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Fox Sports
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 MLB All-Star picks: The 64 players who should be selected
The 2025 MLB All-Star Game starters were announced Wednesday night, but who else deserves to make it to Atlanta on July 15? Before the complete 64-man All-Star selections are revealed on Sunday, FOX Sports MLB writers Rowan Kavner and Deesha Thosar made their own selections for the pitchers and position player reserves they believe worthy of rounding out the rosters. The picks below fall within the framework of the All-Star rules: 20 position players and 12 pitchers (including at least three relievers) on both teams, with every MLB club getting at least one representative. Inevitably, there are more deserving players than spots available on the rosters, but that's part of the fun of the exercise. Without further ado, here are Kavner's selections for the American League and Thosar's picks for the National League, along with some commentary on those choices and difficult omissions (starters selected via fan vote are in bold): AMERICAN LEAGUE Catchers Infielders 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays 1B Jonathan Aranda, Tampa Bay Rays 2B Gleyber Torres, Detroit Tigers 2B Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays SS Jacob Wilson, Athletics *SS Jeremy Pena, Houston Astros SS Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals 3B Jose Ramirez , Cleveland Guardians 3B Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays 3B Isaac Paredes, Houston Astros Outfielders DH *Injury replacement if Peña is injured 3B Maikel Garcia, Kansas City Royals Strongly Considered C Carlos Narvaez, Boston Red Sox 1B Spencer Torkelson, Detroit Tigers 1B Paul Goldschmidt, New York Yankees 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr., New York Yankees SS Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles SS J.P. Crawford, Seattle Mariners 3B Maikel Garcia, Kansas City Royals 3B Alex Bregman, Boston Red Sox OF Randy Arozarena, Seattle Mariners OF Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners OF Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians OF Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red SoxOF Trent Grisham, New York Yankees UTIL Zach McKinstry, Detroit Tigers DH Yandy Diaz, Tampa Bay Rays Analysis: The hardest omission was Garcia, who should be the first injury replacement for a position player (although if Peña can't go, it wouldn't be a surprise or a problem to see Henderson make it, either). Ultimately, the 21 homers from Caminero and 17 from Paredes, who has played a major role in elevating the Astros into first place, gave them the nod. Bregman would have easily made it had he not been injured. Leaving off both Arozarena, who's on an absolute tear, and Rodriguez were the toughest choices in the outfield. (Sorry, Seattle fans). Fans voting Báez in as a starter in a resurgent year is a cool story, but he hasn't played the outfield in a month and there's no good argument for having him over Arozarena, apart from the fact that the Tigers deserve more representation for their dominant first half. In addition, the Angels needed a rep somewhere, and Adell stood out as a top candidate. It would be a cool story for Adell, a former top prospect who is putting together a career year at 26, if he makes it. That left me with just two other outfielders. It's tough to leave off both of Seattle's standout outfielders, Byron Buxton needed to be on there (and should be starting) and George Springer is having an even better season than his last All-Star campaign three years ago for a Toronto team that deserves attention. - Kavner Pitchers SP Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers SP Hunter Brown, Houston Astros SP Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers SP Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox SP Max Fried, New York Yankees SP Kris Bubic, Kansas City Royals SP Framber Valdez, Houston Astros SP Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins SP Shane Smith, Chicago White Sox RP Josh Hader, Houston Astros RP Andres Munoz, Seattle Mariners RP Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox Strongly Considered: SP Carlos Rodon, New York Yankees SP Nathan Eovaldi, Texas Rangers SP Bryan Woo, Seattle Mariners SP Yusei Kikuchi, Los Angeles Angels SP Drew Rasmussen, Tampa Bay Rays RP Carlos Estevez, Kansas City Royals RP Jhoan Duran, Minnesota Twins RP Bryan Abreu, Houston Astros Analysis: Skubal is the best pitcher in baseball and deserves to start the game again. Brown, who has the lowest ERA in MLB, and Valdez have been lights out in leading the first-place Astros. Crochet, who leads the majors in strikeouts, and Fried have both looked like Cy Young contenders all year for their new squads. The Rangers have the lowest starters' ERA in MLB, and deGrom is a major reason why. So is Eovaldi, who was a difficult cut, but the time he missed leaves him just off the list. Bubic and his 2.25 ERA deserve a spot, and Skubal is the only AL pitcher with a lower WHIP than Ryan. After a hot start, Smith has fallen way back down to earth. He makes it solely because the White Sox need a rep, which is tough luck for both Eovaldi and Rodón, who were the hardest omissions among the starting pitchers. AL saves leader Hader (1.86 ERA), Muñoz (1.13) and Chapman (1.29) stand out among the top closers in the league, but there are always more deserving bullpen candidates than spots available. Estévez and Duran were especially difficult cuts and would be among my first calls as replacements. Both are perfectly understandable All-Star choices. - Kavner NATIONAL LEAGUE Catchers Infielders 1B Freddie Freeman , Los Angeles Dodgers 1B Pete Alonso, New York Mets 2B Ketel Marte , Arizona Diamondbacks 2B Brendan Donovan, St. Louis Cardinals SS Francisco Lindor, New York Mets SS Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies SS Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds 3B Manny Machado , San Diego Padres 3B Eugenio Suarez, Arizona Diamondbacks Outfielders Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs Kyle Tucker , Chicago Cubs James Wood, Washington Nationals Juan Soto, New York Mets Kyle Stowers, Miami Marlins DH Shohei Ohtani , Los Angeles Dodgers Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies Rafael Devers, San Francisco Giants Strongly Considered 1B Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs 1B Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies 1B Josh Naylor, Arizona Diamondbacks 2B Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers SS CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals SS Gerardo Perdomo, Arizona Diamondbacks SS Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers 3B Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers OF Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks OF Heliot Ramos, San Francisco Giants OF Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers OF Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres DH Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs Analysis: Listen, as much as several Los Angeles players deserve to be All-Stars, the entire NL team can't just be Dodgers. So guys like Betts, Pages, Edman and Muncy didn't make the cut this year in an effort to fit and represent all 15 teams on the NL squad. The NL shortstops are, once again, stacked. It was extremely tough to pick between Abrams and EDLC, but the latter has the edge in slugging, and he's electric in the national spotlight. If