One of the pitfalls of running a weekly waiver article about relievers is that it often feels headlined by the obvious. While this week’s top targets are all sub-10% rostered, they’re also among the first pitchers you’d see if you simply sorted your wire by saves over the last seven days.
In an effort to differentiate myself, I’ll follow up those selections with a group of more speculative options for saves that you won’t find with just a cursory glance at available players. Venturing even further off the beaten path, I’ll also provide three holds league targets that are no more than 1%-rostered, and give my updated top-10 ranking of SPRPs, which has undergone some real shuffling of late.
(stats updated through Thursday, 4/30)
Saves (%-rostered Yahoo)
The following pitchers are currently closers or at least part of a committee.
Jack Perkins (ATH) (7%)
Just a couple of issues ago, Joel Kuhnel was the A’s pitcher coming off a three-save week, garnering a recommendation here. This week, Jack Perkins leaps off my watchlist and into the featured section with a three-save stretch of his own. This is where the similarities between these two begin and end. While my write-up of Kuhnel advised managers to prepare to move on quickly, with Perkins, I’m willing to let my guard down. Perkins looks like a star in 2026, with a 2.42 SIERA, 25.5 K-BB%, and 41.6% chase rate, all backed by a prospect pedigree that once had him ranked among the top arms in the A’s system. Up until the last couple of weeks, the concern with Perkins would’ve been his usage, as the A’s saw him as someone who could provide length in the middle innings. Now, with three saves and a win since April 18th, there’s no reason to view Perkins as anything less than an elite high-leverage weapon. He should be rostered universally, and even gets a bump in value from his SP eligibility in Yahoo leagues.
Jacob Latz (TEX) (8%)
The only Ranger with a save in the last two weeks, Jacob Latz seems to have overtaken Jakob Junis as the closer in Texas. While Junis hasn’t been bad, he’s also given no reason for excitement, with piddling strikeout (10.9%) and whiff (11.4%) rates that hardly fit a closer’s profile. While Latz isn’t exactly the overpowering type himself, he does at least possess above-average stuff (106 Stuff+ versus Junis’s 90) paired with elite control (5.1% walk rate) that’s seen him allow just eight baserunners across his first 16.2 innings so far this season. Like Perkins, Latz also comes with SP eligibility, placing him among the most valuable relievers with that designation. I would prioritize Perkins between the two, but Latz should also be among the most-acquired RPs over the coming days.
Gus Varland (WSH) (6%)
While it’s quite the bad beat to not be the hottest new closer in one’s own family, the Nationals’ Gus Varland at least merits a mention here. With Clayton Beeter sidelined for the foreseeable future with forearm soreness, Varland has an open road to seizing a closing gig that he may have been on track to snag anyway. I’ll immediately raise the red flags on Varland, who’s been hit hard (14.7% barrel rate, 92.7 mph average exit velocity) and often (87.5% zone contact rate). Still, he’s been steadier than his counterparts, walking just 6% of batters while striking out 26%. In a bullpen with little competition, Varland could find himself entrenched as closer before Beeter even sees the mound again.
Saves (speculative)
The following pitchers aren’t currently closers but have the potential to take the role.
Antonio Senzatela (COL) (12%)
With Victor Vodnik rocking a 7.82 ERA and 2.05 WHIP, keep an eye on Antonio Senzatela, who’s had far and away the best month of any Rockies reliever. Senzatela should at least step into an exclusively high-leverage role soon if he hasn’t already.
NEXT UP: Jimmy Herget
Erik Miller (SF) (7%)
Though he’s been an easy target for columns like mine, Ryan Walker has nonetheless held on to at least a share of the Giants’ closing duties. That may slip further away following yet another blown save on Thursday. Erik Miller has recently become Walker’s most likely successor, with four holds and two saves over his last six appearances, appearing almost exclusively in the eighth and/or ninth inning.
NEXT UP: Keaton Winn
Tony Santillan (CIN) (19%)
Closer Emilio Pagán should still have some runway, but his ugly surface-level stats (5.40 ERA) are backed by even worse peripherals (7.7 K-BB%, 57.1 HardHit%). Tony Santillan comes with plenty of concern himself (14% walk rate), but seems poised to usurp Pagán if he can keep getting away with it.
NEXT UP: Graham Ashcraft
Kirby Yates (LAA) (12%)
You know a team’s bullpen is in shambles when both of my top two choices for saves are currently on its injured list. With Jordan Romano being released on Monday and all other options currently floundering, it’s time to stash Kirby Yates and hope for the best when he completes his rehab assignment shortly. It’s worth noting, though, that said rehab assignment has gone quite poorly (seven runs allowed over three innings), so temper your expectations accordingly.
NEXT UP: Ben Joyce
Kyle Finnegan (DET) (8%)
One shouldn’t expect a legend like Kenley Jansen to be dethroned too easily, but teams with playoff aspirations like Detroit don’t stick with struggling closers for long. Simply put, being 38 and having an ERA that starts with a six is enough cause for concern no matter who you are. We’re a long way from it, but if Jansen does lose the job, Kyle Finnegan has a particularly clear path to saves, with the rest of his competition also off to poor starts this season.
NEXT UP: Will Vest
Holds (<=1%-rostered)
Caleb Kilian (SF) (1%)
The best performer in an otherwise volatile Giants bullpen, Caleb Kilian has been a picture of consistency in his rookie season. Kilian has allowed multiple baserunners in just three of his 13 appearances, surrendering a single earned run across 14 innings pitched. While this performance has only been good for a pair of holds, that’s mostly due to Kilian entering the season as a low-leverage option. Now, nearing the top of San Francisco’s bullpen hierarchy, the counting stats should see an upswing. Despite his current availability, Kilian is a top 30-ish holds league option going forward.
Daniel Lynch IV (KC) (1%)
A breakout reliever in just his second full season removed from the rotation, Daniel Lynch IV is flying under the radar. Last week, I ranked Lynch eighth among all relievers below a 5% roster rate, only to see that rate barely budge. What hurts my ego only helps your fantasy team; Lynch has been one of baseball’s best relievers to date, striking out 13 batters across 11 appearances, allowing just one earned run and a .143 xBA. In a relatively thin bullpen that’s seen such stalwarts as Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm look at best mediocre this season, Lynch is a name on the rise with opportunity to match. Don’t let him remain eligible for this section another week longer.
Brent Headrick (NYY) (<1%)
Unlike the two names above him on this list, Brent Headrick won’t wow you with sterling peripherals and exceptional stuff. Headrick’s value is instead derived from becoming one of the game’s most heavily-utilized relievers, with 15.1 innings pitched across seventeen appearances already this season. That usage has also seen a recent shift from low to high leverage, as Headrick has picked up all three of his holds in the last two weeks. While you should expect his ERA to rise from its current 1.76 to somewhere in the mid-threes, maintaining even decent ratios at this usage rate gives a guy plenty of fantasy value, particularly on a team as good as the Yankees. Headrick should certainly be rostered in all 15-team holds leagues, and more competitive 12-teamers as well.
SPRP Top 10
Rising names among SPRPs this week include Jack Perkins, Antonio Senzatela, and Ben Brown.
- Jack Dreyer – LAD (4%)
- Tyler Wells – BAL (2%)
- Jack Perkins – ATH (7%)
- Jacob Latz – TEX (8%)
- Antonio Senzatela – COL (12%)
- Ben Brown – CHC (6%)
- Grant Taylor – CHW (7%)
- Tyler Alexander – TEX (8%)
- Ian Seymour – TB (4%)
- Tobias Myers – NYM (2%)
