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NBC Sports
7 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: State of saves at the All-Star break
In this week's Closer Report, we review the first half in saves across the closer landscape and take a look at which late-inning situations are worth monitoring with two weeks left until the trade deadline. Josh Hader - Houston Astros Hader gave up another home run in his last outing before the break, blowing a save against the Rangers. Six of the eight home runs he's allowed have come over the last month. With four runs allowed over his previous two outings, it pushed his ERA from 1.80 to 2.53. Still, those numbers show he had some room for regression, and he remains the top closer for fantasy purposes. Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners Edwin Díaz - New York Mets Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres Muñoz gave up two runs to blow a save against the Yankees last Thursday, then bounced back with a clean inning in a non-save situation against the Tigers on Sunday before the break. Muñoz recorded just one save in June before locking down four saves in six days to start July. The 26-year-old right-hander enters the second half with 21 saves and a 1.50 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and a 46/14 K/BB ratio across 36 innings. Díaz, in his last outing before the break, converted a two-inning save against the Royals on Saturday, striking out one batter for his 19th save of the season to go with a 1.66 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and a 55/13 K/BB ratio across 38 innings. The 31-year-old right-hander is back dominating on the mound after missing the 2023 season and a disappointing 2024 in his first year back from injury. Chapman has actually been the best closer in baseball over the last month, leading all relievers by a wide margin with a 49% K-BB ratio since the start of June. He added two saves against the Rays before the All-Star break, striking out five batters over two scoreless innings, extending his scoreless outing streak to 18 games. Duran worked two outings against the Pirates before the break. He picked up a save on Friday, striking out two in a scoreless inning. He then took the loss on Sunday, giving up a run on three hits. The 27-year-old right-hander will take a 1.66 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a 49/16 K/BB ratio with 15 saves over 43 1/3 innings into the second half. Both Duran and setup man Griffin Jax are expected to draw major interest at the trade deadline. Jax would make a capable closer should he land in a favorable situation or if the Twins decide to move Duran. Both relievers still carry three seasons of team control, so the team would likely need to come away with a significant trade package to make a move. Clase worked a scoreless inning to convert a save against the White Sox on Friday, then pitched two innings to come away with a win against Chicago on Sunday. The 27-year-old right-hander has converted 20 saves with a 2.91 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and a 42/10 K/BB ratio across 43 1/3 innings. And in San Diego, Suarez worked a clean inning with one strikeout for a save against the Phillies last Thursday, then worked another perfect frame with a strikeout for his 28th save before the All-Star break. Mason Miller - Athletics Devin Williams - New York Yankees Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers Will Vest - Detroit Tigers Emilio Pagán - Cincinnati Reds David Bednar - Pittsburgh Pirates Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs Camilo Doval - San Francisco Giants Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels Miller made three scoreless appearances in the days leading up to the break, including back-to-back saves against the Blue Jays. He appears to be getting back on track with eight consecutive scoreless outings. The 26-year-old right-hander now has 19 saves with a 4.04 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and a 57/17 K/BB ratio across 35 2/3 innings. After giving up two runs against the Blue Jays on July 2, Williams went into the All-Star break with four straight perfect outings. He fell in line for a win last Thursday against the Mariners, then struck out two in a clean frame against the Cubs. Meanwhile, Megill did not make an appearance since the last column and remains at 21 saves with a 2.41 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 43/15 K/BB ratio across 33 2/3 innings. Bautista pitched a clean inning against the Mets last Thursday for his 18th save. The 30-year-old right-hander has made an impressive return from Tommy John surgery, posting a 2.41 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 48/20 K/BB ratio across 33 2/3 innings. In Los Angeles, Scott struck out two in a clean inning on Saturday for his 19th save, then blew an opportunity Sunday, giving up two runs against the Giants. The 30-year-old left-hander allowed five runs over his last four outings. Blake Treinen appears ready to be activated from the injured list out of the All-Star break and could figure into some save chances based on matchups. Vest blew a save in his only appearance this last week, uncharacteristically walking three batters against the Mariners on Sunday. Still, he's had a stellar first half, emerging as Detroit's primary closer with 15 saves, a 2.30 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 48/15 K/BB ratio across 43 innings. Pagán made back-to-back scoreless outings against the Rockies last week, picking up a win on Saturday before locking down his 20th win on Sunday. The 34-year-old right-hander has had an excellent season in Cincinnati, posting a 2.93 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and a 50/13 K/BB ratio across 40 innings. Bednar also pitched both days over the weekend, converting his 13th save Sunday against the Twins. Meanwhile, Palencia grabbed two more saves Saturday and Sunday with two scoreless outings against the Yankees. The 25-year-old right-hander has been a breakout in the first half, recording a 1.57 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and a 39/11 K/BB ratio over 34 1/3 innings. In San Francisco, Doval worked around a hit and a walk to convert a save against the Dodgers on Friday, then tossed a scoreless inning in a non-save