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Fantasy baseball closer breakouts, sleepers, waiver wire add/drop analysis for Week 11 of 2026 include Rico Garcia, Alex Lange, Caleb Kilian, more.
Finding saves on the waiver wire in the middle of the season is often difficult, as most bullpens are established. However, sometimes setup options begin to emerge and slowly take over the ninth-inning role.
Below, we will look at six relief pitchers whose fantasy value has risen over the past week and who term managers should consider picking up.
Should fantasy managers pick up these emerging closers? Let's dive in!
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Alex Lange, Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals right-hander Alex Lange has picked up back-to-back saves over the Royals' last two games and is emerging as a waiver wire pickup for leagues where save opportunities are scarce. The Royals' bullpen has been a bit of a carousel with Carlos Estevez (shoulder) landing on the IL in April, and Lucas Erceg struggling of late and only converting 11 of 17 save opportunities with a 1.97 WHIP and 6.45 ERA on the season.
Lange is no secret to closing, having converted on 26 saves in 2023 with the Tigers. On the season, Lange has a 4.18 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts in 28 innings pitched. While Lange may not be a long-term option or have elite stuff, he could be the new "flavor of the week" at the closer position and can help fantasy managers convert on some saves in the short-term.
-Written by Nicho Roessler
Caleb Kilian, San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants right-hander Caleb Kilian earned the save on Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers and has now converted on four of his five save opportunities on the season with a 1.19 WHIP and 3.58 ERA with 30 strikeouts and 14 walks through 27 2/3 innings pitched. While the Giants' closer role has been frustrating to figure out all season, Kilian appears to be taking control of that job, as his surface stats, stuff, and recent save opportunities appear to point in that direction.
Additionally, Ryan Walker, who is leading the team with six save opportunities, was sent down to Triple-A on May 10, so he is not a threat to compete with Kilian for the time being. Kilian does not have any prior closing experience, so while he appears to be in the driver's seat for the job, his leash will be short; however, in formats where saves are scarce, Kilian is worth a waiver-wire add in deeper formats.
-Written by Nicho Roessler
JoJo Romero, St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals left-hander JoJo Romero has been effective in high-leverage situations this season and stands as the clear handcuff to closer Riley O'Brien. Romero owns a 2.96 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with 26 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings. While O'Brien has locked down the closer role, he has begun to struggle as of late, allowing 10 earned runs (11 total runs) with two blown saves over his last 11 innings. He also has closing experience from last season, when he shared the role with O'Brien down the stretch and converted eight of nine save opportunities.
Overall, last summer, Romero posted a stellar 2.07 ERA with 24 holds while operating in a high-leverage role. For fantasy managers in standard saves leagues, Romero is a smart, low-cost speculative add as O'Brien's primary handcuff. For those in leagues that reward holds, Romero continues to hold high-end value as he should remain a go-to option in high-leverage spots.
- Written by Bruno Mule
Rico Garcia, Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles right-hander Rico Garcia continued his dominant campaign Tuesday, tossing a perfect inning to secure his fourth save of the season in a 4-2 win over the Red Sox. Garcia needed just 14 pitches to retire all three batters he faced, recording two strikeouts along the way. The veteran reliever has quietly become one of Baltimore's most reliable arms, allowing just two earned runs all season.
Through 26 1/3 innings, he owns a 0.68 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, and 30 strikeouts. With Ryan Helsley on the injured list, Garcia appears to have a firm grip on ninth-inning duties for the time being. His combination of swing-and-miss stuff and elite run prevention makes him a strong fantasy option, and a priority waiver wire target for managers searching for saves in the short term.
Rico Garcia pumped up after his strikeout to escape Yaramil Hiraldo's bases-loaded jam pic.twitter.com/2cSGHCyBm5
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) March 29, 2026
- Written by Julian Brooke
Hogan Harris, Athletics
The Athletics are currently using a closer-by-committee approach to the ninth inning, but left-handed reliever Hogan Harris might deserve some more consideration off the waiver wire from fantasy managers in need of saves going forward. The 29-year-old southpaw has been a reliable late-inning option for the A's this year and picked up his third win of 2026 in Wednesday night's 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, throwing a hitless and scoreless inning with no walks and two strikeouts.
