Have a big fantasy baseball draft this weekend? Looking for sleepers in the saves category, or simply want to know the status of a particular closer’s job security? We've got you covered.
Saves are obviously an important aspect of fantasy baseball, but the closer position is shakier than it has been in years. Highlighted by the retirement of Mariano Rivera, Major League Baseball only has a handful of legitimate closers for fantasy owners to chose from.
We break down the closer situation of all 30 MLB teams.
Bonus: Is Scott Kazmir the new Cliff Lee?
Baltimore Orioles
Back on February 7, Britt Ghiroli of MLB.com stated that Tommy Hunter will open the season as the Orioles’ closer. Hunter is an odd choice, as serving up home runs is probably the thing he’s best at. I expect the Orioles to change their minds a few times during the season.
Closer: Tommy Hunter
Status: Extremely shaky
Sleepers for saves: Bud Norris, Kevin Gausman , Brian Matusz and Darren O’Day could all get a crack, at some point, when Hunter inevitably struggles.
Boston Red Sox
Koji Uehara is coming off one of the most dominant seasons by a reliever in baseball history. He posted a 1.09 ERA and 0.57 WHIP over 74.1 innings in 2013. Uehara enters the season as Boston’s closer, but general manager Ben Cherington has publicly said he "would love to have more than one closer on the team.” Edward Mujica is now in Boson after saving 37 games for the Cardinals in 2013 but he’s strictly a handcuff to Uehara… for now.
Closer: Koji Uehara
Status: Steady
Sleepers: Edward Mujica and Andrew Miller
New York Yankees
You can make an intelligent argument that replacing Mariano Rivera is the toughest task in the history of Major League Baseball. David Robertson is the lucky guy awarded that challenge. D-Rob does have the stuff to be an elite closer, and he’s lucky because he’s already a fan favorite in the Bronx. If the Yankees brought in a free-agent closer, such as Grant Balfour, he would have been Public Enemy No. 1 after his first blown save. The fans were spoiled by Rivera for almost two decades. Let’s see if the Yankees fans ever turn on Robertson.
Closer: David Robertson
Status: Solid
Sleepers: The Yankees don’t have much in the bullpen after Robertson. Matt Thornton has some experience, but the Yankees need him as a left-handed specialist. Look for the Yankees to look outside the organization for help If Robertson implodes. Dellin Betances is the in-house, long-term option.
Tampa Bay Ray
Grant Balfour wasn’t brought back by the Oakland A’s after saving 38 games in 2013. Then, Balfour failed a physical when the Orioles tried to sign him. The 36-year-old ended up inking a two-year, $12 million deal with the Rays and he will be their closer for the foreseeable future. Balfour is a fiery guy with excellent stuff but he’s had a ton of physical ailments over the past few seasons. He’s even experiencing “dead arm” in Spring Training. It’s a good thing the Rays also acquired former closer Heath Bell in the offseason for some insurance.
Closer: Grant Balfour
Status: Rock solid until he gets injured
Sleeper: Heath Bell (short term), Jake McGee (long term)
Toronto Blue Jays
Casey Janssen emerged as a terrific ninth-inning option last season when he posted a 2.56 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with 34 saves. He’s converted 56 of 61 save chances the last two seasons and is also in a contract year. The 32-year-old should be an elite fantasy closer if he stays healthy. Janssen was shut down early in spring after reporting tightness in his right shoulder it’s not expected to be serious. Sergio Santos would be the next in line and is an ideal handcuff for Janssen in deeper AL-only formats.
Closer: Casey Janssen
Status: Rock solid
Sleeper: Sergio Santos
Houston Astros
The Astros have the most questionable closer situation in all of baseball. Jesse Crain, who missed the second half of last season with biceps and shoulder injuries, has been a “closer of the future” for about a decade now. He was having a terrific 2013 campaign before the injury and Houston signed him in the offseason with the intentions of letting him compete for saves. He’s not 100 percent recovered and hasn’t pitched this spring but he still might be the favorite for saves once healthy… by default. If Crain isn’t ready, veteran Chad Qualls is expected to begin the year as the team’s closer.