you're surprised Soto made the team despite his slow start to the season, don't be. His at-bats are a one-man show, and the All-Star game is designed to provide massive entertainment value. Plus, Soto has looked almost fully like himself at the plate over the past month-plus. There's a worthy case to be made that Carroll should be an All-Star regardless, but his wrist injury complicates things. After Acuña was voted in as the starter, Stowers had to be included as the lone Marlins representative, which left a battle between Wood and Carroll for the final spot. The edge goes to Wood, who has been so impressive that he's even sneaking into the NL MVP conversation. Whittling down the options at DH was brutal because, after Ohtani, it was unjustifiable not to include both Schwarber and Devers, particularly because the latter was dealt a tough hand. Devers led all AL DH while he played for the Red Sox (and it wasn't even close), only to lose that top spot to Ohtani once he was traded to the Giants. So we're gaming the system a bit and going with three DH. As far as the backstops, Goodman is the lone Rockies representative with his 16 home runs and OPS+ of 127, beating out Kelly after he fizzled out from a strong April and posted a mediocre .569 OPS in June. - Thosar Pitchers SP Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies SP Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates SP Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants SP Robbie Ray, San Francisco Giants SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers SP Andrew Abbott, Cincinnati Reds SP Matthew Boyd, Chicago Cubs SP MacKenzie Gore, Washington Nationals SP Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers RP Edwin Diaz, New York Mets RP Robert Suarez, San Diego Padres RP Emilio Pagan, Cincinnati Reds Strongly Considered SP Clay Holmes, New York Mets SP Sonny Gray, St. Louis Cardinals SP Cristopher Sanchez, Philadelphia Phillies SP Nick Pivetta, San Diego Padres SP David Peterson, New York Mets RP Kyle Finnegan, Washington Nationals RP Tanner Scott, Los Angeles Dodgers RP Trevor Megill, Milwaukee Brewers RP Randy Rodriguez, San Francisco Giants RP Jason Adam, San Diego Padres RP David Bednar, Pittsburgh Pirates Analysis: Obviously, Chris Sale deserves to be an All-Star again this year, but since he's dealing with a fractured rib and is out until at least late August, he's omitted from this list. There was a strong case for Spencer Schwellenbach to replace Sale, but now he's also dealing with an injury. The relief pitchers are so stacked this year that we considered adding a fourth bullpen arm and taking away one starting pitcher, but it was difficult to warrant omitting Abbott or Boyd, in that case. As it is, there's a strong case for Holmes to be on the team given his excellent transition from a closer to a starting pitcher, but the Mets already have plenty of representation this year. There's certainly an argument to be made that Suarez should be booted from the relievers list if we're strictly going by ERA, in which case Rodriguez deserves to take his spot. But saves are important! It's impossible to make everyone happy with our picks, but it's completely justified if you're miffed by the final bullpen candidates here. Picking three spots for several deserving relief arms is the definition of cruel and unusual punishment. - Thosar Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar. Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner . recommended Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 MLB awards predictions: Early favorites for MVP, Cy Young
After the month of April last year, Aaron Judge was hitting .207, Chris Sale ranked 49th among qualified starters in ERA, Luis Gil had an ERA over 4.00, and Paul Skenes had not even made his MLB debut. As we know now, Judge would go on to produce one of the greatest seasons ever by a right-handed hitter ever to earn MVP honors, Sale would win the National League Cy Young Award, and Gil and Skenes would each be named the Rookie of the Year in their respective leagues. So, clearly, we can't declare what's going to happen over the next five months. But we can take a step back after one full month of baseball and analyze which players have jumped out as early favorites for MLB's top awards. FOX Sports MLB reporters Rowan Kavner and Deesha Thosar give you their one-month-in picks below. (Note: These picks will be updated each month through the rest of the season): AMERICAN LEAGUE Most Valuable Player Kavner: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees Well, duh. A year ago, Judge finished his second MVP season with an absurd .322/.458/.701 slash line. It was the first time since Barry Bonds 20 years prior that a qualified hitter recorded a slugging percentage over .700. Well, Judge is currently beating his slash-line totals from last year in every category. Unsurprisingly, he leads the major leagues in hits, WAR, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS. He has a batting average over .400 and is slugging over .750. Somehow, he has only been intentionally walked three times, but I can't imagine that continues. He entered Wednesday with a 250 OPS+...that's 150% better than league average. Even beyond his prodigious power, it's possible a batting crown is in his future. Thosar: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees At this point, I'll be surprised if Judge doesn't win his third career MVP award this year. It's no longer shocking to see the Yankees slugger leading the American League in OPS, but the gradual rise in his batting average has been fascinating to watch. Judge entered Wednesday hitting .412. The only AL player who even came close to sniffing that number last month was his teammate, Paul Goldschmidt (.363), who has suddenly traded power for average. Not only is Judge the favorite to win the MVP, but the way things are looking, he has a strong case to win his first career batting title, too. Guys like Bobby Witt Jr. and Steven Kwan will try to catch him, but outdoing Judge on the baseball diamond is a futile path. Cy Young Thosar: Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox There are a few flamethrowers leading the pack in the AL after the first month of play, but Crochet has separated himself from his peers with the most innings pitched (44) and second-most strikeouts (50) in April. Crochet has a slight edge in ERA (2.05) over AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal (2.34), but Skubal leads Crochet in WHIP (1.04/1.05). Skubal is going for the Cy Young repeat while attempting to take his Tigers back into the playoffs, so he won't make it easy on Crochet to overtake him. I'm expecting these club aces to be neck-in-neck all year, but for now, Crochet has the lead in my book. Kavner: Hunter Brown, Houston Astros It is primarily the Astros' pitching staff, not their offense, that has kept them within striking distance of the top spot in the American League West. Headlining that group is Brown, who leads all qualified AL pitchers in fWAR (1.5) and ranks top five in ERA (1.22), WHIP (0.84) and strikeout rate (29.9%) while holding opponents to a .189 batting average. This is really just a continuation for Brown, who had the lowest ERA in MLB from the start of June 2024 through the end of last season. His four-seamer has picked up steam since then and has looked almost untouchable (.075 batting average against, 18 strikeouts) early this year. Rookie of the Year Kavner: Kristian Campbell, Boston Red Sox This should be a fun race against Jacob