situation on Sunday. Doval's walk issues and lower strikeout rate this season continue to make him a volatile closer. Still, he's generally gotten the job done since taking back the ninth-inning role. Helsley took a loss on Saturday, giving up a run on two hits against the Braves. He bounced back on Sunday with a scoreless inning for his 19th save of the season to go with a 3.27 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and a 36/14 K/BB ratio over 33 innings. Estévez struck out two in a scoreless inning in a non-save situation against the Mets on Friday, then fell in line for a win despite giving up two runs on Sunday. Meanwhile, Hoffman broke a nine-game scoreless streak with three runs allowed against the Athletics on Friday to give him a 5.03 ERA over 39 1/3 innings at the break. In his only appearance this week, Fairbanks blew a save and took the loss with two runs allowed against the Red Sox on Friday. The 31-year-old right-hander has a 2.75 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and a 31/15 K/BB ratio across 36 innings. Finnegan also blew a save and took a loss, giving up three runs against the Brewers on Saturday. And in Anaheim, Jansen picked up a win with a scoreless inning of work against the Diamondbacks on Friday. Matt Strahm/Orion Kerkering - Philadelphia Phillies Kevin Ginkel - Arizona Diamondbacks Robert Garcia - Texas Rangers Strahm picked up a save for the Phillies on Sunday against the Padres, his sixth of the season. No saves out of Arizona over the weekend. Ginkel, Kendall Graveman, and Kyle Backhus could all figure into the saves mix. And the Rangers went without a save to close out the first half. Garcia did take a loss with a run allowed against the Astros on Saturday. Calvin Faucher/Ronny Henriquez - Miami Marlins Grant Taylor - Chicago White Sox Seth Halvorsen/Victor Vodnik - Colorado Rockies Last week's column touched on the trade speculation surrounding Minnesota relievers Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran. While it would be a surprise to see both relievers traded by the deadline, it may not hurt to take a look at who could step up in their place. Louis Varland has been the next reliever down in the high-leverage order. The 27-year-old right-hander has made the transition from starter to reliever this year and has been incredibly effective, posting a 1.81 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and a 43/11 K/BB ratio across 44 2/3 innings. And when healthy, Brock Stewart has flashed some strikeout upside over the last three seasons. The 33-year-old veteran right-hander's 29 1/3 innings so far are the most he's pitched since 2017. He's posted a solid 2.45 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a 38/10 K/BB ratio. The Angels remain in the Wild Card mix at four games behind at the All-Star break. But if they fall further behind over the next couple of weeks, we could see veteran closer Kenley Jansen on the move. His departure could open the door for Reid Detmers to step into the closer role. Despite the speculation that he could move back into a starting role, he'll reportedly continue to work out of the bullpen, where he's been most effective. The 26-year-old left-hander had a rough stretch in early May but has posted a 1.24 ERA with 38 strikeouts over 29 innings since May 9.
NBC Sports
10-07-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Kevin Ginkel tabbed for saves as Diamondbacks lose another closer to injury
In this week's Closer Report, the Diamondbacks lose another closer to the injured list. The Padres send two relievers to the All-Star game. And Raisel Iglesias appears to be getting back on track in Atlanta. There's much more to cover as we run down the last week in saves. Josh Hader - Houston Astros Hader has been hurt by home runs of late, with five of his seven allowed on the year coming over the last month. After notching his 25th save against the Dodgers on Saturday, he took the loss on Tuesday, giving up a grand slam in the tenth inning after a scoreless ninth. Still, the 31-year-old left-hander has been the most valuable closer in baseball, posting a 2.38 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and a 63/9 K/BB ratio across 41 2/3 innings to earn his sixth All-Star honors. Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners Edwin Díaz - New York Mets Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres Muñoz, making his second All-Star appearance, is a close second behind Hader. He locked down two saves this week with a pair of clean outings against the Pirates. The 26-year-old right-hander has recorded a spectacular 1.06 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and a 45/13 K/BB ratio over 34 innings. Díaz, now a three-time All-Star, continues his dominant season with three scoreless outings, picking up a save and a win. The 31-year-old right-hander has allowed just one earned run over his last 24 innings since the start of May. Meanwhile, Chapman extended his scoreless appearance streak to 16 games, striking out two batters against the Nationals on Sunday. The 37-year-old veteran left-hander has been so dominant this season, earning an eighth All-Star selection, that it's fair to speculate whether the Red Sox should trade him regardless of their standings in the playoff race, given the return they could potentially get. Duran struck out three batters over two innings and picked up the win against the Rays on Saturday. He was then unavailable to pitch on Tuesday due to an illness before returning Wednesday to lock down his 14th save against the Cubs. Clase blew a save on Sunday against the Tigers, then bounced back against the Astros on Monday with a clean inning for his 19th save. After pitching in a tie game Tuesday, his third straight day on the mound, he got the day off Wednesday as Paul Sewald stepped in for a save. Suarez, replacing Chris Sale for his second All-Star selection, picked up two saves this week with a pair of clean outings. The 34-year-old right-hander is up to 26 saves with a 3.72 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and a 41/12 K/BB ratio across 38 2/3 innings. Setup man Jason Adam joins him on the NL All-Star roster for the first time with a 1.58 ERA over 45 2/3 frames. Mason Miller - Athletics Devin Williams - New York Yankees Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers