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Reliever Roundup: April 27, 2024

Below you’ll find a roundup of notable reliever-related news from April 20-26 , organized by team (not every team will have notes).

You can also view the Closer Depth Chart for a full picture of bullpen hierarchies.

American League

Minnesota Twins

Griffin Jax and Brock Stewart have both filled in admirably, but Jhoan Duran appears to be nearing a return to the majors. His first rehab appearance on Tuesday didn’t go well, and he topped out at just 99 mph, high for anyone not named Mason Miller but a low top-end velocity for him. Still, an early-May return appears to be in the cards, which will return Stewart and Jax to setup roles.

Oakland Athletics

Mason Miller finally pitched on back-to-back days! I’ll believe three in a row is possible when I see it, but this firmly entrenches him as the true closer, rather than “closer when he’s available, which is TBD.”

Seattle Mariners

Matt Brash had his rehab from elbow inflammation paused indefinitely, and he’s going to see Dr. Keith Meister, which is almost never good news. His season could be in real jeopardy.

Texas Rangers

Kirby Yates‘ 11 scoreless innings have him entrenched as the closer, with Bruce Bochy preferring to deploy David Robertson as more of a multi-inning fireman. It’s deja vu all over again for José Leclerc, who’s back in a setup/middle relief role while he works on his control and command, similar to last year.

National League

Arizona Diamondbacks

Paul Sewald will have his rehab slowed a bit, though it doesn’t appear to be a real setback. Kevin Ginkel should continue to close until Sewald’s ready sometime in May.

Chicago Cubs

Adbert Alzolay was removed from the closer’s role while he tightens up his command and hopefully gets less homer-prone. Hector Neris looks to be the closer for now, though he’s not pitching particularly well either. Keep an eye on Mark Leiter Jr., whose ERA is still 0.00, and Yency Almonte, who’s rebounded after a tough start.

Colorado Rockies

Justin Lawrence is on a roll and looks to have reclaimed the closer’s job that was very much not his in the early going, with Jake Bird, Nick Mears, and Victor Vodnik moving up the depth chart. Tyler Kinley continues to pitch poorly.

Milwaukee Brewers

The ninth inning will continue to be fluid until Devin Williams is back, but the latest is that Joel Payamps and Trevor Megill look to be the two guys. Abner Uribe’s control might just be a bit too spotty to be the last line of defense.

Pittsburgh Pirates

David Bednar was on a modest run of three scoreless appearances before giving up three runs without recording an out on Friday. But as I’ve been saying every week, he’s given himself plenty of leash and it’s not like Aroldis Chapman is pitching well either.


Reliever Roundup: April 20, 2024

Below you’ll find a roundup of notable reliever-related news from April 13-19 , organized by team (not every team will have notes).

You can also view the Closer Depth Chart for a full picture of bullpen hierarchies.

American League

Cleveland Guardians

Emmanuel Clase is of course the guy in the ninth, but it looks like Hunter Gaddis, who’s still unscored upon this year, is the backup. He’s struck out 38% of opponents, walking just 8%.

Houston Astros

Things couldn’t be going much worse for Josh Hader, but he’s obviously not going to lose his job anytime soon. He’s allowed more earned runs this year than he did all of last year.

Kansas City Royals

Will Smith continues pitching terribly, and James McArthur is the undisputed closer now, with just one walk to 12 strikeouts in 9.2 innings.

Los Angeles Angels

Robert Stephenson being out for the year means Carlos Estévez has almost no chance of losing his closing job this season, with Matt Moore the only other Angel reliever pitching well.

Seattle Mariners

I’ll probably continue to note every week that Andrés Muñoz is the highest-leverage reliever in the bullpen, but that Ryne Stanek will continue to get saves on days Muñoz is the fireman.

Texas Rangers

Kirby Yates has the team’s last two saves but it’s not fully clear that he’s the guy in the ninth, with José Leclerc pitching better of late and David Robertson always steady.

Texas Rangers

Kirby Yates has the team’s last two saves but it’s not fully clear that he’s the guy in the ninth, with José Leclerc pitching better of late and David Robertson always steady.

Toronto Blue Jays

Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson are back from the IL, and Chad Green is on it with a shoulder strain, so he’ll almost certainly be out for a while. Swanson looked rough in his first appearance back so Yimi García is still Romano’s top setup man, with Trevor Richards pitching in.

National League

Colorado Rockies

Things remain a mess here, with no clear closer with the Rockies so rarely in position to use one. Nick Mears and Victor Vodnik are the only two guys pitching particularly well out of the bullpen.

Milwaukee Brewers

Abner Uribe had been the closer to start the season, but he’s been pitching in lower leverage and often multiple innings lately. Manager Pat Murphy’s been playing the matchups instead, with Joel Payamps and Hoby Milner picking up saves. Just back from the IL, Trevor Megill figures to factor in as well.

Pittsburgh Pirates

David Bednar had yet another rough outing on Wednesday, but there’s still zero indication that he’s no longer the closer. Aroldis Chapman pitching poorly and then getting suspended probably takes some heat off Bednar for now anyway.


Reliever Roundup: April 13, 2024

Below you’ll find a roundup of notable reliever-related news from April 6-12 , organized by team (not every team will have notes).

You can also view the Closer Depth Chart for a full picture of bullpen hierarchies.

American League

Chicago White Sox

John Brebbia’s injury has cleared the way for Michael Kopech to be the undisputed closer. Pedro Grifol would ideally like to use him in one-inning stints but he’s often had to be deployed as a fireman as the White Sox try to eke out some wins.

Kansas City Royals

Will Smith continues to get hit around, and James McArthur has put his early-season struggles behind him. It sure looks like the latter is the closer and the former may pitch in lower leverage—as he did Friday—to work out the kinks.

Los Angeles Angels

Robert Stephenson is set to start a rehab assignment Sunday; Carlos Estévez is expected to remain the closer but Estévez, Stephenson, and Matt Moore should form a good back-end troika once Stephenson is ready for his Angels debut.

Minnesota Twins

Jhoan Duran threw a bullpen session on Friday and will throw another before hopefully departing on a rehab assignment within the week. The Twins have a staggering seven relievers on the IL, and getting their closer back will go a long way towards idealizing the full-strength bullpen that was projected as the league’s best before all the injuries hit.

Oakland Athletics

Still no back-to-backs for Mason Miller, and frankly I’m not sure he’ll ever be green-lit for pitching on consecutive days this year. That makes earnings saves hard to line up, but pitch for pitch he looks like the most dominant arm in baseball.

