Perhaps you’ve already noticed a difference in the list this week (you should read the notes first as Nick says!) as I’ve added an additional 10 relievers to rank relievers, not solely “closers”, that are valuable in save-only formats. While this is mainly due to the situation in Arizona where you have two elite relievers essentially co-closing, there are other places where this co-closing trend may come into consideration. It all comes down to matchups, so look for spots where there may be a strong left-handed relief option already in the ninth inning (LAD, BOS, PHI, AZ) or at least working in high leverage with a shaky closer (TEX, TB, WAS, PIT).
We will still consider the top 30 on this list as closers, so don’t expect to see A.J. Puk or Justin Martinez on the holds list Wednesday, at least for now. They are essentially both closers, who should be rostered in all formats. There is also no representation from the White Sox for now because it looks like they are just going to go with a committee approach and no one needs to concern themselves with that mess.
Notes
- It’s only been 3.1 IP but so far we’ve seen the Trevor Megill we had all hoped for when drafting him. The bat missing ability is back (50% K rate and 42.9% CSW rate), his stuff is grading out through the roof (5.56 PLV, 117 Stuff+) and this is all despite his velo being down 1.5 mph. A drop in velo like that should not be an issue as he is still north of 97 mph and he still gets an elite 19 inches of iVB coming at you from his 6’8″ frame. As long as Megill can stay healthy, we could be looking at a top-10 closer season for him.
- Jordan Romano is no longer in the closer picture as he continues to struggle with velocity and command issues. Apparently, nothing is wrong physically, so he will just try and work on correcting things in low-leverage situations. José Alvarado remains the biggest beneficiary and should get the bulk of the save chances, although depending on lineup pockets/situations we may see Orion Kerkering mix in as he is the top right-handed option there now.
- Pete Fairbanks has yet to allow a run and has a 41.7% K rate but the stuff hasn’t exactly checked out so far as he holds just a 4.47 PLV. The velo is down and the slider shape isn’t great while Fairbanks’ command has also been spotty so far. I’m hopeful he gets more comfortable with the changeup and the usage grows but for now, I’m not so sure what to expect from Fairbanks for the 2025 season. The fact that there are so many talented relievers in that bullpen also has me thinking Fairbanks may not have as much room for error as he once had.
- Ryan Pressly has not been able to miss bats over six IP so far, which while still a small sample, it’s fair to be very concerned here and question what exactly Pressly has left in the tank at this point. His velo is down a little, but he’s never had a great fastball anyway, so it’s been the secondaries that have failed Pressly this season. His slider holds just a 2.8% SwStr rate and .342 xwOBA, while the curve has had higher whiff rates but just a 23.3% zone rate. Porter Hodge hasn’t exactly been great himself, but he’s still an improvement over Pressly at this point.
- Anthony Bender’s ratios look great so far, but he hasn’t exactly been dominating hitters with swing-and-miss stuff. That said, I like seeing the velo up a little bit and the sweeper is still a great secondary offering. He’s only recorded one save so far but his usage strongly points to Bender being the sole closer in Miami at the moment, and the good news here is that there are no real threats in that bullpen at the moment.
| Rank | Pitcher | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emmanuel ClaseT1 | - |
| 2 | Edwin Díaz | - |
| 3 | Josh Hader | - |
| 4 | Devin Williams | - |
| 5 | Mason Miller | - |
| 6 | Andrés Muñoz | +1 |
| 7 | Félix BautistaT2 | -1 |
| 8 | Ryan Helsley | - |
| 9 | Jhoan Duran | +1 |
| 10 | Raisel Iglesias | -1 |
| 11 | Trevor MegillT3 | +3 |
| 12 | Jeff Hoffman | -1 |
| 13 | Ryan Walker | -1 |
| 14 | Tanner Scott | -1 |
| 15 | José Alvarado | +UR |
| 16 | A.J. Puk | -1 |
| 17 | Justin Martinez | +UR |
| 18 | Kenley JansenT4 | -1 |
| 19 | Robert Suarez | -1 |
| 20 | Pete Fairbanks | -4 |
| 21 | Aroldis Chapman | -2 |
| 22 | Carlos EstévezT5 | +1 |
| 23 | Kyle Finnegan | -1 |
| 24 | Anthony Bender | +3 |
| 25 | Seth Halvorsen | -1 |
| 26 | Dennis Santana | - |
| 27 | Luke Jackson | +1 |
| 28 | Emilio Pagán | +1 |
| 29 | Blake Treinen | +UR |
| 30 | Ryan Pressly | -10 |
| 31 | Porter HodgeT6 | +UR |
| 32 | Tony Santillan | +UR |
| 33 | Mason Montgomery | +UR |
| 34 | Orion Kerkering | +UR |
| 35 | Griffin Jax | +UR |
| 36 | Justin Slaten | +UR |
| 37 | Jose A. Ferrer | +UR |
| 38 | Lucas Erceg | +UR |
| 39 | Yimi García | +UR |
| 40 | Tommy Kahnle | +UR |
You have these guys at the top of your watchlist who “have elite results and should be next in line,” seemingly preferring those to the actual closer in a lot of cases, but you have an actual relief Ace in Ryan Walker buried at 13, behind guys unlikely to be able to pitch on back-to-back days, or have other health restrictions in place. The talent was almost on par with Mason Miller last season, and he’s on a team projected to be around the same in the standings as Miller. He’s Cade Smith, but closing, and on a team that specializes in pitching. I know it can’t be because of a stiff back for the first few days, so what is it? Is it the presence of Doval? The lack of experience?
Your note for Chris Martin reads, “Jackson may get the first chance, but he doesn’t have the track record.” Jackson did receive the first save chance, and he is currently tied for the league lead in saves.
It would be a big help if you put what team each player is on for quick reference.