This week on Saves & Steals, we take a quick look at the closer rankings and how they stack up leading up to the All-Star break. In the steals department, we examine Rese Hines’ hot start in Cincinnati, Xavier Edwards’ prowess in deep leagues, and which prospects you should consider saving.
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Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings
Tier 1: Top
Emanuel Klass – Cleveland Guardians
Ryan Helsley – St. Louis Cardinals
Craig Kimbrel – Baltimore Orioles
Klaas earned the save on Saturday and had 29 saves in 44 1/3 innings by the All-Star break with a 0.81 ERA, 0.68 WHIP and 39/5 strikeout/walk ratio. More strikeouts would be ideal, but you can’t really ask for much more from the 26-year-old right-hander. Helsley finished the first half of the season as the major league saves leader with 32 saves. And despite missing out on a save in a tough game before the break against the Yankees, Kimbrel still had a great season with a 2.80 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 53 strikeouts and 23 saves in 35 1/3 innings.
Tier 2: Elite
Mason Miller – Oakland Athletics
Josh Hader – Houston Astros
Kirby Yates – Texas Rangers
Miller leads relievers in strikeouts at rest with 70, has a 2.27 ERA, a 0.86 WHIP and 15 saves in 39 2/3 innings. Hader is second to Miller in strikeouts with 67, and after posting a 6.39 ERA in April, he has a 2.76 ERA, a 0.78 WHIP and a 46/6 strikeout/walk ratio in his last 29 1/3 innings. The third closer in the AL West rounds out this tier along with Yates. The 37-year-old right-hander is having an incredible comeback season, posting a 1.05 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, 46 strikeouts and 16 saves in 34 1/3 innings. Yates and David Robertson make a great duo to close out the late innings in Texas.
Tier 3: Solid Choices
Andres Munoz – Seattle Mariners
Robert Suarez – San Diego Padres
Raisel Iglesias – Atlanta Braves
Kenley Jansen – Boston Red Sox
Joan Duran – Minnesota Twins
Evan Phillips – Los Angeles Dodgers
Clay Holmes – New York Yankees
Paul Swald – Arizona Diamondbacks
Edwin Diaz – New York Mets
Kyle Finnegan – Washington Nationals
Trevor Megill – Milwaukee Brewers
Though his strikeout numbers are down a bit, Munoz has been solid as Seattle’s closer, pitching 15 saves in 38 1/3 innings with a 1.41 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 46 strikeouts in the first half of the season. Suarez got off to a strong start in May, recording 17 saves, but has only managed five saves since the start of June. Still, he’s been incredibly solid for the Padres, pitching 37 2/3 innings with a 1.67 ERA and 0.90 WHIP.
Iglesias finished the first half of the season with 22 saves and a 2.02 ERA in 35 2/3 innings. His strikeout rate has risen over the past two months after a slow start, posting a 9.31 K/9 with a 15.7% strikeout rate since May 15. Jansen is another veteran who is performing well in the second half of his career. He got the job done in Boston, posting a 2.16 ERA and 19 saves in 33 1/3 innings by the All-Star break.
Duran’s strikeout numbers are below his career averages, but he still posted a 2.93 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 30 2/3 innings with 15 saves. Griffin Jacks has been one of the better relief pitchers to make the roster in deeper format and holding leagues, posting a 1.91 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings.
Phillips stumbled a bit late in the first half, missing his final two save opportunities. He had allowed runs in four of his final six games before the break. Daniel Hudson, Alex Bethea and Blake Treinen were all very effective in setup roles. The All-Star break also came at a good time for Holmes, who has just two saves over the past month with a 7.45 ERA. Meanwhile, Sewald bounced back from a tough first half with three straight shutout appearances after giving up seven runs in three games.
Diaz returned from suspension with three saves and one win, and has pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts since coming off the disabled list on June 13.
Finnegan was surprisingly one of the best closers in the first half of the season, recording 25 saves with a 2.45 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 42 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings. The Nationals traded Hunter Harvey to the Royals before the All-Star break, and Finnegan could be next in line to be dealt at the trade deadline.
Megill has done a great job as the Brewers’ closer, winning 18 of 20 save opportunities with a 2.05 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 37 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings. Devin Williams has begun his rehab efforts to return from a back injury sustained during spring training. He struck out three batters in a perfect inning at High-A Wisconsin on Sunday. It likely won’t be long until he’s back on the major league roster and back in the closer’s role.
