Request for Help: 2025 Initial Closers
Joe Puetz-Imagn Images
Every year I report on how many closers made it through the season and how Saves get distributed (2024 report). I just need help verifying the following list is correct before writing the final report next week. Thanks.
2025 Initial Closers
| Team | Eventual First Closer | Going into season | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angels | Kenley Jansen | One Guy | |
| Astros | Josh Hader | One Guy | |
| Athletics | Mason Miller | One Guy | |
| Blue Jays | Jeff Hoffman | One Guy | |
| Braves | Raisel Iglesias | One Guy | |
| Brewers | Trevor Megill | One Guy | |
| Cardinals | Ryan Helsley | One Guy | |
| Cubs | Ryan Pressly | One Guy | |
| Diamondbacks | Justin Martinez | One Guy | |
| Dodgers | Tanner Scott | One Guy | |
| Giants | Ryan Walker | One Guy | |
| Guardians | Emmanuel Clase | One Guy | |
| Mariners | Andres Munoz | One Guy | |
| Marlins | Calvin Faucher | Committee | Possibly Anthony Bender |
| Mets | Edwin Diaz | One Guy | |
| Nationals | Kyle Finnegan | One Guy | |
| Orioles | Felix Bautista | One Guy | |
| Padres | Robert Suarez | One Guy | |
| Phillies | Jordan Romano | One Guy | |
| Pirates | David Bednar | One Guy | |
| Rangers | Luke Jackson | One Guy | |
| Rays | Pete Fairbanks | One Guy | |
| Red Sox | Aroldis Chapman | One Guy | |
| Reds | Emilio Pagán | One Guy | |
| Rockies | Seth Halvorsen | Committee | Possibly Zach Agnos or Tyler Kinley |
| Royals | Carlos Estevez | One Guy | |
| Tigers | Tommy Kahnle | Committee | Possibly Brant Hurter |
| Twins | Jhoan Duran | One Guy | |
| White Sox | Brandon Eisert | Committee | Eisert got the team’s only April Save. Possibly Jordan Leasure or Steven Wilson |
| Yankees | Devin Williams | One Guy |
Jeff, one of the authors of the fantasy baseball guide,The Process, writes for RotoGraphs, The Hardball Times, Rotowire, Baseball America, and BaseballHQ. He has been nominated for two SABR Analytics Research Award for Contemporary Analysis and won it in 2013 in tandem with Bill Petti. He has won four FSWA Awards including on for his Mining the News series. He's won Tout Wars three times, LABR twice, and got his first NFBC Main Event win in 2021. Follow him on Twitter @jeffwzimmerman.
FWIW, Emilio Pagan wasn’t definitely the Reds closer at season’s start. Francona never identified a closer out of the gate (Pagan, Barlow, Santillan were all possibilities). Ian Gibaut actually got the save opp on Opening Day. It did not go well. Pagan locked down the role pretty quickly after that.
Thanks