It's been a relatively quiet week for closers around Major League Baseball, but that doesn't mean we should pay less attention. Now is the time when you really have to dig into the news to find who may be moving up the depth chart, or who has the job but simply hasn't had many opportunities. Even if the guys listed below aren't immediate adds in your fantasy league, that doesn't mean they won't have a big impact down the line.
Maybe I shouldn't admit this, but I had no idea Roenis Elías had five saves this season. He is one of six Mariners to record a save this season, and I'm pretty sure you don’t want any of them. If I had to choose, Elias would be the guy, but there are other closers we'll mention below who I would rather own.
Heading into Wednesday I would have said Matt Barnes was the Boston reliever to own, but now I'm not so sure. Barnes picked up his third blown save of the season Wednesday when he allowed two inherited runners to score in the seventh inning. It’s good that he was in the game in a huge spot, and I doubt Alex Cora holds that outing against him, but it’s difficult to get saves when you're pitching in the seventh inning. If you own Barnes or Ryan Brasier you should still hold onto them, but I think I prefer Barnes going forward.
If you can make sense of Minnesota's bullpen usage Wednesday, then Mister you're a better man than I. The Twins used Blake Parker to get one out in the ninth Wednesday with a four-run lead even though he had thrown 1.2 innings in securing his seventh save of the season Tuesday. Mike Morin notched his first save of the season after the since-demoted Trevor Hildenberger got into trouble.
Parker has been good all season, and he is probably relatively safe, but I am a bit concerned that manager Rocco Baldelli is going to mix and match more as opposed to only using Parker in save situations. If that is the case, lefty Taylor Rogers and righty Trevor May could both be in line for saves, though May was the first reliever into the game Tuesday. See why this situation is potentially confusing?
Luke Jackson appears to have solidified his hold on the closing gig in Atlanta with three saves the last seven days. The Braves will almost certainly trade for or sign a closer at some point, but Jackson is showing every indication he will hold onto the job until then.
Steve Cishek is similarly locked into the Cubs’ closing gig after two saves in two opportunities in the last week. Unfortunately for his fantasy owners, he will almost certainly turn into a pumpkin when Pedro Strop comes off the IL. It probably won't matter anytime soon, but if I had to guess, Brandon Kintzler would be next in line for saves behind Cishek. Carl Edwards Jr. picked up his second blown save of the season Wednesday, and Kintzler has been better than anyone could have reasonably expected.
Hansel Robles would probably be my number one closer to add this week I'd he is still available. He has only been getting one save opportunity per week since taking the job, but he has converted all three of them. Ty Buttrey has eight holds this season, and the Angels clearly want to keep him in that role. The Angels aren't a great team but they aren't hopeless, either. They are just two games under .500 and so long as they stay competitive, Robles should see more save chances soon.
The Rangers havent had any save chances the last week, but they are only half a game behind the Angel's in the standings. This bullpen will be relevant for fantasy again soon. Chris Martin (not the one from Coldplay) should probably be owned in most leagues, at least until Shawn Kelley comes off the IL. Like seemingly every closer this season, Martin has had some issues with home runs, but his 6.00 K/BB is more than good enough to get the job done.
The Rangers have said they want José Leclerc to work his way back into a late-inning role, and he has allowed just one hit in 5.0 innings in May. His BABIP allowed is still .361, which gives you an idea of just how bad it was in April. The problem is Leclerc also has four walks in May. I wouldn't be shocked if Leclerc settles down and regains the ninth inning role, but he needs to cut way down in the walks before that happens. Also, it is fair to wonder if he can get his job back no matter how well he throws if Martin continues to not walk anyone.