Justin Sterner ended up with the save in the ballgame, but Harris, Mark Leiter Jr., and Scott Barlow are still the best ninth-inning options for manager Mark Kotsay. Since blowing his first save of the year on April 28 against the Kansas City Royals, Harris has tightened things up with three earned runs allowed, seven walks, 16 strikeouts, four saves, three holds, and a win in 15 appearances for the A's. He has not allowed a run in 12 of his last 13 appearances. Fantasy managers should jump on Harris now, and he's only rostered in 11% of Yahoo leagues.
- Written by Keith Hernandez
Yoendrys Gomez, Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins right-hander Yoendrys Gomez picked up his fourth save of the season Tuesday, recording the final four outs in a 6-4 victory over the White Sox while striking out two. The 26-year-old has steadily improved after a difficult April, posting a 0.87 ERA during May while earning a larger role in the Minnesota bullpen. Gomez now owns a 3.90 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and leads the Twins in saves.
Minnesota continues to utilize multiple relievers in save situations, but Gomez has made a strong case for additional ninth-inning opportunities. Fantasy managers searching for saves should view him as a priority waiver wire target while his role continues to grow.
- Written by Julian Brooke
Updated Closers and Saves Depth Charts
Check out our updated closer depth charts for each of the 30 MLB teams that are updated regularly by Nick Mariano.
AL EAST: 2026 Fantasy Baseball Closers & Saves
| RotoBaller Stability Rating | Team Name |
Current Closer |
Direct Backup |
More Holds Candidates |
Waiver Wire Add |
| Solid | Yankees | David Bednar | Fernando Cruz, Camilo Doval | Tim Hill, Brent Headrick, Yovanny Cruz | N/A |
| Solid | Red Sox | Aroldis Chapman | Justin Slaten | Greg Weissert, Danny Coulombe, Tyler Samaniego, Garrett Whitlock (IL) | N/A |
| Solid | Blue Jays | Louis Varland | Jeff Hoffman | Tyler Rogers, Braydon Fisher, Mason Fluharty, Adam Macko, Yimi Garcia (IL) | N/A |
| Volatile | Orioles | Rico Garcia, Anthony Nunez | Yennier Cano, Ryan Helsley (IL) | Tyler Wells, Andrew Kittredge, Keegan Akin, Grant Wolfram (IL), Felix Bautista (IL) | Rico Garcia, Anthony Nunez |
| Solid | Rays | Bryan Baker | Ian Seymour, Kevin Kelly | Garrett Cleavinger, Cole Sulser, Edwin Uceta (IL) | N/A |
AL CENTRAL: 2026 Fantasy Baseball Closers & Saves
| RotoBaller Stability Rating |
Team Name | Current Closer | Direct Backup | More Holds Candidates |
Waiver Wire Add |
| Volatile | Tigers | Will Vest | Kyle Finnegan, Kenley Jansen (IL) | Tyler Holton, Brenan Hanifee, Drew Anderson | Will Vest |
| Questionable | White Sox | Seranthony Dominguez | Grant Taylor, Bryan Hudson | Sean Newcomb, Jordan Hicks (IL) | Grant Taylor, Bryan Hudson |
| Solid | Guardians | Cade Smith | Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowski (IL) | Matt Festa, Tim Herrin, Colin Holderman, Shawn Armstrong | N/A |
| Volatile | Royals | Alex Lange, Daniel Lynch IV | Matt Strahm, Lucas Erceg | John Schreiber, Carlos Estevez (IL) | Daniel Lynch IV, Alex Lange |
| Committee | Twins | Yoendrys Gomez, Eric Orze, Taylor Rogers | Andrew Morris, Cody Laweryson, Cole Sands (IL) | Anthony Banda, Travis Adams | N/A |
AL WEST: 2026 Fantasy Baseball Closers & Saves
| RotoBaller Stability Rating | Team Name | Current Closer | Direct Backup | More Holds Candidates |
Waiver Wire Add |
| Solid | Rangers | Jacob Latz | Jakob Junis, Robert Garcia (IL) | Tyler Alexander, Jalen Beeks, Chris Martin (IL), Cole Winn (IL) | Jacob Latz |
| Questionable | Angels | Kirby Yates | Ryan Zeferjahn, Sam Bachman | Brent Suter, Chase Silseth, Drew Pomeranz, Ben Joyce (IL) | Kirby Yates |
| Committee | Athletics | Scott Barlow, Mark Leiter Jr., Hogan Harris | Joel Kuhnel | Justin Sterner, Jack Perkins | Scott Barlow, Mark Leiter Jr., Hogan Harris |