Tampa Bay Rays

Since getting destroyed in Colorado and blaming the baseballs from the humidor, Pete Fairbanks looks back on track. His command will always come and go but the stuff looks great and his velocity is normal for him.

Texas Rangers

José Leclerc pitched in lower leverage on Friday and while he didn’t give up any runs, his command is still erratic. My guess is he’ll stay there for a bit, with David Robertson and Kirby Yates handling the eighth and ninth.

Toronto Blue Jays

Chad Green, Trevor Richards, and Yimi García have all performed admirably as substitutes, but it’s great for the Blue Jays that Erik Swanson and Jordan Romano both started rehab assignments on Friday. Romano should regain his closing role right away, with Swanson helping set him up.

National League

Cincinnati Reds

Alexis Díaz hasn’t looked quite right—and really he hasn’t since the first half of last year—but there’s no inkling that he’ll be moved out of the closer’s role. Lucas Sims and Fernando Cruz are the only Reds relievers pitching particularly well anyway.

Colorado Rockies

The ninth is an absolute mess for Colorado, with Jake Bird recording their only save of the season and presumed co-closers Justin Lawrence and Tyler Kinley both pitching terribly. Keep an eye on Nick Mears, who throws hard and—although he’s got control issues—has allowed just two earned runs in 6.1 innings thus far.

Miami Marlins

I’m starting to get concerned with Tanner Scott, whose control has been awful. He’s walked 30% of the batters he’s faced (nine out of 20), landing just 53% of his pitches for strikes. But he’s been effectively wild, keeping runs off the board so far. It probably helps his case that the Marlins aren’t going anywhere and Anthony Bender isn’t exactly pushing for saves.

Philadelphia Phillies

As has been the case with Rob Thomson’s bullpens, a flexible closer-by-committee situation is brewing. José Alvarado, Jeff Hoffman, and Gregory Soto have all recorded saves, and Seranthony Domínguez may get more leverage if he can shake off the early-season rust. Matt Strahm and Yunior Marte have both pitched excellently as well.

Pittsburgh Pirates

I’m really not liking what I’m seeing with David Bednar, whose command just looks off, with a lot of misses high and to the glove side. Fortunately, the stuff looks just fine and Derek Shelton gave him a vote of confidence, even with Aroldis Chapman starting his Pirates tenure incredibly well.

St. Louis Cardinals

Not sure how long it’ll last, but it’s interesting to see Ryan Helsley transforming into a workhorse in the early going, pitching in eight of the Cardinals’ first 14 games. Him being more available than in years past will limit save chances for Giovanny Gallegos and JoJo Romero.

Washington Nationals

Similarly to Bednar, Kyle Finnegan just doesn’t look quite right, and his top setup man (Hunter Harvey) is pitching quite well. Still, there’s no sign of a change in the offing.

 

 

 

 

 


Reliever Roundup: April 6, 2024

Below you’ll find a roundup of notable reliever-related news for the season so far, organized by team (not every team will have notes). This is the first update of the season and this will run every Saturday.

You can also view the Closer Depth Chart for a full picture of bullpen hierarchies.

American League

Baltimore Orioles

Craig Kimbrel’s velocity is down (93 mph on average), but he’s not concerned. He tends to add velocity as the season goes on and has struck out four of the seven batters he’s faced despite the lower velo.

Chicago White Sox

John Brebbia looks headed to the IL with a calf strain (a recurrence of the injury from Spring Training), though Michael Kopech appears to be the closer right now anyhow. That said, Kopech has run some high pitch counts and has walked five hitters in 5.1 innings, so he may be unable to work back-to-backs until he’s more efficient. Steven Wilson is the likeliest backup and Jordan Leasure has two scoreless appearances to start his career.

Detroit Tigers

A.J. Hinch won’t name a closer, but Jason Foley is definitely his most trusted arm. But Hinch won’t limit Foley to the ninth; he pitched a tie game against a tougher part of the order on Friday, for example, with Andrew Chafin trying for the save before Alex Lange had to bail him out. Shelby Miller and Tyler Holton have also excelled in what could be a sneaky-good, flexible bullpen.

Kansas City Royals

Even though both are running high ERAs in the very early going, it looks like Will Smith and James McArthur are co-closers, depending on matchups (Smith is lefty, McArthur a righty) and John Schreiber and Chris Stratton will help get the ball to them. Angel Zerpa also got a couple holds as a situational lefty and could sneak a save or two if Smith’s unavailable and the matchups work out.

Los Angeles Angels

Carlos Estévez is definitely the closer—and will be when Robert Stephenson returns sometime this month—but beyond that is a bit of a mess. Matt Moore has been conventionally used as a setup man, with José Soriano pitching in high leverage, but for two-plus innings. He could make some spot starts, which pushes Adam Cimber up the depth chart.

Minnesota Twins

Griffin Jax has gotten the Twins’ only save with Jhoan Duran on the IL with an oblique strain; he’s throwing from 150 feet with no pain but his timetable remains up in the air. Both Jax and Brock Stewart have looked good and we’ll assume they’re splitting closing duties until Minnesota has a few more saves in the books.

Oakland Athletics

No saves yet for the A’s, and while Mason Miller is far and away their most talented arm—reliever or otherwise—he didn’t work back-to-back days all Spring, nor has he this season; two of his three appearances have been for multiple innings. Lucas Erceg could be the next-best option if a save chance comes the day after Miller pitches, with T.J. McFarland the top lefty.

Seattle Mariners

Scott Servais has never been afraid to use Andrés Muñoz for multiple innings, or a single inning earlier than the ninth. Ryne Stanek will pick up a save here and there as that happens (as he did on Monday), and Matt Brash and Gregory Santos could do the same when they’re off the IL.

Tampa Bay Rays

Pete Fairbanks has been off with his command and his velocity is down 1.5 mph compared to last year. But it’s early, and the Rays will likely stick with him for at least a little bit. Jason Adam is next in line.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers don’t yet have a save, and both José Leclerc and David Robertson have finished games. Robertson has out-pitched Leclerc but is also likelier to get 4+ outs, which could actually lead to Leclerc getting more saves.

Toronto Blue Jays

Closer Jordan Romano and setup man Erik Swanson should be back from injury in fairly short order, with the Blue Jays taking a “cobble things together” approach to the ninth inning in their absences. Chad Green has the team’s one save, but Yimi García and Trevor Richards have pitched in high leverage as well.

