Who Is The Diamondbacks Closer? Fantasy Baseball Saves Outlook

June 9, 2023

Who is the Diamondbacks closer? Sam takes a look at the current situation in Arizona to try and find the answer.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are one of the most pleasant surprises in all of Major League Baseball in 2023. They are having a fantastic season and currently reside in first place in the National League West.

The team is playing solid all-around baseball and has their fanbase and fantasy fans alike jumping for joy. However, all is not puppy dogs and ice cream in the land of heat and cacti. There are some holes that need addressing if the team is going to continue to flourish, and one of those is closer.

Do the Diamondbacks have a closer? Who is it? Let's take a look at the current situation in Arizona and find the answer.

Who Is The Diamondbacks Closer?

Currently, Miguel Castro and Andrew Chafin are serving as dual closers for the club, although neither has set themselves apart from the other. Both have struggled at times while the team deals with the dreaded "closer by committee" approach.

Castro is a tall, 6' 7" hard-throwing right-hander, while Chafin comes at hitters from the left side.  The latter has eight saves and a 3.22 ERA through the first week of June, while the former has struggled more in recent outings, compiling six saves and a 3.46 ERA.

While Chafin has the slight edge as the lead dog, the bottom line is, it doesn't appear either of these relievers will ever perform well enough to be the main man at crunch time. If the Diamondbacks want to continue to head toward a playoff birth, they must find the answer in the ninth inning. If they want to be considered serious contenders, a move must come via trade, and the deadline to swing a deal is August 1st.

What Do You Do If You're Looking For Saves Out Of Arizona?

The setup man in AZ is 33-year-old journeyman Scott McGough. He has been very solid in his role with one save and a 3.03 ERA and could be in line for an occasional close-out opportunity should Montero or Chafin struggle or get injured. He's worthy of a flier, but don't go racing to the waiver wire to pick him up because he's simply not worth the roster spot.

Fantasy managers desperate for saves should stay away from the situation in Arizona if at all possible. There is simply too much unknown and instability to invest in a late-inning arm. With that said, if you're still in the race come mid-summer, keep your eyes peeled for any reports of the Diamondbacks being active on the trade market. They could swing a huge deal to bring in a primary closer and that guy could be the one who just might save your fantasy season.

For now, my advice is to continue to monitor the situation, hold onto Chafin, and scour the waive wire as often as possible. Closers are the most available product in fantasy baseball over the long haul of a 162-game season, and the likelihood of one falling in your lap is extremely high.

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