| Solid | Astros | Josh Hader | Bryan King, Bryan Abreu, Enyel De Los Santos | AJ Blubaugh, Steven Okert, Nate Pearson | N/A |
| Solid | Mariners | Andres Munoz | Jose A. Ferrer, Matt Brash | Eduard Bazardo, Cooper Criswell, Gabe Speier | Jose A. Ferrer |
NL EAST: 2026 Fantasy Baseball Closers & Saves
| RotoBaller Stability Rating | Team Name | Current Closer | Direct Backup | More Holds Candidates |
Waiver Wire Add |
| Solid | Braves | Raisel Iglesias | Robert Suarez, Dylan Lee | Tyler Kinley, Reynaldo Lopez, Joe Jimenez (IL) | N/A |
| Solid | Marlins | Pete Fairbanks | John King, Anthony Bender | Calvin Faucher, Michael Petersen | N/A |
| Solid | Mets | Devin Williams | Luke Weaver | Brooks Raley, Huascar Brazoban, A.J. Minter | N/A |
| Solid | Phillies | Jhoan Duran | Brad Keller, Jose Alvarado | Orion Kerkering, Tanner Banks, Tim Mayza | N/A |
| Volatile | Nationals | Clayton Beeter | Gus Varland, Richard Lovelady | PJ Poulin, Brad Lord | Clayton Beeter |
NL CENTRAL: 2026 Fantasy Baseball Closers & Saves
| RotoBaller Stability Rating | Team Name | Current Closer | Direct Backup | More Holds Candidates |
Waiver Wire Add |
| Solid | Cubs | Daniel Palencia | Phil Maton, Caleb Thielbar | Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, Riley Martin (IL) | N/A |
| Volatile | Reds | Brock Burke, Tejay Antone | Tony Santillan, Caleb Ferguson, Emilio Pagan (IL) | Sam Moll, Pierce Johnson (IL), Graham Ashcraft (IL) | Brock Burke, Tejay Antone |
| Questionable | Brewers | Trevor Megill | Abner Uribe | Aaron Ashby, Chad Patrick, Grant Anderson, DL Hall | N/A |
| Solid | Pirates | Gregory Soto | Mason Montgomery, Dennis Santana | Yohan Ramirez, Evan Sisk, Brandan Bidois | Gregory Soto |
| Questionable | Cardinals | Riley O'Brien | JoJo Romero, George Soriano | Ryne Stanek, Justin Bruihl | JoJo Romero, George Soriano |
NL WEST: 2026 Fantasy Baseball Closers & Saves
| RotoBaller Stability Rating | Team Name | Current Closer | Direct Backup |
More Holds Candidates |
Waiver Wire Add |
| Solid | Diamondbacks | Paul Sewald | Taylor Clarke, Juan Morillo | Jonathan Loaisiga, Ryan Thompson, Kevin Ginkel, A.J. Puk (IL), Justin Martinez (IL) | N/A |
| Volatile | Rockies | Antonio Senzatela, Juan Mejia | Brennan Bernardino | Jaden Hill, Seth Halvorsen, Victor Vodnik (IL), Jimmy Herget (IL) | Antonio Senzatela, Juan Mejia |
| Solid | Dodgers | Tanner Scott | Alex Vesia, Kyle Hurt, Will Klein | Blake Treinen, Edgardo Henriquez, Edwin Diaz (IL) | Tanner Scott |
| Solid | Padres | Mason Miller | Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon | Bradgley Rodriguez, Jeremiah Estrada | N/A |
| Committee | Giants | Caleb Kilian, Keaton Winn, Erik Miller | Matt Gage | Sam Hentges, Joel Peguero (IL) | Caleb Kilian, Keaton Winn, Erik Miller |
Who Should I Pickup Fantasy Baseball Tool
Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to pickup...
2026 Player Decisions. Looking to pick up someone else instead? Today's focus is on specific players like Kyle Finnegan, Alex Lange, Trevor Megill, Enyel De Los Santos, Jacob Latz, Bryan King, Yoendrys Gomez, Kyle Hurt, Grant Taylor, Bryan Baker, Rico Garcia, Abner Uribe. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four MLB players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy baseball rankings, projections, and more.
Improvements For Who Should I Pickup? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Pickup? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2026. You'll see MLB player tiles with stats, projections, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy baseball waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research, and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Looking to pick up someone else instead? Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for players like Kyle Finnegan, Trevor Megill, Enyel De Los Santos, Jacob Latz, Yoendrys Gomez, Kyle Hurt, Grant Taylor, Bryan Baker, Rico Garcia, Abner Uribe:
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