Wilson, who looks like the Athletics' version of Luis Arraez, but Campbell has the early lead in my book. Clearly, the Red Sox thought highly enough of the 23-year-old to make him their everyday second baseman off the bat. That created massive expectations, which he has met. Campbell is hitting for both average and power, leading all qualified MLB rookies in WAR, OPS and doubles. His .313 batting average and 16% walk rate have helped make him an on-base machine. It'll be interesting to see how soon before top prospect Roman Anthony joins him in the Red Sox lineup. Thosar: Kristian Campbell, Boston Red Sox I've had Campbell on my radar ever since the Red Sox made the not-so-easy decision to make him their primary second baseman right out of camp, rather than have Alex Bregman slide over to second and let Rafael Devers keep his job at the hot corner. Campbell has rewarded Boston's trust by recording the highest fWAR (1.3), OPS (.935) and walks drawn (19) among all AL rookies. He has a few challengers for the AL ROY, including A's shortstop Jacob Wilson and Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson. It'll be interesting to watch this race unfold over the course of the season. NATIONAL LEAGUE Most Valuable Player Thosar: Pete Alonso, New York Mets The Mets were the first team in MLB to eclipse 20 wins, and they wouldn't be leading the NL East today if it wasn't for a red-hot month from their franchise Polar Bear. Alonso enters May with the highest OPS in the National League (minimum 100 plate appearances) with a .346 average to boot. He shaved his strikeout rate from 24.7% in 2024 to 15.2% across his first 30 games this year. He's addicted to posting up, and that's a big advantage for manager Carlos Mendoza as he pencils in the lineup every day. Look, this award isn't won in April, and there are at least four other players in the league who are contenders to win the NL MVP. But if Alonso can sustain his early-season numbers across a full year, and the Mets keep winning because of it, he has a solid case here. For now, though, his April performance was spectacular enough to give him the monthly honor. Kavner: Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres Of all the awards, this one probably has the most legitimate candidates. Pete Alonso, Corbin Carroll and Kyle Tucker would all be fine answers, but I'll go with the guy leading the Padres' hot start. Tatis ranks in the top six among qualified NL hitters in hits, homers and every slash line category. He has eight home runs, seven steals and an OPS over 1.000 while cutting his strikeout rate to a career-low mark and maintaining his typical hard-hitting ways. Defensively, he leads all right fielders in outs above average. For the Padres to reach their goals this year, they need Tatis to have an MVP-type season. So far, he is delivering, and the underlying numbers suggest this should continue. Cy Young Kavner: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers Paul Skenes is a great answer here, too, especially considering he outdueled Yamamoto in their meeting. But for now I'll stick with the guy who has allowed four earned runs in 34 innings. Yamamoto's 1.06 ERA is the lowest mark among all qualified MLB starters. The start to the 2025 season looks like a carryover of the success Yamamoto experienced last October, when he ended his standout debut season with one run allowed in 6.1 innings in Game 2 of the World Series. He has demonstrated more consistency early this year — he has allowed two earned runs or fewer and five hits or fewer in each of his six starts — and his splitter is helping him generate the fourth-highest strikeout rate among qualified NL pitchers. The pitch is both devastating and impartial, neutralizing lefties and righties alike. Thosar: Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates Skenes is already a phenom in this sport, and watching him pitch a six-inning shutout against the reigning world champions showed you why. But dive a little deeper, and there are three stats in particular that make him the favorite to win the NL Cy Young. He's holding opposing hitters to a .190 batting average, he has a minuscule 2.8 walk rate that's second-lowest in the league, and he's boasting a 0.80 WHIP with just one home run allowed. Even if his ERA (2.39) was not as excellent as Yoshinobu Yamamoto's (1.04), Skenes looked absolutely unhittable in April. Rookie of the Year Thosar: Roki Sasaki, Los Angeles Dodgers Similar to Judge's enormous lead in the AL MVP race, I think the NL ROY is Sasaki's to lose. Even though Sasaki's tenure with the Dodgers has been off to a questionable start, his pedigree in Japan and flashes of electricity on the mound make him a frontrunner for the award. After all, he's only 23 years old with a ton of potential and a long runway to grow. If Sasaki can pull it off, this could be the second straight year we see a starting pitcher win the NL ROY after Skenes rose to prominence last season. Kavner: Roki Sasaki, Los Angeles Dodgers Do you know how close I came to taking Tim Tawa here? The answer is very close, but I'm not sure a sample of 10 hits — even if four are homers — warrants the top selection. The point is that the current list of contenders have left a lot to be desired. Sasaki and Dylan Crews are the favorites, but the former has nearly as many walks (18) as strikeouts (20), while the latter — though he's heating up — entered Wednesday with a .620 OPS on the year. I'm interested to see if Bubba Chandler follows the lead of his Pirates ace and ends up competing for the award. For now, though, Sasaki has at least found a way to limit damage and work around traffic, despite an alarming number of free passes and concerning metrics under the hood. If he can present the splitter as a strike more often, the pitch is a whiff machine. Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar . Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner . recommended Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Associated Press
13-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Spring Training Glance
All Times EDT AMERICAN LEAGUE W L Pct Toronto 11 6.647 Kansas City 11 8.579 Boston 9 7.563 Detroit 9 8.529 Houston 9 8.529 Athletics 10 9.526 Baltimore 8 9.500 Texas 9 9.500 New York 8 9.471 Tampa Bay 7 8.467 Los Angeles 8 10.444 Minnesota 6 9.400 Cleveland 7 11.389 Chicago 6 12.333 Seattle 6 13.316 ___ NATIONAL LEAGUE W L Pct San Francisco 13 3.813 Chicago 11 5.688 Los Angeles 12 8.600 Colorado 11 8.579 Pittsburgh 10 8.556 Atlanta 8 7.533 Cincinnati 9 8.529 Washington 9 8.529 Philadelphia 8 8.500 Arizona 10 10.500 Milwaukee 8 9.471 New York 8 9.471 Miami 6 8.429 St. Louis 8 11.421 San Diego 5 13.278 ___ Tuesday's Games Detroit 3, Atlanta 1 Baltimore 6, N.Y. Yankees (ss) 2 Houston 7, N.Y. Mets 4 Pittsburgh 9, N.Y. Yankees (ss) 1 Philadelphia 18, Boston 8 Miami 12, St. Louis 5 Toronto 3, Minnesota 2 L.A. Dodgers 10, Cleveland 4 Texas 13, L.A. Angels 6 Cincinnati 8, Colorado 5 Milwaukee 9, Chicago Cubs 7 Arizona 3, Kansas City 2 San Diego 7, Chicago White Sox 5 San Francisco 5, Athletics 3 Wednesday's Games Atlanta 13, Baltimore 5 Detroit 5, Tampa Bay 1 Washington 9, Houston 3 N.Y. Mets 2, St. Louis 0 Arizona 5, Athletics 2 Chicago White Sox 1, L.A. Angels 1 San Francisco 11, Cleveland 2 Texas 4, Cincinnati 3 Kansas City 7, Seattle 6 Colorado 13, San Diego 2 Boston 6, Minnesota 5 Thursday's Games Detroit vs N.Y. Yankees at Lakeland, Fla., 1:05 p.m. Houston (ss) vs St. Louis at West Palm Beach, Fla., 1:05 p.m. Minnesota vs Pittsburgh at Fort Myers, Fla., 