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The American League East has a lot of well known teams and a lot of well known closers. Ninth-inning arms from this division are likely to be among the first closers drafted in fantasy baseball drafts this season. Also, the AL East is the only division where every single team has a locked-in closer with no Spring Training competition necessary. Barring injuries, we already know who will be closing games and earning saves for all five teams in the division.
Today we are here to discuss the closer depth chart for the AL East, including fantasy baseball items like closers, saves and holds. To read about the other divisions, just click here.
Here's a look at the back of the bullpen depth charts for the division.
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Baltimore Orioles
Closer: Zach Britton
Volatility Rating: Extremely Solid
Other Relevant RPs: Brad Brach, Darren O'Day
You wouldn't believe it if you watched last year's postseason because you would have never seen him, but the Baltimore Orioles have one of the best closers in baseball. Zach Britton posted a ridiculous 0.54 ERA in 2016 and kept it under two for the prior two seasons before as well (1.92 in 2015, 1.65 in 2014.) He saved 47 games last season and has struck out over a batter per inning for two years in a row. There is no reason to believe Britton won't once again be among the best closers in baseball, although expecting him to repeat his 0.54 ERA may be a bit ambitious. Still, he's likely to end up with an ERA below 2.00, around 40 saves, and over a strikeout per inning.
Elsewhere in the Orioles bullpen, Brad Brach and Darren O'Day should develop solid holds league value. O'Day is a veteran submariner who just signed a four-year deal to stay with the Orioles. He had a down year in 2016, appearing in 34 games and putting up a 3.77 ERA with just 10 holds. In his previous four seasons, however, he appeared in at least 68 games per season and earned 20 or more holds twice, all while keeping his ERA at 2.28 or lower and striking out around a batter per inning. He's worth owning in holds leagues, but doesn't have the upside to be considered in standard scoring. Similarly, Brad Brach is worth a look in holds leagues, as he put up 24 last season while keeping his ERA at a nice and tidy 2.05. He struck out 10.48 batters per 9 innings. He has a bit more upside than O'Day in standard leagues, but is still mostly an option only in holds leagues.
Fantasy must-own: Zach Britton (all formats)
Worth fantasy consideration: Darren O'Day, Brad Brach (both in holds leagues, Brach as Britton's likely handcuff)
Boston Red Sox
Closer: Craig Kimbrel
Volatility Rating: Extremely Solid
Other Relevant RPs: Tyler Thornburg, Carson Smith
Craig Kimbrel is a dominating presence on a Major League mound, and a similarly daunting foe on an opponent's fantasy roster. The Red Sox closer had a bit of a down year in 2016, posting a 3.40 ERA and 31 saves, but still striking out over 14 batters per 9 innings. His issue was his control, as he walked a career high 5.09 per 9 innings pitched after previously never eclipsing 3.79 BB/9. Kimbrel's control problems raised his WHIP as well, knocking him out of the conversation of elite closers. There's no reason to believe Kimbrel can't "figure things out" and get back to his old ways, so his down 2016 could work in favor of savvy fantasy owners who take him off the board before other owners get around to him. Even Kimbrel's worst season was a great fantasy season, and his upside is enormous.
Tyler Thornburg was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in the offseason and will slide right into the Red Sox setup role. He earned 13 saves and 20 holds last season while pitching to a 2.15 ERA and 12.09 K/9. Pitching for a better team and locked into the 8th inning role, Thornburg is a candidate to lead the league in holds and is an absolute must own in all holds leagues. Carson Smith won't start the season in the bullpen, as he's still in the last few stages of recovery from Tommy John Surgery. The team expects him back on the mound in early May, however, and he has the "stuff" to be a difference maker both for the Red Sox and for many fantasy teams. He's likely to go undrafted, but could be an excellent guy to target in the final round or with an early waiver claim. He missed almost all of 2016, but in 2015, he pitched to a 2.31 ERA and 11.83 K/9. With Smith and Thornburg setting up Kimbrel, games are going to be very short for Red Sox opponents starting in May.
Fantasy must-own: Craig Kimbrel (all formats)
Worth fantasy consideration: Tyle Thornburg (holds leagues), Carson Smith (holds leagues and AL-only, with patience required)
New York Yankees
Closer: Aroldis Chapman
Volatility Rating: Extremely Solid
Other Relevant RPs: Dellin Betances, Tyler Clippard
The New York Yankees wanted their closer back, and they got him, signing Aroldis Chapman to a five year, $86 million deal this offseason. Chapman, regardless of where he plays, is automatically one of the top closers in baseball. Last season, he saved 36 games and maintained a stellar 1.55 ERA while striking out 13.97 batters per 9 innings. While his strikeout rate was down a bit (career rate is 15.18 K/9), he also saw his walk rate drop from a career average of 4.13 BB/9 to a 2016 rate of 2.79 BB/9. The decreased walk rate allowed him to post a 0.86 WHIP, the third lowest of his career. Chapman will be the anchor of the Yankees bullpen, but there will be a few other solid arms joining him as well.
