X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Closer Hot Seats and Setup Men Who Want To Sit In Them

David Marcillo looks at MLB closer hot seats, including setup men worth targeting for saves in 2017 fantasy baseball drafts, or off the waiver wire as well.

"Closer" can more or less be considered a starting role in fantasy baseball. It's not a starting role in the sense that the player actually starts every game, nor does he start in a regular rotation, but he has a set role that his manager uses him in.

The whole point of trying to convince you that the closer is a starter is to say this: closers have the least firm grasp on a starting role compared to any other players in baseball. If a starting pitcher performs poorly for a few starts, he almost always gets a few more starts to try to "get right" before he's sent to the minors or demoted to the bullpen. If a starting position player goes into a slump, he might get a day or two off, but he's still the starter and gets to work his way through the slump. Closers, though? Two blown saves in a row, maybe three, and all of a sudden he's pitching in the fifth inning of a blowout loss. Maybe he works his way back up the bullpen hierarchy and gets his ninth inning job back, but it seems like most of the time, he ends up either staying in middle relief or perhaps helping out the new closer by working the eighth inning ahead of him.

All but the highest paid closers seem to always be on the hottest of seats, so it's important to stay one step ahead and figure out who is next in line. Here's a look at which seats are white hot and which setup men are willing to plant their cheeks on the heat if need be.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

The Hottest Bullpen Seats in MLB

Los Angeles Angels

Huston Street is the Angels closer. Saying it out loud doesn't make it easier to believe, but the 33-year old is still hanging around. According to the Los Angeles Angels' official website, Huston Street really is the Angels closer. This is the same pitcher who appeared in only 26 games last season and posted an obscene 6.45 ERA. The same Huston Street who is already injured and nursing a Grade 1 lat strain.

Waiting in the wings and likely to at least start the season pitching the ninth inning for the Angels is Cam Bedrosian. He'll most likely get the chance to close at the beginning of the season while Street recovers from his injury. Bedrosian, in strict contrast to Street, had an excellent 2016, posting a 1.12 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings. He has the tools to be a very good closer, both in fantasy and for the Angels. Hopefully a hot start to the season lets the Angels know that Street's days as a closer are behind him and that the 25-year-old Bedrosian could be a bullpen ace in Orange County for years to come.

Bedrock Jr. is already worth a pick up in deep leagues and in AL-only, and could be worth that last roster spot in standard mixed leagues as well. Street, on the other hand, should not be rostered at all right now given the uncertainty behind his injury and returning role if Bedrosian is effective to start the year.

 

Chicago White Sox

With each passing day, it seems more and more like David Robertson will start the season as the closer for the White Sox. Earlier in the spring, rumors swirled about a Robertson-to-the-Nationals trade, but those have mostly died down. Nate Jones is a closer-in-waiting in the White Sox bullpen, but it seems like he might not get a chance to close until at least the trade deadline. Robertson was shopped in the winter, meaning he'll almost surely be gone by the trade deadline if not sooner. He and Jones both have the "stuff" to be excellent closers, only that Robertson has proven himself in the past.

For now, Robertson is fine to own in fantasy leagues, but owners could do worse than handcuffing him with Jones. In many leagues, Jones is even being drafted ahead of Robertson in anticipation of a change. If Robertson ends up traded and you still have Jones on your roster, you could end up with two excellent closers all of a sudden. Not a bad insurance policy.

 

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are trying something similar to what the Angels are trying: they are trying to convince themselves that one of the worst pitchers in their bullpen should be their closer. Jeanmar Gomez currently holds the title of closer for the Phillies, as he did for most of last year, saving 37 games but posting an ugly 4.85 ERA and 1.46 WHIP with only 47 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings. Gomez is a decent middle reliever, if we're feeling generous, but he's definitely not a closer. He will open the season as one though, even though he lost the job at the end of last year. Waiting in the bullpen behind Gomez are several better options: Hector Neris, Joaquin Benoit, and even Pat Neshek.

