Fantasy Baseball Closer Depth Charts - MLB Bullpens and Saves

Fantasy baseball closers depth charts for MLB bullpens, saves, holds are updated daily. Our 2025 fantasy baseball closer rankings for all AL and NL bullpens.

Saves are an important component for many fantasy baseball leagues. Closers are one of the most volatile positions in fantasy baseball, and one of the highest turnover positions in MLB. Each year, closers drop like flies and many MLB teams make in-season changes due to injuries or poor performance.

Relief pitchers are becoming increasingly important for fantasy baseball pitching staffs even beyond closers and saves. Bullpen arms with elite ratios will be relied upon heavily, especially for those in Holds (HLD) leagues or Saves+Holds leagues (SV+HLD) formats. But not to worry, the RotoBaller team is here every day to help you stay on top of all closer depth charts for the AL and NL, and dominate in saves, holds and bullpen arms this year.

We will be updating the MLB Closers & Saves Depth Charts all season and all off-season long. Be sure to also check out these running quick-hit updates from Nick Mariano (@NMariano53), looking at the most recent closers and bullpen news from around MLB.

Closer News and Bullpen Updates

4/28: Devin Williams' first lower-leverage appearance went well, as he logged a 1-2-3 eighth inning with the team down by one to Baltimore. He led off with a four-pitch strikeout that started with three fastballs, a weak groundout, and a pop-out. It's a good start to rebuilding trust.

With the aforementioned 4-3 BAL lead, Felix Bautista retired the side in order with a pair of punchouts for his fourth save of the year. It'll be interesting to see if the velo trends up throughout May.

4/28: Locked in a 5-5 tie, Miami used Anthony Bender in the seventh, Jesus Tinoco in the eighth, and Calvin Faucher in the ninth. (Ronny Henriquez would take the 10th-inning loss.) All three of Faucher's outs came via strikeout and he looks to have the inside track for fantasy value of the group.

4/28: Raisel Iglesias bounced back with a save at Coors, though Adael Amador's 425-foot double nearly soiled the box score. Iglesias is giving up louder contact than we'd like but the results are still there. Daysbel Hernandez once again worked the eighth.

4/27: Arizona sent Justin Martinez out on consecutive days for the first time since the fatigue scare and it did not go well. His downward-trending velocity sunk further, with the four-seamer and sinker around 97 mph instead of 100 or higher, maxing out at 98.2 mph. He hit the leadoff man after gaining an 0-2 count before issuing a walk to bring the winning run to the dish. A double play brought the finish line to his doorstep but he wouldn't escape before an RBI double and another walk hit his ledger.

This is extremely troubling. Shelby Miller has the best form of the remaining relievers until Kevin Ginkel returns, which could come as soon as Tuesday.

4/27: Devin Williams has officially been removed as the closer. Aaron Boone has said that it's important for him to "start building some good rhythm, confidence, and momentum." As for the next man up, Weaver will get "a lot" of the save chances, which likely means Fernando Cruz and Mark Leiter Jr. could sneak into the conversation.

Read even more closer updates.

AL EAST: 2025 Fantasy Baseball Closers & Saves

AL CENTRAL: 2025 Fantasy Baseball Closers & Saves

AL WEST: 2025 Fantasy Baseball Closers & Saves

NL EAST: 2025 Fantasy Baseball Closers & Saves

NL CENTRAL: 2025 Fantasy Baseball Closers & Saves

NL WEST: 2025 Fantasy Baseball Closers & Saves

Previous Closers and Saves News Updates

4/26: Raisel Iglesias blew his second save of the year on Saturday, surrendering a game-tying solo shot. Atlanta picked him up in the 10th and Iglesias wound up with the win, but this gives him as many scoreless outings as those with a run(s) allowed at five apiece. He still has a 9:2 K:BB and has actually enjoyed a .167 BABIP, but the five home runs allowed are untenable, especially as BABIP regresses, and unlike him. Iglesias should steady up but we'll play closer attention to who gets consistent usage in the setup roles moving forward, with Daysbel Hernandez, Dylan Lee, and Pierce Johnson of interest.

4/26: On the other side, Justin Martinez allowed the 10th-inning run to score on a wild pitch. He only threw 10 pitches, but the velocity on his sinker averaged just 97.9 mph (it's usually in the triple digits). Even accounting for a couple of misfired pitches, he started with 99.1 and 99.9 mph to Drake Baldwin leading off before dipping into the 98s against Michael Harris II and the 97s against Eli White for the final out. We'll monitor this given the fatigue reports swirling. Kevin Ginkel stumbled with two hits and two walks in his first rehab appearance on April 24 but rebounded with a perfect frame on Saturday and should re-enter the fray shortly.

4/26: Detroit had Will Vest get the final four outs in Game 1 of their doubleheader for his third save of the season. Tommy Kahnle then wrapped up a 6-2 victory in the nightcap, so we're rocking with the committee status quo here. Both are solid adds.

4/26: Cleveland also enjoyed a doubleheader on Saturday and used Emmanuel Clase in the eighth inning up 4-3. He responded well, striking out a pair in a clean frame for his first hold before Cade Smith worked around a hit and a walk for his third save of the season. Clase may very well get the ninth back for his next appearance, though Smith is a hold in most formats until we feel more confident in Clase's form and his shoulder holding up to frequent work.

4/26: Ryan Walker tossed a scoreless ninth in a tie game and was given the win thanks to a walk-off in the bottom of the frame. He has now pitched in three of the last four days and should be down, while Camilo Doval has received back-to-back rest days following his own busy week. Therefore, don't overreact to another save out of Doval on Sunday if the situation presents itself.

4/26: Ryan Helsley and Trevor Megill traded poor pitches, with Helsley allowing the game to get tied after entering with a 5-3 lead before Megill gave up a walk-off home run to Nolan Arenado. It's Megill's first HR allowed thus far and overall, he has looked okay, though both are sporting the same red flag. Each closer has just one strikeout and three walks over his last five appearances. Helsley only has one game, out of 10, where he retired the side in order without any traffic. Neither is on the brink yet, but we need to have our radars tuned in.

4/25: Devin Williams struggled again on Friday, ceding a 2-1 lead by allowing a single, hitting a batter, and then yielding a double before getting the hook. Mark Leiter Jr. gave up a single to score the inherited runner before getting three straight outs, with all three ninth-inning runs on Williams' ledger. To say Williams' role is uncertain moving forward is an understatement. Luke Weaver needs to be rostered in all leagues and Fernando Cruz is a worthy deep-league add as well. Until Williams can throw strikes and get ahead in the count with consistency, it will be hard to see him regaining the role. And if a Cruz-Williams-Weaver late-inning tunnel works, how reluctant would Aaron Boone be to shake things up again?

4/25: Pittsburgh used Dennis Santana in the eighth to face the Dodgers' 9-1-2-3 hitters before David Bednar took the middle of the order for a save opportunity. Santana worked around a leadoff single with three in-play outs, while Bednar issued a one-out walk but then struck out the final two batters. He now has a 7:1 K:BB with two hits allowed over four scoreless innings since being recalled. That's as many Ks as Santana has in 12 1/3 IP (7:3 K:BB), but we know Bednar's fantasy upside is vastly higher. This isn't a formal changing of the guard, but Bednar's momentum cannot be denied. It should keep trending his way as long as he delivers these results.