Will Vest - Detroit Tigers Emilio Pagán - Cincinnati Reds David Bednar - Pittsburgh Pirates Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs Camilo Doval - San Francisco Giants Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels Miller didn't see a save chance this week. He tossed a clean inning with one strikeout in a non-save situation against the Giants on Sunday. In New York, Williams struck out two batters in a perfect inning for his 12th save on Sunday, then converted his 13th with two more strikeouts in a clean frame against the Mariners on Wednesday. Megill collected three saves and a win this week, with three clean outings against the Marlins and Dodgers. His 21 saves match his season total from 2024 while posting a 2.41 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 43/15 K/BB ratio across 33 2/3 innings. Bautista added a win and a save, then struck out the side in a tie game in the ninth against the Mets on Tuesday. The 30-year-old right-hander is enjoying a strong comeback season, converting 17 saves with a 2.48 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and a 48/20 K/BB ratio across 32 2/3 innings. The Dodgers converted no saves as the team rides a six-game losing streak. Scott tossed a clean eighth inning with two strikeouts against the White Sox last Thursday, then gave up two runs in the eighth against the Astros on Sunday before blowing a save Wednesday against the Brewers. Meanwhile, Vest picked up two saves, striking out the side against the Rays on Tuesday for his 15th of the season. With Vest getting the day off on Saturday, Tommy Kahnle picked up his ninth save, first since June 4. Pagán continued his stellar season with another save in a scoreless outing against the Phillies on Friday. The 34-year-old right-hander is up to 19 with a 2.92 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and a 45/12 K/BB ratio across 37 innings. Pagán could also be on trade watch depending on where the Reds are in the standings by the end of the month. Bednar didn't get a save chance this week. He made one appearance, striking out the final batter in the eighth inning against the Royals on Monday for his first outing since July 1. It was a similar situation for Palencia, who needed just five pitches in his only outing this week. Doval gave up a run on two walks and a hit in a non-save situation against the Athletics on Sunday, then worked around a walk to record his 14th save against the Phillies on Monday. But it was top setup man and bullpen breakout Randy Rodriguez who earned All-Star honors with a 0.69 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and a 54/8 K/BB ratio across 39 innings. Hoffman extends his modest scoreless streak to six games as he continues to recover from a terrible May in which he allowed 15 runs over 10 innings. He converted two saves this week to give him 22 on the year. Helsley tossed a clean inning with one strikeout for a save against the Cubs on Saturday, then worked around a hit and a walk for his 18th save on Tuesday against the Nationals. In Kansas City, Estévez gave up a run last Thursday, but held on for a four-out save against the Mariners. He then fell in line for a win against Pittsburgh on Tuesday before picking up his 25th save Wednesday. Meanwhile, Fairbanks recorded five outs to fall in line for a win against the Twins on Sunday for his only appearance this week. Finnegan made a pair of scoreless appearances in non-save situations. And Jansen has extended his streak to 11 outings without allowing an earned run, picking up a win against the Rangers on Monday and his 16th save on Wednesday. Dylan Lee/Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves Kevin Ginkel - Arizona Diamondbacks Matt Strahm/Orion Kerkering - Philadelphia Phillies Robert Garcia - Texas Rangers No save chances for Atlanta this week. Lee and Iglesias will presumably continue to work in a committee for saves. Iglesias could work his way into the primary role again, with no runs allowed over his last 9 2/3 innings since giving up three runs on June 5. He's posted a 14/1 K/BB ratio in that span. The Diamondbacks lost yet another closer with Shelby Miller hitting the 15-day injured list with a right forearm strain. The team had already lost AJ Puk and Justin Martinez to season-ending injuries. Ginkel has hardly been effective this season, posting a 9.00 ERA across 20 innings. But he's expected to step in for most save chances. He picked up a save on Monday against the Padres with a scoreless inning. Left-hander Kyle Backhus, mentioned in last week's column, could be someone to watch if Arizona goes to a matchup-based committee. Jordan Romano hadn't recorded a save since May 29. He got the save chance Tuesday against the Giants with a two-run lead, but gave up three runs on an inside-the-park home run to blow the opportunity and take the loss. Philadelphia should be a team in the market for a closer at the deadline, much like last season when they acquired Carlos Estévez. There isn't much more clarity in Texas. Garcia has not been sharp on the mound and has just one save over the last month. He took a loss Friday against the Padres. Chris Martin also took a loss this week against the Angels, while both Shawn Armstrong and Hoby Milner were charged with blown saves. Calvin Faucher/Ronny Henriquez - Miami Marlins Seth Halvorsen - Colorado Rockies Grant Taylor - Chicago White Sox Braydon Fisher has emerged as an excellent reliever for the Blue Jays and a big part of the team's recent success. The 24-year-old right-hander made his major league debut this season, posting a 2.30 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and a 36/7 K/BB ratio across 27 1/3 innings. Working his way up the high-leverage ladder, he's picked up four holds and three wins for Toronto. While Yariel Rodríguez has been effective in a setup role, it could be Fisher in line for saves should Hoffman ever be unavailable. In Pittsburgh, Isaac Mattson has been effective for the Pirates. The 29-year-old right-hander has posted a 1.89 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and a 21/7 K/BB ratio across 19 innings while working his way into high-leverage work. With both David Bednar and Dennis Santana expected to draw trade interest at the deadline, Mattson could be someone to watch for save chances down the stretch.