The best bet by far is Neris. He is a strikeout machine with "closer stuff" who had 28 holds last year with a 2.58 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. He struck out 102 in his 80 1/3 innings. He's the arm most likely to develop into an excellent closer, but the Phillies may decide to give the job to veteran reliever Joaquin Benoit instead (once Gomez inevitable falters). The 39-year-old Benoit had a 2.81 ERA and 1.27 WHIP last season, striking out just over a batter per inning. He's been an excellent setup man throughout his career and will open the season in that role for the Phillies. Whether or not someone will have to take Gomez's seat in almost inevitable. Figuring out just who it would be is almost impossible though, making the Phillies bullpen one to avoid in most leagues. Neris has the most upside though, so he is certainly worth the last roster spot of any team gutsy enough to pick up Gomez.

 

Washington Nationals

Everyone assumed the Nationals would go with Shawn Kelley as their closer. Then we heard rumors about them trying to trade for David Robertson. Then those rumors died down, and we were back to Kelley. But now, new rumors are stirring that Kelley may end up in an inning other than the ninth once again. He has been pitching multiple innings on minor league fields, while rookie Koda Glover has been essentially working in the closer role in Grapefruit League games. While no official designation has yet been made, and manager Dusty Baker loves his veterans and rarely gives rookies important roles, it would seem like Glover does have a chance to work his way into the ninth inning. He had a rough debut last season, working to a 5.03 ERA in 19 2/3 innings, but he has "closer stuff" and can blow his fastball by hitters. Kelley should still start out as the closer, but Glover is certainly an arm to keep an eye on.

 

Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds ended last season with converted starter Raisel Iglesias installed as their closer. For the season, he did well, saving six games and holding seven, while posting a 2.53 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He struck out 83 in 78 1/3 innings. Even though he ended last season as the closer and was thought to be the favorite heading into Cactus League play, Iglesias has been used for multiple innings in each of his spring appearances, something unheard of for closers. This raises questions about how the Reds plan on using Iglesias, who as a former starter certainly has the stamina to go multiple innings in an outing. Drew Storen would seem like a decent option despite coming off a rough year where he put up a horrifying 5.23 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. Storen has great "stuff" though, and could put his career back on track by working his way into the closer role.

Michael Lorenzen is also reportedly in the running for the ninth inning spot, and despite not saving any games last season, he put up good numbers in relief. He pitched 50 innings, striking out 48 and posting a 2.88 ERA/1.08 WHIP. He wouldn't be an elite closer, but he could be valuable if given the chance. Finally, lefty Tony Cingrani spent some time as closer last season, saving 17 games for the Reds. His 4.14 ERA is a bit concerning, and his 1.44 WHIP is almost inexcusable. Pair that with only 49 strikeouts over 63 innings, and Cingrani seems like the worst choice to close out of the Reds bullpen. Still, he has the "experience" that some of the other don't.

Look for Iglesias to likely start the year as closer, but on a very short leash. Determining who takes his spot if necessary is tough, but Storen is the one with the most upside. For right now, Iglesias is the only one worth considering in fantasy, but that could change quickly.

 

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates' closer situation is an interesting one. Lefty Tony Watson is the incumbent since Mark Melancon was traded, but he didn't do great with the chance he was given at the end of last season. For all of 2016, Watson posted 15 saves with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. He was solid, but certainly unspectacular, and he blew a few critical save situations toward the end of the season. Competing against him for the ninth inning is newly-acquired right hander Daniel Hudson. Hudson had a bloated 5.22 ERA and 1.44 WHIP for the Diamondbacks last season, but he struck out just about a batter per inning. Also, Hudson had an awful stretch that absolutely destroyed his ERA and WHIP sandwiched by several very solid months.

For right now, it would seem Watson has the upper hand simply because he ended last season with the job. Based on the contract the Pirates gave Hudson though, he seems destined to be the closer sooner or later, and certainly has a chance to win the job outright before the Pirates break camp. Early fantasy drafters might want to avoid both players, but players in save+hold leagues wouldn't do terribly by drafting both. One will be the closer, the other will be the primary setup man. That's basically set in stone.

 

Arizona Diamondbacks

Fernando Rodney was an excellent reliever for the San Diego Padres in the first half of 2016. Fernando Rodney was an excruciatingly awful reliever for the Miami Marlins in the second half of 2016. Which version of Fernando Rodney shows up as closer of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017 remains to be seen. Rodney will be given the chance to start the year as closer, but the chances of him being the second half version seem a lot higher than the former.