Tier 4: Here’s the advantage
Pete Fairbanks – Tampa Bay Rays
Tanner Scott – Miami Marlins
Jeff Hoffman/Jose Alvarado – Philadelphia Phillies
Carlos Estevez – Los Angeles Angels
Camilo Doval – San Francisco Giants
Alexis Diaz – Cincinnati Reds
David Bednar – Pittsburgh Pirates
Chad Green/Yimi Garcia – Toronto Blue Jays
James MacArthur – Kansas City Royals
Fairbanks is another relief pitcher who hasn’t been getting the strikeouts we’re used to seeing, but he’s been solid for the Rays, posting a 3.21 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 32 strikeouts and 17 saves in 33 2/3 innings by the All-Star break.
Scott has been great in Miami — allowing just two runs per game since April 14 while posting a 1.34 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 45 strikeouts and 14 saves in 40 1/3 innings — but his time as the closer could be in jeopardy if he is dealt to a championship-contender at the trade deadline.
Alvarado stumbled until the All-Star break, giving up at least one run in four of his final seven games, while Hoffman looks increasingly reliable in the ninth inning, with four of his nine saves coming in recent weeks. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him record the most saves on the team in the second half of the game.
Estevez is another closer to watch at the trade deadline. The Angels seem open to a sale, and the 31-year-old right-hander, who is nearing the end of his contract, could be one of the more attractive players on the market. He has a 2.61 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 31 strikeouts and 4 walks in 31 innings, along with 17 saves. He’s been particularly good over the past two months, not allowing a run since May 20.
Doval has been extremely inconsistent this season, mainly due to an increased walk rate and the number of hard hits he has allowed. The 27-year-old right-hander has converted 17 of 21 save opportunities, posting a 4.38 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 49 strikeouts in 37 innings. The same is true for Diaz, who has also struggled with walk issues but has also struggled to strike out as many batters and has been more inconsistent. Rounding out this group of disappointing closers is Bednar, who returned from the disabled list last week to record his 17th save. He has been plagued by oblique muscle issues this season and has struggled on the mound with a 5.01 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 33 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings.
With Jordan Romano and Yimi Garcia on injured reserve, Green took over the closer role and recorded six saves for the Blue Jays. Garcia has already joined the team and should be in action before the team returns after the break on Friday.
MacArthur did a nice job in Kansas City, posting a 3.99 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 17 saves in 38 1/3 innings. It’s rare to see a closer retain their role with a 7.04 K/9, so newly acquired reliever Hunter Harvey could be one to watch in the second half.
Level 5: I can manage
Jason Foley – Detroit Tigers
Hector Neris – Chicago Cubs
Michael Kopech – Chicago White Sox
Jalen Beeks/Victor Vodnik – Colorado Rockies
Like MacArthur, Foley has struggled to get hitters off his plate, striking out just 25 in 33 1/3 innings. He had nine saves through April, but just six of them over the past three months.
The always-mercurial Neris has been solid over the past month, posting a 3.86 ERA, 1.56 WHIP with 35 strikeouts and 13 saves in 32 2/3 innings, while the White Sox’s Kopech has a 5.05 ERA with 56 strikeouts and nine saves in 41 innings. In Colorado, Vodnick and Beeks have been trading save opportunities recently, with Beeks leading the team with nine saves.
I was injured
Devin Williams – Back
Jordan Romano – Elbow
Stolen Goods Division
Ellie de la Cruz has led the league in stolen bases in the first half of the season, with 46 stolen bases in 412 at-bats, a .256/.346/.483 batting average, 17 home runs, 64 runs scored, and 43 RBIs. His teammate in Cincinnati, Rece Hines, was one of the most added players last week. The 23-year-old outfielder is off to a great start, slashing .423/.464/1.192 with five home runs, 11 RBIs, and two stolen bases in his first seven games. While impressive, it would be wise to temper expectations and even consider selling him for a higher price. Hines has a .698 OPS and a strikeout rate of nearly 40% in 328 at-bats in Triple-A. At the other end of the contact spectrum, Xavier Edwards is hitting .352 with a 16.4% strikeout rate in 61 plate appearances for the Marlins. He has three stolen bases in his last four games. Though he lacks power, Edwards has a solid hitting ability that could make up for his speed in deeper leagues. Houston’s Shea Whitcomb might be a prospect to save for the later part of the season. The 25-year-old infielder is hitting .298/.383/.535 with 19 home runs and 22 stolen bases in 376 plate appearances at Triple-A.