Closer: Jesse Crain, but he’s injured. So… Chad Qualls?
Status: Shakiest in baseball
Sleeper: Josh Fields
Los Angeles Angels
Ernesto Frieri might not be the sexiest closer to target on Draft Day, but he strikes out a ton of batters and would need to implode to lose his job. His 3.80 ERA and 1.24 WHIP from last season leave plenty of room for improvement, but Frieri will help with strikeouts. He posted 98 Ks over 68.7 innings in 2013.
Closer: Ernesto Frieri
Status: Solid, but many fantasy writers disagree
Sleeper: Joe Smith, Dane De La Rosa
Oakland Athletics
Jim Johnson saved 50 games for the Orioles in 2013 and lands in Oakland after an offseason deal. Johnson doesn’t rack up the Ks but has a 2.72 ERA and 1.15 WHIP over the last two seasons. He’s a low-risk option on a team that should generate a ton of save opportunities.
Closer: Jim Johnson
Status: Rock solid
Sleeper: Luke Gregerson
Seattle Mariners
Fernando Rodney inked a two-year, $14 million deal to become the new closer of the Mariners. The veteran, who turns 37 this week, has enough in the tank to save 35-plus games for the Mariners after recording 37 saves for the Rays in 2013.
Closer: Fernando Rodney
Status: Solid
Sleeper: Danny Farquhar
Texas Rangers
The Rangers had three potential closers entering Spring Training. Now, it appears Joakim Soria is the only viable option. Neftali Feliz was so awful this spring that he's starting the season in the minors. If Ron Washington didn't trust him on the Opening Day roster, than we don't trust him to collect saves anytime soon. Tanner Scheppers has the stuff to be a very dependable closer down the road, but he’s been moved to the starting rotation and is actually starting Opening Day in the wake of Yu Darvish's neck injury.
Closer: Joakim Soria
Status: Surprisingly safe
Sleeper: Neftali Feliz down the road?
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox traded closer Addison Reed to the Diamondbacks this offseason, opening the door for Nate Jones to emerge as the ninth-inning man. A glute injury has slowed Jones in camp but he still appears to be the favorite for saves on the South Side. Jones is already 28 and posted a 4.15 ERA last season, which hardly excites me. He did post an 89/26 K/BB ratio over 78 innings last season, so he clearly misses bats. Jones could surprise and emerge as a nice fantasy option, but the White Sox brass likes him better than I do.
Closer: Nate Jones
Status: Questionable
Sleeper: Matt Lindstrom
Fantasy baseball draft strategy: Sleepers to stash
Cleveland Indians
John Axford scares me for fantasy purposes. He was a complete stud in 2011, posting 46 saves with a 1.97 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Things fell apart in 2012 for Axford and he lost his job while posting a 4.69 ERA. The Indians inked Axford to a one-year, $4.5 million contract to pitch the ninth inning until Cody Allen is ready to take over.
Closer: John Axford
Status: Keeping the seat warm, but steady in the short term
Sleeper: Cody Allen
Is Scott Kazmir the new Cliff Lee?
Minnesota Twins
Glen Perkins was given a four-year, $21.48 million contract extension by the small-market Twins this winter. The contract alone should be enough to convince fantasy owners that Perkins is a legit closer.
Closer: Glen Perkins
Status: Rock solid
Sleeper: The Twins are in big trouble if Perkins struggles
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers had severe ninth-inning issues in 2013. They signed Joe Nathan to a two-year, $20 million contract and the ninth-inning problems are solved, assuming the 39-year-old Nathan stays healthy. The veteran has 341 career saves and is a terrific fantasy option.
