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Fantasy baseball closer breakouts, sleepers, waiver wire add/drop analysis for Week 14 of 2026 include Yennier Cano, Garrett Whitlock, Yoendrys Gomez, Jimmy Herget and more.
Finding high-impact receivers who will not only provide saves but also produce elite ratios can be the difference between you winning or falling short in your fantasy baseball league.
In this piece, we will look at six relief pitchers who have seen their fantasy value increase over the last week of action and determine if managers should look to target them on the waiver wire.
Should fantasy managers pick up these emerging closers? Let's dive in!
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Mason Barnett, Athletics
Athletics pitcher Mason Barnett was handed the ball with a three-run lead in the ninth inning of Thursday's game against the San Francisco Giants. The A's were trailing this game until scoring four runs in the top half of the ninth inning. They turned to Barnett in the bottom half with an easier assignment given the three-run cushion. He retired all three batters in order, recording a strikeout and earning his second save of the season.
Barnett has allowed only two runs while striking out 19 batters across 14.2 big league innings this season. He figures to remain in the mix as a closer, but is more of a deep league option right now.
-Written by Andy Webb
Garrett Whitlock, Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Garrett Whitlock is definitely an important name to watch as we approach what should be a very active trade deadline for Boston. The 30-year-old has been extremely effective in a setup role in front of Aroldis Chapman this season for the struggling Red Sox, allowing just eight earned runs and racking up 29 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings in his 25 games. Chapman is clearly Boston's best closer, but he could be on the move at the deadline, opening a chance for Whitlock to be the team's closer down the stretch.
Whitlock himself could also be traded, and if he lands in a different place as the closer, he could have elite closer value there as well. With so many unknown factors, stashing Whitlock in deep leagues makes sense based on his elite closer upside if he lands in a primary closer role with the Red Sox or a different team. If you're trying to get ahead of the roster shuffle and project potential saves at the end of the season, Whitlock is a great speculative pickup.
-Written by Zach Thompson
Yennier Cano, Baltimore Orioles
Across 26 innings (35 games) in 2026, Baltimore Orioles right-hander Yennier Cano has pitched to a 2.08 ERA and 0.81 WHIP with 25 strikeouts and one save. The 32-year-old has largely been utilized in a setup role this season, which is the role he's been most effective in throughout his career to this point. However, Cano picked up his first save of 2026 on Saturday, which could be an indication that Baltimore may start to rely on him in the ninth inning.
Orioles closer Ryan Helsley returned to the big leagues last week after missing nearly two months with an elbow injury, but has struggled upon his return, allowing three home runs and four earned runs across 1 2/3 innings. Cano has recorded 16 saves for the Orioles over the past four seasons, so the team has some level of comfort with deploying him as a closer. In deeper leagues, fantasy managers may want to consider stashing Cano off the waiver wire.
-Written by Will Brady
Yoendrys Gomez, Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins right-handed pitcher Yoendrys Gomez has worked his way into the center of the club's ninth-inning picture and should be rostered more widely in fantasy leagues. The 26-year-old owns a 3.65 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 35 strikeouts, and seven saves across 37 innings and 31 appearances this season. Those overall ratios are weighed down by a difficult nine-game stretch with Tampa Bay, where Gomez recorded a 6.23 ERA before being designated for assignment.
Since joining Minnesota, Gomez has registered a 1.37 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts over 19 2/3 innings while converting all six of his save opportunities. Manager Derek Shelton has not named an official closer, but Gomez has regularly handled the ninth inning with games on the line. A slightly lower arm slot and increased sweeper usage have helped drive his turnaround, with opponents batting .158 and slugging .184 against the pitch. Gomez is rostered in only 23% of Yahoo leagues, making him a priority pickup in 12-team formats for managers searching for saves.
- Written by Bruno Mule
Jimmy Herget, Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Jimmy Herget came on to close out his team's comeback win on Wednesday over the Red Sox, and he earned his second save of the year. His first save came all the way back on April 1, but he has been effective lately, with no runs allowed in his last four appearances. In those 4 1/3 innings, he has allowed three hits and two walks but also racked up seven strikeouts.
The 32-year-old righty has primarily served as a setup man for Antonio Senzatela, but Senzatela came in earlier on Wednesday to give the Rockies a chance to climb back into the game. While Senzatela is still the primary option to roster in Colorado's bullpen, Herget could be the next man up if Senzatela is traded or whenever he needs a break. He's a deep-league option at this point, and he's someone to monitor closely in standard leagues in case roles shift.
- Written by Zach Thompson
Adrian Morejon, San Diego Padres
Across 41 innings (37 games) so far this season, San Diego Padres left-hander Adrian Morejon has recorded a 6-1 record with a 3.51 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 49 strikeouts, and one save. Padres closer Mason Miller has been one of the most dominant relievers in baseball this season, so Morejon is blocked off from consistent save opportunities in San Diego as long as Miller remains healthy.
