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 East Edition - 2015 Fantasy Baseball

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

Atlanta Braves

Head Honcho: Craig KimbrelNext in line: Jason Grilli

Craig Kimbrel still finds himself among the elite at the RP position, even with the downgrades on offense for Atlanta. He produced a stellar 1.61 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 95 Ks to go along with 47 Saves. None of his advanced statistics show a sign of regression and he’s still a ripe 26 years old. Further he has begun developing a changeup to add to his repertoire. If the Braves have a lead after eight, good luck. Although the Braves offense is likely to deflate his save total, draft Kimbrel with confidence.

Jason Grilli is the likely candidate to step into the closer role should Kimbrel suffer an injury. Grilli put together impressive numbers while in Pittsburgh, culminating in his strong 2013 season with 33 Saves and a 13.32 K/9 ratio. Don’t be shocked if Grilli rebounds thanks to being around pitching coach Roger McDowell, who traditionally does magic with the Atlanta bullpen. The 2014 campaign was the first time in 5 years the Braves didn’t finish in the top three in bullpen ERA.

Notice I did not include Jim Johnson in my analysis? Well I am sorry, I cannot endorse a pitcher who just finished 2014 with a 7.09 ERA, 1.95 WHIP, and a 5.91 BB/9 rate. My guess should Kimbrel and Grilli go down? Arodys Viscaino.

Miami Marlins

Head Honcho: Steve CishekNext in line: Mike Dunn, A.J. Ramos

Cishek has been a sneaky play the past few seasons and was still strong in 2014, posting 39 Saves, good for 5th in the NL. There are some worrying signs; his ERA rose to 3.17, his GB rate dropped to 42.7%, his LD rate rose to 26.2%, and he had a career high BABIP .331. Expect for the BABIP to drop which should reduce his ERA. Considering the lack of competition in the Marlins bullpen, I’m willing to give Cishek a pass and recommend him as a solid option after the bigger name closers are gone.

Should Cishek miss time or be traded, Mike Dunn and A.J. Ramos are the likely candidates to assume closer duties. Dunn doesn’t have prototypical closer stuff, but he’s been successful in his career getting lefties and righties out, which is prerequisite #1 to survive in the ninth inning. The Marlins seem to prefer A.J. Ramos in the setup role but he was a successful minor league closer. Ramos has the higher fantasy upside, but either pitcher would be a solid replacement for save-needy fantasy owners.

 

New York Mets

Head Honcho: Jenrry MejiaNext in line: Bobby Parnell

The closer situation is murky in Queens, with Parnell returning from Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss all but Opening Day in 2014. He’s expected back in late April but has yet to debut in Spring Training. He expects to reclaim the role when he returns but manager Terry Collins didn’t do Parnell any favors stating Mejia may remain in the ninth inning should he perform well out of the gun.

Parnell provides the higher upside of the two based on his solid 2013 campaign (22/26 Saves, 2.16 ERA), but it’s difficult to trust a pitcher returning from TJ. Parnell is a shaky selection in shallow mixed leagues but deeper leagues and NL-only fantasy owners would be wise to use a late pick. Regardless he’s a great waiver watch should he go undrafted as he could be a great low risk, high reward option.

Mejia is a roller coaster of emotions to watch. He’s a great definition of great effectiveness but terrible efficiency. While he did convert 28 of 31 Save Ops in 2014, he sports a career 1.51 WHIP and .330 BABIP. Not exactly the ingredients for success in the closer role (See: Jim Johnson). Unless Mejia can improve upon these numbers and be lights out to begin 2015, I see the Mets giving Parnell a chance once he’s ready to return.

 

Philadelphia Phillies

Head Honcho: Jonathan PapelbonNext in line: Ken Giles

The Papelbon Watch never culminated into a change of scenery for Paps, but there’s no question Philadelphia would like to shed his expiring $13M salary for some pieces to contend down the road. Papelbon’s days of being a flamethrower closer are gone; his K/9 stayed below nine for the second straight campaign and his fastball continued to lose velocity, down to 91.3. That being said he actually had his best year in Philly, converting 39 of 43 Save Ops while posting a 2.04 ERA and 0.90 WHIP and finishing 9th among closers in fantasy. His success can be attributed to his slider; he increased his usage to 14.9% and produced a 6.8 wSL (Slider Runs above Average). Papelbon is currently ranked 19th among RP on Yahoo! which is good value for fantasy owners, especially if (when) he is traded to a contender this summer.

