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Mike looks at eight potential fantasy baseball breakouts, sleepers for closers and saves for Week 23 of 2026. His top relief pitcher waiver wire and trade targets for saves.
We're in the sprint to the finish line now, and finding saves, ratio controls, and strikeouts are vitally important to your team. The goal of this piece is to find some guys who can help your roster right now. I feel those listed below can help your squad depending on your needs.
Things are often in flux in many bullpens at this stage of the season, and this year is no exception. Closers lose jobs, regain them, and we even have some failed starters, like Kodai Senga and Paul Blackburn, finding their way in bullpen roles this season.
The most important thing to remember is to never give up the ship when it comes to your fantasy basbeall team. Whether you can win the league or not, stay active and competitive until the end of the season. It's more fun for everyone that way.
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Elvis Alvarado, Athletics
Alvarado has pitched well enough to get himself into a clear timeshare with lefty Hogan Harris. Alvarado has the last three chances and, being right-handed, may have the key to the top job moving forward into September.
Look at his splits below to see how good his August has been. The strikeout rate is way up, his command has been better, and he is getting better results. Alvarado should be scooped up in most leagues, especially if you are speculating on saves.
Mason Montgomery, Pittsburgh Pirates
I am not sure what we're doing here. How is Montgomery, who is the clear closer on a team fighting for a playoff spot, not rostered in every league? Especially when he has been as good as he has this year.
Look at his Statcast below. What is there not to love here? Pairing an MLB-best 39.2% K% with a high 54.3% ground ball percentage, Montgomery has found so much success that he is the undisputed closer over Luke Weaver and Gregory Soto in Pittsburgh.
Paul Blackburn, New York Yankees
Blackburn has pitched well all season and now finds himself in a key setup role for New York due to Fernando Cruz's UCL injury. Blackburn should pair with lefty Brent Headrick to be the bridge to closer David Bednar. Despite a low 20.7% K%, Blackburn has a tidy 1.64 ERA and nine holds.
How is he doing it? He limits hard contact and elicits a whopping 55.6% groundball rate; that's how. He throws the sinker a massive 54% of the time against right-handed hitters and uses the change-up more against lefties to neutralize them. It's working for the veteran starter who now has a bullpen home.
Andrew Kittredge, Baltimore Orioles
Yes, I know this is a committee situation, but I still feel like Kittredge is the best bet most nights to get the save opportunity. He has two saves and a win in his last three appearances. I know Yennier Cano got the save on Sunday, but it appeared Kittredge was off. In the game he won, Alex Hoppe got the save in extra innings.
I am aware that Felix Bautista will return at some point this month, but until that happens, I am willing to run with Kittredge. Who knows if Bautista comes back and reclaims the job in 2026? Hard to say. Kittredge seems the best bet for saves in a muddy situation in Baltimore.
AJ Blubaugh, Houston Astros
Blubaugh has pitched himself into a better and bigger role in the Houston bullpen, which has been in flux for most of the year, besides Josh Hader. Bryan Abreu and Steven Okert are the top setup guys now, but Blubaugh is knocking at the door with his performance.
You can see his splits below and how effective he has been in August in a middle relief role. This past week, Blubaugh earned two holds and has eight on the year to go with a nice 3.09 ERA, one save, and a 25% K%. They will need him down the stretch to get to the playoffs.
Calvin Faucher, Miami Marlins
Faucher is the closer in Miami with veteran Pete Fairbanks out with nerve issues in his hand. Faucher has the experience and is the preferred option right now, despite many believing this is a committee in Miami. The other committee members would be Tyler Zuber and Michael Petersen.
Faucher has five wins, two saves, 14 holds, a 3.90 ERA, and a 25.8% K%. He has a career total of 24 saves, which puts him ahead of his competition with experience. I will be watching this all week, but my lean in Miami right now will be Faucher.
Trent Harris, San Francisco Giants
Harris has been good in a wrecked bullpen in San Francisco and seems to be climbing the leverage ladder. Three holds this week, and a 31.95% K% have my attention. Given the current volatility of would-be closer Dylan Smith, Harris could find himself getting save chances in September.
Harris could compete with both Smith and fellow setup option Carson Seymour, but Harris has better stuff and a 55.6% groundball percentage thus far in his young career. It's possible that the Giants are finding some guys that could impact the bullpen in 2027 as their season rolls to a painful close.
Nate Lavender, New York Mets
Lavender has come out of nowhere to claim one of the top setup jobs for the New York Mets, who traded away half of their bullpen at the trade deadline. He has only pitched twice over the last week, but he has yet to give up a run in 10 appearances and boasts a 34.2% K%.
Lavender is clearly a top setup option with Daniel Duarte in trying to get the ball in the ninth inning to new closer Kodai Senga. Lavender has seven holds now in 11 appearances, and it appears that the Mets have found a useful piece in Lavender for next season.
Bullpens and Saves Quick Hits
Baltimore Orioles
Three different guys have saves over the last week: Andrew Kittredge (two), Alex Hoppe, and Yennier Cano. Yet I still think Kittredge is the best bet most nights; he had pitched in three of four games the night Cano got his save, and got the win in Hoppe's save. Go Kittredge, if you need saves.
Chicago White Sox
Every single time I am ready to anoint Grant Taylor the closer, he enters in the sixth inning of a game. After getting and converting two consecutive chances last week, Bryan Hudson picked up both chances on Friday and Saturday. Taylor has eight saves, Hudson has seven, and Sean Newcomb has four.
Los Angeles Angels
It seems clear that management wants Ben Joyce to run away with the job, but that is not happening. He blew the last chance on Friday night and took the loss. Despite a wonderful 36.4% K%, the 15.2% BB% leaves much to be desired, and I question whether Joyce will ever have the closer job outright here.
Arizona Diamondbacks
This is a committee among Justin Martinez, Juan Morillo, and Brandyn Garcia. Morillo got and converted the last save chance here last week. With Martinez back and having only pitched in four games since his return from Tommy John surgery, look for the committee to continue until he may be ready for the tob job.
Chicago Cubs
I am watching intently to see how manager Craig Counsell manages this now that Daniel Palencia is back. It looks like he intends to keep Jacob Webb in the closer role and have Palencia support in a setup role, perhaps in a stopper role.
Keep grinding! September is here, and those elusive championships await us at the end of the month. Finish the job strong, and never give up on your fantasy team!
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