Closer: Joe Nathan
Status: Rock solid, but old
Sleeper: Joba Chamerlain
Kansas City Royals
Greg Holland is a household name in the fantasy community, but still relatively unknown by the average baseball fan. That should change soon. Holland is among the most dominant closers in baseball, finishing ninth in the AL Cy Young race and 15th in the AL MVP voting last season. He’s probably the best bet in the American League for fantasy purposes. All he did in 2013 was save 47 games with a 1.21 ERA and 0.87 WHIP.
Closer: Greg Holland
Status: Rock solid
Sleeper: Aaron Crow
Atlanta Braves
Craig Kimbrel is the best closer in baseball. He should be the first closer taken in every fantasy format.
Closer: Craig Kimbrel
Status: No. 1 option in baseball
Sleeper: Jordan Walden
Miami Marlins
Steve Cishek racked up 34 saves with a 2.34 ERA last season and is undervalued in fantasy leagues. The frugal Marlins gave him a one-year, $3.8 million contract and the closer role is all his entering the season. Cishek’s 74 Ks in 69.2 innings and low WHIP (1.08) help his fantasy outlook.
Closer: Steve Cishek
Status: Underrated
Sleeper: Mike Dunn
New York Mets
Bobby Parnell’s velocity isn’t all the way back after offseason neck surgery, but he posted a 2.16 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 22 saves in 2013. He’s the closer until he blows the job… but every season, a few “established” closers seem to blow their jobs. Parnell is also a long shot to pitch back-to-back days in the early part of the season, which could lead to a few save chances for Jose Valverde. Vick Black was my original sleeper for saves in the Mets’ bullpen, but an awful spring got him sent to Triple-A Las Vegas to begin the season.
Closer: Bobby Parnell
Status: The Mets' only real option
Sleeper: Jose Valverde. Seriously.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies reportedly shopped Jonathan Papelbon in the offseason, but didn't find a taker. Perhaps it is because he’s owed $26 million over the next two seasons and could be due $39 million over three seasons if he reaches an attainable vesting option for 2016.
Closer: Jonathan Papelbon
Status: Solid
Sleeper: Antonio Bastardo
Washington Nationals
Rafael Soriano doesn’t pick up too many Ks and his 1.23 WHIP from last season leaves plenty to be desired. That said, he’s making $14 million this season and managed 43 saves in 2013 despite a mediocre 51 Ks over 66.2 innings. Soriano won’t lose the job unless he absolutely implodes, but the Nats do have two capable alternatives in Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen.
Closer: Rafael Soriano
Status: Steady, but many fantasy writers are down on him
Sleeper: Tyler Clippard
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks acquired Addison Reed over the offseason from the White Sox in exchange for third base prospect Matt Davidson. Reed, who posted 40 saves with a 3.79 ERA in Chicago last season, will hold onto the closer role unless he implodes. But all closers will lose their job if they implode. So why do so many analysts think J.J. Putz will claim the job? Well, Putz is a proven veteran and Reed is only 25... but other than that, it doesn’t make sense. Reed is the better option and a nice target for fantasy purposes.
Closer: Addison Reed
Status: Steadier than people think
Sleeper: J.J. Putz
Colorado Rockies
LaTroy Hawkins is the “closer” of the Rockies, but that is only because Rex Brothers is left handed. Brothers is the superior pitcher, and is likely the closer-of-the-future in Colorado, but it appears Hawkins will open the season in the ninth-inning role.
Closer: LaTroy Hawkins
Status: Keeping the seat warm
Sleeper: Rex Brothers, who could be the closer by May 1
Los Angeles Dodgers
Kenley Jansen struck out 111 batters over 76.2 innings last season while posting a 1.88 ERA and 0.86 WHIP. He’s downright filthy and should be considered an elite fantasy closer. Draft Jansen with confidence in all formats.