1:05 p.m. Tampa Bay vs Washington at Port Charlotte, Fla., 1:05 p.m. Philadelphia vs Atlanta at Clearwater, Fla., 1:05 p.m. Toronto vs Baltimore at Dunedin, Fla., 1:07 p.m. Miami vs Houston (ss) at Jupiter, Fla., 1:10 p.m. N.Y. Mets vs Boston at Port St Lucie, Fla., 1:10 p.m. Chicago White Sox vs Milwaukee at Phoenix, 4:05 p.m. Cincinnati vs Athletics at Goodyear, Ariz., 4:05 p.m. Kansas City vs San Diego at Surprise, Ariz., 4:05 p.m. San Francisco vs Texas at Scottsdale, Ariz., 4:05 p.m. Colorado vs Cleveland at Scottsdale, Ariz., 4:10 p.m. Seattle vs Arizona at Peoria, Ariz., 9:40 p.m. Friday's Games Washington vs. Atlanta at North Port, Fla., 1:05 p.m. Boston Red Sox Prospects vs. Boston (ss) at Fort Myers, Fla., 1:05 p.m. L.A. Angels (ss) vs. Athletics at Mesa, Ariz., 4:05 p.m. Seattle vs. Cleveland at Goodyear, Ariz., 4:05 p.m. Cincinnati (ss) vs. Chicago White Sox at Glendale, Ariz., 4:05 p.m. San Francisco vs. Milwaukee at Phoenix, 4:10 p.m. Boston (ss) vs. Miami at Jupiter, Fla., 4:10 p.m. Cincinnati (ss) vs. Arizona at Scottsdale, Ariz., 4:10 p.m. Kansas City vs. L.A. Angels (ss) at Tempe, Ariz., 4:10 p.m. Toronto vs. Houston at West Palm Beach, Fla., 6:05 p.m. Tampa Bay vs. Minnesota (ss) at Fort Myers, Fla., 6:05 p.m. Detroit vs. Pittsburgh at Bradenton, Fla., 6:05 p.m. Minnesota (ss) vs. Baltimore at Sarasota, Fla., 6:05 p.m. St. Louis vs. N.Y. Mets at Port St Lucie, Fla., 6:10 p.m. Philadelphia vs. N.Y. Yankees at Tampa, Fla., 6:35 p.m. Colorado vs. Texas (ss) at Surprise, Ariz., 9:05 p.m. Texas (ss) vs. San Diego at Peoria, Ariz., 9:40 p.m. All Times EDT W L Pct Toronto 11 6.647 Kansas City 11 8.579 Boston 9 7.563 Detroit 9 8.529 Houston 9 8.529 Athletics 10 9.526 Baltimore 8 9.500 Texas 9 9.500 New York 8 9.471 Tampa Bay 7 8.467 Los Angeles 8 10.444 Minnesota 6 9.400 Cleveland 7 11.389 Chicago 6 12.333 Seattle 6 13.316 ___ W L Pct San Francisco 13 3.813 Chicago 11 5.688 Los Angeles 12 8.600 Colorado 11 8.579 Pittsburgh 10 8.556 Atlanta 8 7.533 Cincinnati 9 8.529 Washington 9 8.529 Philadelphia 8 8.500 Arizona 10 10.500 Milwaukee 8 9.471 New York 8 9.471 Miami 6 8.429 St. Louis 8 11.421 San Diego 5 13.278
NBC Sports
14-02-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Report: Top closers for 2025, sleepers, outlooks for each MLB team
Fantasy baseball season is officially here! Below is a look at each team's bullpen situation going into spring training. In addition to projected closers, you'll see late-inning pitchers to keep in mind, as well as some sleepers who may end up being waiver wire gold during the 2025 MLB season. We'll be updating this page throughout spring training, as we'll surely see some more transactions as well as unexpected injuries, so check back often going into your fantasy baseball drafts! 2025 PROJECTED SAVES LEADERS Emmanuel Clase, CLE - 41 Josh Hader, HOU - 36 Raisel Iglesias, ATL - 36 Devin Williams, NYY - 34 Ryan Helsley, STL - 34 Edwin Díaz, NYM - 34 Robert Suarez, SD - 33 Jeff Hoffman, TOR - 32 Félix Bautista, BAL - 32 Jhoan Duran, MIN - 31 AMERICAN LEAGUE BULLPENS Closer: Mason Miller Next in line: José Leclerc Setup man: Michel Otañez Name to watch: Tyler Ferguson Mason Miller's transition into the bullpen went as well as it could possibly go, turning the injury-prone starting prospect into the most dominant and electric closer in the game. The 26-year-old right-hander turned in a 2.49 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 104 strikeouts across 65 innings while converting 28 saves. By pitching in shorter outings, Miller sustained his 101 mile-per-hour fastball all season, generating a 19.6% swinging-strike rate and leading qualified relievers with a 41.8% strikeout rate. The case can certainly be made for Miller as the top closer in baseball. Behind him, the team fortified the back end of the bullpen by signing José Leclerc to a one-year, $10 million contract. Leclerc, Tyler Ferguson, and Michel Otañez all posted at least a 30% strikeout rate last season and will bridge the way to the ninth inning. Otañez displayed the best skills of the bunch, but Leclerc comes with closing experience and should be first in line to back up Miller for closing duties. Closer: Félix Bautista Next in line: Andrew Kittredge Setup man: Seranthony Domínguez Name to watch: Yennier Cano The Orioles had signed Craig Kimbrel to fill the ninth-inning void left by Félix Bautista, who missed the 2024 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Kimbrel converted 23 saves with a 2.80 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts through the All-Star break. He failed to record a save in the second half, crumbling to a 10.59 ERA and losing closing duties before he was ultimately released. Seranthony Domínguez was acquired from the Phillies and stepped in to close 10 games down the stretch. Domínguez remained with the club on a one-year, $8 million option and will be joined by Andrew Kittredge for setup duties behind Bautista. The team signed Kittredge to a one-year, $10 million contract after an excellent season with the Cardinals. Baltimore will be careful in ramping up Bautista as the 29-year-old right-hander returns this spring. When we last saw him, he was the top closer in baseball, posting a 1.48 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 110 strikeouts over 61 innings in 2023. Closer: Liam Hendriks Next in line: Aroldis Chapman Setup man: Justin Slaten Name to watch: Garrett Whitlock The Red Sox got another productive season out of veteran Kenley Jansen. The 37-year-old right-hander posted a 3.29 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 62 strikeouts over 54 2/3 innings while converting 27 saves. Behind him, Chris Martin and Justin Slaten were effective in setup roles. With Jansen and Martin departing in free agency, the team signed Aroldis Chapman to a one-year, $10.75 million contract. Boston will also be relying on Liam Hendriks in high-leverage innings. He pitched just five innings in 2023 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Slaten, Chapman, and Hendriks will be battling for the closer role this spring. Slaten had an excellent 2024, posting a 2.93 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 58 strikeouts across 55 1/3 innings. Chapman pitched well in the second half with the Pirates after a slow start, posting a 3.33 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts over 27 innings following the All-Star break. The 36-year-old left-hander brings 335 career saves. Though, he's been a bit volatile and inconsistent at this stage of his career. And there's no telling what we'll get from Hendriks now two years removed from his last full season. Garrett Whitlock will also join the bullpen and could be a dark horse candidate to pick up saves throughout the season. This is one situation to monitor this spring. Closer: Justin Anderson Next in line: Prelander Berroa Setup man: Fraser Ellard Name to watch: Gus Varland The White Sox bullpen contributed to the team's historic 121-loss season, posting a collective 4.73 ERA that was third-worst in the majors and converting just 21 of 58 save opportunities. Michael Kopech led the way with nine saves before he was traded to the Dodgers. No other reliever converted more than two saves, with nine pitchers recording at least one. The 2025 outlook doesn't look much better. Of the returning relievers, Justin Anderson has the most experience pitching high-leverage innings for the team. He wasn't very effective, posting a 4.39 ERA with five blown saves in 2024. Prelander Berroa recorded a 3.32 ERA with a 31.3% strikeout