4/25: Luke Jackson rebounded from Thursday's loss by getting the final two outs for his eighth save of the year. He remains locked in, though Robert Garcia did well in striking out the side for his eighth hold (Chris Martin also nabbed hold No. 8). It's a simple setup duo with Jackson in the ninth. On the other side, Ryan Walker struck out a pair in a perfect ninth inning with the Giants down two. This should help him get the next save chance, which he must convert cleanly.

4/24: With Ryan Walker marked as unavailable for rest before the game, Camilo Doval once again closed things for the Giants on Thursday night. He allowed a leadoff walk, a big no-no, but still retired the side with the 6-5 lead intact for his fifth save of the season. We didn't learn much from this with Walker resting, especially as Doval wasn't particularly sharp, throwing just seven of his 16 pitches for strikes. But there's no doubting Doval's momentum is trending up while Walker's recent slips have cracked the door.

4/24: Arizona "decided as a staff" that Justin Martinez would not be used on Thursday after he threw 12 pitches on Wednesday following his dead-arm scare. We're not out of the woods here. Clinging to a late 4-3 lead, they hoped Ryne Nelson could get the final eight outs, but a trio of ninth-inning singles tied it up. Shelby Miller came on with two outs and two on to strike out Jonathan Aranda and send the game into extras, where Tampa Bay eventually prevailed. Miller is still the best hedge for Martinez, though Kevin Ginkel is expected back shortly.

4/24: Luke Jackson couldn't close Thursday's 3-2 game, but it wasn't all on him. He struck out Brent Rooker to end the eighth and got a groundout to start the ninth before issuing a tight walk. Then an innocent single resulted in the runner scoring, with Leody Taveras misplaying the ball. A flyout brought the final out up, but Jacob Wilson is a contact monster and lined a poorly-spotted slider for a walk-off single. Jackson is still the man here, but we shouldn't expect elite, lockdown form from the 33-year-old.

4/24: Stay tuned for Friday updates as we juggle four "day-to-day" closer situations with Justin Martinez, Ryan Pressly, Edwin Diaz, and Emmanuel Clase.

4/23: Entering a dreaded non-save situation, Ryan Walker allowed a leadoff single, got a strikeout, gave up a line-drive single, hit Caleb Durbin with a pitch, and then gave up a ground-rule double that scored two. The Giants then tagged Camilo Doval in, who needed five pitches to strike Jackson Chourio out and induce a game-ending groundout from Christian Yelich. It makes back-to-back implosions from Walker, who still has a 2.91 FIP behind the 7.27 ERA, and back-to-back saves for Doval, who is enjoying a .167 BABIP with a lackluster 8:4 K:BB over 11 IP. Doval is a deep-league dart right now.

4/23: Justin Martinez looked A-OK on Wednesday night during a perfect ninth inning in a tie game, hitting 101.1 mph to strike Brandon Lowe out. They may ease him back into things and avoid consecutive days, so perhaps Shelby Miller and Jalen Beeks still have short-term value.

4/23: Pittsburgh is still rolling with Dennis Santana at closer, as the vet notched save No. 3 on Wednesday. Caleb Ferguson tossed a scoreless eighth inning while David Bednar struck out two during a 1-2-3 seventh. Bednar remains a good speculative add but perhaps Santana will have to falter for roles to be juggled.

4/23: The Cubbies had Porter Hodge retire the Dodgers in order to finalize a 7-6 win on Wednesday night. Ryan Pressly was unavailable after getting his right knee drained on Tuesday, per Craig Counsell. The skipper added that he hopes Pressly is back on Friday, but Hodge is a solid add until Pressly proves he's back in form and can handle back-to-back days.

4/23: Edwin Diaz was working the 10th inning after posting a scoreless ninth in a tie game, but suddenly motioned to the bench and potentially pointed to his left hip. They lifted him for Max Kranick, with Jose Butto working the eighth. Both Ryne Stanek and A.J. Minter had pitched the day before, with Stanek having gone in two of the last three. Those two would be the names to highlight should Diaz be unavailable moving forward. We'll keep an eye on the postgame news and see what injury specifications arise. UPDATE: Diaz exited due to left hip cramping, which explains why he kept stepping off. Carlos Mendoza said, "We'll see what we got," with next steps. It's relatively good news at this juncture.

4/23: Emmanuel Clase is dealing with right shoulder discomfort and his status will reportedly be updated around Wednesday's gametime after playing catch in the morning. Cleveland had used him in three straight games between April 18-20, with the third appearance requiring 30 pitches (with three runs allowed on four hits and a walk). Cade Smith has recorded back-to-back saves with Clase unavailable and is the key add, though he has now pitched in four of the last five days. At least Tuesday only needed four pitches out of him, and none of the appearances demanded more than 15 pitches. If Hunter Gaddis appears on Wednesday instead, it would be his fourth game in five days as well. Cleveland is no stranger to taxing its elite bullpen, but Clase needing a break would change things. Target Smith and then Gaddis, with Tim Harrin, Joey Cantillo, and Paul Sewald behind.

4/22: Jhoan Duran needed 32 pitches and a dynamite Byron Buxton catch to seal a two-run Twins win. Louis Varland needed just seven pitches to toss a 1-2-3 eighth inning, with Griffin Jax striking out two in the seventh. It's possible that Jax's early inconsistency and Varland's sharp form have flipped who could see ancillary saves right now.

4/22: It was Shelby Miller, not Justin Martinez, who was warming up for Arizona's upcoming save opportunity on Tuesday night. But the DBacks bumped the lead to four and they sat Miller in favor of Juan Morillo. Torey Lovullo said Martinez is "close to 100 percent," and that it could be a dead arm phase, also calling it right shoulder fatigue. Stashing Miller for the end of your bench seems wise at this time.

4/21: Jesus Tinoco worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his second save in as many days for Miami, which is suboptimal for most fantasy managers. Tinoco has a 2:3 K:BB over 5 ⅔ IP, sporting lesser strikeout upside than Calvin Faucher or Anthony Bender. Now, he had 42 Ks in 40 ⅔ IP last year, so he is capable of more, but we haven’t seen the whiffs thus far in 2025. And both Faucher and Bender had thrown over 20 pitches yesterday, while Tinoco needed just 11 pitches for his Sunday save. This could explain why he was the man tonight. All three are in the conversation, which creates a maddening committee on an iffy team.

4/21: With Tommy Kahnle having pitched on three of the last four days, Detroit opted to use Will Vest for Monday’s save opportunity. He cleanly converted the chance to lower his ratios to a 0.93 ERA/0.62 WHIP with 10 strikeouts in 9 ⅔ IP, notching his second save in three days with the result. Kahnle looks like the highest-leverage arm, but Vest has a seat at the closing table.

4/21: Cade Smith struck out two as he wrapped up Monday’s 6-4 win over the Yankees. He continues to be a reliable arm alongside Hunter Gaddis in setting up Emmanuel Clase, but those two had thrown over 20 pitches the day before. Clase had pitched in three straight and Gaddis in two, with Monday being Smith’s third game in four days. The Guardians are known for working their relievers like few other teams, with their key RPs littering the leaderboard in innings and games played. Clase’s struggles should iron out, but Smith (and Gaddis) are worth rostering regardless.

4/21: Boston went with Aroldis Chapman with a 4-1 lead in the eighth inning and the top of the White Sox lineup due. He got tagged for a solo home run by Andrew Benintendi, but got through it to hand Justin Slaten a two-run lead. He slammed the door with a perfect ninth for his third save of the season and his second of the last week. It also makes six straight perfect appearances for the righty. It seems they’re avoiding working him on back-to-back days, with roughly three days between games and Alex Cora pointing out that last year he fatigued. Still, his form is worth rostering in most formats.

