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The long wait is over and Major League Baseball’s opening weekend is finally here! Rosters have been whittled down but some positional battles are still being worked out. Several teams’ bullpen roles, in particular, are still up in the air.
A handful of teams are entering the season employing the closer-by-committee approach to finishing games. Unfortunately, few have had this strategy thrust upon them after seeing their go-to closers fall to injury during spring training. Other teams are rolling with the hot hand, having a specific reliever in mind to close things out but with one or more others ready to take the job if things go south.
Finding saves is a season-long battle in fantasy baseball. It’s important to keep tabs on these situations to stay ahead of the pack when a new closer emerges. After reading this article bookmark our Fantasy Baseball Closer Depth Charts and keep up with David A. Marcillo’s fantastic Bullpen Report series to stay on top of changing roles.
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Chicago Cubs Saves Candidates
In the mix: Adbert Alzolay, Hector Neris, Julian Merryweather
One of the more surprising notes from spring training was new Cubs manager Craig Counsell’s seeming lack of commitment to naming Adbert Alzolay as his closer. Alzolay stepped into the role last June and led the league in saves over July and August, with 18. He missed almost all of September due to injury and ended the season with 22 saves, 67 strikeouts, a 2.67 ERA, and 1.02 WHIP.
Hector Neris, who signed with the Cubs in January, looked like the main challenger to Alzolay. He did himself no favors in spring training, though, allowing 14 hits and 10 runs in his 7.2 Cactus League innings. Still, Neris does have closing experience and gives the Cubs a durable arm (70 or more appearances in the last three seasons) in case Alzolay falters.
Alzolay’s performance and enthusiasm in 2023 made him a fast favorite to fans and teammates alike. Counsell’s comments about bullpen roles are curious to say the least, especially given his track record of sticking with his man while managing the Brewers. My best guess is that he was reminding Alzolay that nothing is guaranteed but his unfortunate appearance on Opening Day may invite an early look at Neris in the ninth.
Travis Jankowski ties it in the bottom of the 9th! #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/tNofbrJDU3
— MLB (@MLB) March 29, 2024
Chicago White Sox Saves Candidates
In the mix: John Brebbia, Michael Kopech, Jordan Leasure, Steven Wilson
While the Cubs’ situation is somewhat ambiguous, on the south side of Chicago, things are downright messy. White Sox manager all but guaranteed his commitment to playing the matchups he sees fit in recent comments to the media.
Grifol on his closer: "I wouldn’t have one anyways unless you bring back Dennis Eckersley or somebody like that. We’re attacking leverage. Somebody takes it on, somebody takes it on."
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) March 25, 2024
Early in spring training, John Brebbia was the assumed closer-in-waiting but a calf strain derailed those projections and opened the door to the current situation. As a reliever in 2021, Michael Kopech posted a 36.1% strikeout rate but saw his velocity (and effectiveness) swoon after being made a starter in the last two seasons.
Jordan Leasure made it onto Chicago’s roster after finishing spring training with a 1.93 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 9.1 innings. The 25-year-old has great strikeout potential but lacks major-league experience. Newcomer Steven Wilson’s .184 xBA ranked in the 99th percentile but he was at the opposite end of the spectrum in walk rate. His 12.3 BB% put him in the bottom seven percent of the league.
All in all, this is a committee to avoid entirely. No one candidate stands out among the rest and the White Sox don’t figure to offer a lot of chances anyway.
Milwaukee Brewers Saves Candidates
In the mix: Abner Uribe, Joel Payamps, Trevor Megill
The Brewers were dealt a serious blow in mid-March when their All-Star closer Devin Williams was diagnosed with two stress fractures in his back. The injury will keep him out until June at the earliest, leaving a vacuum at the top of Milwaukee’s bullpen chart.
Joel Payamps’s performance as the team’s setup man in 2023 makes him a popular favorite. He appeared in 69 games last season, racking up 27 holds and holding down a 2.55 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. Abner Uribe returns to Milwaukee after bursting onto the scene as a flamethrowing rookie last year. The allure of his 30.7 K% was countered by 15.7 BB% so some seasoning may be in order. Hard-throwing Trevor Megill’s name has been floated as a dark horse candidate to step into the role, as well.
