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Fantasy baseball closer breakouts, sleepers, waiver wire add/drop analysis for Week 12 of 2026 include Andrew Kittredge, Tanner Scott, Clayton Beeter, Jose A. Ferrer, Garrett Cleavinger and Elvis Alvarado.
Every season, fantasy managers watch bullpens operate in a revolving door when it comes to the ninth inning. While it may appear a reliever has control of the closer job, a rough patch could open the door for a high-end setup option to claim the job.
Below, we will spotlight six reliefers who have seen their fantasy value increase over the last week and determine if managers should consider picking them up ahead of Week 12.
Should fantasy managers pick up these emerging closers? Let's dive in!
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Andrew Kittredge, Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles veteran right-handed reliever Andrew Kittredge was called upon in the ninth inning on Thursday with the team up by two runs, and he threw a clean inning of work with no runs or hits allowed and no walks or strikeouts to earn his first save of the 2026 season in the 7-5 win over the Seattle Mariners at Camden Yards.
The 36-year-old has an ERA over 6.00 on the year with a 1.57 WHIP and 15:4 K:BB in 14 2/3 innings, but most of the damage against him this year came when he allowed seven runs to the New York Yankees on May 3. Regular closer Ryan Helsley (elbow) remains on the injured list, but Rico Garcia has been manager Craig Albernaz's preferred option in the ninth inning with Helsley sidelined. However, with Garcia having a heavy workload of late, the O's opted against having him pitch on back-to-back days on Thursday, instead turning to Kittredge.
Fantasy managers desperate for saves can avoid Kittredge for now. Besides, Helsley is nearing his return and could be back at the back end of the O's bullpen by next week.
-Written by Keith Hernandez
Tanner Scott, Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed reliever Tanner Scott hasn't been great out of the bullpen recently, but he bounced back nicely in the team's 8-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Thursday night. Scott threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings with no hits allowed while walking none and striking out three to pick up his seventh save of the year for the Dodgers. It was the 31-year-old southpaw's first save since June 2 and helped him break a recent rough patch that saw him give up five earned runs on eight hits (two homers) while walking none and striking out four in four innings over his previous five appearances out of the bullpen.
Still, the former sixth-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2014 has been much better than he was in 2025, his first year with the Dodgers, when he posted a 4.74 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over 57 innings. So far in 2026, Scott is 1-3 with a 2.48 ERA (2.79 FIP), 0.76 WHIP, seven saves, 35 strikeouts, and only three walks.
With Edwin Diaz (elbow) out for the foreseeable future and potentially facing a suspension for his involvement in cockfighting, Scott remains the best bet for saves in L.A. Somehow, he's still rostered in under half of Yahoo leagues.
-Written by Keith Hernandez
Clayton Beeter, Washington Nationals
Despite a recent rough patch, Washington Natinals right-handed reliever Clayton Beeter is the best source of saves in D.C. Beeter hasn't had the best start to June -- he's allowed four earned runs on five hits while walking one and striking out four in 3 2/3 innings in three outings -- but he entered the month with a 2.30 ERA, 15 strikeouts, 12 walks, a win, four saves, and two holds for the Nationals as their top option for the ninth inning.
Overall, the 27-year-old former second-round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020 out of Texas Tech University has gone 2-1 with a 3.72 ERA (4.81 FIP), 1.29 WHIP, four saves, three holds, 19 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 19 1/3 innings pitched. Before the calendar flipped to June, Beeter had six straight scoreless appearances for the Nats to solidify his role as their closer. We're not saying that Beeter is a high-end closing option in fantasy, but for managers scrounging for saves, he's rostered in just 11% of Yahoo leagues.
- Written by Keith Hernandez
Jose A. Ferrer, Seattle Mariners
With Seattle Mariners closer Andres Munoz not living up to his lofty expectations so far in 2026, left-handed reliever Jose A. Ferrer is gaining some steam as one of the top handcuff relievers in baseball. The 26-year-old Dominican southpaw did blow a save chance on Tuesday at Camden Yards against the Baltimore Orioles, allowing two earned runs on three hits (one homer) while striking out one, but he also backed into his first win of the season.
Despite his hiccup earlier this week, Ferrer has been solid in late-inning, high-leverage situations for Seattle in 2026 and is 1-1 with a 2.10 ERA (3.24 FIP), 1.33 WHIP, three saves, 26 strikeouts, and only seven walks in his 30 innings out of the bullpen. He has allowed a run in only five of his 33 outings for the M's in his fourth year in the majors (first in Seattle), and if Munoz continues to struggle, don't be surprised if Ferrer is given more save opportunities by manager Dan Wilson. Ferrer's 19.7% strikeout rate isn't ideal, but he's also walking just 5.3% of the batters he faces.
Fantasy managers looking for a closer handcuff should look no further than Ferrer, who is rostered in only 7% of Yahoo leagues.
- Written by Keith Hernandez
Garrett Cleavinger, Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Garrett Cleavinger earned his second save of the season on Wednesday in his team's 7-5 win over the Red Sox. Cleavinger gave up a home run to Caleb Durbin and issued a walk ot Isiah Kiner-Falefa, but he struck out Andruw Monasterio to end the game. Closer Bryan Baker had worked in each of the previous two games, earning back-to-back saves. Baker has a 1.98 ERA and 18 saves this season, tied for the second-most in the majors.
