As the dust settles from what was a very active MLB trade deadline for 2025 MLB closers, fantasy baseball managers are dealing with a double-edged sword. On a positive note, with several 2025 MLB closers traded, there are new potential resources for saves. Unfortunately, there were also closers who were traded who are no longer guaranteed to be their new teams’ first option to close out games. There’s a lot to cover, so let's dive right in as we recover from the fallout of the 2025 MLB trade deadline.

 

 

 

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks traded their injured closer, Shelby Miller, to the Milwaukee Brewers. Miller looked great in his first rehab outing on Monday, striking out the side, and his velocity reached the upper 90 MPH range. Once he’s reinstated from the IL, Miller will add depth to an already stacked bullpen led by 2025 closer Trevor Megill and setup man Abner Uribe, who leads all relievers with 29 holds. The trade leaves the Diamondbacks without a clear-cut closer, but keep an eye on Kyle Backhus. Despite blowing a save opportunity on Wednesday, he’s probably the Diamondbacks’ best option to close out games. With 17 career minor league saves, he’s no stranger to pitching in the ninth inning.

Athletics

In a surprising move, the A’s traded closer Mason Miller to the San Diego Padres, and it’s looking like it’ll be a closer-by-committee situation for the A’s for the short term. Lefty Sean Newcomb is in the mix for save opportunities. He’s had a very good season so far, but right-handed batters have a .299 BAA against him. Righty reliever Michael Kelly has a 1.77 ERA in his first 20 appearances this season and has enjoyed a more balanced level of success against righty and lefty hitters, but walks have been an issue for him. If the A’s are playing a home game, any of their relievers who get the ball in the ninth inning will have to contend with the very hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. 

Detroit Tigers

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch doesn’t like to anoint a closer, but up until the trade deadline, Will Vest was his primary go-to guy in the ninth. West has saved 16 games for the Tigers, but with Hinch’s mix-and-match managerial style, Tommy Kahnle was able to convert nine saves this season as well. Kahnle’s recent struggles (5 strikeouts, 8 walks, 17.05 ERA in his last 6.1 IP)  prompted the Tigers to trade for former Washington Nationals closer and Detroit native Kyle Finnegan. He has recorded the Tigers’ last two saves, but with Hinch’s managerial style, you probably shouldn’t be looking to drop Vest from your roster just yet.

 

 

 

Minnesota Twins

The Twins gutted their bullpen at the MLB trade deadline. Their manager, Rocco Baldelli, has been known to use an under-the-radar matchup-based approach to managing his bullpen, and that led to some relatively low save totals for his former closer Jhoan Duran, who’ll we’ll speak about later. With the Twins trading Duran and just about every other potential closer off their roster, Justin Topa picked up the team’s first post-trade-deadline save, but with Baldelli’s managerial style, he might not pick up the next one, especially if a few lefty bats are due up. Topa has a .312 BAA for left-handed hitters. Cole Sands and Michael Tonkin could also be in line for some late-inning high-leverage work, but with the uncertainty surrounding this bullpen, it’s probably one that you should avoid for fantasy purposes right now.

New York Mets

The Mets certainly further bolstered their bullpen at the trade deadline by trading for former St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley and longtime quality San Francisco setup man, Tyler Rogers. Unless you play in a saves and holds league, Helsley’s fantasy value plummeted because, unless something goes drastically wrong, he’s not going to unseat Edwin Diaz as the Mets’ closer.  

New York Yankees

The Yankees were another team that added bullpen depth at the trade deadline, trading for former Giants closer Camilo Doval, former Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar, and former Colorado Rockies reliever Jake Bird. Yankees fans were gushing over the new additions, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone couldn’t wait to play with his new toys. He used all three relievers the day after the trade deadline in a Friday night slugfest with the Miami Marlins, and unfortunately, all three fell flat on their face. Combined, the three new Yankees relievers were lit up for a combined seven runs in 2.1 IP. To make things worse, Devin Williams is back in a funk, having given up at least one earned run in his last four appearances. He has a loss, two blown saves, and he’s yielded two home runs in 3.2 IP during that time frame. Boone has removed him from the closer’s role for the second time this season, and it looks like he’ll be using a committee approach for the short term. Bednar made it interesting by giving up a hit and two walks, but picked up a five-out save on Wednesday against the Texas Rangers. Luke Weaver hasn’t given up a run in his last four appearances and appears to be back on track. He will likely share closer duties with Bednar and Doval. Despite the recent struggles for the Yankees' relievers, there is a lot of talent in their bullpen. 

 

 

 

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies acquired Jhoan Duran from the Twins, and according to Dave Dombrowski, the president of baseball operations, he will be the team's closer. Manager Rob Thomson has a habit of playing best matchups, but according to Dombrowski, Duran will pitch the ninth inning for the Phillies. That wasn’t always the case for Duran during his time in Minnesota, but so far, he’s won over the tough Phillies fan base with his 103 MPH heat and thrilling game entrances. The Phillies do have two very good setup men in Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm, and seem poised to make a run at a World Series title.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Now that David Bednar is part of a closer committee in the Bronx, Dennis Santana will get the first crack at closing out games for the Pirates. He’s gotten off to a rocky start, pun intended. The Colorado Rockies scored five earned runs against him in just a third of an inning last Friday night, and he gave up another two earned runs to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. Santana did manage to slip in a scoreless inning pitched against those same Rockies on Sunday. Santana is a lot better pitcher than those two outings suggest, but if he were to be removed from the closer's role, Isaac Mattson would likely get the next crack at closing games for the Bucs.

San Diego Padres

As we mentioned earlier, the Padres added a key piece to their bullpen when they traded for former A’s closer Mason Miller. So far, Robert Suarez appears to be holding on to his job as the Padres’ closer, but should he struggle, Miller could slip right into that role if need be. 

 

 

 

San Francisco Giants

With Camilo Doval now pitching for the Yankees, Randy Rodriguez is a natural fit as the Giants’ new closer. Rodriguez is a traditional type of closer who throws heat, mows down batters, and doesn’t give up too many walks. He’s focused on throwing his four-seam fastball and slider this season, both of which have a sub-.200 BAA, and he seems ready to make the ninth inning his prime time. 

St. Louis Cardinals

We had mentioned JoJo Romero’s name in this column as a potential replacement for Ryan Helsley and Phil Maton should they be traded by the Cardinals, and he did pick up the team’s first two post-trade deadline saves. Riley O’Brien picked up the other. O’Brien, whom we’ve also mentioned in this column, has 19 career minor league saves. As a right-handed pitcher. O’Brien may see a bit more action than Romero, but for now, it’s looking like they will continue to share the closer’s role for the time being.

Washington Nationals

There’s not much to get too excited about when it comes to the Nationals' bullpen now that Kyle Finnegan is closing out games for the Tigers. Konnor Pilkington does have some upside, but the Nats are currently rolling him out in the fifth and sixth innings of games. Jose A. Ferrer is likely the closer, but he’s probably not worth rostering for fantasy purposes right now. 

 

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