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Before we get to the list, how about some honorable mentions? Despite his struggles down the stretch last season, Shawn Tolleson had a terrific 2015. With a career-high K/9 rate and a career-low BB/9 rate, he was able to rack up 35 saves as Texas won the AL West division. With the Rangers now looking to build off their 2015 run, Tolleson should remain an effective closer, matching his saves total from last year. Although he'll miss over a month due to suspension, Aroldis Chapman will approach the top ten in saves for 2016. He'll have four full months plus most of May to work with, and considering Joe Girardi's penchant for using the bullpen, the Yankees' new closer will have plenty of save situations to deal with. Should he have had a full season, Chapman definitely breaks the top ten. He still might do so anyway.
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The Top 10
At 34 years old, Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez continues his renaissance after recording 38 saves with the Milwaukee Brewers last season. When he left the Mets following 2011, Rodriguez's best days seemed to be behind him, but after a couple of years as a setup man, he was appointed closer of the Brewers in 2014. He finished with 44 saves, his most in a season since the record-breaking 2008 campaign. Now returning to the American League with an improved Detroit Tigers club, expect him to maintain his status as one of the league's best closers.
9. A.J. Ramos
After being Steve Cishek’s setup man for a couple of seasons, 29-year-old A.J. Ramos finally got his chance at the closer role last season. He did fairly well, recording 32 saves and striking out 87 batters in 70 innings of work. While the big worry with Ramos entering 2016 was whether he could keep his role amidst the emergence of Carter Capps, the latter’s Tommy John surgery will prevent a change. With a full season as closer coming, expect Ramos to improve on his 32 saves, perhaps pushing 40.
8. Ken Giles
When the Phillies traded Jonathan Papelbon to Washington last season, Ken Giles took over as closer and promptly picked up 15 saves over the final half of the campaign. He’s a terrific strikeout pitcher, but has dealt with issues in the BB category. While that may be a worrying sign, his trade to the upstart Houston Astros immediately makes him viable as a top closer. With a strong, young supporting cast, the 25-year-old will see plenty of closing opportunities. Featuring a fastball north of 95 MPH, expect Giles to make the most of it in his first full season as a closer.
Coming off a terrific 48-save season, Trevor Rosenthal and the Cardinals head into 2016 facing a number of questions. With players like Jason Heyward and John Lackey gone, Yadier Molina and Johnny Peralta are dealing with injuries, opening up plenty of uncertainty. At this point, their most reliable player could very well be Rosenthal, who at 25 will still be an elite closer. While he may not have 48 saves again this season, an improved BB/9 rate and a decrease in ERA from 3.20 in 2014 to 2.10 last season will surely help him finish among the league’s best closers.
6. Wade Davis
After Greg Holland’s injury late last year, Wade Davis emerged from the setup role to become Kansas City’s closer. Although he officially became the closer in September, he already had 13 saves for the season. With four more in the last month of the year, Davis was ready for the postseason, where he recorded four more saves as the Royals won the World Series. Now that Holland is gone, he’ll be settling into his first full season as the team’s closer. Davis had a strong 10.43 K/9 rate last season, along with a career-low 2.67 BB/9 rate. Expect him to be a top closer in 2016.
5. Zach Britton
After spending some years as a starter, Zach Britton was appointed closer of the Baltimore Orioles during the 2014 season. While he notched 37 saves in his impressive first year as closer, he really turned it up in 2015, increasing his K/9 rate from 7.31 to 10.83. He also decreased his BB/9 rate from 2.71 to 1.92 and lowered his FIP from 3.13 to 2.01. Now coming off that 36-save followup season, Britton has positioned himself as one of the league’s best closers. A top five finish in saves is in the cards for Britton as he enters elite territory.
Now heading into his fifth season as closer of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kenley Jansen can breathe a sigh of relief following Aroldis Chapman’s trade to the New York Yankees. The Curacao native is coming off a 36-save season which was preceded by a 44-save season. Recording an elite 13.76 K/9 rate and a career-low 1.38 BB/9 rate last season, Jansen is clearly in the prime of his career, and his best season could be coming right now. Expect him to remain within the same saves range of mid-30s to mid-40s. He is consistently one of the best closers in baseball.
With 51 saves in 2015, Mark Melancon led MLB in the category. Averaging just 7.29 K/9, he relied heavily on inducing ground balls and avoiding home runs and extra base hits, recording a career-best .251 BABIP. The sudden decrease in strikeouts may be a reason for alarm, but his effectiveness on ground balls keeps him as an elite closer. With the Pirates once again poised for a division race, expect Melancon to remain among the top closers in the league, but not reaching 50 saves again.
Arriving on the scene in 2011 with the Atlanta Braves, Craig Kimbrel has been the best closer in baseball over a five-year stretch. Striking out over 13 hitters per nine innings, he’s the power pitcher every team desires as a closer. Last year in San Diego, however, he regressed. Finishing with under 40 saves for the first time since he became a closer, he gave up a career-high six home runs and 19 runs. This, of course, came as the Padres made a splash, bringing in a number of high-profile players in an attempt to compete for the NL West crown. The plan didn’t work, and Kimbrel suffered as a result. Now residing in Boston with a Red Sox team primed for a postseason run, Kimbrel has landed in a favorable position. His transition into the AL might be worrisome, but with his strikeout numbers still at a top level and a disappointing 2015 season still being exceptional, expect Kimbrel to be the best closer in the American League this season.
Following Jenrry Mejia’s injury and suspension at the very beginning of the 2015 season, Jeurys Familia burst onto the scene as closer of the New York Mets. With a healthy mix of strikeouts and ground balls, Familia notched 43 saves with a 1.85 ERA as the Mets battled and eventually defeated the Nats for the NL East division title. With a solid BB/9 rate and a 96 MPH fastball, Familia finished ranked second last year in fantasy points among closers. Midway through 2015, he began implementing a splitter into his arsenal of pitches, and it paid off big time. Putting all of these factors together for a full season will result in Familia finishing tops among closers in saves. Let’s see him get snubbed from the All-Star Game this time around.
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