NBC Sports
03-07-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Josh Hader leads the way in mid-season rankings
In this week's Closer Report, Josh Hader has been the best closer in baseball through the first half of action amid one of his best seasons. Andrés Muñoz gets back on the board with his first save since June 8. And Randy Rodriguez could be the best closer-in-waiting to stash. Josh Hader - Houston Astros Another excellent week on the mound for Hader. He recorded the final out for the save against the Cubs on Friday, then tossed a clean inning for the save on Sunday. He then gave up a solo homer before holding on for his 24th save against the Rockies on Tuesday. Setup man Bryan Abreu is having an outstanding season behind Hader, recording 21 holds with a 1.59 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and a 60/19 K/BB ratio across 39 2/3 innings. Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners Edwin Díaz - New York Mets Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres Muñoz was in a tough spot this week, making two appearances in extra innings and allowing the runner on second to score in each outing, taking a blown save on Friday and a loss on Saturday. He bounced back with a clean save on Wednesday, striking out one batter against the Royals, his first save since June 8. Díaz struck out one batter in a scoreless frame against the Braves last Thursday, then converted a clean four-out save with three strikeouts against the Brewers on Wednesday to give him 17 saves with a 1.91 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and a 49/12 K/BB ratio across 33 innings. Chapman struck out two batters in a clean inning in a non-save situation against the Blue Jays on Sunday. He then struck out one in a perfect frame for his 15th save against the Reds on Wednesday. He's now gone 15 straight appearances without allowing an earned run. Duran struck out one batter in a clean inning to pick up his 12th save against the Tigers on Friday, then converted his 13th with a scoreless frame Wednesday against the Marlins. In Cleveland, Clase also made just one appearance, striking out two in a perfect inning of work in a non-save situation against the Cardinals on Sunday. After completing his suspension, Suarez worked around two walks to convert a save against the Reds on Saturday, then gave up two runs on four hits and a walk to blow the save and take a loss on Sunday. He held on for a save on Wednesday despite giving up a run against the Phillies. Mason Miller - Athletics Devin Williams - New York Yankees Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles Will Vest - Detroit Tigers David Bednar - Pittsburgh Pirates Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs Camilo Doval - San Francisco Giants Emilio Pagán - Cincinnati Reds Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals Miller had a good week on the mound as he looks to get on track, picking up back-to-back saves against the Rays in Tampa on Monday and Tuesday. As mentioned in last week's report, Miller's skills suggest he could get things right and ascend to the elite tier again. Much of the same can be said for Williams, who tossed a clean inning with one strikeout for a save on Friday before taking a loss Wednesday against the Blue Jays. Scott converted two saves this week against the Rockies and Royals. He's up to 18 with a 3.46 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and a 42/6 K/BB ratio across 39 innings. Michael Kopech might've been able to work into occasional save chances, but he landed on the 15-day injured list with right knee inflammation. Megill gave up a run to blow the save against the Rockies on Sunday in his only appearance this week. Meanwhile, Bautista gave up a solo homer against the Rays on Sunday and tossed a scoreless inning Monday against the Rangers in a pair of non-save situations. Vest tossed a pair of perfect innings, picking up his 13th save against the Twins on Sunday. The 30-year-old right-hander has posted a 2.37 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and a 42/10 K/BB ratio across 38 innings. And in Pittsburgh, Bednar converted his 12th save to go with a 2.73 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 42/9 K/BB ratio across 29 2/3 innings. The Palencia breakout season continues in Chicago. He collected three more saves this week. The 25-year-old right-hander has posted a 1.74 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and a 35/11 K/BB ratio across 31frames. After giving up five runs over his two previous outings last week, Doval bounced back with a clean inning, striking out two batters for his 13th save against the White Sox on Friday. However, he faltered again Wednesday, giving up a two-run homer to blow the save against the Diamondbacks before falling in line for the win with a scoreless tenth inning. Randy Rodríguez had been the most valuable middle reliever in baseball behind Doval, leading qualified relievers with a 1.6 WAR while posting a 0.72 ERA across 37 2/3 innings. In Cincinnati, Pagán worked a scoreless inning against the Padres on Sunday to fall in line for a win. Meanwhile, Helsley also pitched a scoreless inning in his lone appearance, converting his 16th save on Saturday against the Guardians. Estévez pitched a pair of perfect innings, appearing in a non-save situation last Thursday against the Rays before picking up his 23rd save against the Mariners on Tuesday. It's been a tumultuous season for Hoffman in his first season as a full-time closer, but he had a good week on the mound with three saves to give him 20 on the season. Setup man Yimi García was activated from the injured list on Wednesday after missing roughly six weeks with a shoulder issue. Fairbanks needed just four pitches to record the final two outs