Papelbon’s replacement, Ken Giles, has closer material written all over him and really just needs a chance. He had a superb rookie year for Philadelphia, posting a 1.18 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and a 12.61 K/99 with a fastball averaging 97.2 MPH. If Papelbon gets traded don’t be shocked when Giles ends the year as a top 15 RP. Grab him in NL-Only and 14+ team leagues, and shallow league players should keep their eyes open to any Papelbon news and snag Giles when the time comes.

 

Washington Nationals

Head Honcho: Drew StorenNext in line: Casey Janssen

Storen snagged the closer role from Rafael Soriano in September and ran with it, finishing with 11 saves and an ERA of 0.00 in September. Not too shabby. In 2015 he’ll reclaim the role with arguably – ok, maybe not arguably - the best rotation in baseball setting him up. Storen should see an abundance of save ops in 2015 and the only thing in his way is health. He’s currently dealing with a hand injury but should be ready for Opening Day. He’s currently ranked 10th among closers by Yahoo! which is a fair value, but personally I expect him to outperform Cody Allen and Trevor Rosenthal.

Casey Janssen is the contingency plan in Washington. He was a serviceable closer in Toronto, converting 25 of 30 Save Ops in 2014 to go along with a 3.94 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. His 5.52 K/9 is a little concerning but he was much more effective away from Rogers Centre, which gives hope that he can improve upon his 2014 numbers. Keep Janssen on your watch list but don’t sleep on Aaron Barrett. Barrett has experience as a closer in Washington’s farm system and has a career 10.84 K/9 rate, which makes him an intriguing option for Matt Williams.

 




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

Cristian Javier3 mins ago

Turns In Rough Start Monday
Hunter Brown12 mins ago

Having Strong Spring
Matt Canterino21 mins ago

Suffers Setback Monday, Will Need Injured List Stint
Caleb Thielbar28 mins ago

To Start Season On Injured List
Will Benson36 mins ago

Stuart Fairchild Could See Time In Center Field
Zac Gallen47 mins ago

Gets Opening Day Nod
Jake Fraley1 hour ago

Leaves Monday's Game Early
Nolan Schanuel1 hour ago

Injury Isn't Serious
Isaiah Stewart2 hours ago

Injured Against Boston
Duncan Robinson3 hours ago

Doesn't Return On Monday
Jackson Chourio3 hours ago

Makes Opening Day Roster
Anthony Davis3 hours ago

Cleared To Meet Atlanta
Blake Snell3 hours ago

Heading To The Giants
Onyeka Okongwu3 hours ago

To Return On Monday
Bryce McGowens4 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Orion Kerkering4 hours ago

Might Not Be Ready For Opening Day
Tyus Jones4 hours ago

Won't Play On Tuesday
Nick Lodolo4 hours ago

To Be Ready By April 10
Deni Avdija5 hours ago

Unavailable For Tuesday
Nick Martinez5 hours ago

To Open The Year In The Rotation
OG Anunoby5 hours ago

Set For Multi-Game Absence
Kyle Kuzma5 hours ago

Uncertain For Tuesday
Luka Doncic5 hours ago

Considered Probable For Tuesday
Matt McLain5 hours ago

Scratched With Shoulder Soreness
Bilal Coulibaly5 hours ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of Season
Kenley Jansen5 hours ago

Scheduled To Make Four More Spring Appearances
Jackson Chourio5 hours ago

"In The Mix" For Roster Spot
Yordan Alvarez5 hours ago

Removal Monday Wasn't Due To Injury
Rudy Gobert5 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Scoot Henderson5 hours ago

Returns To Starting Unit Without Restrictions
Matisse Thybulle5 hours ago

Available Again On Monday
Wyatt Langford5 hours ago

Knocks In Run On Monday
Jerami Grant5 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Monday
Carlos Rodón5 hours ago

Carlos Rodon Looks Excellent On Monday
Lauri Markkanen5 hours ago

Returns To Action On Monday
Drew Thorpe6 hours ago

Struggles On Monday
Alex Caruso6 hours ago

Ready To Roll Monday
Coby White6 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Martín Pérez6 hours ago