rate over 19 innings with the White Sox last season and throws the hardest in the bullpen with a 97.7 mph fastball. But a pitcher can only get away with a 15.7% walk rate for so long. Gus Varland could be another name to watch. He pitched well late in the season, giving Chicago a 3.54 ERA and a 24/4 K/BB ratio across 20 1/3 innings. Closer: Emmanuel Clase Next in line: Paul Sewald Setup man: Cade Smith Name to watch: Hunter Gaddis Led by Emmanuel Clase, the Guardians bullpen as a whole posted a league-best 2.57 ERA. Clase finished the season as the top closer in baseball, converting 47 saves with a 0.61 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, and 66 strikeouts over 74 1/3 innings. When it comes to saves, there's no one more bankable than Clase, who recorded his third consecutive 40-save season. The 26-year-old right-hander has seen his strikeout rate dip to under a strikeout per inning over the last couple of seasons, but he's remained effective with elite walk rates and generating weak contact. Cade Smith emerged as one of the top relievers in baseball, posting a 1.91 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and 103 strikeouts over 75 1/3 innings. He'll serve as one of the team's primary setup men after recording 26 holds. Paul Sewald joined the team on a one-year, $6 million deal. The 34-year-old veteran gives Cleveland some closing experience behind Clase. He and Hunter Gaddis round out the back end of a bullpen that should be among the best in baseball once again. Closer: Jason Foley Next in line: Beau Brieske Setup man: Tyler Holton Name to watch: Tommy Kahnle The Tigers bullpen put together a top-five ERA at 3.55, led by Jason Foley, who posted a 3.15 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts over 60 innings. The 29-year-old right-hander struggles to miss bats, as his strikeout rate was the lowest among all relievers with at least 10 saves. It led to some volatility throughout the season, which opened the door for Tyler Holton to step in for eight saves. Beau Brieske was another valuable, versatile reliever for Detroit, starting 12 games as an opener, recording six holds, and converting one save. He'll have a presence in the back end of the bullpen. Veteran Tommy Kahnle joined the team on a one-year, $7.75 million contract. He had an excellent season with the Yankees, recording 16 holds with a 2.11 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts across 42 2/3 innings. While Holton and Brieske could figure into the saves mix, the incumbent closer Foley goes into the season as the favorite to lead the team in save chances. However, his lower strikeout rate could lead to a short leash if he struggles, potentially clouding the situation. Closer: Josh Hader Next in line: Bryan Abreu Setup man: Tayler Scott Name to watch: Bryan King The Astros made a splash last offseason bringing Josh Hader in to take over as the team's closer. He had a stellar season, converting 34 saves with a 3.80 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 105 strikeouts across 71 innings. Few relievers can match Hader's strikeout ability. The 30-year-old led the majors in swinging-strike rate at 20.5%. His ERA wasn't spectacular and is the product of a higher walk rate and home run luck, a trend we've seen throughout his career. But he remains among the top closers in baseball. Ryan Pressly converted four saves behind Hader and was traded to the Cubs. This clears the way for Bryan Abreu, perennially one of the best setup men in baseball, to be next in line for saves in Houston. Abreu posted a 3.10 ERA and struck out 103 batters across 78 1/3 innings, his second consecutive 100-strikeout season out of the bullpen. Tayler Scott and Bryan King round out the back end of the bullpen. King posted a 2.39 ERA with 32 strikeouts across his first 26 1/3 innings of major league action. Closer: Carlos Estévez Next in line: Lucas Erceg Setup man: Hunter Harvey Name to watch: John Schreiber James McArthur started the season as the Royals closer, converting 18 saves before he was relegated to middle relief and finished with a 4.92 ERA. Kansas City acquired Lucas Erceg from the Athletics at the trade deadline and Erceg went on to save 11 games with a 2.88 ERA and a 31/3 K/BB ratio across 25 innings with the team, showing elite closer potential. Despite his emergence, Kansas City brought in Carlos Estévez on a two-year, $20.2 million contract. Estévez has worked as a closer with the Angels and Phillies over the last two seasons, converting 56 saves. He finished the year with a 2.45 ERA across 55 innings. While Erceg certainly displayed the best skills in the Royals bullpen, Estévez will likely be the favorite to enter the season as the primary closer. The two present a vast upgrade for the Royals in the back end of the bullpen. Hunter Harvey and John Schreiber round out the group of high-leverage relievers. Closer: Kenley Jansen Next in line: Ben Joyce Setup man: Ryan Zeferjhan Name to watch: Robert Stephenson Carlos Estévez went into the season as the Angels closer after securing 31 saves for the team in 2023. He converted 20 with a 2.38 ERA before joining the Phillies at the trade deadline. Ben Joyce emerged to close out games, converting four saves before finishing the season on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. The 24-year-old right-hander posted a 2.08 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts over 34 2/3 innings. Given his injury risk and lack of experience, it's no surprise the team went the veteran route and added Kenley Jansen on a one-year, $10 million deal. The 37-year-old right-hander will step in to close as he looks to add to his 447 career save total. Still, Joyce should remain next in line and the primary setup option. And Robert Stephenson is targeting a May return. He should be in the mix for late-inning work after missing the year recovering from Tommy John surgery. Closer: Jhoan Duran Next in line: Griffin Jax Setup man: Cole Sands Name to watch: Brock Stewart Jhoan Duran missed the first month of the season with an oblique injury, making his debut on April 30. With the late start, his skills took a step back before recovering in the second half, seeing his swinging-strike rate jump from 12.6% to 16.6% after the All-Star break. The 27-year-old right-hander totaled 23 saves with a 3.64 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 66 strikeouts over 54 1/3 innings. His ERA indicators, including a 2.85 FIP, suggest he pitched much better than the surface stats. With elite underlying skills intact, Duran is in line for a bounce-back season. Griffin Jax emerged as one of baseball's top relievers, recording 24 holds and 10 saves with a 2.03 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts over 71 innings. Jax will be one of the league's top setup men, accumulating holds and strikeouts while stepping in for occasional saves. Cole Sands, Brock Steward, Jorge Alcala, and Danny Coulombe round out an impressive group in the middle innings. Closer: Devin Williams Next in line: Luke Weaver Setup man: Ian Hamilton Name to watch: Fernando Cruz Clay Holmes got off to an incredible start as the Yankees closer, posting a 2.77 ERA in the first half that included 20 consecutive scoreless appearances. He was much more volatile in the second half as he struggled to close out games. A stretch of blown saves cost him the closer role as Luke Weaver stepped in to convert four saves in September and four more in the postseason. Weaver made a successful move from starter to reliever, posting a 2.89 