4/21: Craig Yoho is finally being called up to Milwaukee's bullpen, which could use some help beyond Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, and Jared Koenig. Yoho, Milwaukee's No. 18 prospect per MLB Pipeline, registered 101 strikeouts with a 0.94 ERA/0.94 WHIP over 57 2/3 IP across three minor-league levels last year. The whiffs haven't exploded this year, but he still put up a 9:3 K:BB over 9 2/3 IP of scoreless Triple-A action. There's an outside chance this is tied to Megill's knee not responding as well as the team would like.

4/20: This is not the Emmanuel Clase experience that fantasy managers invested a high-round draft pick into. He’d been performing better, but Sunday saw a leadoff walk precede back-to-back doubles. Clase then got a lineout gift before another two singles helped the 4-1 lead evaporate. A double play stopped the bleeding as the closer’s ERA ballooned to 7.84 after 10 ⅓ IP. The 3.70 FIP is far more palatable. And the .487 BABIP must come back down to Earth, but it’s not as simple as bad luck when Clase is catching too much of the plate.

4/20: In the wake of A.J. Puk’s IL placement (elbow), Justin Martinez was not available on Sunday due to general fatigue. Torey Lovullo said that the team trainers advised a day off. It puts more weight on Shelby Miller, Jalen Beeks, and Drey Jameson. In a tie game, Lovullo used Beeks to secure four outs in the seventh and eighth innings. Miller took the ninth and 10th with 31 pitches, and then Jameson brought it home with a 1-2-3 11th for a save after they took the lead.

4/20: The day after Jordan Romano’s six-run waterfall, Orion Kerkering incurred his second blown save of the year thanks to a three-run Javier Sanoja home run. Jose Alvarado then blanked the Marlins in the ninth, but Matt Strahm couldn’t keep a lid on things in extras. Alvarado remains the most reliable arm here, with Strahm, Kerkering, and Romano behind. On Miami’s side, Anthony Bender also took his second blown save by allowing a run in the eighth. Calvin Faucher entered the 5-5 game afterward and kept Philly off the scoreboard despite a walk and a hit against him. Jesus Tinoco then worked the 10th for a save, retaining a clear “big three” in Miami.

4/20: Colorado took a fresh bullpen (sans Victor Vodnik, who was placed on the 15-day IL) into a doubleheader and saw fit to use Seth Halvorsen when trailing by one in Game 1 with two on and two out in the eighth. He ended the threat and pitched a perfect ninth as well, but they lost as Kyle Finnegan secured his eighth save of the year. This left Tyler Kinley to protect a 3-1 lead in the ninth, which he did via three strikeouts. Do you view Halvorsen’s early usage as a signal that he is first on the leverage ladder in a tight game? Tyler Kinley has gone on heaters before and operated as the closer, so it’s a two-man show for now.

4/19: David Bednar is back with Pittsburgh after a successful stint on the farm to get his command (and confidence) back. We don't know if he'll suddenly be thrust back into the ninth inning, though it shouldn't take long if he takes the near-perfect form shown at Triple-A back to the Pirates. Dennis Santana has done well but doesn't have inspiring peripheral metrics and is an unlikely long-term answer at closer.

4/19: Blake Treinen is heading to the injured list with forearm tightness and will undergo an MRI. Evan Phillips will be activated and should ease into things. Perhaps now Kirby Yates can get a handful of saves next to Tanner Scott.

4/19: Arizona placed A.J. Puk on the 15-day injured list due to left elbow inflammation on Saturday. They also optioned left-hander Joe Mantiply after Friday’s implosion and recalled Drey Jameson. Expect Justin Martinez to get a bigger share of the save opportunities, though Shelby Miller has only allowed two baserunners over eight scoreless frames thus far. Jalen Beeks, who has a 0.60 ERA/0.77 WHIP and 31 percent K%, could take Puk’s spot for some save looks as the high-leverage lefty. It’s Martinez, Beeks, and Miller up top now.

4/18: Tanner Scott picked up his seventh save of the year on Friday with Corey Seager leading off for the Rangers. Of course, that’s 70 percent of all LAD saves thus far, so maybe the batter's handedness isn’t all that relevant by now. The “brunt” of the saves is indeed Scott’s to enjoy.

4/18: Do yourself a favor and catch the highlights of the Cubs’ 13-11 victory. Bullpen enthusiasts know the Cubs are already thin at RP, and their best, Porter Hodge, ignited a 10-run Arizona eighth inning that should’ve lost the game. Hodge entered with the bases loaded and promptly gave up a grand slam, but notched two outs with the score holding at 7-5. Two hits and a walk would follow to end Hodge’s day, only for Ethan Roberts to let everyone score on a home run to the next batter. Ryan Pressly worked around a double for a scoreless ninth and three low-stress appearances in a row. Hodge speculators have taken a massive setback with this.

4/18: Tommy Kahnle entered a 7-2 game with one out and the bases loaded after Kenta Maeda couldn’t put the Royals away. While the closer did walk in a run, he then settled down with a strikeout and lineout to secure his fourth save. With Jason Foley on the minor-league injured list due to shoulder issues, Kahnle looks like the clear alpha here.

On the Royals' side, Lucas Erceg exited with a left foot contusion but X-rays were clean, according to the team. Erceg himself said he didn’t think it would lead to an IL stint. If he’s unavailable, then Daniel Lynch IV and John Schreiber are the ancillary options behind Carlos Estevez.

4/18: A day after Emilio Pagan blew the save via two home runs, Alexis Diaz threw a perfect ninth with one strikeout to wrap up an 8-3 win over Baltimore. He threw 9-of-15 pitches for strikes and could creep back into the closer’s role with more of these showings. Pagan likely needs to falter more than once to lose the job but HRs are a known issue for him.

4/18: Trevor Megill was called upon when a Brent Rooker double off of Bryan Hudson made it a 5-2 game with one out in the ninth. Megill induced a lazy sacrifice fly and a dribbling groundout to end the game, hitting 98.8 mph with the heater on a five-pitch night. His knee looks okay, though we’ll note Abner Uribe had another scoreless outing to drop his ERA to 0.93 with six holds.

4/16: The White Sox have designated Mike Clevinger for assignment after a very underwhelming start to the 2025 campaign. Recent usage patterns point to Jordan Leasure as the right-handed leverage target, with Cam Booser perhaps picking up a couple of ninth-inning looks as the southpaw. Leasure has a 2.73 SIERA behind the 3.38 ERA/1.69 WHIP, with a .385 BABIP and 92 percent strand rate early on. He regularly posts strikeout rates north of 30 percent in the minors but must keep the walks and loud contact in check. Keep expectations extremely modest with this bullpen, as always.

4/15: Alexis Diaz returned to action in the sixth inning of a 6-3 ballgame and proceeded to walk two while logging two outs. He threw 14-of-26 pitches for strikes in an underwhelming appearance considering the established command concerns. This looks like Emilio Pagan's show until further notice.

4/12: Trevor Megill had a horrid Saturday as Arizona completed a five-run comeback in the ninth, tagging Megill for three runs on two hits and three walks. He underwent an MRI on his knee afterward (which they are still seeking a second opinion on) but he owned the loss by saying he couldn't find the zone. Joel Payamps was responsible for the first two runs of the loss and had given up five runs at Coors on April 10, which is the second time this year he's surrendered five runs. Abner Uribe has gotten the job done before and could slide back into the mix if Megill is unavailable. Craig Yoho also has a 7:3 K:BB with one save over 6 1/3 scoreless IP on the farm.