Cleavinger isn't likely to supplant Baker anytime soon, barring injury, but he has been effective in a setup role and could earn an occasional save chance like this one. The 32-year-old lefty is 1-2 with a 4.70 ERA and 4.02 FIP across his 15 1/3 innings this season. Cleavinger can be useful in leagues that value setup stats, but he's best left for deep leagues, while Baker continues to be so effective.
- Written by Zach Thompson
Elvis Alvarado, Athletics
Athletics relief pitcher Elvis Alvarado closed out his team's 4-3 win on Wednesday night after Hogan Harris pitched the eighth inning. Alvarado faced the middle of the Brewers' lineup and struck out Christian Yelich and Brice Turang as part of his 1-2-3 ninth inning. Alvarado has allowed nine runs in his 14 innings this year for a 5.79 ERA, but he also has 18 strikeouts and a 30.5% K%.
He only has this one save, but he is stepping into a bigger role. Harris, Mason Barnett, and Mark Leiter Jr. are all still in the mix as well, but Alvarado is worth monitoring with his elite strikeout stuff and the potential to continue to trend into a larger role.
- Written by Zach Thompson
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 | Tim Hill, Camilo Doval, Brent Headrick, Jake Bird | N/A |
| Questionable | Red Sox | Aroldis Chapman | Garrett Whitlock | Greg Weissert, Danny Coulombe, Justin Slaten | Garrett Whitlock |
| Solid | Blue Jays | Louis Varland | Tyler Rogers | Jeff Hoffman, Braydon Fisher, Mason Fluharty, Yimi Garcia (IL) | N/A |
| Volatile | Orioles | Rico Garcia, Andrew Kittredge | Yennier Cano, Ryan Helsley (IL) | Tyler Wells, Anthony Nunez, Keegan Akin, Grant Wolfram, Felix Bautista (IL) | Rico Garcia, Andrew Kittredge |
| Solid | Rays | Bryan Baker | Garrett Cleavinger, Kevin Kelly | Casey Legumina, 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 |
| Volatile | White Sox | Seranthony Dominguez, Grant Taylor | Bryan Hudson | Sean Newcomb, Tyler Davis, 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 | Matt Strahm, Lucas Erceg | Daniel Lynch IV, John Schreiber, Carlos Estevez (IL) | Alex Lange |
| Committee | Twins | Yoendrys Gomez, Anthony Banda, Taylor Rogers | Travis Adams, Cole Sands (IL) | Andrew Morris, Eric Orze, Cody Laweryson | Yoendrys Gomez |
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 |
| Volatile | Angels | Kirby Yates | Sam Bachman | Brent Suter, Chase Silseth, Ryan Zeferjahn, Drew Pomeranz, Ben Joyce (IL) | Kirby Yates, Sam Bachman |
| Committee | Athletics | Elvis Alvarado. Hogan Harris | Scott Barlow, Mark Leiter Jr., Justin Sterner | Luis Medina, Mason Barnett | Elvis Alvarado. Hogan Harris |
| Solid | Astros | Josh Hader | Bryan King, Bryan Abreu | AJ Blubaugh, Steven Okert, Enyel De Los Santos | N/A |
| Solid | Mariners | Andres Munoz | Jose A. Ferrer, Matt Brash | Eduard Bazardo, Cooper Criswell, Gabe Speier | N/A |
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, Didier Fuentes, Joe Jimenez (IL) | N/A |
| Solid | Marlins | Pete Fairbanks | Anthony Bender | John King, 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 | Orlando Ribalta, Gus Varland | Brad Lord, Richard Lovelady | 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 | Jacob Webb, Caleb Thielbar | Phil Maton, Hoby Milner | N/A |
| Volatile | Reds | Tony Santillan, Brock Burke, Tejay Antone | Caleb Ferguson, Emilio Pagan (IL) | Sam Moll, Pierce Johnson (IL), Graham Ashcraft (IL) | Tony Santillan, Brock Burke, Tejay Antone |
| Questionable | Brewers | Trevor Megill | Abner Uribe | Aaron Ashby, Grant Anderson, Joel Kuhnel | N/A |
| Solid | Pirates | Gregory Soto | Mason Montgomery, Evan Sisk | Yohan Ramirez, Dennis Santana, 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, Brandyn Garcia, 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 | Adrian Morejon | Jason Adam, Bradgley Rodriguez, Jeremiah Estrada (IL) | N/A |
| Committee | Giants | Caleb Kilian, Keaton Winn | Erik Miller, Dylan Smith | Sam Hentges, Joel Peguero (IL), Matt Gage (IL) | Caleb Kilian, Keaton Winn |
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 Andrew Kittredge, Tanner Scott, Clayton Beeter, Jose A. Ferrer, Garrett Cleavinger, Elvis Alvarado, Alex Lange, Rico Garcia, Abner Uribe, Tyler Megill, Will Vest, Jacob Latz. 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 Andrew Kittredge, Tanner Scott, Clayton Beeter, Jose A. Ferrer, Garrett Cleavinger, Elvis Alvarado, Alex Lange, Rico Garcia, Abner Uribe, Tyler Megill, Will Vest, Jacob Latz:
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