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David's closers and saves fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and bullpen report for Week 25 (2025). His relief pitcher updates, and closers to add for saves.
As we reach mid-September, if you're still reading up on relief pitchers and waiver wires: You're either in the playoffs (congratulations!) or in a points or rotisserie league where you're still competing (congratulations!) or at least in some position where fantasy baseball still matters to you this late in the season (relatable!)
This week, we saw a specific reliever finally give up a hit for the first time in a long time. We saw an exciting new-this-season closer land on the injured list, and we saw a couple of committees settle into maybe less of a committee. We'll check all of that and more as we make our way through!
Let's dive into this week's report! As always, stay tapped in with our Fantasy Baseball Closer Depth Charts for saves, holds, and bullpens. They will be updated frequently throughout the 2025 baseball season as new information becomes available.
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Waiver Wire Pickups For Standard Leagues
Brad Keller, Chicago Cubs (Rostered in 24% of leagues)
Andrew Kittredge, Chicago Cubs (Rostered in 9% of leagues)
With Daniel Palencia (shoulder) being sent to the injured list, the Cubs look like they'll go with a committee approach for their ninth inning. That committee looks like it will be a two-headed monster made up of Brad Keller and Andrew Kittredge.
While we'll need to wait and see a little bit, Keller is more likely to be in the fireman role with Kittredge standing by as his support. Sometimes, that will mean Keller in the seventh or eighth then Kittredge in the ninth, making both guys potentially valuable relievers for the fantasy playoffs.
Brad Keller, K'ing the Side. pic.twitter.com/6Q7sg4octl
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 20, 2025
Dennis Santana, Pittsburgh Pirates (Rostered in 43% of leagues)
Pirates closer Dennis Santana had a good week, pitching three times and allowing just one hit and no runs while striking out four. None of those outings happened to be save situations though, so he didn't contribute in that category this week. Still, he's the unquestioned closer and has been pitching very well, meaning he should certainly be rostered in many more leagues.
Juego salvado para Dennis Santana 🇩🇴 pic.twitter.com/fZUn4Xdz8g
— Los Piratas (@piratasbeisbol) August 28, 2025
Abner Uribe, Milwaukee Brewers (Rostered in 47% of leagues)
Abner Uribe's time as Milwaukee Brewers closer is likely coming to an end soon, but he's definitely worth hanging onto or adding in any leagues where holds are valuable. With Trevor Megill (elbow) already throwing live batting practice and expected back soon, Uribe will slide back down into his setup role soon.
Still, he is currently rostered in fewer than half of fantasy leagues and could be an incredibly valuable dart throw if Megill ends up experiencing a setback or hurting himself again. (Also, Megill's rostered rate has dropped to 85%. Check your waiver wires and add him immediately if he's there.)
Abner Uribe, Vicious 100mph Sinker. 😤 pic.twitter.com/jyIwpGVihe
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 24, 2025
JoJo Romero, St. Louis Cardinals (Rostered in 33% of leagues)
Riley O'Brien, St. Louis Cardinals (Rostered in 4% of leagues)
The Cardinals continue deploying their lefty-righty committee for late inning leverage situations. Riley O'Brien missed a little time with some shoulder soreness, but he's returned and pitched well since. He and JoJo Romero have been and will continue to split the late game duties, with the inning each one pitches depending on the batters due up for the opposing team.
Romero gets the slight nod here because it seems like he has a little more of his manager's trust, but both guys could be valuable as the fantasy playoffs continue.
Riley O'Brien has allowed just one run over 10.1 MLB innings pitched in June pic.twitter.com/IKtFPKbSO6
— Kareem Haq (@KareemSSN) June 21, 2025
Shawn Armstrong, Texas Rangers (Rostered in 21% of leagues)
Rangers closer Shawn Armstrong picked up two saves and a hold this week while allowing just one run in five innings of work. Phil Maton also collected a save this week, but the job seems to be pretty strongly Armstrong's right now. Armstrong remains available in most leagues and can certainly help a playoff roster looking for an extra save or two.
Shawn Armstrong has to be a cyborg, there is simply no other explanation 🦾
🎥: @RangersSNtv pic.twitter.com/NTSYsQb8Di
— Rangers Nation ⚾️ (@rangers__nation) September 10, 2025
Jose A. Ferrer, Washington Nationals (Rostered in 36% of leagues)
The Nationals are playing pretty good baseball right now, and their closer Jose A. Ferrer is doing so as well. Ferrer saved two games and earned a hold this week, allowing no runs and just two hits. He's pretty widely available, and as long as the Nats keep playing well, he will keep getting save chances and could be a fantasy asset for playoff teams.
José Ferrer @Nationals lanzó 1 entrada, permitió 1 hit, 0 carreras y otorgó 1 base por bolas. Obtuvo su séptimo juego salvado de la temporada. 3.91 EFE.#AguiluchosMLB pic.twitter.com/br3N4hs8Zt
— Águilas Cibaeñas (@aguilascibaenas) September 8, 2025
Waiver Wire Pickups For Deeper Leagues
Jake Woodford, Arizona Diamondbacks (Rostered in 2% of leagues)
Andrew Saalfrank, Arizona Diamondbacks (Rostered in 12% of leagues)
Ryan Thompson, Arizona Diamondbacks (Rostered in 1% of leagues)
No one on the Diamondbacks roster earned a save this week, but the three guys listed above each earned one hold. That at least shows that they are somewhere on the leverage ladder, and in a messy bullpen, that could mean fantasy value.
None of the arms in the Arizona bullpen are immediate must-adds, but fantasy managers in deep leagues reaching for maybe one more save could choose someone from this pen and keep their fingers crossed.
Short Relief: More Bullpen Notes
-This week's saves leaders were Jhoan Duranand Cade Smith, each with four.
-The holds leaders for the week were David Robertson, Matt Strahm, and Robert Garcia, each with three.
-Aroldis Chapman allowed his first hit since July 23 this week, which is wild. He had gone 17 outings in a row without allowing one.
-Reid Detmers (elbow) was forced to leave an outing early and was placed on the IL on Thursday. Kenley Jansen's backup in Anaheim will likely be Luis Garcia.
-Hogan Harris might be the guy in the Athletics bullpen? Maybe?
-It looks like David Bednar is the current hot hand for saves in the Yankees pen.
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