X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

MLB Closer Breakdown: NL Central Edition - 2015 Fantasy Baseball

 
We previously looked at the closer and bullpen situations in the AL East, AL Central, AL West, and NL East. Today we chck out the NL Central. Make sure to also bookmark our MLB Closer Depth Charts, which are updated every day for your viewing pleasure.
 

Chicago Cubs

Head HonchoHector Rondon; Next in linePedro Strop, Jason Motte
 
Breaking alert – the Cubs closer situation wasn’t a disaster in 2014. Rondon stepped in with zero closer experience and delivered terrific numbers, converted 29 of 33 Saves along with a 2.42 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. Check out his peripherals below, most notably the improved walk rate and HR rate.
 
Hector  Rondon
 
If Rondon can maintain a fastball above 95 mph and limit the freebies he should see success in 2015 for Chicago. He’s currently the 21th closer according to Yahoo! and I think he has good value there. The Cubs should be competitive enough to reach 35 save opportunities and earned himself a decent leash going into 2015 should he start poorly. Pedro Strop and Jason Motte are likely next in line should Rondon fail to produce. The Cubs would be wise to leave Strop in the setup role considering Motte’s previous experience with St. Louis, which makes Strop a good play in Holds leagues.
 

Cincinnati Reds

Head HonchoAroldis Chapman; Next in lineJumbo Diaz
 
The Cuban Missile is the top closer off most boards and for good reason. He was utterly dominant after returning from that traumatic headshot in Spring Training, saving 36 of 38 opportunities with a 2.00 ERA and 106 Ks in 54 IP. For those counting at home, that’s a 17.67 K/9! Absolutely filthy and he is worth the heavy price tag considering his K potential. Nothing further needed to report here – if you want to pay for closers, Chapman is my recommendation. Not so Jumbo Diaz stands as the likely candidate should Chapman suffer an injury, but he is not worth drafting in mixed leagues.

 

Milwaukee Brewers

Head HonchoFrancisco Rodriguez; Next in lineJonathan Broxton

K-Rod is back for another campaign after signing a 2-year extension this offseason. He was virtually undrafted in 2014 and delivered top tier closer numbers, racking up 44 saves and a 3.04 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 73 Ks along the way. He relied more heavily on his changeup in 2014 and it served him well, limiting hitters to a .167 AVG. His .216 BABIP was the lowest since 2002 and he had a career high 93.0% LOB rate, which are signs for pessimism, but he’s only the 21st overall RP in Yahoo! leagues. He’s definitely worth that price sticker as a late round closer for fantasy owners.

Broxton was brought over from Cincinnati this offseason to fill the set-up role and as a backup plan if K-Rod left town. Aside from no longer being a heavy K producer, “The Ox” put up respectable numbers in Holds leagues, recording 23 Holds with a 2.30 ERA and 7 Saves. He’s a worthy flier in NL-Only leagues in case K-Rod goes down considering his previous experience, but mixed leagues can let him hit the waiver wire.

 

Pittsburgh Pirates

Head HonchoMark Melancon; Next in lineTony Watson

Melancon was a beast after taking over the closer role from Jason Grilli, converting 33 of 37 Saves with a 1.90 ERA, 71 Ks, and a 0.87 WHIP. Those numbers were strong enough to finish 6th among RP in Yahoo leagues and with Grilli in Atlanta there’s no question the job is his to lose. He showed no signs of wearing down in the 2nd half  and he has the arsenal to maintain his impressive numbers into 2015. He’s currently the 9th overall closer in preseason rankings. That’s a fair spot based on his 2014 numbers and his advanced numbers don’t show any signs of concern. Draft Melancon with confidence.

Tony Watson was an excellent set-up man for Pittsburgh, posting a 1.63 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 81 Ks, and 34 Holds. Those are great numbers for fantasy owners in Hold leagues and although Watson has no closer experience, he would make a strong pickup should Melancon go down.

 

St. Louis Cardinals

Head HonchoTrevor Rosenthal; Next in lineJordan Walden

A quick glance at Trevor Rosenthal 45 Saves and his 87 Ks may lead one to say he had a strong year in 2014. But a deeper look shows that Rosenthal was a roller coaster ride for owners, as poor command led to a 5.37 BB/9 and a 1.41 WHIP. Aside from June and September (0.85 ERA), Rosenthal recorded a 4.23 ERA. For owners in H2H leagues that’s quite frustrating to deal with, but you aren’t going to find a player with a higher ceiling in the saves department. He’s currently our 11th overall closer for 2015 and drafting him depends on the emphasis you place on saves. Personally, I value a pitcher’s ability to help in multiple cats hence why I will not be paying face value for Rosenthal in any leagues.

Jordan Walden will fill the set-up role and is a solid addition to the bullpen. He had a 2.88 ERA with 62 Ks and 20 Holds in 2014 and still has the closer repertoire (11.16 K/9 and 0.36 HR/9) in case Rosenthal goes down. He’s a good grab in deeper leagues and NL-only for fantasy owners looking for a solid handcuff.