Dellin Betances and the Yankees just went through an ugly spat due to arbitration hearings. Betances, easily one of the best relievers in baseball over the past few seasons, was essentially told by his team that he wasn't good enough and that he "didn't have the stats" to earn the money he'd requested. Betances has since more or less confirmed that hearing his team attack his performance will make his free agency decision much easier once he gets there. This public unhappiness with his team may eventually lead Betances to ask for a trade or may make the Yankees more willing to find a trade partner before they lose their setup man for nothing to free agency. Betances posted 12 saves and 28 holds last season to go with a 3.08 ERA and 15.53 K/9. The 3.08 ERA was the highest of his career, more than doubling his previous high of 1.50. Advanced stats, however, showed Betances as the victim of bad luck. His FIP in 2016 was 1.78, lower than the 2.48 he put up when his ERA was 1.50 in 2015. Betances is worth a relatively early pick in all holds leagues and could be a league winner if he gets traded (or if Chapman gets hurt) and Betances starts to see save opportunities.
Fantasy must-own: Aroldis Chapman (all formats)
Worth fantasy consideration: Dellin Betances (all holds leagues and some deep or AL-only leagues)
Tampa Bay Rays
Closer: Alex Colome
Volatility Rating: Solid
Other Relevant RPs: Brad Boxberger, Xavier Cedeño
The Tampa Bay Rays had an interesting closer carousel going at times in 2016, but they ultimately settled on Alex Colome as their closer and will go into 2017 with him in charge of the ninth inning once again. Colome saved 37 games last season while pitching to a 1.91 ERA and striking out 11.28 batters per 9 innings. A converted starter, Colome has experienced much more success out of the bullpen. He's a solid fantasy closer who can be had in the later rounds due to a general lack of name recognition. There is always the risk that the Rays trade him away and he loses his closer role, but assuming he keeps it, he should be worth the risk.
Brad Boxberger closed games for the Rays for a while (41 saves in 2015) before an injury knocked him out for a stretch and Colome ran away with his job. Boxberger settled into the setup role he will fill again in 2017. He's in a role where he could develop fantasy value in holds leagues, but he's not a particularly great pitcher. Last season, albeit in only 27 games, he posted a 4.81 ERA/5.53 FIP while not even striking out a batter per inning. Even in the season where he saved 41 games, he put up a 3.71 ERA/4.26 FIP. His declining strikeout numbers and growing ERA numbers are certainly cause for concern, but he'll likely be given every chance to work the 8th inning, giving him value in holds leagues. Xavier Cedeño has been an effective lefty reliever for a couple of seasons now, posting a 3.70 ERA/2.64 FIP and striking out over a batter per inning last season. He may be the better bet for long term value throughout the season over Boxberger, although handedness will likely play a role in Boxberger seeing a few more hold opportunities early on. Cedeño is the better pitcher, however, and that usually leads to more playing time. Neither is a must-own in any format, but Cedeño especially is worth keeping an eye on in holds leagues.
Fantasy must-owns: Alex Colome (all formats)
Worth fantasy consideration: Brad Boxberger, Xavier Cedeño (both in holds leagues)
Toronto Blue Jays
Closer: Roberto Osuna
Volatility Rating: Solid
Other Relevant RPs: Jason Grilli, Joe Smith
Roberto Osuna just turned 22. Jason Grilli turned 40 in November. Together, they form a solid 8th and 9th inning combo for the Toronto Blue Jays. Osuna burst onto the scene in 2015, saving 20 games, and picked up right where he left off last year, saving 36 more games and putting up a 2.68 ERA with 9.97 K/9 and a sparkling walk rate of 1.70 BB/9. Advanced stats show that Osuna may be due for a slight bit of regression, but nothing that would take him out of being an excellent closer. He may be overdrafted because of hype and recency bias, but he's a solid fantasy closer and any owner should be happy to have him in his fantasy lineup.
Jason Grilli split 2016 between the Blue Jays and the Atlanta Braves, combining for a 4.12 ERA but a healthy 12.36 K/9. His ERA as a Blue Jay was a much more palatable 3.64. He saw his walk rate balloon to 4.88 BB/9, a full walk higher than his career average. If he can bring the walks down and keep the strikeouts up, Grilli should return excellent value in holds leagues this season.
Fantasy must-owns: Roberto Osuna (all formats)
Worth fantasy consideration: Jason Grilli (holds leagues)