4/12: Felix Bautista worked around two walks to log his first save of the season. We'd like to see him sharper than this, but Baltimore isn't straying from giving him valuable save chances.

4/12: With Anthony Bender having thrown 24 pitches the day before, Calvin Faucher needed 15 to notch his first save of the year on Saturday. His overall numbers are still poor but speculators could sneak him back into lineups with Bender seeing usage in high-leverage spots earlier than the ninth.

4/12: Emmanuel Clase gave up another two runs on four hits in a non-save situation (Cleveland scored three in the eighth) to bump his ERA to 7.71 through seven games. The star closer still holds a healthy 2.98 SIERA and a robust 17.7 percent swinging-strike rate but the mistakes are seemingly all being punished. He won't incur a .481 BABIP (career .255) forever but the .292 xBA is still way above his career norms. We need to see him attacking the edges of the zone.

4/11: Emilio Pagan struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for save No. 3 on the year. Taylor Rogers tossed a scoreless sixth while Graham Ashcraft handled the seventh and eighth innings. Now, Alexis Diaz did strike out the side on his rehab assignment for his first dominant outing after three clunky ones. Will he earn Terry Francona’s trust here or is Pagan off and running with the job?

4/11: In the vein of closers trying to recapture their form on the farm, David Bednar had a third straight perfect appearance at Triple-A. He has struck out five with zero blemishes. Pittsburgh is unlikely to simply give him the ninth inning back but we know how strong Bednar is when on.

4/11: Detroit took the lead in the sixth and went with Beau Brieske, Will Vest, and eventually Tommy Kahnle for a gritty save. The chair of their closing committee gave up a run on three singles but did shut the door. Kahnle will rarely yield a .600 BABIP on any night (career .274, below .235 in the past three seasons) and remains the 1A option, though Vest also looks sharp. In the spirit of checking in on ex-closers in the minors, Jason Foley has only allowed one hit with five strikeouts over 3 2/3 IP and could soon be back in the mix.

4/11: Pete Fairbanks captured his third save but the story here is that Edwin Uceta gave up a pair of solo home runs. He’s given up a run(s) in his last three appearances and four of his last five, with a woeful 3:3 K:BB and two hit batsmen. Manuel Rodriguez and his early 7:0 K:BB (1.69 ERA, 0.35 FIP) are worth going on your radar.

4/11: Miami was forced to bring Anthony Bender into the eighth after the first two hitters of the frame reached base against Anthony Veneziano. He didn’t look great and would give up the lead on a three-RBI double by Nathaniel Lowe after a 10-pitch at-bat. Bender is still the best they’ve got but he’s utilized as a high-leverage fireman rather than closer, and Miami is already a low-opportunity team. Prioritize accordingly.

4/11: Ben Joyce is heading to the injured list due to right shoulder inflammation after battling through reduced velocity during Tuesday's blown save. Expect Ryan Zeferjahn and Ryan Johnson to be the top right-handed setup men alongside southpaw Brock Burke for now.

4/10: Cincinnati may stick with Emilio Pagan even after Alexis Diaz is healthy enough to return to the bigs. Diaz has not shown improved command at Triple-A with four walks in three innings. He has allowed multiple baserunners in all three appearances through April 9 and surely needs to be better to reclaim the ninth.

4/9: In contrast to Diaz, David Bednar has thrown two perfect minor-league innings with three strikeouts and could soon earn his big-league spot back. Dennis Santana has been solid but the 4:3 K:BB in 7 1/3 IP is underwhelming, as is the 5.00 SIERA beneath the 2.45 ERA. Stay tuned!

4/9: Edwin Diaz saw reduced velocity in a non-save situation but Carlos Mendoza says he has "no concern at all" for the stopper. Keep A.J. Minter and Ryne Stanek in mind if there's a repeat outing next.

4/9: Devin Williams couldn't seal a 4-0 lead despite getting to two outs with just one walk allowed. A single, another walk, a run-scoring wild pitch, and a two-run single brought the game to 4-3 before Mark Leiter Jr. got the final out. Beats passed along that Williams said, "I haven't felt like 100 percent myself up to this point," but that there is no physical problem. He just needs more reps to rein his execution in. It's not what you want but this is what we've got. Luke Weaver is always good to roster but even more so now.

4/9: Emmanuel Clase avoided an implosion as Mike Tauchman injured his hamstring while trying to score the tying run on Wednesday. Clase was spotted a 3-1 lead but two singles and a walk loaded the bases with just one out. He struck out Austin Slater but Miguel Vargas sent a hard grounder between 3B and SS that scored one before Tauchman was tagged out. Perhaps he would've been out at full health anyway, but it doesn't change Clase's 1.83 WHIP through six games. He's given up three hits in three of his six appearances thus far and has only had one without any traffic. He has a 4.17 FIP and 2.93 SIERA underneath the 6.00 ERA and a .429 BABIP won't chase him forever, but expectations may need to settle closer to 2023 ratios rather than 2024's pairing.

4/8: The Cubs continue to struggle late, but Porter Hodge wound up with the win after blowing his second save of the year regardless. He got tagged for a Josh Jung triple that scored Josh Smith to tie the game, but then a pair of Rangers errors led to four unearned runs for Chris Martin and a 10-6 CHC lead. Ryan Pressly made it interesting by allowing two to reach base but escaped unscathed. Hodge remains the target but it's still Pressly's show for now.

4/8: Not that you needed another reminder of why we avoid the White Sox, but Mike Clevinger took Tuesday's loss after walking in the deciding run. He allowed a hit and walked three while notching one out. Run far, far away.

4/8: The Cards wanted JoJo Romero to wrap up a 5-1 game but he wound up surrendering two runs, with Phil Maton brought in for his first save. He's the one to roster behind Ryan Helsley, which could become important should Helsley trade rumors swirl come summertime.

4/8: Ben Joyce had a strong first four appearances but got thwacked for three runs on four hits with just one out recorded on Tuesday. But the Halos regained the lead off of Edwin Uceta and Pete Fairbanks, which led to Kenley Jansen securing his 450th career save.

4/8: Raisel Iglesias finally got on the board with his first save of the season, working around a walk to seal a 7-5 victory. He has a 3:1 K:BB with one earned run acrossthree games and should be that reliable arm once again in 2025.

4/8: Daniel Lynch IV snuck in a one-out save on Tuesday when called on to face the lefty-swinging Edouard Julien. Neither Carlos Estevez nor Lucas Erceg pitched but it's still good to note. Griffin Jax took the loss after his throwing error allowed Bobby Witt Jr. to grab third base for free (he scored shortly thereafter).

4/8: Shelby Miller, A.J. Puk, and Justin Martinez handled the final three frames for Arizona on Tuesday, allowing just one hit as a group. It was the second hold for both Miller and Puk and the second save for Martinez. Keep deploying Puk/Martinez with confidence.

4/8: Many enjoyed a one-out save from Tony Santillan but Tuesday saw Cincy turn back to Emilio Pagan for a 1-2-3 ninth and his second save of the season. He's the guy right now. Alexis Diaz is not yet ready to return and he may not regain the role if the performance doesn't warrant the job.