ERA over 84 innings out of the bullpen for the Yankees. With Holmes leaving in free agency, New York made a significant move in acquiring Devin Williams from the Brewers. Williams missed the first several months with a back injury but returned with elite skills in place, converting 14 saves with a 1.25 ERA and 38 strikeouts over 21 2/3 innings. With one of the game's best closers in place, Weaver returns to a setup role. Meanwhile, Ian Hamilton and Fernando Cruz are in line for work in the middle innings. Cruz was acquired from the Reds in December and brings an impressive 37.8% strikeout rate. D.J. Short, Closer: Andrés Muñoz Next in line: Colin Snider Setup man: Gregory Santos Name to watch: Matt Brash Andrés Muñoz put together another outstanding season with the Mariners, posting a 2.12 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 77 strikeouts over 59 1/3 innings while converting 22 saves. While his skills have remained consistent through the last several seasons, his health has not. While he never saw time on the injured list, the 26-year-old right-hander reportedly battled through a lower back strain for much of the first half. This allowed Ryne Stanek to step in for seven saves to lighten the load for Muñoz. Though Muñoz went on to convert seven of the team's eight second-half saves. With health, he could be one of the top closers and in line to set a new career-high in saves. Behind him, Seattle has a relatively deep bullpen, with Collin Snider, Gregory Santos, Trent Thornton, and Tayler Saucedo capable of stepping into high-leverage work. Matt Brash should be set to return early in the season after missing 2024 with Tommy John surgery and has the most strikeout upside among the returning relievers. Closer: Pete Fairbanks Next in line: Edwin Uceta Setup man: Garrett Cleavinger Name to watch: Hunter Bigge Injuries continue to hold Pete Fairbanks back. The 31-year-old right-hander was placed on the injured list early in the season with a nerve issue, then again in August with a lat strain, limiting him to 45 1/3 innings. He also saw some slippage in his skills, ending the year with a 3.57 ERA and a career-low 23.8% strikeout rate while converting 23 saves. With a 2026 club option on his contract, Fairbanks could potentially find himself on the move at some point this season. The health factor, skills decline, and trade speculation make him one of the most volatile and risky closers. In typical fashion, the Rays spread the rest of the save chances, with 12 other relievers converting at least one save. Edwin Uceta ended the season with five saves down the stretch and figures to be the top name to watch behind Fairbanks after breaking out to a 1.51 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and a 57/8 K/BB ratio across 41 2/3 innings. Garrett Cleavinger and Manuel Rodríguez also notched saves in 2024 and should return in a high-leverage capacity. Meanwhile, Mason Montgomery and Hunter Bigge are relievers to watch as they flashed immense strikeout upside in small samples. Closer: Chris Martin Next in line: Robert Garcia Setup man: Jacob Webb Name to watch: Jon Gray Kirby Yates returned to form as an elite closer with the Rangers, posting a 1.17 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 85 strikeouts over 61 2/3 innings while converting 33-of-34 save chances. David Robertson was excellent in a setup role behind Yates with 34 holds and a 3.00 ERA. The two left a massive hole to fill in the late innings as they departed for free agency, with Yates signing on with the Dodgers. Texas hopes to find the same veteran magic in Chris Martin, who they signed on a one-year, $5.5 million contract. The 38-year-old right-hander posted a 3.45 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and an impressive 50/3 K/BB ratio across 44 1/3 innings with the Red Sox last season. Martin is the current frontrunner to start the season as the closer. Robert Garcia and Jacob Webb line up for setup duties. And Jon Gray could be someone to watch as he's expressed an openness to closing games. He pitched seven innings in relief last season, giving up one run with a 10/2 K/BB ratio. Closer: Jeff Hoffman Next in line: Chad Green Setup man: Yimi García Name to watch: Erik Swanson Jordan Romano went into the season as one of the game's top closers, coming off back-to-back 36-save seasons. Elbow issues limited him to 13 2/3 innings as he was on and off the injured list. Chad Green led the team in saves with 17 while posting a 3.21 ERA across 53 1/3 innings. With Romano departing for Philadelphia, Toronto signed Jeff Hoffman to a three-year, $33 million contract to take over as closer for the Blue Jays. Hoffman has transformed into one of the league's best relievers over the last few seasons. He recorded a 2.17 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 89 strikeouts over 66 1/3 innings while converting 10 saves for the Phillies in 2024. There was speculation surrounding his health during the free-agency process as some teams considered signing him as a starter. Those concerns may be overblown as he showed no signs of wearing down throughout the season. With health, Hoffman has top-10 closer upside. Yimi García returns to the team on a two-year, $15 million deal, joining Green for setup duties. NATIONAL LEAGUE BULLPENS Closer: Justin Martinez Co-closer: A.J. Puk Setup man: Kevin Ginkel Name to watch: Drey Jameson The Diamondbacks' closer situation was a volatile one in 2024. Paul Sewald started the season on the injured list with an oblique strain. Kevin Ginkel stepped in for five saves in Sewald's absence. The 34-year-old right-hander returned in May and had a strong two months, recording 11 of his 16 saves through June before things unraveled in July. Sewald was relegated to middle relief over the final two months, with Justin Martinez taking the lead with eight saves down the stretch. A.J. Puk was an excellent addition at the trade deadline and was lights out for Arizona, posting a 1.32 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, and a 43/5 K/BB ratio across 27 1/3 innings with the team. With Sewald departing for Cleveland in free agency, Martinez and Puk could operate in a matchup-based committee, with Puk dominating left-handed batters and Martinez pitching from the right side. We've seen this trend from the Diamondbacks over the last several seasons, as the last reliever with more than 20 saves for the team was Brad Boxberger, with 32 in 2018. Former starting prospect Drey Jameson is set to return as a reliever coming off Tommy John surgery and is a potential name to watch down the line. He has the fastball velocity and swing-and-miss slider that could flourish in the bullpen. Closer: Raisel Iglesias Next in line: Pierce Johnson Setup man: Aaron Bummer Name to watch: Dylan Lee It was another stellar season for Raisel Iglesias. The 35-year-old right-hander continued his run as one of the top closers with a 1.95 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, and 68 strikeouts over 69 1/3 innings while converting 34 saves. He did see his strikeout rate dip, particularly over the first two months. But his swing-and-miss skills recovered in June, with his strikeout rate bouncing back through the rest of the season. Iglesias is about as safe as they come from a saves perspective. Behind him, Pierce Johnson, Aaron Bummer, and Dylan Lee figure to be in line for high-leverage work in the middle and late innings, with Johnson first in line to step in for saves when needed. Veteran right-hander Joe Jiménez had an excellent season