National League

Chicago Cubs

Craig Counsell hasn’t named a closer officially, but it’s very clear based on usage that Adbert Alzolay is the guy, as if there was any doubt.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers, ravaged by pitching injuries (seven pitchers on the IL, including key relievers Brusdar Graterol and Blake Treinen) have turned to Daniel Hudson as their top setup man with Joe Kelly struggling. He earned a save on Sunday and could get a few more if Dave Roberts deploys Evan Phillips earlier, as he’s wont to do.

Miami Marlins

Tanner Scott’s control has been atrocious dating back to Spring Training, but the slumping Marlins don’t necessarily have anyone better to go to right now. Anthony Bender has looked good but there may not be much sense in going away from Scott just yet, either.

Milwaukee Brewers

Abner Uribe got touched up on Friday but looks to be the sole closer regardless, even as Pat Murphy said he’d play matchups with Devin Williams out half the year with a back injury. Trevor Megill is currently on the concussion IL and Joel Payamps hasn’t pitched well, so Uribe should have a strong hold on the job.

New York Mets

Edwin Díaz has also had a downtick in velocity, but he’s touched 98-99 and has pitched in some cold-weather games. I’m not sounding the alarm bells just yet, and his slider is in good form.

Pittsburgh Pirates

David Bednar looks recovered from a back injury that led to some unavailability at the start of the season, though he’s yet to work back-to-back games. Aroldis Chapman could still get a save here and there if Bednar’s still ramping up a bit.

Washington Nationals

Kyle Finnegan‘s earned both Nationals saves this year, but Hunter Harvey’s been a lot sharper. Tanner Rainey, coming off Tommy John surgery (he made just one appearance at the end of last season) has been erratic, with a 25% walk rate and without his usual velocity.


Relief Pitcher 2024 Fantasy Rankings

Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Relief pitchers are notoriously hard to evaluate; take a look at primary closers from even the beginning of last season and you’ll see incredible turnover. Players not ranked in the 2024 top 75 (plus one) who had at least partial stake in a closer job to start 2023 include Michael Fulmer, Kendall Graveman, Trevor May, Adam Ottavino, and Daniel Bard. If you told me right now that 25 or more of these players won’t be on the top 75 at the end of the year, I’d absolutely believe you!

So without further ado, here’s the top 75:

Changelog

  • 3/25/2024 – Last preseason update! Removed Ben Joyce from the list (I’m just not sure he’ll get enough MLB innings this year), and shuffled injured relievers around.
  • 3/18/2024 – Some minor shuffling as well, but the big change is Devin Williams getting a tier of his own now that he’ll miss half the season.
  • 3/11/2024 – Tweaked the Oh So Close tier with Devin Williams battling a back injury.
  • 3/4/2024 – A little bit of rearranging within tiers after injury news on Robert Stephenson and Matt Brash.
  • 2/27/2024 – Knocked John Brebbia down, as he’s dealing with a calf strain.
  • 2/19/2024 – Dinged Gregory Santos a bit for coming into camp with lat soreness.
  • 2/12/2024 – No changes.
  • 2/5/2024 – A little bit of shuffling after the Gregory Santos trade.
  • 1/29/2024 – The Notable Free Agents section is gone, with Neris, Robertson, and Chapman all signing. John Brebbia was also added.
  • 1/22/2024 – Updates with Josh Hader and Robert Stephenson signings, most notably affecting Stephenson, Carlos Estévez, and Ryan Pressly.
  • 1/15/2024 – Updated after Jordan Hicks signing, bumping him down since he’ll be given a chance to start.
  • 1/8/2024 – First Release

Ranking Methodology

  • ADP is based on 30 day rolling Rotowire Online Championship values.
  • $ Values are based on standard 5×5 12 team league using the FanGraphs Depth Charts and these Auction Calculator settings. They default to a player’s most valuable position, so if the first base list includes a catcher, it will show that player’s value at catcher.
  • ADP and $ Values are updated as of the last update date on this post.
  • 5-game eligibility was used for these lists to cast the widest net.

Elites

The best of the best.
Elites
Rank Name Team Pos Change ADP $
1 Edwin Díaz NYM RP 44 $19
2 Josh Hader HOU RP 47 $12
3 Emmanuel Clase CLE RP 54 $14

Edwin Díaz missed the entirety of 2023 after tearing his patellar tendon in the World Baseball Classic, but I’m not concerned about his ability to quickly regain his footing as the top closer in baseball after a brilliant 2022. He was under consideration to return late in 2023 so he should be a full go for Spring Training as he looks for a delayed second act to his unbelievable 50.2% strikeout rate and 1.31 ERA.

While his bottom-line numbers were typical, Josh Hader’s 2023 did have some slight dings under the hood. His 1.28 ERA is bested only by his 2021, and he picked up 33 saves, giving him 103 in the last three seasons. On the flip side, his strikeout and walk rates were the worst of his career; he kept his run-prevention numbers down thanks to a return to homer rates typical of Hader at his best. Keeping him second on the list is the fact that he’s getting paid like an elite closer and because of that he should have the job barring something like his initial Padres run down the stretch in 2022. Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly will probably keep Hader to the one-inning, traditional closer role he’s become accustomed to.

Similarly to Hader, Emmanuel Clase had good season but took a clear step back, with his even more clear than Hader’s. Clase’s ERA, strikeout rate, walk rate, and grounder rate all went in the wrong direction, perhaps driven by a cutter that was down half a tick in velocity. What keeps him in this tier is his sterling track record and the fact that even in a down year, he racked up 44 saves. Being the Guardians’s closer tends to lead to a lot of close games and as such, plenty of saves.

Oh So Close

Very minor quibbles to be made here.
Oh So Close
Rank Name Team Pos Change ADP $
4 Jhoan Duran MIN RP 60 $11
5 Camilo Doval SFG RP 58 $10
6 Evan Phillips LAD RP 85 $9
7 Raisel Iglesias ATL RP 61 $12
8 David Bednar PIT RP 77 $10

Jhoan Duran might have the filthiest stuff of any pitcher in the league, with a fastball north of 100mph and a “splinker” that can scrape triple digits. What holds him back is a strikeout rate that’s excellent but not elite, and more importantly, a new-school manager who doesn’t always use him to close. Rocco Baldelli isn’t afraid to deploy Duran in tighter situations earlier in the game, which can take saves away from him.

Camilo Doval was a well-deserved All-Star in 2023, breaking out as someone resembling Emmanuel Clase with worse command. Walks have been a slight issue for him (sometimes more than that), and he wore down a bit in the second half, with a 3.38 ERA compared to 2.63 before the break.