for a save against the Royals last Thursday. He then took a loss on Monday, giving up two runs against the Athletics before bouncing back with two strikeouts in a clean inning on Tuesday. With Fairbanks unavailable on Wednesday, Edwin Uceta struck out three batters while giving up one run to convert his first save of the season. And for the Nationals, Finnegan tossed three scoreless innings on Sunday against the Angels, striking out two batters and falling in line for the win. Shelby Miller - Arizona Diamondbacks Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels Dylan Lee/Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves Matt Strahm/Orion Kerkering/Jordan Romano - Philadelphia Phillies Robert Garcia/Luke Jackson - Texas Rangers Miller gave up one run against the Marlins on Saturday to blow a one-run lead before bouncing back with a clean four-out save with two strikeouts against the Giants on Monday. Miller is working as the primary closer for the Diamondbacks, and despite a 2.04 ERA, is 10-for-15 in save chances. Jansen gave up a run to blow the save against the Nationals on Sunday before tossing a scoreless inning in a non-save situation against the Braves on Tuesday. Those Braves saw no save chances this week as they search for consistency in the ninth inning. Lee did have a rough outing, giving up three runs to take the loss against the Angels on Tuesday. In Philadelphia, Strahm worked the only save for the Phillies this week, working around a hit and a walk for his fifth of the season on Sunday against the Braves. In another committee situation, neither Garcia nor Jackson worked any saves for the Rangers this week. Calvin Faucher/Ronny Henriquez - Miami Marlins Seth Halvorsen - Colorado Rockies Grant Taylor - Chicago White Sox Randy Rodríguez is already one of the top setup men in baseball. He's also one of the better closers-in-waiting, given the inconsistent nature of closer Camilo Doval. Rodríguez has posted a 0.72 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and an incredible 53/8 K/BB ratio across 37 2/3 innings. His 33.1% K-BB rate trails only Josh Hader and Griffin Jax among qualified relievers and is significantly better than Doval's 12.2%. Without a dominant lineup, the Giants tend to play in plenty of close games. And once they get back on track in line for wins, Rodríguez could benefit from occasional save chances, much like Doval and Ryan Walker to start the season. Another NL West reliever, Kyle Backhus was promoted by the Diamondbacks from Triple-A in early June after posting a 2.22 ERA with a 33% strikeout rate in the minors. The 27-year-old left-hander has made nine appearances, giving up one run with a 10/2 K/BB ratio so far. While he hasn't shown enough to warrant a pickup in most leagues, he could be someone worth monitoring.
NBC Sports
26-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Aroldis Chapman is dominating in 16th season
In this week's Closer Report, Aroldis Chapman has been dominant in Boston as the 16-year veteran is turning in one of his best seasons yet. Dylan Lee has worked his way into a share of the save chances in Atlanta. And there's a pair of relievers to keep an eye on in the NL West. That and more as we run down the last week in saves. Josh Hader - Houston Astros Hader took the mound five times in the last week. He surrendered a solo homer to take the loss against the Athletics last Thursday, then picked up a win and three saves. The 31-year-old left-hander has converted 21 saves with a 1.73 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, and a 56/7 K/BB ratio across 36 1/3 innings. Hader is in the midst of one of his best seasons yet. Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners Edwin Díaz - New York Mets Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox Muñoz made only his second appearance in two weeks on Tuesday as save chances just haven't come for Seattle. He tossed a clean eighth inning with two strikeouts in a tie game before falling in line for a win. Matt Brash pitched the ninth for his first save of the season. Brash has yet to allow a run over 14 1/3 innings. No save chances for Díaz this week. He tossed a scoreless inning with two strikeouts against the Braves on Monday in his only appearance. The 31-year-old right-hander has recorded a 2.08 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 45/12 K/BB ratio across 30 1/3 innings. Suarez surrendered a run against the Dodgers on Thursday, then tossed a pair of scoreless frames against the Royals and Nationals, picking up a win and a save. He's serving a two-game suspension starting Wednesday for hitting Shohei Ohtani during last week's heated contest against Los Angeles. Adrian Morejon stepped in for a save on Wednesday in Suarez's absence. Three of Duran's seven runs he's allowed this season have come over his last six outings. He gave up one run on a walk and a hit on Tuesday to take the loss against the Mariners, then bounced back with a clean save with one strikeout Wednesday. Meanwhile, Clase picked up two saves against the Athletics with a pair of scoreless outings. Chapman is probably overdue in joining the elite tier with his performance this season. The 37-year-old veteran left-hander struck out two in a clean inning against the Giants for a save on Friday, then struck out the side against the Angels in a tie game Tuesday. Chapman is 14-for-15 in save chances with a 1.36 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and a 48/10 K/BB ratio across 33 innings. Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers Mason Miller - Athletics Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles Devin Williams/Luke Weaver - New York Yankees Camilo Doval - San Francisco Giants Will Vest - Detroit Tigers David Bednar - Pittsburgh Pirates Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs Emilio Pagán - Cincinnati Reds Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals Scott gave up a solo homer against the Nationals on Friday before holding on for the save. He then converted a four-out save in Colorado against the Rockies on Tuesday. The 30-year-old left-hander is up to 16 saves with a 3.65 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and a 40/4 K/BB ratio across 37 innings. Miller, the top closer to start the season, falls into this tier after taking his third blown save against the Astros on Thursday. It's been an odd season for the 26-year-old right-hander. It's hard to blame the venue in Sacramento when he has a worse ERA on the road. Miller is still throwing 101 mph and generating an elite 19.9% swinging-strike rate, both in line with last season. The issue has been a bloated walk rate and more hits allowed. But with his velocity and whiff rate intact, he can still right the ship and return to form over the second half. He had a better outing Wednesday, striking out two in a perfect inning for his 15th save against the Tigers. Megill continues to pitch well. He secured three saves this week. The 31-year-old right-hander is up to 18 saves with a 2.60 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and a 33/14 K/BB ratio across 27 2/3 innings. Abner Uribe has been stellar behind Megill in a setup role, he leads the majors with 21 holds while posting a 2.11 ERA over 38 1/3 innings. Bautista struck out two batters in each of his three appearances this week, giving up just one hit over three innings of work while converting two saves. The 30-year-old right-hander has converted 16 saves with a 2.60 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and a 38/17 K/BB ratio across 27 2/3 innings. Williams locked down a save against the Orioles on Sunday. He's up to 10 saves and has made seven consecutive scoreless appearances. Weaver made his return from the injured list after missing three weeks with a hamstring strain. He gave up two runs in his first outing, then struck out two batters in a scoreless eighth inning on Tuesday. Manager Aaron Boone has stated both Williams and Weaver will split save chances. Though Weaver may need to work his way back into those opportunities while Williams hasn't done much to warrant a step back. Doval worked a clean inning for a save against the Guardians last Thursday, then gave up two runs before holding on for his 12th save against the Red Sox on Saturday. Pitching in a tie game Wednesday in the tenth inning, he surrendered four runs, three earned, on two hits and two walks. It's not always easy for the 27-year-old right-hander, but he's generally done a good job with a 2.78 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and a 33/17 K/BB ratio across 35 2/3 innings. Vest returned to the mound following his exit with a finger issue on June 15. He struck out the side against the Pirates in his only appearance of the week. Vest has taken hold of the primary closer role with seven of the last nine saves for the Tigers. Bednar recorded the final five outs against the Tigers last Thursday and fell in line for the win. He then tossed a pair of scoreless innings against the Rangers and Brewers, recording his 11th save on Monday in Milwaukee. The 30-year-old right-hander has been outstanding after a rough start. He's posted a 2.93 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and a 39/8 K/BB ratio across 27 2/3 innings. Palencia made one appearance this week, giving up one run in a non-save situation against the Mariners on Saturday. Porter Hodge was activated from the injured list after missing over a month with a hip injury. Palencia should continue to work as the team's closer as long as he's effective. Pagán blew a save chance trying to convert a four-out save on Saturday against the Cardinals, giving up a solo homer. He bounced back on Sunday with a clean inning for his 18th save of the season. Meanwhile, after giving up runs in four consecutive outings, Helsley recovered with three scoreless appearances, converting two saves. Estévez tossed a clean inning for a save against the Rangers last Thursday, then gave up a run before holding on for his 22nd save against the Padres on Friday. The underlying metrics don't exactly support his 2.14 ERA, but Estévez continues to get the job done for the Ryals. Hoffman tossed a scoreless inning in a non-save situation against the White Sox on Friday, then was charged with a blown save with one unearned run allowed against Chicago on Sunday. And in Tampa, Fairbanks made his only appearance of the week on Wednesday, pitching a clean inning against the Royals for his 14th save. Finnegan made two scoreless appearances this week but saw no save chances. With the trade deadline a month away and the Nationals falling further out of contention, the 33-year-old right-hander may finally see himself on the move this summer. Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels Shelby Miller - Arizona Diamondbacks Dylan Lee/Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves Matt Strahm/Orion Kerkering/Jordan Romano - Philadelphia Phillies Robert Garcia/Luke Jackson - Texas Rangers Jansen was removed from Monday's contest against the Red Sox with cramping in his right pectoral but was good to go Tuesday as he returned to toss a scoreless inning in a tie game. With Jansen getting the day off Wednesday, Ryan Zeferjahn converted a two-inning save against Boston. Miller picked up two more saves this week as he operates as Arizona's primary closer. A.J. Puk underwent Tommy John surgery last week, joining Justin Martinez as both relievers will be sidelined into 2026. Expect Miller to continue to get most of the Diamondbacks' save chances. Lee is emerging as a trusted option in Atlanta. He converted a clean four-out save with two strikeouts against the Mets on Monday. With Lee off on Tuesday, Iglesias stepped in for the final two outs against New York for his ninth save. Lee could be splitting save chances with Iglesias going forward and should be added in deeper leagues for teams looking to supplement some saves. The 30-year-old left-hander is having an excellent season, posting a 1.77 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, and a 37/8 K/BB ratio across 35 2/3 innings. The committee continues in Philadelphia. Kerkering converted the team's last save on Thursday. The 24-year-old right-hander has been outstanding since the start of May, allowing just one earned run over his last 19 1/3 innings. With Garcia off for the day, Chris Martin converted a save for the Rangers on Saturday. Garcia stepped back in for a save against the Orioles on Tuesday for his sixth of the season. Calvin Faucher - Miami Marlins Seth Halvorsen - Colorado Rockies Brandon Eisert/Steven Wilson - Chicago White Sox Juan Morillo could be a name to watch in Arizona. Anyone who can regularly hit 100 miles per hour should be on our radar. The 26-year-old right-hander made his MLB debut with the Diamondbacks this season and has settled in nicely after giving up ten runs over 15 1/3 innings through May. Morillo has made nine consecutive scoreless appearances. While Shelby Miller works as the primary closer, Morillo has a chance to climb the bullpen hierarchy behind him. Elsewhere in the NL West, Michael Kopech has tossed six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in his return to the Dodgers after missing the first two months with a shoulder injury. With Blake Treinen and Evan Phillips on the injured list and Kirby Yates producing inconsistent results, Kopech could vault himself into the late-inning mix with a lack of right-handed options in Los Angeles.
NBC Sports
12-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Bednar putting early struggles in rear view, D-Backs closer shelved again
In this week's Closer Report, Atlanta is searching for answers in the ninth inning amid Raisel Iglesias' struggles. The Diamondbacks lose Justin Martinez to the injured list again. And David Bednar is putting his early season troubles behind him with better performance on the mound. All that and more as we run down the last week in saves. Josh Hader - Houston Astros Hader keeps on rolling as the top closer in baseball. He picked up a save and a win in two scoreless outings this week. He's struck out multiple batters in each of his last six appearances. The 31-year-old left-hander is up to 17 saves with a 1.29 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and a 43/7 K/BB ratio across 28 innings. Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres Edwin Díaz - New York Mets Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians Mason Miller - Athletics Muñoz bounced back after blowing back-to-back save chances. He struck out two batters in a scoreless inning for a save against the Angels on Sunday, then tossed a clean frame in a non-save situation against the Diamondbacks on Monday. Suarez has now fired off 11 consecutive scoreless appearances since giving up five runs on May 12. He converted two more saves this week and leads baseball with 21. Díaz tossed two clean innings and recorded one save this week. He's at 14 this season with a 2.30 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and a 42/11 K/BB ratio across 27 1/3 innings. While not producing the same strikeout rate as his peak in 2022, his 39.3% strikeout rate ranks among the top five relievers in baseball. Duran gave up a run in a non-save situation against the Blue Jays on Saturday, then bounced back with a clean inning and a save on Sunday. The 27-year-old right-hander has posted an outstanding 1.15 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 37/11 K/BB ratio across 31 1/3 innings. Clase pitched back-to-back games against the Astros over the weekend and converted his 14th save of the season. After struggling to start the season, he's allowed just one run over his last 15 outings since the start of May. Meanwhile, Miller is getting back on track with five straight scoreless outings, including a five-out save with three strikeouts against the Orioles on Friday. Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers Camilo Doval - San Francisco Giants Will Vest/Tommy Kahnle - Detroit Tigers Devin Williams - New York Yankees Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles David Bednar - Pittsburgh Pirates Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals Emilio Pagan - Cincinnati Reds Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals Scott starts this large tier of closers that have had some volatility but have mostly gotten the job done. Scott made three appearances this week, adding two saves for a total of 12. The Dodgers got Kirby Yates and Michael Kopech back from the injured list this week, both of which can factor into the ninth inning based on matchups. Chapman's strong season continues with another good week on the mound. The 37-year-old left-hander locked down three more saves to give him 12 to go with a 1.59 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and a 39/9 K/BB ratio across 28 1/3 innings. With Justin Slaten on the injured list with a shoulder injury, Garrett Whitlock figures to step in as the next in line for saves. Megill surrendered two runs to blow a save chance against the Padres on Saturday before falling in line for a win. He then bounced back with a clean inning on Tuesday against the Braves, striking out two for his 13th save. After snapping a 21-game scoreless streak in a blown save last week, Doval came back with three saves. The 27-year-old