Nick Mariano's Closer Rankings and Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 18)

July 24, 2026

Nick Mariano's top 50 closer fantasy baseball rankings, breakouts and closer waiver wire pickups for saves and holds - updated rankings for Week 18 of 2026.

The All-Star break is over, the trade deadline approaches,  and the sprint to the finish line commences this weekend. This column brings you my updated fantasy baseball closer rankings for Week 18 of 2026 to give you tiered closer rankings and relievers to add across all league types.

We're gathered here to chat about bullpens, with all sorts of fluctuating depth charts, an upcoming trade deadline, and plenty of injuries. Are you in a position to take some high-risk, high-reward dart throws? Looking for boring vets? Ratio stabilization? We have you covered.

Keep up with the latest and greatest by signing up for our industry-leading news notifications. Here are my top 50 fantasy baseball closer leaderboard and waiver suggestions. Note that stats are gathered through July 23 as you review the tiered ranks alongside the Yahoo rostered rates before proceeding to the waiver adds.

Top 50 Closers: Fantasy Baseball Rankings (Week 18)

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!

Jordan Hicks, Chicago White Sox 

Hicks has been an unexpected find for an unexpectedly good team this year in the Chicago White Sox, finding a home as a middle relief option. While he will not likely find his way into a closer role, he could be in the high-leverage spots very soon.

What I like about Hicks: his velocity is back up to pre-injury levels, and his command and control are back to normal again. If you are in a league that values holds, Hicks could be on your list this weekend. Not bad for a guy who was a contract throw-in before the season.

Ryan Zeferjahn, Los Angeles Angels

Zeferjahn appears to have inched ahead in the closer job for the Angels. Granted, the Angels are not likely to get many save opportunities, especially if they strip the club of assets during the upcoming week. That could include erstwhile closer Kirby Yates.

Zeferjahn earned the last save for Los Angeles, and could find himself in the driver's seat here if Yates gets moved. The team seems to prefer Sam Bachman in his current setup role. Zeferjahn has four wins, three saves, a 3.83 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 47 innings.

Jordan Romano, Colorado Rockies

I expect people to roll their eyes when they read this, but Romano has done the job when called upon in Colorado. Look, I know we can't ignore how bad he was in April.  But any guy who has a chance to get saves on any roster is someone we need to take a look at seriously, especially in deep leagues.

I recognize this is an infinitesimal sample size, but he's been fine since landing on the Rockies' roster. Romano got the last save chance here on Tuesday, and he converted it. In nine innings for the Rockies, he has three saves and a better 3.72 ERA with a 26.3% K%. Watch this one carefully.

Erik Miller, San Francisco Giants

Given the current struggles of current closer Caleb Kilian, Miller is in the mix for saves for San Francisco. Miller has pitched well when available all season, with two wins, two saves, a 32% K%, and a decent 3.07 ERA.

Check out Miller's Statcast page below. He is everything you would like to see in a closer, except that he is left-handed. Kilian took another loss on Monday night, and Sam Hentges and Keaton Winn blew the game on Tuesday and Wednesday. Why not give Miller a chance?

Kevin Ginkel, Arizona Diamondbacks

As Paul Sewald's ERA nears 5.00, manager Torey Lovullo could be looking to make a change, although he has stuck with the veteran Sewald all season. The most logical candidate right now would be Ginkel, who has performed well in a setup role.

Ginkel has four wins, nine holds, a 3.21 ERA, and a 25% K%. If they want to give Sewald a break, Ginkel could get some opportunities. Or could Arizona trade Sewald if they think they are not a serious playoff contender? Anything can happen the week before the trade deadline. Stay tuned.

Short Relief: More Closers and Bullpen Notes

• Pittsburgh decided to cut ties with Dennis Santana this week, which should allow most of the save chances to be split between lefties Gregory Soto and Mason Montgomery. On Wednesday, Montgomery got the win and Soto the save.
• Edwin Diaz is on a rehab assignment and should be back in short order for the Los Angeles Dodgers. This bullpen becomes even scarier and more dangerous with his return, which will allow Tanner Scott to get back to his primary setup role.
• Seth Halvorsen was acquired by the Dodgers this week and joined the middle relief crew. Typical Dodgers; they will get someone who has underperformed and turn him into a weapon for the playoffs after he gets off the injured list.
• A name to watch in the Athletics bullpen is Luis Medina. While the current closer situation is a committee with Hogan Harris and Elvis Alvarado, Medina could sneak in and get some save chances in the second half. Harris got the last save here on Monday; Medina blew the game on Tuesday.
• It looks like a co-closer situation in Baltimore between Tyler Wells and Andrew Kittredge to replace the injured Ryan Helsley. I will wait to pass judgment here, but my lean right now is Kittredge, based on his experience in the role. Nothing steered me this week.
• Bryan Hudson earned a save for the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night in Texas, his fourth of the season. This continues to be a committee between Hudson, Grant Taylor, and Sean Newcomb. It is a headache; will the ChiSox acquire a true closer before the deadline?
• Aroldis Chapman and Garett Whitlock continue to be automatic for the Boston Red Sox. Chapman had four saves this week even as the team's 15-game winning streak ended, giving him 23 for the season. Whitlock has two saves and 19 holds.

Remember, at the end of the day, fantasy baseball should be a fun distraction from the daily rigor of life, and we should not take the game too seriously. Have fun with it and keep grinding; don't give up your fantasy baseball dreams to move over to football next month. Hang in there!

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