Evan Phillips is coming off two excellent season with the Dodgers, the second of them as the team’s primary closer. What keeps him in the second tier is his usage; although the Dodgers won 100 games in 2023, Phillips saved just 24 games, with Dave Roberts sometimes deploying Phillips similarly to how Baldelli occasionally uses Duran.

Although Raisel Iglesias’s season started late due to a shoulder strain, it was more of the same Iglesias upon his return, with a 2.75 ERA and 33 saves. What might give some pause is his age (he’ll be in his age-34 season) in conjunction with that prior shoulder injury, as well as running into occasional homer issues.

Pittsburgh’s native son David Bednar had his first fully healthy season as a closer in 2023, and didn’t disappoint, putting up a 2.00 ERA and 39 saves. He does have a history of finicky back issues, though, and his strikeout rate dropped below 30% in 2023.

Filthy But Flawed

Excellent stuff, but cause for concern.
Filthy But Flawed
Rank Name Team Pos Change ADP $
9 José Alvarado PHI RP ▲1 159 $8
10 Andrés Muñoz SEA RP ▲1 79 $16
11 Jordan Romano TOR RP ▲1 77 $8
12 Ryan Helsley STL RP ▲1 92 $11
13 Paul Sewald ARI RP ▲1 84 $6
14 Tanner Scott MIA RP ▲1 104 $10
15 Alexis Díaz CIN RP ▲1 78 $5
16 Pete Fairbanks TBR RP ▲1 88 $15
17 Clay Holmes NYY RP ▲1 99 $8
18 Robert Stephenson LAA RP ▲1 292 $2

Alvarado’s never held down a closing job for a full season, but with Craig Kimbrel in Baltimore, 2024 looks to be his chance. He still walks more than he should and has only topped 60 innings in a season once, however.

Andrés Muñoz was injured for longer in 2023 than he was in 2022, and his walk and strikeout rates both got worse. But his injury was at the start of the season instead of the end, though he did wear down in September (five earned runs in 10.1 innings).

Jordan Romano missed some time with a back injury, and had his worst ERA (2.90) since his cup of coffee in 2019. He was also as hittable as he’s ever been. That said, his fastball velocity was steady year-over-year and his batted ball metrics arguably improved.

Ryan Helsley’s 2023 season was injury-marred and not as good as his 2022 when he was on the field, but still shoved a triple-digit fastball down hitters’ throats, leading to a strikeout rate of above 35%; he also allowed just one homer in his 36.2 innings of work. His health should never be assumed, however, which knocks him down quite a few spots.

Paul Sewald had an inauspicious beginning to his Diamondbacks tenure, giving up a walk off homer in his first appearance in sedona red, and he additionally got battered in the World Series. His lower-than-typical-for-a-closer velocity will lead to more homers than you’d like, but his elite vertical approach angle and good command give him a pretty high floor.

Things finally clicked for Tanner Scott, whose 2023 walk rate was by far the best of his career, and his 104 strikeouts made him one of the few relievers to get into triple digits. Keeping him from being at least a bit higher on this list is the fear that he’ll have a walk rate relapse.

It was very much a tale of two seasons for Alexis Díaz, who was arguably the best closer in the NL in the first half, but badly faltered to a 4.61 ERA in the second half. He still picked up 37 saves and should undoubtedly enter the 2024 season closing for the Reds, keeping him in this tier.

Pete Fairbanks’s stuff is objectively electric, but he’s got one big problem: injuries. 2023 was his fifth season in the majors, and his 45.2 innings were actually a career-high. It’s tough to forecast a Fairbanks season that doesn’t include an IL trip.

Clay Holmes will probably never again reach the heights of his first half of 2022, but he put together an altogether solid season in 2023. It doesn’t seem as if he’ll ever be able to avoid those games where he just can’t find the strike zone, though.

It was a tale of two seasons for Robert Stephenson in 2023, who struggled in Pittsburgh before dominating in a Rays uniform. His turnaround came after he ditched his slider for a cutter, and led to a three-year, $33M deal with the Angels. money that means he’s likelier than not to close. The “flawed” part of his game is that him closing isn’t 100% certain, and we’ve only got a half-season of dominance to go off here. He’s been knocked down a spot won’t be quite ready for the start of the season due to shoulder soreness, but if it does he won’t be out for long.

(Generally) Steady Vets

Will surely close, and extraordinarly experienced, but not what they once were.
(Generally) Steady Vets
Rank Name Team Pos Change ADP $
19 Craig Kimbrel BAL RP ▲1 109 $5
20 Kenley Jansen BOS RP ▲1 129 $4

It was a typical season for the recent vintage of the mercurial Craig Kimbrel, whose ERA stood at 8.25 on May 3 before posting a 2.21 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 57 innings the rest of the way. Although he was struggling again by the NLCS, that didn’t stop the Orioles from signing him to be their closer as he looks for his first 30-save campaign since 2018.

Kenley Jansen basically had the reverse of Kimbrel’s season, starting out strong before faltering to give up seven runs in four September appearances, spiking his ERA from 2.74 to 3.63. He’s reportedly on the trade block, though it’s hard to imagine a team acquiring him to do anything but close, meaning his ranking here should be pretty stable.

Darn You, Injuries!

A big loss due to injury, but should still earn a half-season of saves.
Darn You, Injuries!
Rank Name Team Pos Change ADP $
21 Devin Williams MIL RP ▼12 107

Devin Williams’s back injury is horrible news, and will keep him out for at least a third (but likelier close to half) of the season. He’ll be the guy when he returns, but his value is hugely hampered by the time he’ll miss.

Half-Season Heroes

These guys didn’t close the whole season–and in some cases only picked up a few here and there–but should enter 2024 in the driver’s seat for their teams. That said, a lack of experience means they might not be very secure in the jobs for long.
Half-Season Heroes
Rank Name Team Pos Change ADP $
22 Adbert Alzolay CHC RP ▲1 120 $8
23 Alex Lange DET RP ▲1 175 $0
24 José Leclerc TEX RP ▲1 187 -$4
25 Hunter Harvey WSN RP ▲1 258 $3
26 Kyle Finnegan WSN RP ▲1 224 $0
27 Carlos Estévez LAA RP ▲1 204 $1
28 Mason Miller OAK RP ▼6 206 $10
29 David Robertson TEX RP 333 -$4
30 Justin Lawrence COL RP 374 -$5
31 Robert Suarez SDP RP 201 $3

Adbert Alzolay emerged from the Cubs’s closer committee as the clear choice by the end of the season, ultimately converting 22 saves. The converted starter appears to be in the bullpen for good, but Craig Counsell is never one to shy away from using relievers unconventionally, which could lead to setup men earning more saves.