Still, Morejon is a fantastic reliever in his own right who is averaging 99.2 miles per hour on his fastball and has logged an elite 25.6% K-BB rate on the year. Should Miller go down, Morejon may be the favorite to take over the ninth inning for the Padres. In deeper fantasy leagues, Morejon may be worth rostering for both his handcuff appeal and his standalone value as a high-end relief pitcher.
- Written by Will Brady
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, Tyron Guerrero, Justin Slaten | Garrett Whitlock |
| Solid | Blue Jays | Louis Varland | Tyler Rogers | Jeff Hoffman, Braydon Fisher, Mason Fluharty, Yimi Garcia (IL) | N/A |
| Solid | Orioles | Ryan Helsley | Rico Garcia, Andrew Kittredge | Tyler Wells, Keegan Akin, Yennier Cano, Grant Wolfram, Felix Bautista (IL) | N/A |
| Solid | Rays | Bryan Baker | Garrett Cleavinger, Kevin Kelly | Casey Legumina, Cole Sulser, Craig Kimbrel, 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 |
| Solid | Tigers | Kenley Jansen | Will Vest | Kyle Finnegan, Tyler Holton, Brenan Hanifee, Drew Anderson | N/A |
| 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 | Matt Festa, Tim Herrin, Colin Holderman, Shawn Armstrong | N/A |
| Questionable | Royals | Alex Lange | Matt Strahm, Lucas Erceg | Daniel Lynch IV, John Schreiber, Carlos Estevez (IL) | Alex Lange |
| Questionable | Twins | Yoendrys Gomez | Anthony Banda, Travis Adams | Andrew Morris, Taylor Rogers, Eric Orze, Cody Laweryson, Cole Sands (IL) | 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 | Tyler Alexander, Jalen Beeks, Cole Winn, Robert Garcia (IL) | Jacob Latz |
| Volatile | Angels | Kirby Yates, Sam Bachman | Ryan Zeferjahn | Brent Suter, Chase Silseth, Ben Joyce (IL) | Kirby Yates, Sam Bachman |
| Committee | Athletics | Elvis Alvarado. Hogan Harris, Mason Barnett | Justin Sterner | Luis Medina, Mark Leiter Jr. (IL) | Elvis Alvarado. Hogan Harris, Mason Barnett |
| Solid | Astros | Josh Hader | Bryan King | AJ Blubaugh, Steven Okert, Enyel De Los Santos, Bryan Abreu | N/A |
| Solid | Mariners | Andres Munoz | Jose A. Ferrer | Eduard Bazardo, Cooper Criswell, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash (IL) | 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 |
| Questionable | Marlins | Pete Fairbanks | Anthony Bender | John King, Calvin Faucher, Michael Petersen | Anthony Bender |
| Solid | Mets | Devin Williams | Luke Weaver | Brooks Raley, Huascar Brazoban, A.J. Minter | N/A |
| Solid | Phillies | Jhoan Duran | Jose Alvarado, Orion Kerkering | Tanner Banks, Tim Mayza, Brad Keller (IL) | 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 |
| Committee | Cubs | Jacob Webb, Caleb Thielbar | Phil Maton, Hoby Milner | Ryan Rolison, Ethan Roberts, Daniel Palencia (IL) | N/A |
| Questionable | Reds | Tony Santillan | Brock Burke, Tejay Antone, Emilio Pagan (IL) | Caleb Ferguson, Sam Moll, Pierce Johnson (IL), Graham Ashcraft (IL) | Tony Santillan |
| Solid | 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 |
| Volatile | 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, Jimmy Herget | Juan Mejia | Victor Vodnik, Brennan Bernardino, Jaden Hill (IL) | Antonio Senzatela, Jimmy Herget |
| Solid | Dodgers | Tanner Scott | Alex Vesia, Kyle Hurt, Will Klein | Edgardo Henriquez, Edwin Diaz (IL) | Tanner Scott |
| Solid | Padres | Mason Miller | Adrian Morejon, Jason Adam | Kyle Hart, David Morgan, Jeremiah Estrada (IL) | N/A |
| Solid | Giants | Caleb Kilian | Erik Miller, Ryan Walker | Sam Hentges, Dylan Smith, Keaton Winn (IL) | Caleb Kilian |
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 Yennier Cano, Garrett Whitlock, Yoendrys Gomez, Jimmy Herget, Adrian Morejon, Mason Barnett, Clayton Beeter, Caleb Kilian, Jacob Latz, Emilio Pagan, Rico Garcia. 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 Yennier Cano, Garrett Whitlock, Yoendrys Gomez, Jimmy Herget, Adrian Morejon, Mason Barnett, Clayton Beeter, Caleb Kilian, Jacob Latz, Emilio Pagan, Rico Garcia:
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