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Adolis García7 hours ago

Adolis Garcia Hits Solo Homer Monday
Cristian Javier7 hours ago

Turns In Rough Start Monday
Hunter Brown7 hours ago

Having Strong Spring
Matt Canterino7 hours ago

Suffers Setback Monday, Will Need Injured List Stint
Caleb Thielbar7 hours ago

To Start Season On Injured List
Will Benson7 hours ago

Stuart Fairchild Could See Time In Center Field
Zac Gallen7 hours ago

Gets Opening Day Nod
Jake Fraley8 hours ago

Leaves Monday's Game Early
Nolan Schanuel8 hours ago

Injury Isn't Serious
Isaiah Stewart9 hours ago

Injured Against Boston
Duncan Robinson9 hours ago

Doesn't Return On Monday
Jackson Chourio10 hours ago

Makes Opening Day Roster
Anthony Davis10 hours ago

Cleared To Meet Atlanta
Blake Snell10 hours ago

Heading To The Giants
Onyeka Okongwu10 hours ago

To Return On Monday
Bryce McGowens11 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Orion Kerkering11 hours ago

Might Not Be Ready For Opening Day
Tyus Jones11 hours ago

Won't Play On Tuesday
Nick Lodolo11 hours ago

To Be Ready By April 10
Deni Avdija11 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Nick Martinez11 hours ago

To Open The Year In The Rotation
OG Anunoby11 hours ago

Set For Multi-Game Absence
Kyle Kuzma11 hours ago

Uncertain For Tuesday
Luka Doncic11 hours ago

Considered Probable For Tuesday
Matt McLain11 hours ago

Scratched With Shoulder Soreness
Bilal Coulibaly11 hours ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of Season
Kenley Jansen11 hours ago

Scheduled To Make Four More Spring Appearances
Jackson Chourio11 hours ago

"In The Mix" For Roster Spot
Yordan Alvarez12 hours ago

Removal Monday Wasn't Due To Injury
Rudy Gobert12 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Scoot Henderson12 hours ago

Returns To Starting Unit Without Restrictions
Matisse Thybulle12 hours ago

Available Again On Monday
Wyatt Langford12 hours ago

Knocks In Run On Monday
Jerami Grant12 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Monday
Carlos Rodón12 hours ago

Carlos Rodon Looks Excellent On Monday
Lauri Markkanen12 hours ago

Returns To Action On Monday
Drew Thorpe12 hours ago

Struggles On Monday
Alex Caruso12 hours ago

Ready To Roll Monday
Coby White12 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Kristaps Porzingis12 hours ago

Returns To Celtics Lineup
Jaylen Brown12 hours ago

Ready To Go On Monday
Jayson Tatum13 hours ago

Won't Play Against Detroit
Teuvo Teravainen13 hours ago

Misses Second Straight Game
Joshua Dobbs13 hours ago

49ers Reach Agreement With Joshua Dobbs
TOR13 hours ago

Mitch Marner To Miss At Least Two More Games
Jacob Markstrom13 hours ago

Could Return This Weekend
Rico Dowdle13 hours ago

Staying With Cowboys
Mikhail Sergachev13 hours ago

Skates On Monday
Dustin Wolf13 hours ago

Between The Pipes Monday
New Orleans Saints13 hours ago

Saints Expected To Sign Chase Young
Alexander Mattison14 hours ago

Signing With Raiders
Buffalo Bills15 hours ago

Taron Johnson Re-Signs With Bills On Three-Year Deal
Dallas Cowboys15 hours ago

Leighton Vander Esch Calling It A Career
Bryan Battle17 hours ago

Bout Ends in Controversy
Ange Loosa17 hours ago

Fight Ruled A No-Contest After Accidental Eye Poke
Ovince Saint Preux18 hours ago

Wins Split Decision In A Back-And-Forth Fight
Kennedy Nzechukwu18 hours ago

Suffers Split-Decision Loss To Ovince Saint Preux
Gerald Meerschaert18 hours ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Bryan Barberena18 hours ago

Submitted In The Second Round
Denny Hamlin19 hours ago

Emerges Victorious For Second Bristol Win In A Row
Alexander Mattison19 hours ago

Visiting With Raiders
Dak Prescott20 hours ago

Cowboys Restructure Dak Prescott's Contract
Dmitry Orlov20 hours ago

Collects Four Points In Big Win
Tyler Toffoli20 hours ago

Dominates Against Columbus With Three Points
Lucas Raymond21 hours ago

Pots Pair Of Goals Versus Penguins
Kaz Grala21 hours ago

Finishes 19th At Bristol Motor Speedway
Bo Horvat21 hours ago

Scores Twice In Losing Effort
Brad Keselowski21 hours ago

Exceeds Value In DFS At Bristol Motor Speedway
Pavel Buchnevich21 hours ago

Delivers Three Assists In Sunday's Win
Ryan Lindgren21 hours ago

Suffers Leg Injury Versus Islanders
Kyle Larson21 hours ago

After 5th at Bristol: "I Hope I Never Have To Run A Race Like That Again"
Chase Elliott22 hours ago