Closer: Kenley Jansen
Status: Rock solid
Sleeper: Brian Wilson
San Diego Padres
The often-injured Huston Street is a serviceable closer when he’s healthy. Street saved 33 games with a 2.70 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 2013. However, Street is already nursing a groin injury and the addition of veteran reliever Joaquin Benoit gives the Padres a serviceable fallback option if (when) Street lands on the DL.
Closer: Huston Street
Status: Shaky
Sleeper: Joaquin Benoit
San Francisco Giants
Sergio Romo saved 38 games in 2013, but he only picked up 58 Ks over 60.1 innings. Romo gets the job done with command, as opposed to strikeouts. The 31-year-old righty only walked 12 batters last season and finished with a very respectable 2.54 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. However, Romo is having a horrible Spring Training and it’s starting to scare me away for fantasy purposes. In 10 appearances this spring, Romo has allowed 12 runs and sports a 12.38 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP. Usually Spring Training stats aren’t important, but this is a warning sign.
Closer: Sergio Romo
Status: Scary to draft
Sleeper: Santiago Casilla
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs signed Jose Veras to a one-year, $4 million deal to take over the ninth-inning duties. Veras is a perfectly serviceable option who saved 21 games for the Astros last season. However, the Cubs aren’t expected to be contenders this season and Veras, who is on a one-year deal, will be a candidate to get traded at the deadline. Whoever acquires Veras would likely use him in a setup role. Just last year, he was traded from Houston to Detroit in July and lost his fantasy value. Also, Pedro Strop has closer-type stuff and could push for the job immediately if Veras struggles.
Closer: Jose Veras
Status: Shaky
Sleeper: Pedro Strop
Cincinnati Reds
Aroldis Chapman underwent successful surgery last Thursday to repair fractures to his face. The Cuban lefty was hit by a comebacker in Cactus League play and will miss the first 4-6 weeks of the season. With Jonathan Broxton also out with a forearm injury, it appears J.J. Hoover will get the first shot at the ninth-inning role until Chapman returns. Chapman is an elite option when healthy and fantasy owners are hoping for a quick recovery.
Reds closer Aroldis Chapman posts pic of surgically-repaired head on Instagram (PHOTO)
Closer: Aroldis Chapman eventually, but J.J. Hoover for now?
Status: Chapman is out for 4-6 weeks, Hoover is extremely shaky
Sleeper: Sam LeCure
Milwaukee Brewers
It scares me from a fantasy perspective when a veteran with closer experience backs up a mediocre closer. While Jim Henderson was obviously better than “mediocre” in 2013, Francisco Rodriguez is lurking in the bullpen. K-Rod has proven capable in high-pressure situations and Henderson will feel the heat if he doesn’t get off to a nice start this season. Henderson’s career numbers are great, with a 120/37 K/BB ratio and 31 saves over two seasons, but K-Rod’s presence is enough to scare me away.
Closer: Jim Henderson
Status: Serviceable
Sleeper: Francisco Rodriguez
Pittsburgh Pirates
Jason Grilli has been great the past three seasons in Pittsburgh, posting a 2.74 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 201/50 K/BB ratio over 141.1 innings. Grilli is also 37 years old and has battled elbow issues since the end of last season. Mark Melancon is among the most necessary handcuffs in the league. It would be extremely wise to draft Melancon in the late rounds if you’re counting on Grilli for saves. You have yourself a nice little combo if you own both pitchers.
Closer: Jason Grilli
Status: Solid but aged
Sleeper: Mark Melancon
St. Louis Cardinals
Trevor Rosenthal had a coming-out party during the 2013 playoffs. The flamethrower threw 11.2 shutout innings with four saves and an 18/3 K/BB ratio while holding opponents to a .108 average. He enters 2014 as the Cardinals’ closer and has the tools to be an elite fantasy option.
Closer: Trevor Rosenthal
Status: On the verge of elite
Sleeper: Carlos Martinez
Questions? Hit me on Twitter @briansflood
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