners that are left without Janssen or wound up without an elite-level closer in a draft look to add him. How the Blue Jays’ closer situation shakes out once Janssen returns is unclear, but Santos has a chance to prove he’s worthy of holding down the job long-term with a strong start. Janssen should be held onto in all leagues as long as he does not miss more than the first couple weeks of the season, but if he winds up returning to action in a set-up role his fantasy value would be diminished.
Brad Berreman is a Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter or connect on Google +.