4/6: Jordan Romano acknowledged he has to get right, reclaim lost velocity, and review his mechanics after another sloppy outing on Sunday. He was tasked with guarding a 6-4 lead in the seventh inning against the 9-1-2 group of the Dodgers' order. He gave up two hits and a walk before getting the hook, but Orion Kerkering couldn't end the inning before all of them came around to score. Kerkering should be the right-handed leverage arm alongside Jose Alvarado for saves. The southpaw got Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Tommy Edman out in order for his second save to remain a high-priority add.

4/6: Minnesota went to Jhoan Duran in the eighth against Houston's 8-9-1 bats, which left some scratching their heads. Naturally, Griffin Jax promptly gave up a game-tying homer to Yordan Alvarez in the ninth as the Astros would win in the 10th. Jax has allowed multiple hitters to reach base in all three of his appearances thus far and needs to be monitored. Josh Hader threw a pair of clean innings for the win.

4/6: Pittsburgh leaned on Dennis Santana for the eighth inning with NYY's 1-2-3 bats, which includes Aaron Judge, due up. Santana retired them in order and is the best PIT RP right now, though they aren't pigeonholing him. Ryan Borucki was then given a chance at the save with some lefties coming up but he looked lost against righty bats and blew the save. Caleb Ferguson tossed a scoreless 10th and should be the key left-handed RP for them. Joey Wentz struck out two in a perfect 11th to secure the win.

4/6: Ryan Helsley couldn't find his control on a rainy Boston day, giving up two runs on a hit and four walks for his first blown save. He only threw 16 strikes on 37 pitches but we're not going to worry unless this becomes a pattern. Phil Maton preceded him in the eighth.

4/6: The Cubs bullpen melted down again, with both Porter Hodge and Ryan Pressly yielding runs in the late frames thanks to leadoff walks. At least Pressly's run was unearned due to a Justin Turner error, but Hodge remains the long-term bet here. It may take a bit so be patient.

4/6: The White Sox were the White Sox on Sunday, eventually blowing a 3-1 lead to Detroit in the ninth. Presumed closer Mike Clevinger was brought out in the seventh and walked a pair while recording just one out, leading to his being removed so Cam Booser could face LHB Riley Greene. Penn Murfee, Fraser Ellard, and Jordan Leasure all had poor command of the strike zone and gave up multiple baserunners in abbreviated work. Leasure and Booser may sneak into some opportunities but the fact remains that this is a bullpen to avoid. Detroit had Tommy Kahnle and John Brebbia toss perfect eighth and ninth innings, respectively.

4/6: Lucas Erceg struck out two in a 1-2-3 eighth before Carlos Estevez punched out one in a perfect frame of his own for save No. 2 on the year. Business as usual here.

4/5: Jordan Romano earned his first save but gave up two runs on a Tommy Edman home run that followed a leadoff walk to Mookie Betts. He’d walk Will Smith later but J.T. Realmuto saved Romano by throwing out pinch-runner Chris Taylor at second to end things. Romano has already allowed four runs with a 6:3 K:BB over four frames and truly should be lower on the leverage ladder at this time. Orion Kerkering is a better right-handed complement to Jose Alvarado in the ninth, but Philly may keep Kerkering as a fireman with Matt Strahm. Alvarado is the strongest buy of the bunch.

4/5: Those thinking Arizona had totally shifted to A.J. Puk for saves got a reminder of the timeshare on Friday. Puk entered for the eighth with CJ Abrams and James Wood due up before Justin Martinez notched his first save with a scoreless ninth. Roster both with confidence.

4/5: Luke Jackson struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth save of the young season. You don’t have to trust him but it is clear that Bruce Bochy does.

4/5: Trevor Megill’s first save of the year was nearly a blown save when Matt McLain hit a 399-foot fly out on a high fastball that wasn’t high enough. At the end of the day, Megill carries a sweet 0.00 ERA/0.60 WHIP with six strikeouts and zero walks over 3 ⅓ IP. Pretty good!

4/5: Emmanuel Clase entered a dreaded non-save situation up 8-4 and promptly gave up a solo homer to Logan O’Hoppe. A two-out single and Jo Adell double made it 8-6 before Clase ended things. It’s early but his value is built on elite, league-leading ratios rather than strikeouts. He only has a pair of punchouts across four frames to go with this 6.75 ERA/1.75 WHIP. 

4/5: The Red Sox carried a 13-6 lead into the ninth inning but Cooper Criswell couldn’t shut things down, which led to Aroldis Chapman getting the final two outs once the game created a save situation. It’s his second save of the year and while he only has two strikeouts over 2 ⅔ IP, it’s only a matter of time before the whiffs come rolling in.

4/5: The Cubbies followed Shota Imanaga’s strong 7 ⅓ IP with Porter Hodge in the eighth and Ryan Pressly in the ninth. It’s Hodge’s fourth hold and Pressly’s third save, so it looks like this is the cemented order despite their results. Hodge is a better pitcher (0 ER, 1.29 WHIP, 6 Ks in 4 ⅔ IP) than Pressly (3 ER, 2.60 WHIP, 2 Ks in 5 IP) so don’t give up hope yet.

4/5: Mason Miller’s second save of the year came in the Denver tundra in a snowy game, which may explain why only 5-of-12 pitches were thrown for strikes. The heater still maxed out at 101. 2 mph in the 11th inning after the Athletics finally snagged a 6-3 lead. Miller remains one of the best options.

4/4: Milwaukee had Joel Payamps nail down his first save of the year on Thursday with Trevor Megill unavailable. The regular stopper had pitched on back-to-back days and three of the last four, as had Jared Koenig. Abner Uribe had also pitched on Tuesday and Wednesday and was presumably iced. This is what happens when you grind out three straight 1-0 wins! Those looking for intel on the next man up behind Megill should consider Payamps with Uribe, with Koenig the high-leverage lefty. Bryan Hudson had a perfect inning after walking two in each of his first two appearances.

4/4: Checking in on the Astros, we see business as usual with perfect innings from Bryan King, Bryan Abreu, and Josh Hader (save No. 3) to follow Hunter Brown’s quality start. It’ll be interesting to see if others step up enough for Houston to follow through with the plan to ease back on using Abreu and Hader as much as the past couple of seasons.

4/4: The Phillies sent out Orion Kerkering for the seventh before using Jordan Romano in the eighth, which provided Jose Alvarado with his first save of the season. It came with a run allowed on three hits, though he did log another three strikeouts. The southpaw now has 10 Ks in just 4 IP after an electrifying spring. Mix the whiffs with a share of the ninth and we’ve got a premium RP.

4/4: The Yanks held a 9-3 lead by the sixth inning and hoped the low-leverage arms could get them through, but Ryan Yarbrough yielded a grand slam to Geraldo Perdomo to make it a two-run game. With Devin Williams still on the paternity list, Mark Leiter Jr. and Luke Weaver were left to secure the final seven outs. They obliged and Williams should be back soon, but Weaver remains a solid play no matter which inning(s) he takes.

4/3: Dennis Santana did indeed receive Wednesday’s save chance and worked around a walk to record the save. Further solidifying his bid to secure the closer’s role is Colin Holderman once again gave up a run. That makes three scored-upon appearances for the 29-year-old in four games, so get those Santana adds in.

4/3: Milwaukee used Trevor Megill in the ninth of a 1-1 tie and he responded with three strikeouts in a zesty frame. There were some spring concerns but he looks sharp thus far. On the other side, Kansas City saw Carlos Estevez absorb the extra-inning blown save but only the unearned “Manfred” runner scored. Two walks look bad but they were both intentional to load the bases before the stopper notched three straight outs.