Alex Lange started the season looking like he could be the Tigers’s All-Star representative, but lost his footing as the season wore on, posting a 5.06 ERA from June 1 through the end of the season. Most troubling was his 34 walks in 42.2 innings in that time. His stuff is undeniably closer-worthy, but he’ll need to find the zone more often to stick.

José Leclerc had a bizarre season, pitching well the whole way through but only earning four saves, with Bruce Bochy calling an audible for Will Smith to be his closer after Leclerc had some walk-heavy, inefficient outings. But by the playoffs, Leclerc was the clear closer, earning another four saves along the way. The David Robertson addition makes Leclerc’s position hold on the closing job a lot looser, but we’ll keep him in this spot for now as we await clarity.

Hunter Harvey finally made it through a mostly healthy season in 2023, setting a new career high with 57 appearances after making it into just 64 in the four years prior. He also earned ten saves, and will be jockeying for position with Kyle Finnegan.

Kyle Finnegan is a spot below Harvey only because his stuff just isn’t as good as Harvey’s, so even if it’s roughly a coin flip as to who closes right now, my guess is that Harvey runs away with the job.

Carlos Estévez was looking like one of the better deals of the offseason in the first half, when he was selected to his first career All-Star game after posting a 1.80 ERA in the first half. But much like the Angels, his performance withered in the second half, with a 6.59 ERA (plus six more unearned runs). His job is in flux after the Robert Stephenson signing, who will both make more than Estévez and had an opposite second half. Estévez could get knocked down quite a bit on this list if Stephenson wins the job outright out of camp.

Hard-throwing Mason Miller will be converted to the bullpen in 2023, and has the leg up on the closer job entering the season. That said, I’m concerned about how he’ll be utilized. Will he be able to work back-to-back days? How many saves will he realistically earn?

The Marlins gave up a notable prospect to get David Robertson at the trade deadline, but it didn’t work out, with a 5.06 ERA in 22 games for Miami, ultimately losing his job to Tanner Scott and undoing a lot of good he had done with the Mets. Still, he was throwing harder than ever, and the Rangers rewarded his stuff with an $11.5M contract. Right now, it’s unclear who’ll get the closing reps between Robertson and Leclerc, and they could both make big moves up or down this list depending on who wins out.

Justin Lawrence was one of the more mercurial relievers of the 2023 season, with a 5.40 ERA at home, 1.62 ERA on the road, 2.76 ERA in the first half, 5.22 ERA in the second half, and almost perfectly alternating good and bad months throughout the year. Of those who apepar to have closing jobs at least somewhat locked in at this stage of the offseason, Lawrence is lowest because of his inexperience, lack of success at Coors, and the continued presence of Daniel Bard on the roster.

Robert Suarez never got things going in the first year of his five year, $46 million contract, missing a large chunk of the season and ultimately making it into only 26 games. He was still tough to hit, allowing just 15 hits in 27.2 innings, but his strikeout and homer rates both went in the wrong direction. Still, he’s likeliest to enter the season as the Padres closer, with Yuki Matsui providing competition.

Top Setup Men

Barring injury, these eighth-inning relievers won’t enter 2024 as closers, but they’ve got more than good enough stuff to take over at some point if needed.
Top Setup Men
Rank Name Team Pos Change ADP $
32 Bryan Abreu HOU RP 390 $3
33 Brusdar Graterol LAD RP 455 -$2
34 Chris Martin BOS RP 480 -$2
35 Aroldis Chapman PIT RP 338 $2
36 Yennier Cano BAL RP 330 -$3
37 Kevin Ginkel ARI RP 492 $0
38 Jason Adam TBR RP 312 $3
39 Ryan Pressly HOU RP 305 $4
40 Matt Brash SEA RP 428 $1
41 Tyler Rogers SFG RP 694 -$7
42 Jonathan Loáisiga NYY RP 640 -$1
43 Hector Neris CHC RP 414 -$2

Bryan Abreu was one of just a handful of relievers to strike out 100+ hitters in 2023, but he continued to walk over 10% of batters faced. He should continue to get ample opportunities for holds and backup saves, though.

Firethrowing Brusdar Graterol will never strike out as many hitters as his velocity would indicate he perhaps ought to, but his 1.20 ERA made him a key cog in the Dodger bullpen. He also earned seven saves and should get more oppportunities when Dave Roberts chooses to deploy Phillips earlier. He’s dealing with a minor hip injury and will probably miss the Seoul Series but be ready for the regular season.

Chris Martin would move up this list if Kenley Jansen is traded, as is reportedly under discussion. He continued to walk almost nobody, with his 4.0% walk rate actually his highest in the last three seasons. That in combination with his sterling 1.05 ERA earned him a down-ballot Cy Young vote.

He’ll never be the best version of himself again, and he’s entering his age-36 season, but Aroldis Chapman had a nice bounceback campaign in a setup role. He potentially could’ve signed somewhere to close, but took $10.5M to be David Bednar’s top setup man in Pittsburgh. He could find himself closing again after the deadline, though.

Going from Twins exile to breakout reliever thanks to just a slight change in arm slot, Yennier Cano bent a little bit as the season went on, but still finished with an excellent 2.11 ERA and eight saves, most coming after Félix Bautista went down with a UCL tear. He’ll return to his setup role with Kimbrel in the fold.

Kevin Ginkel didn’t make the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day roster, but he was rock-solid upon being called back up, and he had his real star turn in the playoffs. Ginkel was untouchable when it really mattered, with ten scoreless appearances and 15 strikeouts in 11.2 innings.

Jason Adam got ample opportunities to close and ultimately picked up 12 saves while Pete Fairbanks was on and off the IL, but he’s further down this list for as long as Fairbanks is healthy. His 2.98 ERA was good but his 4.33 xERA could be pointing towards regression.

Here’s a guy I didn’t expect to send this far down the list at any point in the offseason barring injury, but the Josh Hader signing came together quickly. Ryan Pressly had his worst season as an Astro in 2023, with a 3.58 ERA and his first WHIP above 1.000 since the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Also of note, he’s been held down by some neck and knee injuries in recent years, and the 35-year-old isn’t getting any younger. Adding Hader means he’ll be relegated to being second in line for saves with Bryan Abreu staying in his fireman role.

