In the complex landscape of fantasy baseball, the traditional "ninth-inning specialist" is becoming an endangered species. While fantasy managers crave the security of a designated closer who takes the mound for every save opportunity, many MLB managers prioritize tactical flexibility and matchup-based strategies. This closer-by-committee approach can be a nightmare for fantasy owners as it dilutes the save totals of individual relievers and creates a volatile environment where roles change overnight. Ever see how often we update the Closer Grid or the relief pitchers in the fantasy baseball player rankings? It all starts at the top and understanding which managers lean into this philosophy is essential for building a resilient bullpen.

 

 

Kevin Cash of the Tampa Bay Rays has long been a pioneer of the "opener" and fluid bullpen roles. The Rays’ organizational philosophy centers on using high-leverage arms where they are most needed, regardless of the inning. For the 2026 season, Cash has already signaled a return to a more extreme committee approach following the departure of Pete Fairbanks to the Marlins. Cash recently noted that his team will "mix and match," with as many as four different relievers—including Griffin Jax, Edwin Uceta, Bryan Baker, and left-hander Garrett Cleavinger, all viewed as candidates for saves depending on the night's matchups. This "selfless group" approach makes it nearly impossible to predict who will get the call in the ninth, effectively capping the fantasy upside of any single Rays reliever.

Similarly, Mark Kotsay of the Athletics has often had to navigate seasons without a solidified, veteran anchor in the bullpen. While Mason Miller briefly provided the Athletics with an elite closing presence, his trade to the San Diego Padres in July 2025 returned Kotsay to a committee mindset. Heading into 2026, the Athletics are expected to rely on a rotating cast that includes veterans like Scott Barlow and Mark Leiter, along with younger arms like Justin Sterner and Elvis Alvarado. Kotsay has historically preferred "mixing and matching" throughout the game to ensure the right reliever faces the right pocket of hitters, often leaving the ninth inning to whoever is rested and has the most favorable matchup rather than a designated stopper.

 

 

Torey Lovullo of the Arizona Diamondbacks has frequently resisted anointing a permanent closer, even when veterans are available. For the 2026 season, Lovullo has stated that the role remains "to be determined," refusing to guarantee a spot to a returning Paul Sewald. Lovullo tends to look for the "eight best pieces" and allows competition to dictate who handles high-leverage moments. In recent seasons, this has led to save opportunities being split among various pitchers, including Kevin Ginkel, Ryan Thompson, and before their injuries in 2025, A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez. For fantasy managers, Lovullo's desire to see players "earn" their roles and his willingness to shift strategies based on recent performance makes the Diamondbacks' bullpen a constant source of uncertainty.

Derek Shelton, managing the Minnesota Twins, has also demonstrated a penchant for fluid roles. We witnessed it back when he was managing the Pittsburgh Pirates after the trade of long-time closer David Bednar to the Yankees at the 2025 deadline. Following Bednar’s exit, Shelton utilized a committee approach that saw Dennis Santana and Gregory Soto share duties. Shelton’s history suggests he is never married to a single arm and now with the Twins, we are expecting something very similar. Lefthander Taylor Rogers has the most experience in the role, but Shelton has already earmarked both Justin Topa and Cole Sands as righthanded options to close out games, if needed. The addition of other experienced relievers often leads to a "fluid leverage ladder" where the eighth and ninth innings are interchangeable based on the score and the opponent's lineup. This lack of role clarity significantly devalues Twins relievers in standard fantasy formats where saves are a premium category.

The common thread among these managers is a commitment to flexibility that serves the real-world team but sabotages fantasy rosters. When a manager like Cash, Kotsay, Lovullo, or Shelton refuses to commit to a single arm, they effectively cut the potential save volume of their best relievers in half. In many cases, these pitchers may provide excellent ratios and strikeout numbers, but the lack of consistent ninth-inning opportunities makes them frustrating to hold on a roster. Consequently, drafting relievers from these committee-led bullpens should be viewed as a last resort rather than a viable strategy. Fantasy managers are better served by targeting closers with clearer paths to the ninth inning on teams that value traditional bullpen roles, as the unpredictability of these four managers often leads to empty categories and wasted roster spots.

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