4/3: Aroldis Chapman logged his first save of the season with one strikeout and one walk, needing just 18 pitches to get the job done. Just a reminder that Chapman, Justin Slaten, and even Garrett Whitlock could see saves for Boston.

4/3: Arizona wanted Ryan Thompson to finish out a 4-0 game but two singles to open the ninth required a move. It was once again A.J. Puk on for the save, though he gave up a Yankee Stadium right field cheapie to Anthony Volpe (who wasn’t sure the ball got out for a while). The southpaw handled business beyond that, but the back-to-back saves coming with back-to-back HRs surrendered at NYY don’t feel great. Both Puk and Justin Martinez remain healthy plays.

4/3: Anthony Bender backers can rejoice in his main competition struggling (again) on Wednesday night. Bender didn’t pitch in the 6-5 loss to the Mets but Calvin Faucher gave up three runs in the eighth. The early 9.00 ERA/2.00 WHIP in three innings makes Bender look like the clear favorite for saves.

4/2: Detroit closed out Tuesday’s 3-1 victory over Seattle with a combination of Beau Brieske, Will Vest, and Tommy Kahnle. Brieske would allow a leadoff walk to score on an eventual sac fly thanks to a wild pitch but otherwise held it together. Vest and Kahnle pitched perfect frames and have looked great thus far. Kahnle got the ninth so he and that power changeup have our heightened attention.

4/2: Another DBacks data point had them use Justin Martinez in the eighth inning with a 7-4 lead to face the Yankees’ right-hitting heart of the order. He struck out Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Anthony Volpe in a row. A.J. Puk then entered to face three straight LHBs, though he did yield a Ben Rice solo home run before icing the save. Both deserve spots in fantasy lineups.

4/2: Anthony Bender retired the final two batters of Miami’s win on Tuesday for save No. 1 on the year. He’s made three scoreless appearances and only allowed one runner to reach base, which looks better than Calvin Faucher’s 2:3 K:BB in two innings of work. It shouldn’t suddenly become a lopsided committee but Bender’s form is more trustworthy and appealing to fantasy managers with WHIPs to protect.

4/1: The Pirates optioned David Bednar to Triple-A after a horrid opening series against Miami. He needs time in low-leverage spots to regain his command before taking MLB innings again. For fantasy purposes, the next man up could be one of Colin Holderman, Dennis Santana, and Caleb Ferguson. Ferguson is a southpaw and may get a couple of saves if the opposing lineup splits allow. Holderman would've been the preseason answer, but he's blown two saves already and has allowed either a run or multiple baserunners in each of his first three games. Santana, who has a 3:2 K:BB in 1 1/3 IP, owns the slight lean for now.

4/1: Devin Williams was placed on the paternity list today so we’d expect Luke Weaver to pick up saves in the meantime. The Yanks just had Monday off so everyone should be available.

4/1: Ryan Walker’s back looks fine after striking out two Astros in a scoreless ninth, though he was robbed of a save opportunity by the offense scoring two in the top of the inning. It’s valuable knowing that Camilo Doval, who pitched a perfect seventh, looks in form, but it’s Walker’s bullpen.

4/1: Felix Bautista was readying to enter the ninth with a one-run lead but Baltimore put up four runs that would come in handy. Now in a non-save opportunity, Bautista only threw 12-of-26 pitches for strikes with two runs allowed on two hits and a pair of walks. We must be gracious as he finds his footing in the early season (his sinker maxed out at 98.2 mph). Yennier Cano took the eighth inning, Keegan Akin struck out two in the seventh and Seranthony Dominguez enjoyed the win for a clean sixth. *Those four ninth-inning BAL runs came at the expense of Justin Slaten, who gave up a trio of singles on middling contact with a walk before getting yanked. He’ll be fine. Garrett Whitlock tossed scoreless fifth and sixth innings and may be the steadiest arm available, but being able to go multiple innings usually gets him active earlier than the ninth.

4/1: Tanner Scott came in for the eighth inning up 6-0 with lefty bats like Michael Harris II and Matt Olson due up. Unfortunately, he threw a mistake fastball down the pipe which Harris tagged for a solo HR. Otherwise, he struck out two and still looks solid even if the command isn’t sharpened yet.

3/30: David Bednar is in trouble. Pittsburgh's closer entered a 2-2 tie in the ninth and gave up an infield single after falling behind Miami's Derek Hill. The speedy Hill then stole second and took third thanks to a throwing error from Endy Rodriguez. Bednar then uncorked a wild pitch in the dirt and that's all she wrote. While the run was unearned, this makes three consecutive poor appearances from Bednar to open the year. Colin Holderman gave up a run in the seventh while Caleb Ferguson worked around two baserunners to pitch a scoreless eighth. At this point, Ferguson may have the best form, but Holderman may still be the pivot. Justin Lawrence has closing experience from Colorado but should still be behind those two and even Dennis Santana should a change be made. (It should be.)

3/29: Seth Halvorsen got the final four outs with a strikeout and zero baserunners to seal the win. We doubt they suddenly cement him in the ninth, but it is a notable performance given that both Tyler Kinley and Victor Vodnik had failed to keep the scoresheet clean the day before. Any Rockies reliever is still a suboptimal play, but some of us have to get dirty for saves!

3/30: San Francisco used Camilo Doval to record Sunday's save because Ryan Walker is dealing with back tightness. He's day-to-day for now and has been dealing with it for a couple of days now, with the team expecting Walker to be available Monday. But Doval did strike out one over a perfect inning, throwing 8-of-11 pitches for strikes. Seeing him with good command is great in case something sidelines Walker for an extended period of time.

3/29: Cincinnati sent Emilio Pagan out for a perfect ninth after Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft worked the seventh and eighth, respectively. It's tough to chase one day with such a wide pool of arms but Pagan now has two clean frames to his name and is a viable pickup.

3/29: Kansas City gained a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning and then had Lucas Erceg take the eighth before Carlos Estevez closed it out. Erceg faced the 9-1-2 batters while Estevez got the middle so one can’t lean on “Erceg simply faces the better hitters” here. This is likely the runout more often than not.

3/29: After Luke Jackson worked back-to-back games to open the season, Texas turned to Chris Martin for Saturday’s save. He struck out two in a perfect frame, throwing 9-of-13 pitches for strikes. He’s likely the better pitcher compared to Jackson, but he’s also 38 with some durability concerns so perhaps his workload and B2B appearances will be limited. Both must be rostered.

3/29: San Diego had Adrian Morejon work the ninth for his first save of the season, but it’s difficult to read much into it. All three of Robert Suarez, Jason Adam, and Jeremiah Estrada had pitched in their first two games. It’s great to know that Morejon has that trust still but he’s still the RP3/4 on the team, though being a lefty could snag a couple of extra opportunities if Suarez is off.

3/28: Edwin Diaz locked down his first save of the season on 15 pitches, snagging two whiffs on nine swings with an overall 33 percent CSW rate. He touched 98 mph with the four-seamer and looked comfortable throwing his slider. Ryne Stanek had the eighth, A.J. Minter worked the seventh, and Reed Garrett held the sixth. None of the four relievers surrendered a hit in an impressive effort.