Matt Brash joined Abreu in the 100 strikeout club, and the rubber-armed Canadian appeared in 78 games to boot. He avoided serious injury but will still miss the start of the season with elbow inflammation. I’m not too concerned, but it should keep him out until at least mid-April.

King of soft contact, Tyler Rogers had another strong season in 2023 and should fill a key role behind Camilo Doval as the likeliest to get backup saves

Jonathan Loáisiga had an injury-ravaged 2023, only appearing in 17 games, but his stuff is undeniable.

The ever-durable Hector Neris had a great year by run-prevention standards, with a career-best in ERA, but his walk rate spiked and he lost a couple ticks on his fastball. Adbert Alzolay had a strong season as Chicago’s closer in his first full season as a reliever, so Neris will more than likely slot in as a setup man and his top backup.

Steady Setup Men

The next tier down from the elite setup men, these relievers are still a good source of holds and the occasional save.
Steady Setup Men
Rank Name Team Pos Change ADP $
44 Joel Payamps MIL RP ▲10 411 -$3
45 Erik Swanson TOR RP ▼1 514 -$2
46 A.J. Minter ATL RP ▼1 446 $3
47 Brooks Raley NYM RP ▼1 732 -$8
48 Joe Jiménez ATL RP ▼1 668 $1
49 Pierce Johnson ATL RP ▼1 642 -$2
50 Jason Foley DET RP ▼1 489 -$5
51 Justin Topa MIN RP ▼1 742 -$8
52 Josh Sborz TEX RP ▼1 583 -$3
53 Brock Stewart MIN RP ▼1 602 $2
54 Julian Merryweather CHC RP ▼1 537 -$2
55 Taylor Rogers SFG RP 666 $0
56 Emilio Pagán CIN RP 666 -$8
57 Gregory Santos SEA RP 603 -$2
58 Griffin Jax MIN RP 478 -$1

Joel Payamps might be done bouncing around the league after putting together a 2.55 ERA and being a key setup man in Milwaukee. He’s an option to close with Williams out but doesn’t get to move up higher on the list since the Brewers will go with a committee.

Erik Swanson had a nice first season as a Blue Jay, but as usual, homers were something of an issue for him.

Lefty A.J. Minter filled in admirably for Raisel Iglesias to start the season, but is more durable than dominant.

Another southpaw, Brooks Raley has reinvented himself since coming back to the States for the 2020 season, and is next in line for save chances if the Mets want to ensure Edwin Díaz gets a slightly softer landing coming off his ACL surgery.

Joe Jiménez will always give up his fair share of homers, but he’s had back-to-back strong seasons as a setup man.

Curveball-happy Pierce Johnson had a Stephenson-esque effect on the Braves, and would have a strong case to close somewhere if he had entered free agency instead of taking an extension. Instead, he’ll be a key setup man for Iglesias.

Jason Foley was one of the more difficult relievers to elevate against, giving up just two homers in 69 innings. He picked up seven saves when Lange faltered.

32-year-old Justin Topa finally had a healthy season, throwing 69 innings, most in a season since he had 81.1 in the minors way back in 2014. He didn’t even make the Mariners’s Opening Day roster but made 75 appearances. He’ll fill a key setup role on the Twins.

Things were pretty rough for Josh Sborz in the season, but peripheral statistics have always liked him better than ERA, and he was excellent in the postseason. 2024 will be an important prove-it year.

31-year-old Brock Stewart was exiled from the majors between 2020 and 2022, returning triumphantly with a few extra ticks on his fastball and a 0.65 ERA in 27.2 innings. If his elbow holds up, he could be in for a big year.

Yet another breakout on the wrong side of 30, Julian Merryweather held up for the entirety of 2023, having his first healthy season since his 2017 minor league campaign. He struck out 98 in 72 innings, albeit with 36 walks.

Taylor Rogers didn’t have as good a year as his brother, but rebounded after an awful start to finish his year with a 2.79 ERA in his final 55 appearances.

Emilio Pagán is coming off his best season since 2019 and had his first season ever with under 1.0 HR/9, but a move to Great American Ball Park makes a repeat difficult.

Down on the South Side of Chicago, Gregory Santos was one of the biggest breakout relievers of the season, ultimately getting some closing opportunities by the end of the season. He looked to be in the driver’s seat for save chances in 2024, but his trade to the Mariners knocks him down this list. He’s now third in line for saves in Seattle, behind Muñoz and a healthy Brash.

With Pagán gone from Minnesota, Griffin Jax takes on a more important role in the Twins’ pen. He started strong but withered down the stretch.

Trendy Breakout Picks

Some relievers listed here could even start out closing, but most are pitchers with great stuff who are likelier to earn holds than saves.
Trendy Breakout Picks
Rank Name Team Pos Change ADP $
59 Yuki Matsui SDP RP 287
60 Trevor Megill MIL RP ▲2 523 $2
61 Abner Uribe MIL RP ▲3 429 -$3
62 Jeff Hoffman PHI RP ▼2 443 -$2
63 James McArthur KCR RP 353 -$5
64 John McMillon KCR RP ▼3 694 -$9
65 Ben Joyce LAA RP 673 -$7

Japanese lefty Yuki Matsui could share closing chances with Robert Suarez, with his small stature actually helping his fastball achieve elite VAA.

Few arms are as physically imposing as Trevor Megill, who looks to have gotten his mechanics in sync with his 6’8″ frame. He’ll start out as part of the closing committee in Williams’s absence; xERA and 2024 projections both love him

Abner Uribe is one of the hardest throwers in the majors, but his walk rate might keep him on the periphery of the Williams Substitution Committee.

Really, Jeff Hoffman already had his breakout, but with Craig Kimbrel in Baltimore he’ll take on an even more crucial role in Philadelphia. Rob Thomson isn’t one to shy away from being situational, which could lead to Hoffman earning some saves.

James McArthur’s 2023 bottom line wasn’t great, but he had an excellent September.

Four dominant MLB innings coming off a minor league breakout get John McMillon on the list, as he finally got his walk rate under control. He was sent down to start the season as he gets his mechanics back in fine form, but I’m still a believer.

Ben Joyce hasn’t thrown quite as hard as he did in college, and I’m not sure he’ll ever have a consistent enough second pitch to be more than a good setup man.

