Nick Mariano's Closer Rankings and Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 12)

June 12, 2026

Nick Mariano's top 50 closer fantasy baseball rankings, breakouts and closer waiver wire pickups for saves and holds - updated rankings for Week 12 of 2026.

Let's crack on with reading the shifting bullpen sands with my latest rest-of-season closer ranks and waiver wire recommendations! This column lays out our updated fantasy baseball closers rankings for Week 12 of 2026 in order to give you tiered closers ranks and many key relievers to add across the spectrum. Even if these relievers are already rostered in your league, then consider this a green flag to try to trade for them.

This is where we take the temperature of all MLB bullpens, with IL stashes, speculative adds, and tougher holds when necessary. Some of you are willing to gamble those ERA/WHIP ratios in the pursuit of a handful of saves, while others value Ks. We try to take a balanced approach here.

Be sure to keep up with everything across the board through our industry-leading news notifications, which will help you get a leg up on the competition. Without further ado, let's dig into my top 50 fantasy baseball closer leaderboard and waiver suggestions. It's time to analyze my ranks and waiver adds, accompanied by tiers and Yahoo rostered rate, with most stats gathered through June 11.

Top 50 Closers: Fantasy Baseball Rankings (Week 12)

Mariano's Closers Fantasy Baseball Analysis, Waiver Wire Pickups

Don't forget to check our daily updates on the closer depth charts if you have more questions and want even more names!!

Pete Fairbanks, Miami Marlins (68%)

I know the command slip on June 6 shook shallow-leaguers, but he’s since rebounded with a win and a save, racking up two Ks in each appearance. We must commend Anthony Bender for looking far sharper of late than his early form, but this remains the Fairbanks show unless his numbness returns.

Kenley Jansen, Detroit Tigers (68%)

Just in case he was dropped thanks to his pre-injury struggles, where he may have been pushing through the pain, and then the IL stint itself. His right pelvic inflammation has calmed enough that they’re activating him on Friday, although his lone rehab appearance did result in three runs and two outs. I won’t be letting Will Vest go so quickly.

Paul Sewald, Arizona Diamondbacks (66%)

Another dry spell in the saves department for Sewald, who seems to only get them in waves. He saw seven saves between March 28 and April 17, then only got two saves over the next month before six saves between May 17 and June 1.

Since allowing three runs in a mid-May game, Sewald has limited opponents to one run on two hits and one walk over his last 8 IP. He’s gotten the win in the two non-save appearances in that window! Do not act as though the prior week’s save chance number is highly predictive of the next. I know a week without any stats burns, but push through it.

Also, we haven't seen A.J. Puk pitch in nearly a week. Sewald has done nothing to lose the job, and if Puk is either experiencing a setback or it'll be a long time before he can pitch on consecutive days at full effort, then Sewald's outlook brightens.

Starting tonight for @Aces--

Number indicates spot in the lineup.

1. DH, Jordan Lawlar (#Dbacks)
4. 1B, Carlos Santana (#Dbacks)

A.J. Puk has not appeared in a game since June 5. Kade Strowd has not pitched since being optioned back to Reno.

— Arizona Diamondbacks | Stats & Info (@DbacksStatsInfo) June 11, 2026

Emilio Pagan, Cincinnati Reds (62%)

Just a quick reminder that Pagan could be cleared to face live hitters starting next week if this weekend’s MRI gets the medical blessing. I do not think he is a fantasy savior, but I’m willing to write off his ugly start to ‘26, considering how the hamstring had been bothering him throughout April. His job security somehow got better in the meantime, as everyone else stinks or is hurt.

Gregory Soto, Pittsburgh Pirates (47%)

Soto got the high-leverage win on Sunday before Wednesday’s save, finishing out each of those 1-0 victories. The Pirates stuck with the southpaw on Sunday, even with Dennis Santana warming up. And then they deployed Santana in the seventh to face Arizona’s 6-7-8 hitters after the leadoff man reached with a 4-2 lead, so I’m considering the torch passed.

On paper, he immediately got a double play, great! But it was a 100.5-mph rope, so I’m not celebrating much. He then walked Jorge Barrosa before ending the inning with a groundout to third. Another walk with no Ks gives him a 4:5 K:BB in his last seven games, and a 10:9 mark on the year. Nope. (Soto has a 9:1 K:BB in his last seven, and is now up ot 25:7 in 2026.)

Soto has been the better arm by every measure that I hang my hat on. Mason Montgomery hadn’t thrown since April 30, but did enter Thursday’s win to get two outs, allowing a hit and a walk. He hit 100.6 mph, so at least we’re not sweating a velo dip alongside the absence, but it’s still a bit strange.

Jacob Latz, Texas Rangers (43%)

It’s still unreal to me that others can explode to over 50% rostered in a blink, while someone like Latz, whose last five appearances have all been scoreless and yielded four saves and a win, can languish here. Those who have him know he’s incredible, ranking 83rd in Yahoo’s 5x5 scoring. Whatever, if you’re here reading this, then I doubt you are the problem. I’m just venting.

Kumar Rocker on Jacob Latz: “The moxie that guy has on the mound is incredible, he's just incredible"

Latz has a 1.69 ERA in 2026, good for, 2nd best in AL (min. 30 IP) behind Louis Varland's 0.50 ERA

— kennedi landry (@kennlandry) June 12, 2026

Alex Lange, Kansas City Royals (24%)

This was never going to be a flawless closing spree. Lange ran into his first bout of trouble as Kansas City’s closer on Wednesday, allowing two runs (one earned) in the 10th inning to snap his streak of converted saves at four.