3/28: Despite giving up three runs in Thursday’s opener, Luke Jackson was tabbed for Friday’s save opp and rewarded Bruce Bochy with a 1-2-3 ninth. Neither Chris Martin nor Robert Garcia appeared, with Jacob Webb tossing a perfect eighth. It may be a volatile ride but Jackson needs to be rostered in most leagues.

3/28: David Bednar’s struggles continue as he gave up a leadoff walk that scored on an Otto Lopez home run. Luckily, he was working with a three-run lead and the bottom of Miami’s order was vulnerable. This came one day after he allowed three to reach base (two hits, one intentional walk) without recording an out in the season-opening loss. Dennis Santana and Colin Holderman are good stashes.

3/28: Tampa Bay knotted the game at two in the seventh after a scoreless Hunter Bigge frame and sent Mason Montgomery out with his triple-digit heat for a clean eighth. Pete Fairbanks then got the ninth and worked around two walks to keep things tied for a walk-off homer from Kameron Misner off of Victor Vodnik. Colorado saw both Vodnik and Tyler Kinley give up runs but Vodnik should still be the 1A. Ideally, you can avoid that entire scene.

3/27: Cincinnati held a 3-2 lead going into the late innings and had Scott Barlow, Emilio Pagan, and Tony Santillan handle the sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively. Instead of going between presumed candidates Taylor Rogers and Graham Ashcraft for the ninth, they used Ian Gibaut, who served up four runs on three hits and a walk. A surprising gameplan, but getting punished may take it off the menu. Stay tuned!

3/27: With a 2-2 lead in the eighth inning, Boston indeed turned to Aroldis Chapman to face Corey Seager and the heart of the order. The Red Sox then took the lead in the top of the ninth and Justin Slaten slammed the door with a perfect frame. Garrett Whitlock also tossed two scoreless innings before Chapman. With Liam Hendriks (elbow) on IL, each of those three RPs is worth rostering in most formats.

3/27: The Phillies took a 3-1 advantage into the eighth and turned to Jordan Romano with the 8-9-1 section of Washington’s lineup due up (with two righties). But he walked Dylan Crews and hit Jacob Young, who then pulled off a double steal. Both would score. Jose Alvarado struck out two in a perfect ninth. The L/R split of who is due up will be decisive early but Alvarado, who lost weight and picked up velocity, looks like a solid play.

3/27: Following a tumultuous postseason and iffy spring, Emmanuel Clase blew his first save opportunity via three hits allowed. He did hit 100.1 mph and regularly sat at 99, with two of the hits against logging .230 and .040 xBA marks. It’s not encouraging but it may not be as bad as you think. Paul Sewald scooped the 10th-inning save with Cade Smith, Tim Herrin, and Hunter Gaddis working scoreless innings ahead of Clase.

3/27: With Opening Day hours away, Boston announced Liam Hendriks was being placed on the 15-day IL due to right elbow inflammation. It's brutal news about what was meant to be a feel-good comeback effort, but that will be on hold for now. Aroldis Chapman had already won the closing role, so the fallout is that Justin Slaten becomes the clear right-handed complement to Chapman. We'll also track how they utilize Garrett Whitlock in the early going.

3/26: Tony Santillan was described as the "easy choice" for closing in Cincinnati by Terry Francona, but also added that "he might be too valuable getting to the ninth." The 27-year-old posted an incredible 46:9 K:BB in 30 IP last year but lesser velocity and whiffs this spring have tempered excitement. Perhaps it is calculated and part of the ramp-up period. For now, we'll consider Santillan and Graham Ashcraft the more exciting options available to CIN.

3/26: The Tigers optioned Jason Foley to Triple-A, which opens the door for several Detroit relievers to vie for saves. Beau Brieske is the most intriguing, but Tyler Holton (a lefty), Tommy Kahnle, Will Vest, and even Kenta Maeda could see opportunities. Speculation starts with Brieske, though one should not expect set roles from A.J. Hinch's bullpen. Stay tuned!

3/25: Ian Browne, the Red Sox beat for MLB.com, posted that while Aroldis Chapman enters the year as Boston's closer, matchups may dictate his entering in the eighth for a key lefty. That would leave Liam Hendriks or Justin Slaten for the ninth, so don't draft thinking this is a cut-and-dry leverage ladder!

3/24: Luke Jackson is officially on the radar for saves in Texas. He took the ninth for Monday's spring game after Robert Garcia pitched the seventh and Chris Martin had the eighth. Bruce Bochy said this was "pretty close" to how he envisions the final frames but the roles aren't solidified. Jackson had an ugly 5.09 ERA and 1.47 WHIP last season, but the 3.73 SIERA was far more palatable and he'd been dynamite in his previous two seasons. He's earned trust with six shutout innings of two-hit ball this spring, though both Garcia and Martin have each only allowed one run.

3/23: Alexis Diaz will open the season on the injured list with hamstring inflammation. He was already fading as a target due to poor performance but the lack of a clear next man up muddied the waters. Graham Ashcraft has mentioned an appetite for the role, with Scott Barlow, Taylor Rogers, and Emilio Pagan bringing past experience to the table. No one has stood out this spring but we don't know exactly what they've been tasked with working on either, so one can only make so many assumptions from the stats. Rogers is the initial lean, Barlow's 7:0 K:BB is the prettiest on paper, and Ashcraft converting to the 'pen is intriguing. Stay tuned for more.

3/21: Boston's closer battle between Liam Hendriks and Aroldis Chapman looks to have gone the southpaw's way after Hendriks himself endorsed Chapman. Chapman has allowed two runs with a 14:5 K:BB in 7 1/3 IP while Hendriks has allowed seven runs on 14 hits with a 4:0 K:BB in 6 1/3 IP.It's worth noting that Garrett Whitlock has only surrendered an unearned run over four innings, striking out seven with zero walks. Those targeting FrankenAce builds should not overlook his potential out of the 'pen!

3/20: Per O's skipper Brandon Hyde, Felix Bautista's Opening Day status remains in the air. March 20 saw him throwing on the backfields with Hyde saying, "We haven't solidified anything there yet," regarding Bautista's status. With Andrew Kittredge (knee) out, early save opportunities could go to Yennier Cano or Keegan Akin (a lefty). Seranthony Dominguez has allowed 12 runs in 4 2/3 IP this spring so he'd likely be behind the others right now.

3/19: Torey Lovullo said that Arizona will not have a named closer to start the season, per SI's Jack Sommers. It will be a matchup-based approach in the late frames, presumably with the same trio of Justin Martinez, A.J. Puk, and Kevin Ginkel in the mix. All are worth rostering this early in the year, as all should provide over a strikeout per inning with an avenue to high-leverage saves, holds, and wins across tight games.

3/17: Alexis Diaz allowed multiple baserunners in his first two spring outings but kept things scoreless, only to allow five runs on three hits and three walks in his latest appearance on March 15. Five total runs on five hits and five walks to one strikeout has Terry Francona looking to "sync up his delivery a little more," by sending him to a minor-league game. The Cincinnati Enquirer's Gordon Wittenmyer also reminded us that Diaz was shopped over the winter. He goes on to say that in terms of trust for the ninth, Emilio Pagan and Tony Santillan are "near the top of that list," with Scott Barlow and Taylor Rogers. Monitor this closely. We will cram them into the Direct Backup slot for now.

