We’re a week into the 2026 season, and the certainty that there will be uncertainty surrounding the fantasy baseball closer position is already evident. When it comes to managing your fantasy baseball closers, there often is no sure thing, and expecting the unexpected might be your best strategy.

Unlike the volatility inherent in the fantasy baseball closer position, the one thing you can be certain of is that all of Fantasy Alarm’s fantasy baseball content, like that included in our Two Start & Starting Pitcher Streaming column and the Caught Stealing Podcast, will help lead you to win a fantasy baseball championship. 

Keep in mind that, as this article is being written, no team has played more than seven games, and every blown save or report of a pitcher’s diminished fastball velocity is often blown out of proportion at this time of year. Also, working the waiver wire in search of late-inning high-leverage relievers may be more difficult than usual right now. With so many bullpens in flux, many fantasy baseball managers might be reluctant to drop relievers they drafted who might still have a chance at securing a closer’s role.

Early Season Bullpens in Flux

Kansas City Royals

In last week’s article, I included Lucas Erceg as a closer in waiting. At that time, he was rostered in 42% of Fantrax’s fantasy baseball leagues. As this article is being written, he’s rostered in 65% of those leagues, and with Carlos Estevez hitting the IL due to a foot contusion, Erceg is going to be a hot waiver wire add this week. Estevez could use a reset. He followed up a disappointing spring with an ugly third of an inning on Saturday in which he gave up four hits, six runs, and a HR. His velocity was much lower than usual this spring. On Saturday, his fastball was clocked at almost five mph below his 2025 level. To make matters worse in that same game, Estevez’s left ankle was hit by a ground ball, which caused him to eventually hit the IL. The Royals suggested that even if he was able to avoid a trip to the IL, Estevez’s next outing was likely going to be in a low-leverage situation. Erceg has 18 career saves (including two this season) and has a chance to hold on to the closer’s role for the near future. Left-handed reliever Matt Strahm will also likely be in the mix for saves with Estevez on the IL. John Schreiber is another Royals reliever who should be on your watch list. He picked up a save for the Royals on Monday and has 34 saves between his major and minor league careers. 

Houston Astros

Josh Hader, who is on the IL due to left biceps tendinitis, threw a bullpen session on Friday and remains on track to face live hitters by mid-April. Unfortunately, Bryan Abreu struggled in his first two appearances, giving up four earned runs, a HR, and four walks in 1.1 IP. Abreu finally picked up his first save on Wednesday. His velocity bounced back a bit, but it wasn’t a clean outing as he gave up a HR to Roman Anthony.  Abreu is coming off a 2025 season in which he struck out 105 batters in 71 IP and recorded seven saves and 25 holds, but with his early-season velocity loss and slow start, Bryan King, who bailed out Abreu and picked up a save on Sunday, should definitely be on your radar. He has 10 saves between his major and minor league careers. AJ Blubaugh is another Astros reliever to keep on your watch list. He has six strikeouts and hasn’t walked a batter in his first 5.1 IP this season. Blubaugh has 24 career saves between his time in the Cape Cod league and his college and minor league career.

St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol is up to his old tricks again and has us guessing who he’ll use in his team’s next save situation. Ryne Stanek recorded the Cardinals’ first save of the season last Thursday, blew a save opportunity on Saturday, and then found himself working the seventh inning and recording a hold on Tuesday. Riley O’Brien, who shared the closer’s role with JoJo Romero at the close of the 2025 season, picked up the team’s only other save on Tuesday night. Romero leads the team with three holds so far this season and could also be in line for a save opportunity if Marmol feels the matchup is right. O’Brien has had issues with his control in the past, but he’s been a groundball pitcher throughout his career, and that should help him keep the ball in the yard. Stanek has 15 career saves and is equally effective against right and left-handed batters. Romero has 12 career saves and a .187 BAA against left-handed batters. Based on their career stats, all three pitchers shine when pitching in save situations, and it might take a while for one to establish himself as Marmol’s go-to guy. O’Brien is my favorite of the three, but for now, it looks like he and Stanek will split save opportunities, with Romero getting a chance to close out games against lefty lineups.

Athletics

Mark Leiter picked up the Athletics’ first save of the season. He gave up two hits in one IP while doing so, and with Hogan Harris and Scott Barlow still potentially in the mix for save opportunities, this is a bullpen to temporarily avoid for fantasy purposes.

Tampa Bay Rays

Kevin Kelly unexpectedly picked up the Rays’ only save this season. He has 21 career saves between his college, minor league, and major league careers, and that could help him to earn additional save opportunities, but there are other potential high-leverage relievers in the Rays' bullpen who could share in the team’s closer role, including Garrett Cleavinger, Bryan Baker, and, once he’s off the IL, Edwin Uceta. Griffin Jax has already blown two save chances, but with 15 career saves, he might be given an opportunity to redeem himself in the future.

 

 

 

Sleeper Relievers on the Rise

Tyler Alexander, Texas Rangers

I wouldn’t write off Robert Garcia just yet, but with two saves, Alexander is gaining the trust of Rangers manager Skip Schumaker. Both Garcia and Chris Martin had both pitched two days in a row and were unavailable prior to Alexander’s second save opportunity, and both are probably still ahead of Alexander on the Rangers’ bullpen depth chart for now.

Paul Sewald, Arizona Diamondbacks

Experience closing out games is often a determining factor when a manager decides who he’ll trust to close out games in the ninth inning. With 88 career saves, Sewald is accustomed to working in late-inning, high-leverage situations. He’s already saved two games for the Diamondbacks. Jonathan Loaisiga is likely the next man up, and with Sewald having pitched on two consecutive days and being unavailable, he picked up his first save of the season on Wednesday night. As this article is being written, Sewald is available in 48% of Fantrax leagues. Make him a priority add.

Jordan Romano,  Los Angeles Angels

Romano has taken advantage of injuries to Kirby Yates, Ben Joyce, and Robert Stephenson and taken over as the Angels’ closer. Romano, who struggled over the past two injury-plagued seasons, is no stranger to closing out games. Romano’s fastball velocity is approximately 2 mph lower than it was in his prime years, but he has 115 career saves and should be able to at least temporarily continue to be the Angels’ first option for save opportunities. 

Jeff Hoffman, Blue Jays

It appeared that it was deja vu all over again when Hoffman gave up a HR in his season debut on Friday, but he hasn’t given up a run since then. Hoffman has 10 Ks and hasn’t issued a walk in his first four IP and seems to have a good hold on his role as the Blue Jays’ closer…for now.