Experienced But Shaky

These setup men and middle relievers have closed aplenty in their careers, but are buried on the depth chart and/or have too many flaws to be viewed as significant sources of value to start the season.
Experienced But Shaky
Rank Name Team Pos Change ADP $
66 Gregory Soto PHI RP 602 -$4
67 Scott Barlow CLE RP 488 -$1
68 Kirby Yates TEX RP 554 -$8
69 Will Smith KCR RP 268 -$5
70 Nick Anderson KCR RP 615 -$8
71 Giovanny Gallegos STL RP 499 $1
72 John Brebbia CHW RP 438 -$6
73 Steven Wilson CHW RP 713 -$6

Gregory Soto finally got his walk rate under control, and despite his high ERA he allowed the lowest hard-hit rate and average exit velocity of his career. Still, he’s lower on the depth chart and needs more of a track record of throwing strikes.

Breaking-ball happy Scott Barlow rebounded after being traded to the Padres and working in a setup role, but he’s lost velocity on his fastball and won’t be able to supplant Emmanuel Clase as closer.

On the very surface, things looked good for Kirby Yates, but his walk rate spiked. Entering his age-37 season, he’s likelier to end up a middle reliever than closer, especially if the Rangers aren’t done adding to the bullpen.

Will Smith returns to where it all started for him, coming off a rough finish to his season and a postseason relegated to mop-up duty.

2023 started off solidly for Anderson, albeit with reduced velocity. After missing the whole second half with a shoulder strain, he’ll look for his first fully healthy year since his 2019 rookie campaign.

Giovanny Gallegos has always had to thread the needle as a slider-happy righty who doesn’t throw super hard, and his ERA spiked while he gave up 11 homers. Still, he could earn double-digit saves knowing Ryan Helsley often gets hurt.

I wasn’t expecting to have to add John Brebbia to this list after finishing up the first entry, but his signing with the White Sox made things interesting, and it makes things especially interesting now that he’s likeliest to earn save chances for the White Sox. The Sox easily have the most unsettled closing situation in the majors, and it got more unsettled when Brebbia suffered a calf strain early in camp. He think he’ll be ready for the season, but I’ve bumped him down a bit for now.

Steven Wilson is a late entrant to the list, as his acquisition from the Padres takes him from middle relief to being right in the thick of the closing competition. He’s a spot behind Brebbia only because he’s newer to the team and has less MLB experience.

Stretched to Start

The three pitchers here have starting experience and will all start the season in the rotation, which makes ranking them difficult since they’ll all likely return to the ‘pen at some point.
Stretched to Start
Rank Name Team Pos Change ADP $
74 A.J. Puk MIA RP/SP ▼1 292 $7
75 Reynaldo López ATL RP/SP ▼1 370 $4
76 Jordan Hicks SFG SP/RP ▼1 324 $2

Incredibly impressive this Spring, it sure looks like Puk will be making a move to the rotation. Still, it’s hard to see him sticking there all season considering his professional high in innings is 125, and that was way back in 2017.

Hard-throwing Reynaldo López had a much better year than Puk and has officially made the rotation, but he’s a spot lower than Puk since he’s likely to stick there for longer, owing to his prior experience.

In a surprise move, the Giants signed Jordan Hicks not to bolster what would be a deep bullpen, but to perhaps start. There’s no way Hicks makes it through a whole season of starting–he’s just not going to throw 150 innings a year after 65.2. So he stays on these rankings under the assumption he could and probably will bounce back and forth, at a certain point forming a great back-end with Doval and the Rogers brothers.

Injured Elite(?)

This reliever will miss at least half of 2024, but could provide significant value in 2025.
Injured Elite(?)
Rank Name Team Pos Change ADP $
77 Liam Hendriks BOS RP ▼1 736

Although his triumphant return from cancer was dashed by a torn UCL, it was still nice to see Liam Hendriks back on the field the same year as his diagnosis. He’s aiming to be back with the Red Sox by August 1, though that’s a very aggressive timetable of 365 days after surgery.


Full Rankings Without Tiers

No tiers. Just the rankings.
Full Rankings Without Tiers
Rank Name Team Pos Change ADP $
1 Edwin Díaz NYM RP 44 $19
2 Josh Hader HOU RP 47 $12
3 Emmanuel Clase CLE RP 54 $14
4 Jhoan Duran MIN RP 60 $11
5 Camilo Doval SFG RP 58 $10
6 Evan Phillips LAD RP 85 $9
7 Raisel Iglesias ATL RP 61 $12
8 David Bednar PIT RP 77 $10
9 José Alvarado PHI RP ▲1 159 $8
10 Andrés Muñoz SEA RP ▲1 79 $16
11 Jordan Romano TOR RP ▲1 77 $8
12 Ryan Helsley STL RP ▲1 92 $11
13 Paul Sewald ARI RP ▲1 84 $6
14 Tanner Scott MIA RP ▲1 104 $10
15 Alexis Díaz CIN RP ▲1 78 $5
16 Pete Fairbanks TBR RP ▲1 88 $15
17 Clay Holmes NYY RP ▲1 99 $8
18 Robert Stephenson LAA RP ▲1 292 $2
19 Craig Kimbrel BAL RP ▲1 109 $5
20 Kenley Jansen BOS RP ▲1 129 $4
21 Devin Williams MIL RP ▼12 107
22 Adbert Alzolay CHC RP ▲1 120 $8
23 Alex Lange DET RP ▲1 175 $0
24 José Leclerc TEX RP ▲1 187 -$4
25 Hunter Harvey WSN RP ▲1 258 $3
26 Kyle Finnegan WSN RP ▲1 224 $0
27 Carlos Estévez LAA RP ▲1 204 $1
28 Mason Miller OAK RP ▼6 206 $10
29 David Robertson TEX RP 333 -$4
30 Justin Lawrence COL RP 374 -$5
31 Robert Suarez SDP RP 201 $3
32 Bryan Abreu HOU RP 390 $3
33 Brusdar Graterol LAD RP 455 -$2
34 Chris Martin BOS RP 480 -$2
35 Aroldis Chapman PIT RP 338 $2
36 Yennier Cano BAL RP 330 -$3
37 Kevin Ginkel ARI RP 492 $0
38 Jason Adam TBR RP 312 $3
39 Ryan Pressly HOU RP 305 $4
40 Matt Brash SEA RP 428 $1
41 Tyler Rogers SFG RP 694 -$7
42 Jonathan Loáisiga NYY RP 640 -$1
43 Hector Neris CHC RP 414 -$2
44 Joel Payamps MIL RP ▲10 411 -$3
45 Erik Swanson TOR RP ▼1 514 -$2
46 A.J. Minter ATL RP ▼1 446 $3
47 Brooks Raley NYM RP ▼1 732 -$8
48 Joe Jiménez ATL RP ▼1 668 $1
49 Pierce Johnson ATL RP ▼1 642 -$2
50 Jason Foley DET RP ▼1 489 -$5
51 Justin Topa MIN RP ▼1 742 -$8
52 Josh Sborz TEX RP ▼1 583 -$3
53 Brock Stewart MIN RP ▼1 602 $2
54 Julian Merryweather CHC RP ▼1 537 -$2
55 Taylor Rogers SFG RP 666 $0
56 Emilio Pagán CIN RP 666 -$8
57 Gregory Santos SEA RP 603 -$2
58 Griffin Jax MIN RP 478 -$1
59 Yuki Matsui SDP RP 287
60 Trevor Megill MIL RP ▲2 523 $2
61 Abner Uribe MIL RP ▲3 429 -$3
62 Jeff Hoffman PHI RP ▼2 443 -$2
63 James McArthur KCR RP 353 -$5
64 John McMillon KCR RP ▼3 694 -$9
65 Ben Joyce LAA RP 673 -$7
66 Gregory Soto PHI RP 602 -$4
67 Scott Barlow CLE RP 488 -$1
68 Kirby Yates TEX RP 554 -$8
69 Will Smith KCR RP 268 -$5
70 Nick Anderson KCR RP 615 -$8
71 Giovanny Gallegos STL RP 499 $1
72 John Brebbia CHW RP 438 -$6
73 Steven Wilson CHW RP 713 -$6
74 A.J. Puk MIA RP/SP ▼1 292 $7
75 Reynaldo López ATL RP/SP ▼1 370 $4
76 Jordan Hicks SFG SP/RP ▼1 324 $2
77 Liam Hendriks BOS RP ▼1 736