Martin Perez Strikes Out Eight Batters
Kristaps Porzingis6 hours ago

Returns To Celtics Lineup
Jaylen Brown6 hours ago

Ready To Go On Monday
Jayson Tatum6 hours ago

Won't Play Against Detroit
Teuvo Teravainen6 hours ago

Misses Second Straight Game
Joshua Dobbs6 hours ago

49ers Reach Agreement With Joshua Dobbs
TOR6 hours ago

Mitch Marner To Miss At Least Two More Games
Jacob Markstrom6 hours ago

Could Return This Weekend
Rico Dowdle6 hours ago

Staying With Cowboys
Mikhail Sergachev6 hours ago

Skates On Monday
Dustin Wolf7 hours ago

Between The Pipes Monday
New Orleans Saints7 hours ago

Saints Expected To Sign Chase Young
Alexander Mattison7 hours ago

Signing With Raiders
Buffalo Bills8 hours ago

Taron Johnson Re-Signs With Bills On Three-Year Deal
Dallas Cowboys9 hours ago

Leighton Vander Esch Calling It A Career
Bryan Battle11 hours ago

Bout Ends in Controversy
Ange Loosa11 hours ago

Fight Ruled A No-Contest After Accidental Eye Poke
Ovince Saint Preux11 hours ago

Wins Split Decision In A Back-And-Forth Fight
Kennedy Nzechukwu11 hours ago

Suffers Split-Decision Loss To Ovince Saint Preux
Gerald Meerschaert11 hours ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Bryan Barberena11 hours ago

Submitted In The Second Round
Denny Hamlin12 hours ago

Emerges Victorious For Second Bristol Win In A Row
Alexander Mattison13 hours ago

Visiting With Raiders
Dak Prescott13 hours ago

Cowboys Restructure Dak Prescott's Contract
Dmitry Orlov14 hours ago

Collects Four Points In Big Win
Tyler Toffoli14 hours ago

Dominates Against Columbus With Three Points
Lucas Raymond14 hours ago

Pots Pair Of Goals Versus Penguins
Kaz Grala14 hours ago

Finishes 19th At Bristol Motor Speedway
Bo Horvat14 hours ago

Scores Twice In Losing Effort
Brad Keselowski14 hours ago

Exceeds Value In DFS At Bristol Motor Speedway
Pavel Buchnevich14 hours ago

Delivers Three Assists In Sunday's Win
Ryan Lindgren15 hours ago

Suffers Leg Injury Versus Islanders
Kyle Larson15 hours ago

After 5th at Bristol: "I Hope I Never Have To Run A Race Like That Again"
Chase Elliott15 hours ago

Earns First Top 10 Finish Of 2024
Justin Haley15 hours ago

Earns Best NextGen Short Track Finish for Rick Ware Racing
Ty Gibbs15 hours ago

Has Dominant Day at Bristol but Fades Late
John Hunter Nemechek20 hours ago

Found Speed At Bristol
Chris Buescher20 hours ago

Secures Top 10 At Bristol
Alex Bowman23 hours ago

Late Charge to Fourth Masks Early Race Struggles
Christopher Bell23 hours 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
Russell1 day ago

Wilson 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 Fields2 days ago

Traded To The Steelers
NHL2 days ago

Lukas Reichel Will Be In The Lineup Sunday
Cale Makar2 days ago

A Game-Time Decision Saturday
Zach Parise2 days ago

Likely To Return Saturday
Michael Gallup2 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 Jefferson3 days ago

Steelers Signing Van Jefferson
Jakobi Meyers3 days ago

Raiders Restructure Jakobi Meyers' Contract
Jimmy Garoppolo3 days ago

Rams Agree With Jimmy Garoppolo On One-Year Deal
Gerald Meerschaert3 days ago

To Fight In Main Event Of UFC Vegas 88
Bryan Barberena3 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Kennedy Nzechukwu3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Ovince Saint Preux3 days ago

Set For 27th UFC Appearance
Bryan Battle3 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Ange Loosa3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 88
San Francisco 49ers3 days ago

De'Vondre Campbell Heading To San Francisco
Dallas Cowboys3 days ago

Leighton Vander Esch Being Cut By Cowboys
Michael Gallup3 days ago

Cowboys Releasing Michael Gallup
Kenny Pickett3 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 Bezuidenhout5 days ago

Looking To Put It All Together At TPC Sawgrass
Eric Cole5 days ago

Rebounding Well In The Sunshine State
Brian Harman5 days ago

Playing The Dark-Horse Role Again At The Players
Matt Fitzpatrick5 days ago

Searching For Answers Thus Far In 2024
Sahith Theegala5 days ago

One Of The Tour's Fastest Risers To Start The New Year
Sam Burns5 days ago

Brings A Stellar Run Of Form Into TPC Sawgrass
PGA5 days ago

Sungjae Im Trending Up After Arnold Palmer Success
Jason Day5 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