in a setup role, collecting 27 holds, but is expected to miss most of the season after undergoing left knee surgery in November. Closer: Ryan Pressly Next in line: Porter Hodge Setup man: Tyson Miller Name to watch: Nate Pearson The Cubs were forced to turn to Héctor Neris in the ninth inning after Adbert Alzolay was lost for the season to a forearm injury. Neris converted 17-of-22 save chances but was incredibly volatile, leading to his release in August. Porter Hodge stepped up down the stretch, taking over for nine saves. The 23-year-old right-hander was impressive in his rookie season, posting a 1.88 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 52 strikeouts over 43 innings. Despite flashing excellent closer upside, he'll likely begin the season in a setup role as the team acquired veteran closer Ryan Pressly from the Astros. Pressly served as Houston's closer for four seasons before taking a back seat to Josh Hader in 2024. The 36-year-old right-hander has seen his skills slip over the last couple of seasons, with his strikeout rate seeing a steady decline. Still, he'll get the first chance to operate as the Cubs' closer, with Hodge waiting in the wings should Pressly stumble. Tyson Miller and Nate Pearson should round out the group in the middle innings, while Ben Brown is a potential name to watch should he make the move from starter to reliever. Closer: Alexis Díaz Next in line: Taylor Rogers Setup man: Tony Santillan Name to watch: Emilio Pagán Over the prior two seasons, Alexis Díaz was able to mask severe walk issues with excellent strikeout rates. Lower velocity and a decline in swinging strikes led to a 22.7% strikeout rate, down from 30.1% in 2023. The result was a 3.99 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. Still, the 28-year-old right-hander was able to convert 28 saves for the Reds. While he'll go into the season as the set closer looking to bounce back, there's some downside risk if the strikeouts don't return as a high walk rate and fly ball tendency don't mix well in Cincinnati. The team acquired veteran left-hander Taylor Rogers from the Giants, who comes in with some prior closing experience, recording 83 career saves. But the most interesting reliever in the bullpen behind Díaz might be Tony Santillan. Santillan flashed impressive upside last season with a 3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a 46/9 K/BB ratio across 30 innings. In contrast to Díaz, this came with a significant increase in his fastball velocity while limiting free passes with a 7.4% walk rate. He'll be a reliever to watch should Díaz struggle to close out games. Closer: Tyler Kinley Next in line: Seth Halvorsen Setup man: Victor Vodnik Name to watch: Luis Peralta Chasing saves in the Rockies bullpen proved to be futile once again. Tyler Kinley led the way in saves with 12, but it came with a 6.19 ERA and 1.47 WHIP over 64 innings. Jalen Beeks and Victor Vodnik each recorded nine saves but didn't fare much better. Kinley goes into the season as the favorite to open as the team's closer, but it could be a competition we'll have to see play out this spring. Kinley also comes with some injury risk after ending the season on the injured list with elbow inflammation. With such a fragile hold on the ninth-inning role, Seth Halvorsen could be the name to watch after he flashed some upside with a 100 mph fastball, posting a 1.46 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, and a 13/2 K/BB ratio across a small 12 1/3 inning sample. Left-hander Luis Peralta was equally impressive in his debut, giving up one run with a 14/5 K/BB ratio over 12 1/3 frames. Fantasy managers desperate for saves in deep leagues could be better off chasing the skills rather than the presumptive roles in this bullpen. Closer: Tanner Scott Next in line: Kirby Yates Setup: Blake Treinen Names to watch: Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips After securing 24 saves for the Dodgers in 2023, Evan Phillips earned the bulk of the save chances to start the season. Struggles in July relegated him to middle relief duties while Daniel Hudson and Michael Kopech, acquired at the trade deadline, combined for 16 saves the rest of the way. Los Angeles made some significant upgrades to the bullpen this winter, signing left-hander Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million contract and Kirby Yates on a one-year, $13 million deal. Scott, regarded as the best reliever on the free-agent market, is coming off an incredible season after posting a 1.75 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 84 strikeouts over 72 innings. Yates returned to form with a 1.17 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and 85 strikeouts over 61 2/3 innings while converting 33 saves with the Rangers. According to manager Dave Roberts, Scott is expected to get the 'bulk' of the save chances going into the season. However, we could see some mixing and matching based on hitter handedness. And closers haven't exactly had a long leash since Kenley Jansen's departure in 2021. Regardless, the top relievers in the Dodgers bullpen should return solid fantasy value as they're likely to come away with a share of both wins and saves. Closer: Calvin Faucher Next in line: Jesus Tinoco Setup man: Anthony Bender Name to watch: Andrew Nardi Before joining the Dodgers at the trade deadline, Tanner Scott had locked down 18 saves for the Marlins while posting a 1.18 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts over 45 2/3 innings with the team. With Scott gone, Calvin Faucher led the way with six saves over the final two months, with Jesus Tinoco behind him at three saves. Faucher delivered a 3.19 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 63 strikeouts across 53 2/3 innings. Tinoco posted similar production, with a 3.32 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts over 40 2/3 innings. While Faucher had a better strikeout rate, Tinoco did better at limiting walks. The two are expected to compete for the closer role this spring, with the incumbent Faucher being the current favorite. Anthony Bender could also find himself in the mix, as his underlying skills showed a better pitcher than the 4.08 ERA indicates. Closer: Trevor Megill Next in line: Joel Payamps Setup man: Jared Koeing Name to watch: Aaron Ashby Devin Williams didn't debut until July 28, as he missed the first half of the season with a stress fracture in his back. The Brewers cycled through a few relievers before settling on Trevor Megill for closing duties in Williams' absence. Megill filled in nicely, converting 21 saves with a 2.72 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts over 46 1/3 innings. He landed on the injured list with back issues of his own as Williams returned in late July. Williams was excellent upon his return, ending the season with 14 saves and a 1.25 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts over 21 2/3 innings. With Williams now a Yankee, Megill will get an opportunity to operate as the primary closer in Milwaukee. Joel Payamps has been an effective reliever throughout his career and could step in to close when needed. And while DL Hall and Aaron Ashby are expected to be stretched out as potential starters this spring, either could be more effective out of the bullpen as they posted better numbers in relief last season. Ashby, in particular, posted a 1.37 ERA with a 28/3 K/BB ratio across 19 2/3 innings in relief. Eric Samulski, Closer: Edwin Díaz Next in line: A.J. Minter Setup man: José Buttó Name to watch: Dedniel Nuñez