3/16: Pirates' skipper Derek Shelton was non-committal about who would be their closer to open the season, saying he doesn't "think right now we have that." David Bednar entered the spring as likely to regain the ninth but has allowed nine runs (eight earned) on 10 hits and three walks over five innings. Dennis Santana has only allowed one run, one hit, and one walk with two strikeouts over 5 2/3 IP thus far while Colin Holderman has a pristine 7:0 K:BB over six innings of one-run ball. Kyle Nicolas and Tanner Rainey have also pitched well. This is a volatile situation right now, with Santana and Holderman on watch lists.

3/16: Miami's presumed closer battle was between Calvin Faucher and Jesus Tinoco, but neither has impressed throughout spring training. Tinoco has five earned runs and walks through 7 1/3 IP. Faucher has been better with three earned and a 5:2 K:BB over six frames. Anthony Bender also has three earned over six but owns a 7:0 K:BB instead, so don't overlook his entering the fray.

3/16: Tyler Kinley has been outstanding through six scoreless innings of one-hit spring action (9:2 K:BB). Seth Halvorsen has let up six runs with a 5:4 K:BB in 5 2/3 IP and Victor Vodnik (6 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 7:1 K:BB) hasn't dazzled. Kinley appears to have the best form to target at this time.

3/16: Boston's late frames remain unclear. Liam Hendriks has allowed six runs on 12 hits over five innings but he's missed so much time and has zero walks so perhaps he's just testing command in the zone. Aroldis Chapman has his usual high-strikeout, high-walk approach with a 10:4 K:BB in 5 1/3 IP (two ER). Justin Slaten had looked strong but then caught ill and is building back up. Garrett Whitlock may have the most talent but it's unclear if they'd utilize him there rather than being a multi-inning/swingman type.

3/3: Alexis Diaz is dealing with a hamstring tweak but no one seems worried. He slipped during pitchers' fielding practice (PFP) last week and is easing back into action. Beats quoted Diaz as saying he feels "great" and the expectation is he'll begin game action this weekend on March 8 or 9.

2/28: Carlos Estevez was scheduled to pitch on February 26 but was scratched due to left lower back tightness. He did throw a side session and no one seems concerned at this time. There is still time to get him sufficient game action before Opening Day. If it lingers then Lucas Erceg has a chance at early momentum here.

2/27: The Phillies may again "mix and match" the late innings to begin 2025 according to NBC's Corey Seidman. Matt Strahm gave up a home run but struck out two and looked sharp overall. Jordan Romano pumped up to 96-98 mph while Jose Alvarado broke triple digits following offseason weight loss. Orion Kerkering worked last out of their fearsome foursome and tossed a scoreless frame. Romano's experience edge may play with a good spring, but April could bring a wide array of results.

2/26: Liam Hendriks touched 96 mph with the heat, showing the most life we've seen on the pitch since his injuries started piling up. He averaged around 96-97 mph between 2019-22, so having that fire this early in spring training bodes well.

2/25: Kyle Finnegan and the Nationals have reportedly reunited (on a one-year, $6 million deal) as previously speculated. This pushes Jorge Lopez and Jose A. Ferrer off of the draft board. Finnegan had a great first half en route to All-Star game honors after many had written him off for an eventual Hunter Harvey takeover, but a 6.43 ERA and poor 16:10 K:BB in his final 21 innings of the year stung. He's worth a late flier for early saves but it'll be another year of wondering if he's dealt at the deadline (and if his form has recovered).

2/20: Nationals skipper Davey Martinez spoke of a matchups-based approach to the late innings in D.C. between Jorge Lopez and Jose A. Ferrer. Martinez said "If Lopez is available, he can do it," but that "Ferrer will get an opportunity to close as well." Lopez has closing experience and is right-handed, while Ferrer is a southpaw who posted a 4.7 percent walk rate and 0.28 HR/9 in 32 IP last year, holding left-swinging bats to a .167/.196/.214 slash line. Lucas Sims was also recently signed to a one-year deal but is unlikely to step into the ninth. And keep in mind that a reunion with Kyle Finnegan could happen. For now, Lopez looks like the 1A with Ferrer as the complement.

2/11: Kenley Jansen and the Angels agreed to a one-year, $10 million contract that will see the 37-year-old anchor the Halo bullpen for the 2025 season. This knocks the flamethrowing Ben Joyce down a peg and off most draft boards where holds aren't valued. Jansen's age and history of back issues will mean Joyce should stay close, but Jansen rebounded after a down '23 with a 3.29 ERA (3.00 FIP) and 1.06 WHIP alongside 27 saves across 54 2/3 innings last year.

2/9: Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts told reporters that Tanner Scott will get the "brunt of the saves to start the season," per Jim Bowden. We won't overreact to early-February words from Roberts but it's logical following the contract Scott was given. But we also play an entire year, not just the start of the season, and the Dodger super-bullpen is capable of many paths to victory.

1/29: Kansas City made a late-January splash by signing Carlos Estevez to a two-year deal at $22 million with a $13-million club option for a third year. That kind of money, mixed with Estevez's success last season (26 saves, 2.45 ERA), smells like a closer to us. Lucas Erceg is familiar with the high-leverage fireman role from his time in Oakland and likely slides back into that for the Royals. We'll await word from the club before speaking in definitive terms, though drafters can expect Estevez to surge up draft boards anyway.

1/26: Ryan Pressly has reportedly waived his no-trade clause and will be moved from Houston to the Cubs for the 2025 season. Bob Nightengale wrote that part of Pressly's motivation for going along with the deal was a chance to be the full-time closer. Pressly's move follows a slide behind Josh Hader in Houston after being their closer between 2020-23. We saw fewer whiffs and a gaudy 1.34 WHIP out of Pressly last year, but the .333 BABIP was the outlier compared to three straight years below .300 prior to '24. Porter Hodge should be a constant threat to step in should Pressly go through any sustained slump.1/22: Cleveland signed Paul Sewald to a one-year deal, which takes a potential, albeit unlikely, closer off of the free-agent board. Following an early oblique injury, Sewald fell apart after a hot start last year in Arizona but is now perhaps fourth on the CLE leverage ladder. If he looks sharp then the Guardians could flex him into the closer role if Emmanuel Clase got hurt rather than shift Cade Smith or Hunter Gaddis.

1/21: The rich are allegedly getting richer as the Dodgers are in serious talks with Kirby Yates. This news appeared in tandem with a report from Bob Nightengale that Michael Kopech could miss the first month of the season as he deals with forearm inflammation. Currently, there are no structural concerns, but they will take it easy on the flamethrower. Let's see if they seal the deal with Yates and create another tier of "Superpen." This would once again rob a team like the Cubs of a top free-agent closer signing. Other clubs need to get on their horse and make these deals happen already, lest the Dodgers start trading for extra 40-man roster spots to carry even more stars. (It's a joke, we think.)

1/20: The Dodgers made yet another offseason splash by signing Tanner Scott, the top left-handed reliever on the free-agent market, to a four-year, $72 million deal. The money screams "automatic closer" but the Dodgers can simply make the best plays with their superpen. Scott handles right-handed bats well but is still best suited for lefties, so we still assume Michael Kopech and Blake Treinen will work into the ninth. The southpaw has also appeared in the third-most games by a reliever over the last three years while conquering the walk-rate demons that torpedoed his ratios in 2022. The Dodgers were surely motivated by snagging Scott after he performed so well against Shohei Ohtani. The Cubs reportedly came close but did not want to jump to a fourth year. Let's see if they make a play for a top remaining FA RP in Carlos Estevez, Kirby Yates, or perhaps Kenley Jansen. Early Porter Hodge drafters should take notice.