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Russell Wilson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Free Agency Tracker - Updates On Every Free Agent Signing (2024)

The legal tampering period for NFL free agency begins on March 11 at noon EST, so news of signings will be flying in all week. Veterans like Russell Wilson and Jonnu Smith were released before their contracts expired, meaning they got a head start on free agency and have already reached agreements with new organizations.... Read More


Rome Odunze - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Coach Knows Ball: Rome Odunze NFL Draft Film Breakdown of Washington WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Kirk Cousins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Winners and Losers of 2024 NFL Free Agency (Teams)

Well, strap in, folks, because the first week of 2024 NFL Free Agency was a rollercoaster ride. Some teams made power moves while others seemingly snoozed at the switch. The Houston Texans, for instance, came out swinging, pulling off some of the savviest deals that could very well tilt the scales in their favor this... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Next Gen Stats Review: 2023 Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

A while back, we covered the Next Gen Stats for running backs, including rushing yards over expected and the percentage of plays with eight or more defenders in the box. Check out the running back review of the Next Gen Stats, as it adds a layer to player analysis. We love the advanced stats for... Read More


Keenan Allen - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Keenan Allen Traded To Bears: Fantasy Football Impact

Star wide receiver Keenan Allen has been one of the more underrated players in the NFL over the past few years. He spent the first 11 years of his career with the Los Angeles Chargers, playing for the franchise since their days in San Diego. However, the team reportedly asked Allen to take a pay... Read More


Marquise Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Marquise Brown Signs With Chiefs: Fantasy Football Impact

Veteran wide receiver Marquise Brown signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday. Brown hopes to follow JuJu Smith-Schuster’s footprints by playing on a one-year deal with the Chiefs and earning a multi-year big-money contract the following offseason. The former Oklahoma star spent the first three years of his career with the... Read More


Justin Jefferson - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS Lineup Picks, NFL Injury News

Will The Vikings Trade Justin Jefferson? 2024 NFL Outlook

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is one of the top players in the NFL. The superstar was part of an impressive 2020 NFL Draft class. Yet, he was the fifth wide receiver off the board. Jefferson has been a superstar since his rookie year, making three consecutive Pro Bowl teams and All-Pro rosters to... Read More


Marquise Brown - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Top Free Agency Fits For Marquise Brown – 2024 Free Agent Outlook

Free agent wide receiver Marquise Brown is one of the more explosive players in the NFL. The veteran wide receiver ran a 4.27 40-yard dash at his Pro Day coming out of Oklahoma. He was a first-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2019 NFL Draft. Brown has spent most of his career as... Read More


Nico Collins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings For 2024 Best Ball Leagues (Tiers 4-9)

We have now entered the process of free agency, which is providing pathways for some wide receivers to seize significant roles in their new landing spots. The player movement that has ensued will also decrease the stock of other receivers whose roles will decrease within their reshaped depth charts. Participation in the best ball draft... Read More


Cade Otton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Early 2024 Best Ball Tight End Sleepers

Top tight ends such as Sam LaPorta and Travis Kelce are bound to put up quality fantasy football numbers weekly, but most tight ends are unpredictable. The top tier of tight ends are reliable for fantasy football purposes, but most tight ends are boom-or-bust type of players. Even though it is hard to hit on... Read More


D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Lineup Picks

D'Andre Swift Signs With Bears: Fantasy Football Impact

Newly signed Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift has been one of the most promising, but also underperforming running backs across the NFL and the fantasy landscape in recent years. After three injury-riddled seasons in Detroit where he showed flashes of greatness but didn't quite live up to the hype, Swift was traded to the... Read More


J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Top 50 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings After the 2024 NFL Combine

With the NFL Combine in our rearview mirror, now is a logical time to put out an up-to-date rankings for this year’s NFL Draft. Below, you will find my top-50 players who have declared for this NFL Draft. Below those ranks, you will also find several fantasy-relevant notes I have on this class, and on... Read More


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Calvin Ridley Signs With Titans: Fantasy Football Impact

The Tennessee Titans made a huge move once NFL free agency officially opened. They signed wide receiver Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92 million contract with $50 million fully guaranteed. Ridley was the top receiver on the open market. The Titans swooped in out of left field and signed him to give second-year quarterback Will... Read More