Bullpen Report: September 25, 2023

The 2023 version of the Bullpen Report includes five different sections, as well as the closer chart, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

We will always include a link to the full Closer Depth Chart at the bottom of the Bullpen Report each day. It’s also accessible from the RosterResource drop-down menu and from any RosterResource page. Please let us know what you think.

  1. Notable Workloads: Primary closers or valuable members of a closer committee who have been deemed unavailable or likely unavailable for the current day due to recent workload.
  2. Injury News
  3. Outlier Saves: Explanation for a non-closer earning a save during the previous day.
  4. Committee Clarity: Notes on a closer committee that clarify a pitcher’s standing in the group.
  5. Losing A Grip: Struggling closers who could be on the hot seat.

The “RosterResource” link will take you to the corresponding team’s RosterResource depth chart, which will give you a better picture of the full bullpen and results of the previous six days (pitch count, save, hold, win, loss, blown save).

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.

Read the rest of this entry »


Bullpen Report: September 23, 2023

The 2023 version of the Bullpen Report includes five different sections, as well as the closer chart, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

We will always include a link to the full Closer Depth Chart at the bottom of the Bullpen Report each day. It’s also accessible from the RosterResource drop-down menu and from any RosterResource page. Please let us know what you think.

  1. Notable Workloads: Primary closers or valuable members of a closer committee who have been deemed unavailable or likely unavailable for the current day due to recent workload.
  2. Injury News
  3. Outlier Saves: Explanation for a non-closer earning a save during the previous day.
  4. Committee Clarity: Notes on a closer committee that clarify a pitcher’s standing in the group.
  5. Losing A Grip: Struggling closers who could be on the hot seat.

The “RosterResource” link will take you to the corresponding team’s RosterResource depth chart, which will give you a better picture of the full bullpen and results of the previous six days (pitch count, save, hold, win, loss, blown save).

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.

Read the rest of this entry »


Bullpen Report: September 20, 2023

The 2023 version of the Bullpen Report includes five different sections, as well as the closer chart, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

We will always include a link to the full Closer Depth Chart at the bottom of the Bullpen Report each day. It’s also accessible from the RosterResource drop-down menu and from any RosterResource page. Please let us know what you think.

  1. Notable Workloads: Primary closers or valuable members of a closer committee who have been deemed unavailable or likely unavailable for the current day due to recent workload.
  2. Injury News
  3. Outlier Saves: Explanation for a non-closer earning a save during the previous day.
  4. Committee Clarity: Notes on a closer committee that clarify a pitcher’s standing in the group.
  5. Losing A Grip: Struggling closers who could be on the hot seat.

The “RosterResource” link will take you to the corresponding team’s RosterResource depth chart, which will give you a better picture of the full bullpen and results of the previous six days (pitch count, save, hold, win, loss, blown save).

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.

Read the rest of this entry »


Bullpen Report: September 18, 2023

The 2023 version of the Bullpen Report includes five different sections, as well as the closer chart, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

We will always include a link to the full Closer Depth Chart at the bottom of the Bullpen Report each day. It’s also accessible from the RosterResource drop-down menu and from any RosterResource page. Please let us know what you think.

  1. Notable Workloads: Primary closers or valuable members of a closer committee who have been deemed unavailable or likely unavailable for the current day due to recent workload.
  2. Injury News
  3. Outlier Saves: Explanation for a non-closer earning a save during the previous day.
  4. Committee Clarity: Notes on a closer committee that clarify a pitcher’s standing in the group.
  5. Losing A Grip: Struggling closers who could be on the hot seat.

The “RosterResource” link will take you to the corresponding team’s RosterResource depth chart, which will give you a better picture of the full bullpen and results of the previous six days (pitch count, save, hold, win, loss, blown save).

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.

Read the rest of this entry »


Bullpen Report: September 16, 2023

The 2023 version of the Bullpen Report includes five different sections, as well as the closer chart, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

We will always include a link to the full Closer Depth Chart at the bottom of the Bullpen Report each day. It’s also accessible from the RosterResource drop-down menu and from any RosterResource page. Please let us know what you think.

  1. Notable Workloads: Primary closers or valuable members of a closer committee who have been deemed unavailable or likely unavailable for the current day due to recent workload.
  2. Injury News
  3. Outlier Saves: Explanation for a non-closer earning a save during the previous day.
  4. Committee Clarity: Notes on a closer committee that clarify a pitcher’s standing in the group.
  5. Losing A Grip: Struggling closers who could be on the hot seat.

The “RosterResource” link will take you to the corresponding team’s RosterResource depth chart, which will give you a better picture of the full bullpen and results of the previous six days (pitch count, save, hold, win, loss, blown save).

Click HERE to view the full Closer Depth Chart.

Read the rest of this entry »