We received a bit of a reprieve, and it’s been a relatively quiet week for fantasy baseball closer-related news. The Nationals got their presumptive closer back, but we’ll have to wait and see how he’ll be used moving forward. There are still plenty of other late-inning high-leverage relievers to talk about this week, including a few who have upped their game and have a direct path to a role as their team’s future closer. If playing MLB DFS or placing a few bets is in your future, start here, and you’ll find the best fantasy baseball picks, projections, and predictions that will help you to increase your bankroll!

Saves Leaders Over The Past Week

Guardians closer Cade Smith and Red Sox Closer Aroldis Chapman each saved three games over the past week.

Smith now has 16 saves and has taken over the MLB lead from Padres closer Mason Miller. Smith has a 2.66 ERA and 1.141 WHIP on the season to go along with an impressive 35:5 K:BB ratio.

Chapman has 12 saves this season and hasn’t given up a run in his last 13.2 IP.

Seven other relievers converted two saves over the past week, including Astros late-inning high-leverage reliever Bryan Abreu. Abreu, who struggled earlier this season, has now thrown six consecutive scoreless innings. Abreu and Bryan King are currently sharing closer duties until Josh Hader is ready to be taken off the IL. Hader is currently on a rehab assignment and is expected back in early June. 

A’s reliever Hogan Harris collected two saves last week and seems to have taken the lead in the team’s closer committee. Harris now has four saves this season, already matching last season’s total. He has also recorded seven holds, but with 19 walks in 24 IP, don’t expect Harris’ run at the top of the A’s closer committee to last very long. Mark Leiter picked up the team’s most recent save in an extra-inning effort on Thursday. The A’s bullpen is still very much in flux, with Joel Kuhnel and Jack Perkins also in the mix for save opportunities. Don’t be surprised if Scott Barlow isn’t eventually given a run as the A’s closer as well.

 

 

 

Holds Leaders Over The Past Week

Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz and Mets reliever Brooks Raley led late-inning high-leverage relievers with three holds last week. The Mets and Yankees bullpens seem to be moving in different directions. The Yankees bullpen is increasingly showing signs of stress, and the Mets bullpen, led by the resurgence of closer Devin Williams, has a collective 2.80 ERA over the past week. Incredibly, there were 21 relief pitchers with two holds last week. 

Of the relievers with two holds last week, Yoendrys Gomez stands out as a pitcher with a potential path to save opportunities. Three different Twins relievers (Taylor Rogers, Luis Garcia, and Andrew Morris) have picked up the last three saves for the team, and Gomez has been working the eighth and ninth innings of late. He’s riding a 7.1 scoreless innings streak in which he’s compiled a 7:2 K:BB ratio.

Mariners reliever Jose A. Ferrer is another pitcher who picked up two holds last week to take note of. Closer Andres Munoz has been more hittable than usual, giving up eight hits in his last 6.2 IP and blowing two saves during that time frame. Matt Brash has recently been reinstated from the IL and is considered Munoz’s setup man, but Ferrer has a 10:0 K:B ratio in his last eight IP and two saves and four holds during that time span.

Bullpens To Take Note Of

Chicago White Sox

Just a few short weeks ago, I was praising Seranthony Dominguez as the White Sox’s closer, and now he seems to be on the verge of losing his job. He’s given up seven runs in his last 8.1 IP, and Grant Taylor is breathing down his neck and threatening to take over as the team’s closer. Taylor hasn’t given up a run in his last 14 IP and has a 22:4 K:BB ratio during that time frame. Bryan Hudson is another White Sox reliever to keep on your watch list. Hudson is being used in the seventh and eighth innings of games. He has a 1.57 ERA and two saves this season.

New York Yankees

Earlier in this article, I alluded to there being some recent regression in the Yankees’ bullpen. Closer David Bednar has struggled, giving up seven earned runs and eight hits in his last 7.1 IP. He’s compiled an 8.59 ERA during that time span. Bednar has had some highs and lows over the past two seasons, and his lows have been so bad that the Pirates sent him down to the minor leagues for parts of the 2025 and 2024 seasons. Collectively, Yankees relievers have a 4.27 ERA over the past two weeks. Should the Yankees look to eventually remove Bednar as their closer, the aforementioned Fernando Cruz could be asked to fill the void. He’s been equally successful vs. both right and left-handed batters and might have the type of temperament needed to close out games. Other than Cruz, there aren’t many other Yankees relievers who appear up to the task of being the team’s everyday closer. Brent Headrick has pitched well against right-handed batters, but left-handed batters have a .343 BAA against him. Tim Hill can get lefty batters out, but he’s had less success against right-handed batters. 

Los Angeles Angels

The Angels are still in search of a permanent closer, and according to Angels beat reporter Rhett Bollinger, will continue to use a committee approach based on matchups and availability. With Ben Joyce and Drew Pomeranz remaining on the IL, Sam Bachman, Ryan Zeferjahn, and Kirby Yates will remain in the mix for save opportunities for the near future. Pomeranz is expected back from the IL by the end of this month and could also be used in late-inning, high-leverage situations upon his return.

Washington Nationals

Clayton Beeter, who started the season as the Nationals’ closer, was reinstated from the IL this week and pitched a scoreless eighth inning of a close game on Thursday. With the Nationals optioning PJ Poulin to the minor leagues, look for them to ease Beeter back into action with the possibility that he might initially share the closer’s role with Gus Varland, who has four saves this season.