That quartet of saves coming in a seven-day window accelerated the hype, but he still holds a 1.45 WHIP. He’s also now walked five in his last five games after going eight straight without a free pass. Given the career 13.4% walk rate, which has elevated toward 17% after his strong ‘23 campaign, I’m not holding my breath. Perhaps he holds on, or perhaps this was just a flash.

Grant Taylor, Chicago White Sox (22%)

The man only has two saves this year, with the most recent one coming on June 6, but he’s struck out the side in each of them. He’s clearly happy to rise to the moment and isn’t thrown by the ninth. Over the last month, Taylor owns a crispy 22:1 K:BB with two runs allowed on nine hits over 15 IP. They’ve loosened up bullpen roles, which means we have to pounce.

The ChiSox have shown a willingness to use Seranthony Dominguez earlier, leading to some love for Bryan Hudson and Sean Newcomb as well. Taylor is the main attraction. I will note that he has only appeared on consecutive days once since the opening days of April, so we’re still leaning toward less frequent, multi-inning looks. But the closing door… is open?

Garrett Whitlock, Boston Red Sox (15%)

Whitlock is back from his brief IL stint due to knee inflammation, and now he’ll command the usual handcuff position behind Aroldis Chapman. It’s unclear when the flamethrower’s hamstring injury will be “clear,” though he’s been effectively pitching through it. His risk is too elevated, and Whitlock’s own star is too bright, not to preemptively target the righty’s 26:6 K:BB in 20 ⅔ IP.

Yoendrys Gomez, Minnesota Twins (14%)

Like Lange, you weren’t making it through that long unscathed. But Gomez’s exceptional run as a Twin should not be tossed aside after one iffy save. Yes, he gave up a run on two hits and a walk on Wednesday, but still got the save!

Going back to his May 8 MIN debut, the only other earned run has come on May 24. And his 31.1% K rate since then is 26th among 180 RPs with 10 IP or more in that time window. Though the hard-hit rate isn’t heartwarming, only two barrels allowed with the Twins helps minimize damage. No one else is stepping up, so I’m happy to speculate as long as the Ks keep coming.

Elvis Alvarado, Athletics (1%)

Alvarado has been on a mission since returning to the A’s from Triple-A, striking out 9 of 14 batters faced, allowing one hit over those 4 ⅓ IP. Of course, he locked down Wednesday’s save chance as well, which is why we’re really here.

Kotsay on Elvis Alvarado: “This is the best I’ve seen Elvis throw the ball. Not only just at 100 mph, but commanding the baseball. The slider’s got depth. The confidence is there.”

— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) June 11, 2026

This team hasn’t had an established closer and may never anoint one, but if Alvarado’s whiffy ways stick alongside some chances, then he’s a top-25 RP. Be prepared for a loss-of-command rugpull. If there weren’t a significant risk with those kinds of Ks, we’d be talking about the top 10.

Orlando Ribalta, Washington Nationals (0%)

This one is for all of you fancy folks who say that these are all rostered already, eh? He got a two-out spot save back on May 24. On June 9, the Nats gained a 5-2 lead in the top of the seventh and went with Clayton Beeter in the eighth before Ribalta in the ninth.

Only Washington scored one in the bottom of the eighth to make it a non-save spot, and then Ribalta gave up a solo homer to Bryce Eldridge (little shame in that). And then when Eldridge crushed them with that walkoff grand slam on Wednesday, Ribalta tossed a scoreless eighth between Paxton Schultz’s five-run seventh and Gus Varland/Mitchell Parker’s meltdown.

I’d love for him to bring more whiffs to the table (18.9% K rate), yet that .182 xBA, 83.2 mph average exit velo, 38.2% chase rate, and 32.1% hard-hit rate are all outstanding. Beeter is still the 1A option, but Ribalta has snuck into the circle.

Short Relief: More Closers and Bullpen Notes

-Didier Fuentes enjoyed his first save on June 7 with the usual chain of closer command resting. It’s nice to see him be trusted in the spot all the same.

-Jose A. Ferrer has stepped up when Andres Munoz is unavailable, but the southpaw’s appeal grows with every misstep out of Munoz. The closer has allowed a run(s) in three of his last five games, with four homers against after just two balls cleared the fence across 62 ⅓ IP in ‘25.

-Garrett Cleavinger hasn’t met the standard he set with last year’s 2.35 ERA/0.95 WHIP/33.7% K rate, though the current 4.70 ERA does hide a 3.41 SIERA. He just logged his second save, but it’s equally relevant that Ian Seymour is stretching out as a starter. This takes away Cleavinger’s main competition for high-leverage lefty looks.

-Cleavinger’s teammate, Kevin Kelly, is tied with Cleveland’s Tim Herrin for the most holds (10) since May began. Herrin and Brad Keller pace MLB with nine holds in the last 30 days. Only Herrin has also allowed eight runs in those 11 ⅓ IP. Be careful!

-Joel Kuhnel’s newfound velocity in Milwaukee is fascinating, though he’s still far behind Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, and Aaron Ashby. He’d perhaps rise to viability if Megill’s side/oblique issue worsens, but we’re just watching from afar for now.

-Could Dylan Smith get hot at just the right time in San Francisco? None of Caleb Kilian, Keaton Winn, or Erik Miller are offering consistency at this time, so what’s another closer committee member for Tony Vitello?

-Ryne Stanek and George Soriano both have healthy ERAs over the last 30 days, but their respective 4.55 and 5.57 FIPs in that window are worse than Riley O’Brien’s (4.17).

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