This week, an injury to Pete Fairbanks gives two up-and-coming relievers a chance to shine in the ninth inning. The Cubs freshen up their bullpen by releasing Hector Neris. And Michael Kopech continues his excellent streak with the Dodgers. In the steal department, Parker Meadows is on top of his game in Detroit.
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Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings
Level 1: At the top
Emmanuel Clase – Cleveland Guardians
Ryan Helsley – St. Louis Cardinals
Clase didn’t get a chance to save this week. He had two scoreless appearances, including two innings against the Yankees on Tuesday. Clase remains at 37 saves with a 0.61 ERA, 0.66 WHIP and 49/8 K/BB ratio in 59 1/3 innings. Helsley got a chance to save and made his 38th save on Saturday against the Dodgers, which is the MLB lead.
Level 2: The Elite
Kirby Yates – Texas Rangers
Mason Miller – Oakland Athletics
Andres Muñoz – Seattle Mariners
Josh Hader – Houston Astros
Devin Williams – Milwaukee Brewers
Yates took a loss and blew a save before bouncing back with a save and a win against the Pirates this week. He has 22 saves with a 1.30 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 70 strikeouts in 48 1/3 innings. Miller made two saves and lowered his ERA to 1.89 after going four scoreless innings this week. His 44.4 percent strikeout rate is the best among qualified relievers.
Muñoz hasn’t had the best week, blowing two save opportunities and allowing four runs in his last two games. Still, he has a 1.88 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 58 strikeouts in 48 innings. Hader, on the other hand, has had a stellar run since the All-Star break, posting a 1.88 ERA in the second half. He recorded his 27th save and earned his sixth win this month. And Williams jumps into the elite ranks with three more saves, bringing his total to five saves since his debut from the injured list.
Level 3: The solid options
Robert Suarez-San Diego Padres
Raisel Iglesias-Atlanta Braves
Edwin Diaz – New York Mets
Kenley Jansen – Boston Red Sox
Jhoan Duran – Minnesota Twins
Clay Holmes – New York Yankees
Carlos Estevez – Philadelphia Phillies
Alexis Diaz – Cincinnati Reds
Kyle Finnegan – Washington Nationals
Suarez has been one of the biggest surprises this season. He recorded two more saves this week and now has 29 saves, a 1.79 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP in 50 1/3 innings. Iglesias also recorded two saves with two perfect outings. Díaz is also having a strong second half. He recorded two wins this week and has lowered his ERA to 3.41 with 53 strikeouts in 37 innings.
Jansen had a busy week, making four saves in five days. He made two more saves, giving him 24 saves and a 2.78 ERA in 45 1/3 innings. Duran made two saves and totaled 18. His strikeout rate has improved dramatically in the second half, sitting at 35.7 percent since the All-Star break after hitting 24 percent in the first half. It continues to be an up-and-down season for Holmes in New York. Despite a 2.82 ERA, he leads the league in blown saves. He made one this week before wasting another chance.
Estévez has only recorded one save with the Phillies since being signed at the trade deadline. Still, his performance suggests he will get the most save opportunities in Philadelphia. Díaz also didn’t get a save opportunity in Cincinnati, giving up a run on a non-save opportunity on Tuesday. Still, he’s been much better since June after a rough first two months. And Finnegan is going the other way after an incredible first half, posting an 8.38 ERA since the All-Star break.
Level 4: There is upside potential here
Ryan Walker – San Francisco Giants
Chad Green – Toronto Blue Jays
Michael Kopech/Daniel Hudson – Los Angeles Dodgers
Justin Martinez – Arizona Diamondbacks
Edwin Uceta – Tampa Bay Rays
Seranthony Dominguez – Baltimore Orioles
Lucas Erceg – Kansas City Royals
Walker continues to excel in the role of closer for the Giants. On Sunday, he struck out five batters in two innings to earn a win over the A’s. Then on Tuesday, he struck out the team and earned a save against the White Sox. Camilo Doval has thrown three clean innings in Triple-A after allowing two runs in his first minor league game.
Green was coming off a loss when he allowed a run against the Cubs on Friday, but he bounced back with his 13th save on Sunday. Kopech is on the rise in Los Angeles after making two saves for the Dodgers this week. He has snapped a 14-game hitless streak dating back to July 7.
Martinez lost two games in a row, but then came back with two saves to make it five. In Tampa Bay, Uceta will get a chance to show what he can do, filling in for Pete Fairbanks, who was placed on the injured list with a strained right latissimus dorsi. Uceta converted his first save, recording a 0.90 ERA, 0.57 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 30 innings.
The Orioles may have to keep looking for their answer in the ninth inning after Dominguez lost two games this week and allowed a run in three straight games. Erceg continues to impress in Kansas City, picking up his third save for the team and should be the go-to reliever there for the rest of the season.
Level 5: Just getting by
Porter Hodge/Jorge Lopez – Chicago Cubs
David Bednar – Pittsburgh Pirates
Ben Joyce – Los Angeles Angels
Calvin Faucher – Miami Marlins
Jason Foley – Detroit Tigers
Tyler Kinley – Colorado Rockies
John Brebbia – Chicago White Sox
The Cubs released Héctor Neris this week before he could meet the required thresholds to activate a $9 million player option for 2025. He made 17 saves for the team but was incredibly inconsistent. Hodge and López have stepped in and each made a save for the Cubs. Hodge has shown the better ability of the two, posting a 31 percent strikeout rate.
Bednar made two saves in two scoreless outings, but then suffered a loss to the Rangers on Wednesday. Joyce recorded a save this week, just his second for the Angels since the team sent Estévez to the Phillies.
Faucher earned his third save for the Marlins. He posted a strong 3.09 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings. In Detroit, Foley earned a save for the Tigers and could fill the role of closer for the remainder of the season, but given the team context and his abysmal strikeout rate, the upside remains incredibly low.
Victor Vodnik was placed on the 15-day injured list with a biceps problem. Kinley is expected to fill in for the Rockies. He has made six saves for the team but has a 5.88 ERA.
Injured
Jordan Romano – Elbow
Pete Fairbanks – strain of the right latissimus
Victor Vodnik – Biceps
Theft Department
In the steals department, Shohei Ohtani led with five steals. The 30-year-old superstar is on the verge of a 40-40 season, hitting .291/.378/.610 in the process. Josh Lowe, who may be available in shallower formats, followed Ohtani with four steals. The 26-year-old outfielder is having a disappointing season, slowed early by oblique and hamstring issues, but he’s hitting well in August, collecting seven steals and two home runs. All seven of those steals have come in the last 10 games. Lowe can be a contributor in multiple categories in all formats down the stretch. His teammate Taylor Walls has also been more aggressive on the bases, stealing four bases in his last six games. His fantasy viability, however, is limited to the deepest mixed and AL-only formats. Parker Meadows has been another hot hitter this month after the Tigers activated him from the injured list. He has a .351 batting average with five steals in August.
