The fantasy baseball closer landscape continues to slowly unravel, and as it does, new resources for saves and holds are being revealed almost every day. If you’re a regular reader of our Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire column, you are probably aware that Angels closer Jordan Romano is looking like his old self and has been widely available in fantasy baseball leagues. Be sure to read that article every week so that you can remain a step ahead of your league mates.

As this article is being written, Yankees closer David Bednar leads MLB with five saves. Six other relievers have four. 

Guardians reliever Erik Sabrowski leads MLB with five holds. Four other relievers have four holds each, including Diamondbacks reliever Juan Morillo, who seemingly came out of nowhere and is now the next man up behind closer Paul Sewald.

This week, we’ll introduce you to a couple of late-inning high-leverage relievers who picked up their first saves of the 2026 season and also highlight a reliever who appears to be the new Rangers’ closer. 

 

 

 

Bullpens in Flux

Texas Rangers

Robert Garcia was expected to open the season as the Rangers’ closer, but so far, he hasn’t saved any games. He has, however, recorded two holds. Garcia is walking too many batters (4 in his first 4 IP), but for now, his ERA hasn’t suffered (2.25). As a team, Rangers relievers have converted five saves. Two have been recorded by Tyler Alexander, but most recently, Jakob Junis has been the late-inning high-leverage reliever that manager Skip Schumaker has relied on in the ninth inning. The Rangers didn’t officially name a closer in spring training, but suggested that Garcia and Chris Martin would get the first opportunity to close out games this season. Martin has struggled early on, and Alexander, who spent much of last season working in long relief, has worked the fifth, seventh, and ninth innings in his last three appearances. Junis is rostered in just 26% of Fantrax fantasy baseball leagues, and as a right-handed reliever who is quickly gaining Schumaker’s trust, he is worth a speculative add if he’s available on your league’s waiver wire. Cole Winn is another Rangers late-inning high-leverage reliever who should be on your watch list. He’s been used mostly in the seventh inning of games lately, and he’s been very effective. With Junis unavailable because he had pitched two days in a row, Winn picked up his first big league save on Wednesday.

Tampa Bay Rays

Kevin Kelly picked up his second save of the year for the Rays in an extra-inning game on Sunday, but Bryan Baker, whom we mentioned last week, picked up the win in that game and recorded a save of his own on Monday. The Rays' bullpen is still evolving, but other than giving up a HR to Matt Shaw, Baker has looked good. Baker has struck out six batters while walking none through his first four 2026 appearances. He might not be the Rays’ official closer, but with Garrett Cleavinger and Griffin Jax struggling early on and Edwin Uceta still on the IL, Baker is probably the team’s best option in the ninth inning. Baker is no stranger to pitching in high-leverage situations. He has 36 career saves, if you combine his time in the minor and major leagues.

Pittsburgh Pirates

I guess Pirates manager Don Kelly was serious when he suggested that he’d lean on more than one of his late-inning high-leverage relievers to close out games. Dennis Santana, the preseason favorite to be the Pirates’ closer, has two holds and zero saves. He’s been dominant so far. Santana hasn’t given up a run in his first six innings of work, and opposing batters have just one hit in 17 at-bats against him. He’ll eventually be used in a save situation, but as this article is being written, Gregory Soto and Jose Urquidy are the only two Pirates relievers with a save this season. For the record, Urquidy recorded his save in an extra-inning game. I’m still convinced that as a right-handed pitcher, Santana will ultimately be the Pirates’ primary save source, but for now, Soto has a 1.23 ERA to go along with a save, a hold, and 13:3 K:B over his first 7.1 IP. That stat line and Soto’s high strikeout rate make him valuable in SOLD leagues and other leagues that force you to feature a reliever in your starting lineup. 

 

 

 

Los Angeles Angels

With Jordan Romano settling in as the Angels’ closer, you really can’t call this a bullpen in flux, but there was some news regarding a couple of the team’s reliever depth pieces. Kirby Yates is getting closer to beginning a minor league rehab start. He threw a 26-pitch live batting practice on Tuesday and “felt good”.  Yates has 98 career saves and would be a welcome addition to the Angels' bullpen. Drew Pomeranz and Chase Silseth each have three holds and would likely be in the mix for save opportunities with Yates on the IL if Romano is unavailable. Also, if you were holding on to Robert Stephenson, hoping that he could eventually be a big part of the Angels' bullpen, you can now drop him. Stephenson recently underwent season-ending elbow surgery.

St. Louis Cardinals

In last week’s bullpen report, we talked about how Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol was keeping us guessing as to who his closer might be. Ryne Stanek and JoJo Romero were both considered options that Marmol would use to close out his team’s wins, but with Riley O’Brien having recorded the Cardinals’ last three saves it appears he can now be considered the team’s closer. His rostership rate has gradually increased as the season has progressed, but he might be available on the waiver wire in shallower fantasy baseball leagues.

Athletics

Journeyman reliever Joel Kuhnel made his case for why he should be the late-inning high-leverage reliever that manager Mark Kotsay turns to close out games for the A’s. Kuhnel, who has 58 career minor league saves, picked up his second career big league save against the Yankees on  Wednesday. The A’s bullpen hierarchy is still developing, and Hogan Harris and Justin Sterner will likely still challenge Kuhnel for save opportunities. However, based on his blowing saves in his last two outings and the fact that he’s given up 10 hits in 4.1 IP, it might be a while before Mark Leiter Jr. sees another save opportunity. Scott Barlow, who has 59 career saves, could also eventually find himself in the mix for saves based on his Wednesday night performance that saw him work 1.2 hitless innings and strike out the last four batters he faced.