Edwin Díaz returned to action after missing the 2023 season with a knee injury sustained during the World Baseball Classic. The 30-year-old right-hander showed diminished velocity in his first month. A stretch of blown saves landed him on the injured list with a shoulder injury. Díaz returned three weeks later with his velocity back and was outstanding through the rest of the season, with a 2.41 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 54 strikeouts over 33 2/3 innings, ending the year with 20 saves. After the strong finish, Díaz is back to elite closer status and is worth a selection among the top five relievers. The Mets added some depth behind their closer, signing long-time setup man A.J. Minter to a two-year, $22 million contract. José Buttó was impressive in his move to the bullpen and should remain in the late-inning mix. And Dedniel Nuñez emerged as a middle reliever on the rise with 35 impressive innings, delivering a 2.31 ERA and 48 strikeouts across 35 innings. Closer: Jordan Romano Next in line: Orion Kerkering Setup man: Matt Strahm Name to watch: José Alvarado José Alvarado and Jeff Hoffman alternated turns at the ninth-inning role through the first four months of the season until the Phillies acquired Carlos Estévez at the trade deadline. Estévez took over at closer, recording six saves down the stretch. In the end, Alvarado led the team with 13 but struggled through the season with a 4.09 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 61 2/3 innings while producing a career-low strikeout rate. With Estévez and Hoffman departing in free agency, the team signed veteran Jordan Romano to a one-year, $8.5 million contract. Elbow issues limited Romano to 13 2/3 innings with the Blue Jays in what was mostly a lost season. The 31-year-old right-hander was one of baseball's top closers over the previous three seasons, accumulating 95 saves with a 2.37 ERA from 2021-2023. He's set to get the first chance to establish himself as the team's closer, with Orion Kerkering operating as the primary setup man and closer-in-waiting. Kerkering had a fantastic first season in the majors, delivering a 2.29 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 74 strikeouts over 63 innings. Matt Strahm has also proven to be a valuable high-leverage reliever, adding three saves, 18 holds, and six wins in 2024. Closer: David Bednar Next in line: Dennis Santana Setup man: Colin Holderman Name to watch: Kyle Nicolas It was a tumultuous season for David Bednar. He struggled out of the gate after missing most of spring training with a lat injury and posted a 5.77 ERA and 1.42 WHIP across 57 2/3 innings while converting 23-of-30 save chances. He ultimately lost the closer role to Aroldis Chapman and was relegated to setup duties. Chapman secured 14 saves for the team before departing for Boston in free agency. With Chapman gone, Bednar is expected to return to the ninth-inning role with a decent chance to bounce back given his track record. There doesn't appear to be anyone from a skills perspective to challenge for the closer role, but Dennis Santana and Colin Holderman should return as solid setup men. Santana did record three saves last season and displayed the better skills of the two, making him more likely to fill in as closer if needed. Closer: Robert Suarez Next in line: Jason Adam Setup man: Jeremiah Estrada Name to watch: Adrian Morejon Robert Suarez finished the season as one of the top closers in baseball, converting 36 saves with a 2.77 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts over 65 innings. The addition of Tanner Scott at the trade deadline gave the Padres one of the best bullpens in baseball, with Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada, and Adrian Morejon turning in outstanding seasons. Despite Scott signing with the Dodgers, San Diego retains plenty of bullpen depth. And while Suarez is in line to close for the Padres, that depth could make him expendable via trade as speculation has swirled around him this offseason. Adam figures to be next in line as things stand. He posted a 1.95 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 81 strikeouts across 73 2/3 innings. Estrada brings the higher velocity and strikeout stuff as he collected 94 punchouts across 61 frames. Morejon, a former starting prospect, was excellent in his first full season as a reliever. With so much depth and holes to fill in the lineup, it would not be surprising to see San Diego shop a reliever or two over the coming months. Closer: Ryan Walker Next in line: Camilo Doval Setup man: Tyler Rogers Name to watch: Erik Miller It was a bit of a surprise to see Camilo Doval struggle so much after two excellent seasons. An inflated walk rate, at 14.4%, was too much to overcome as Doval produced a 4.88 ERA across 59 innings, earning him a stint in the minors and losing the closer role. Ryan Walker emerged as a lock-down option, picking up 10 saves with a 1.91 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and 99 strikeouts over 80 innings. The team has indicated that Walker will get an opportunity to run with the ninth-inning job this season. The 29-year-old right-hander has an excellent combination of skills across the board and could be in line for plenty of saves. Doval will operate as a setup man but could step in for saves when needed. Tyler Rogers and Erik Miller should round out the back end of the bullpen. And it will be interesting to see if Jordan Hicks can maintain a spot in the starting rotation. He made 20 starts last season before shifting to the bullpen over the final two months. Closer: Ryan Helsley Next in line: Ryan Fernandez Setup man: JoJo Romero Name to watch: Matthew Liberatore After he was limited to 36 2/3 innings in 2023, Helsley put the injury concern behind him with an outstanding season, converting a league-leading 49 saves with a 2.04 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 79 strikeouts across 66 1/3 frames. And Helsley only got better as the season went on as he saw his strikeout rate jump in the second half while lowering his walk rate, posting a 17.9% K-BB ratio in the first half and a 26.9% mark after the All-Star break. He's undoubtedly among the top 5-6 closers. The team will be looking for someone to step up into primary setup duties after Andrew Kittredge departed for Baltimore in free agency. Ryan Fernandez and JoJo Romero had solid seasons in middle relief, with Romero recording 30 holds. Fernandez generates more whiffs and as the right-hander is likely to be next in line if needed for saves. Matthew Liberatore was effective as a reliever but could be stretched back out as a starter this spring. Closer: Jorge Lopez Next in line: Derek Law Setup man: Jose Ferrer Name to watch: Eduardo Salazar Despite not having the most stellar skillset, Kyle Finnegan got the job done in the ninth inning for the Nationals, converting 38 of the team's 40 saves while recording a 3.68 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts across 63 2/3 innings. Surprisingly, the team non-tendered him, making him a free agent and leaving a hole to fill at closer. Outside of bringing veteran Jorge López in on a one-year, $3 million contract, the team has done little to replace Finnegan. López does have the most closing experience in the bullpen with 31 career saves. He pitched well last season with the Mets and Cubs, posting a 2.89 ERA and 1.23 WHIP across 53 innings, and figures to get the first chance at closing for the Nationals. Derek Law and Jose Ferrer could be two other relievers in the mix.