Earns First Top 10 Finish Of 2024
Justin Haley22 hours ago

Earns Best NextGen Short Track Finish for Rick Ware Racing
Ty Gibbs22 hours ago

Has Dominant Day at Bristol but Fades Late
John Hunter Nemechek1 day ago

Found Speed At Bristol
Chris Buescher1 day ago

Secures Top 10 At Bristol
Alex Bowman1 day ago

Late Charge to Fourth Masks Early Race Struggles
Christopher Bell1 day ago

Ran Well, But His Teammates Were All Better
Martin Truex Jr1 day ago

. Matches Career-Best Finish At Bristol
Ryan Blaney1 day ago

Fades to 16th at Bristol After Handling Struggles
Russell Wilson2 days ago

Still Considered The Starter
William Byron2 days ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Bristol
Ty Gibbs2 days ago

Starts 19th At Bristol After Damage In Practice
Justin Haley2 days ago

Scores A Starting Position Of 32nd For Bristol
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

Should Compete For The Win At Bristol
Brad Keselowski2 days ago

History Indicates Brad Keselowski Being A Favorable Bristol Play
Joey Logano2 days ago

Should Be Rostered With Caution At Bristol
Tyler Reddick2 days ago

Is Tyler Reddick Worth Rostering At Bristol This Week?
Martin Truex Jr2 days ago

. Could Work As A Tournament Play At Bristol
Alexander Nylander2 days ago

Totals Three Points In Saturday's Win
Sebastian Aho2 days ago

Leads Hurricanes To Victory In Toronto
Owen Tippett2 days ago

Delivers Three Assists In High-Scoring Loss
Steven Stamkos2 days ago

Extends Scoring Streak With Four-Point Performance
Nick Schmaltz2 days ago

Records Three Assists In Win Over New Jersey
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Racks Up Five Points In Saturday's Win
Brady Tkachuk2 days ago

Sinks Islanders With Third Hat Trick
Pannie Kianzad2 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Macy Chiasson2 days ago

Gets First-Round Submission Win
Isaac Dulgarian2 days ago

Suffers First Career Loss
Christian Rodriguez2 days ago

Overcomes Early Adversity At UFC Vegas 88
Tai Tuivasa2 days ago

Suffers Fourth Straight Loss
Marcin Tybura2 days ago

Gets First-Round Submission
Justin Fields3 days ago

Traded To The Steelers
NHL3 days ago

Lukas Reichel Will Be In The Lineup Sunday
Cale Makar3 days ago

A Game-Time Decision Saturday
Zach Parise3 days ago

Likely To Return Saturday
Michael Gallup3 days ago

Panthers Bringing In Michael Gallup For A Visit
Mike Williams3 days ago

Panthers To Host Mike Williams On A Visit
New York Jets3 days ago

Jets Expected To Sign Tyron Smith
AJ Dillon3 days ago

Officially Re-Signs With Packers
Van Jefferson4 days ago

Steelers Signing Van Jefferson
Jakobi Meyers4 days ago

Raiders Restructure Jakobi Meyers' Contract
Jimmy Garoppolo4 days ago

Rams Agree With Jimmy Garoppolo On One-Year Deal
Gerald Meerschaert4 days ago

To Fight In Main Event Of UFC Vegas 88
Bryan Barberena4 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Kennedy Nzechukwu4 days ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Ovince Saint Preux4 days ago

Set For 27th UFC Appearance
Bryan Battle4 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Ange Loosa4 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 88
San Francisco 49ers4 days ago

De'Vondre Campbell Heading To San Francisco
Dallas Cowboys4 days ago

Leighton Vander Esch Being Cut By Cowboys
Michael Gallup4 days ago

Cowboys Releasing Michael Gallup
Kenny Pickett4 days ago

Steelers Sending Kenny Pickett To Eagles
Pannie Kianzad5 days ago

Looking For Redemption At UFC Vegas 88
Macy Chiasson5 days ago

Ends Layoff At UFC Vegas 88
Isaac Dulgarian5 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 88
Christiaan Bezuidenhout6 days ago

Looking To Put It All Together At TPC Sawgrass
Eric Cole6 days ago

Rebounding Well In The Sunshine State
Brian Harman6 days ago

Playing The Dark-Horse Role Again At The Players
Matt Fitzpatrick6 days ago

Searching For Answers Thus Far In 2024
Sahith Theegala6 days ago

One Of The Tour's Fastest Risers To Start The New Year
Sam Burns6 days ago

Brings A Stellar Run Of Form Into TPC Sawgrass
PGA6 days ago

Sungjae Im Trending Up After Arnold Palmer Success
Jason Day6 days ago

Facing Iron Hiccup Heading To The Players
Tom Hoge6 days ago

Brings Strong Form And History To Sawgrass
Min Woo Lee6 days ago

Ready For Second Trip To Sawgrass
Will Zalatoris6 days ago

Working Toward A Win