right-hander is up to 10 saves with a 1.69 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a 30/15 K/BB ratio across 32 innings. Behind Doval, Randy Rodríguez has been one of the best middle relievers in baseball and has solidified himself as a top setup man and next in line for saves in San Francisco. As many close games as the Giants play, Rodriguez wouldn't be a bad streamer in deep leagues. It's a similar situation in Detroit, with the team generating plenty of save chances. Vest locked down two more saves this week and is up to 11, with Kahnle behind him at eight. And in New York, Williams struck out one batter in a scoreless inning for a save against the Red Sox on Friday before cleaning up the ninth with two outs for the save Wednesday against the Royals. Hoffman had one of his better weeks, converting four saves in five days despite giving up a pair of home runs. He's had home run issues this season with eight, passing last season's total of six. Still, he's continued to collect strikeouts and saves. Bautista struck out the side, working around a walk in a scoreless inning against the Athletics on Saturday for his 12th save. The 29-year-old right-hander has had an overall effective season coming back from Tommy John surgery, posting a 3.32 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a 28/16 K/BB ratio across 21 2/3 innings. Bednar has been lights out since returning from a brief minor-league stint on April 19, with a 2.49 ERA and a 30/3 K/BB ratio across his last 21 2/3 innings. He added two saves and a win over the last week. Helsley gave up a run in each of his last three outings, blowing three straight save chances. The 30-year-old right-hander has had an up-and-down season, posting a 3.75 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, and a 28/12 K/BB ratio across 24 innings while converting 13 of 18 save opportunities. Fairbanks logged a save with a clean inning against the Marlins, then blew a save chance against the Red Sox on Monday, giving up two runs. Meanwhile in Chicago, Palencia had a rare bad outing, giving up a run on two hits and a walk to take the loss against the Phillies on Monday. Finnegan converted a save against the Rangers on Friday, then was charged with a blown save as he failed to strand the inherited runners in the eighth against the Mets on Tuesday. Pagán struck out two batters in each of his two scoreless outings this week, adding a save against the Guardians on Monday. The 34-year-old right-hander has converted 16-of-18 save chances with a 3.45 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and a 35/8 K/BB ratio across 28 2/3 innings. Estévez pitched in both games of a doubleheader against the Cardinals last Thursday, taking a loss with two runs allowed in the first game before locking down a save in the second. He then worked around a hit and a walk to record his 19th save against the White Sox on Sunday. Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels Shelby Miller - Arizona Diamondbacks Raisel Iglesias/Pierce Johnson - Atlanta Braves Jordan Romano - Philadelphia Phillies Robert Garcia - Texas Rangers Jansen pitched four times in five days this week, adding two saves to his total, bringing him to 14 with a 4.37 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and a 19/9 K/BB ratio across 22 2/3 innings. With Jansen unavailable Wednesday, Reid Detmers stepped in for the save against the Athletics. For a second time, the Diamondbacks lost closer Justin Martinez to the injured list. The 23-year-old right-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list with a UCL sprain in his right elbow and could be facing a lengthy absence. This puts Miller back in line for regular save chances in Arizona. He struck out two in a scoreless inning for the save against the Mariners on Wednesday. The Braves are searching for answers at the closer role with Iglesias taking a step back. The team will likely go with a committee approach. Both Iglesias and Johnson blew save chances in the last week. Dylan Lee could be a speculative pickup for saves as the team has fellow left-hander Aaron Bummer pitching effectively. No saves for the Phillies this week. Romano was charged with a loss against the Pirates on Friday while Matt Strahm and Taijuan Walker were each charged with a blown save. The Phillies could be a team looking to add to their late-inning mix via trade. In Texas, Garcia surrendered three runs in a blown save against the Rays last Thursday, then converted a save against the Nationals on Sunday. Calvin Faucher - Miami Marlins Zach Agnos - Colorado Rockies Brandon Eisert/Steven Wilson - Chicago White Sox The White Sox closer situation has not been one to go chasing for quite a while, but the team did call up an intriguing young reliever from Double-A Birmingham, skipping the Triple-A level. Twenty-three-year-old Grant Taylor logged 26 2/3 innings in Double-A, posting an impressive 1.01 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and a 37/11 K/BB ratio while generating a 17.1% swinging-strike rate. If he can translate similar production at the MLB level, Taylor can quickly work his way into the saves mix in Chicago, few as they may come. Reid Detmers has quietly been on an impressive run with the Angels. He's made 11 consecutive scoreless appearances, striking out 18 batters to just four walks in that span. The 25-year-old left-hander has struggled to realize the upside he's displayed at times throughout his young career. However, he just might be figuring it out in this new role as a reliever. Detmers converted a save on Wednesday with Kenley Jansen getting the day off. On Thursday, manager Ron Washington hinted at Detmers possibly being stretched out as a starter again at some point, but he seems to be thriving in the late innings.