Unfortunately for us fantasy players, manager Pat Murphy has remained mum on who he will use in the ninth. In the Brewers' season opener, all three relievers came in to shut down the Mets. Megill got the seventh inning, Payamps the eighth, and it was Uribe who recorded the save. Time will tell if this pattern will hold. Given the length of Williams’s absence, this situation is well worth monitoring as it means three months' worth of save opportunities for whoever emerges as top dog.
Trevor Megill's Filthy Stuff. 😷 pic.twitter.com/pj587sr5uj
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 5, 2023
Toronto Blue Jays Saves Candidates
In the mix: Yimi Garcia, Chad Green, Tim Mayza
The Blue Jays’ bullpen was dealt a double whammy on the injury front around the same time the Brewers were dealing with the loss of Williams. On March 19, Toronto lost not just Jordan Romano to injury, but his presumptive replacement, Erik Swanson. With both their closer and fallback option shelved to start the year, the door is open to the rest of the Jays’ pen to handle the ninth.
Toronto will reportedly roll with a committee to hand closing duties. Yimi Garcia’s strong spring training performance likely puts him ahead of his teammates for the first opportunity. Chad Green and Tim Mayza have been mentioned as possible candidates as well, though their Grapefruit League numbers don’t inspire much confidence. Genesis Cabrera may emerge as another pitcher who will get a shot at finishing games for the Blue Jays.
Garcia is the most promising name to pursue for fantasy managers trying to find some extra saves on the waiver wire. Don’t break the bank in securing his services, though. The Blue Jays are hopeful that Romano will only require a minimum stay on the 15-day injured list which would have him back in action as soon as April 9.
It feels like Yimi Garcia is about to become really (really) important. #BlueJays
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) March 25, 2024
Around The League
The Brewers and Blue Jays were not the only teams who lost their highly regarded closers in the preseason. Jhoan Duran of the Twins went down in mid-March and Paul Sewald was injured in the final weekend of spring training. Griffin Jax already looks like the primary fill-in for Minnesota, while Kevin Ginkel’s strong finish in 2023 makes him the most reliable arm to grab in Arizona but he will lose save chances if matchups demand he enter the game earlier.
Torey Lovullo says Kevin Ginkel will get some opportunities to close games. But Lovullo isn’t naming him the closer. Will play the matchups.
— Steve Zinsmeister (@Steve_Zins) March 28, 2024
The Phillies have something of a “soft” committee working. Jose Alvarado appears to be the primary closer but he has a volatile streak and as a lefty, may get pushed into working high-leverage situations earlier in the game. This would leave the door open for Jeff Hoffman or Seranthony Dominguez to grab a save here or there as the season goes by. Alvarado imploded during his eighth-inning appearance in the Phillies' season opener, allowing five Braves to reach base, and was on the hook for five earned runs and the loss.
Jose Leclerc of the Rangers and Carlos Estevez of the Angels both got endorsements from their managers coming into 2024. However, their positions are threatened by the talent behind them. If Leclerc falters, then David Robertson (18 saves in 2023) is waiting in the wings to take over and once Robert Stephenson returns from the injured list, he may challenge for closing duties. On Opening Day, Leclerc was called on to pitch the ninth with the score tied but his night was ruined by a controversial call that resulted in a go-ahead run. After Texas evened the score it was Robertson who pitched the tenth and was credited with the win.
The Royals, Tigers, Athletics, and Rockies all have vague situations. Will Smith signed with Kansas City in February and should be first in line. Up-and-comer James McArthur was more effective than his 4.63 ERA in 2023 might suggest (23.1 IP) and he may work in if not take over the job entirely down the line. Alex Lange was the primary closer in Detroit last year but it was Jason Foley who got the save for the Tigers on Opening Day.
Mason Miller’s electric arm holds a lot of potential but he has also been rumored to be on tap for bulk relief, leaving the door open to Dany Jimenez and Lucas Erceg to be involved. Colorado’s ninth-inning duties are a toss-up between Justin Lawrence and Tyler Kinley. As with the White Sox, there may simply be too few opportunities to make any pursuit of the candidates in Oakland or Colorado worthwhile.
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