The problem with the Diamondbacks bullpen, however, is that there's no one else there. No one in the Arizona bullpen projects as even an average closer. Jake Barrett, Randall Delgado, and Enrique Burgos make up the back end of their bullpen, but Barrett is recovering from a shoulder injury and unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. Delgado (4.44 ERA/1.51 WHIP), and Burgos (5.66 ERA/1.46 WHIP) aren't very good relievers. Rodney showing up as good Rodney may be the only chance the Diamondbacks have at having a decent relief pitcher on their roster. Risk-averse owners will want to avoid this bullpen completely for fantasy baseball, and even the most daring might be better off doing the same in anything other than NL-only formats.

 

Colorado Rockies

The Rockies have a potentially elite closer in Adam Ottavino. They also have a proven elite closer recovering from injury in Greg Holland. Finally, they have a formerly extremely effective closer coming off a bad year in Jake McGee. An embarrassment of riches and a nice problem to have certainly. Both ring true, but with a giant Coors Field asterisk. Lefty Jake McGee had a sparkling 2.07 ERA in 112 games spanning 2014-2015 with the Tampa Bay Rays. Then he joined the Rockies and posted a 4.73 ERA in 2016. Adam Ottavino, meanwhile, pitched in 34 games in 2016 and posted a 2.67 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP, striking out 35 in 27 innings. He's expected to open the season as the team's closer, but might only be keeping that hot seat warm for when Greg Holland is ready.

Holland is returning from Tommy John surgery, but was an elite closer for the Royals not too long ago. He saved 93 games between 2013-2014, allowing only 19 earned runs in 129 1/3 innings pitched while striking out 193. If Holland can return to that form, it's hard to see him not earning his way to the ninth inning. Ottavino is no slouch either though, so deep league fantasy players may want to consider drafting both and reaping the rewards of two excellent relievers. However, the Coors Field asterisk still applies, so many fantasy players will likely avoid both right handers altogether. This could make for a value pick in the later rounds for those willing to take the risk.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Derrick Henry

Scores Twice but has Costly Fumble on Sunday
Lamar Jackson

Shines With Three Total Touchdowns in Loss to Bills
Keon Coleman

Leads the Team With 11 Targets on Sunday
Josh Allen

Totals Four Touchdowns in Win Over Ravens
Chase Elliott

Gets Lucky but Still Has Best Run at Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Wins Stage 2, but Was Let Down by Strategy
Tyler Reddick

Despite Bad Luck, Tyler Reddick Does What he Needed to Do
Chase Briscoe

Recovers from Incident with Daniel Suarez to Finish Second
William Byron

Late Caution Foils William Byron's Shot at Gateway Victory
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Dominates Targets in Seattle, Records 124 Receiving Yards in Week 1
Puka Nacua

Leads Rams in Targets, Catches, and Receiving Yards in Week 1
Logan O'Hoppe

Exits After Concussion Scare, Status Remains Unclear
Christian McCaffrey

Logs 31 Touches in Season Opener
Travis Etienne Jr.

Dominates Backfield Touches in Jacksonville, Posts Monster Day
Jayson Tatum

"Moving Around Way Better"
Russell Wilson

Giants Won't Commit to Russell Wilson as Week 2 Starter
Drake London

Day-to-Day with Shoulder Sprain
George Kittle

and Jauan Jennings to Undergo MRIs
Jake Moody

49ers to Evaluate Kicker Position After Jake Moody Struggles
Evan Engram

Questionable to Return Against Titans
Daniel Palencia

to Miss Time With Shoulder Injury
Jauan Jennings

Questionable to Return With Shoulder Injury
Emeka Egbuka

Scores Twice in NFL Debut
Aaron Rodgers

Throws Four Touchdowns in Week 1
Justin Fields

Scores Three Times in Loss
Daniel Jones

Excellent in Colts Debut Sunday
Puka Nacua

Clears Concussion Check, Returns to Game
George Kittle

Scores TD Before Being Ruled Out With Hamstring Injury
Puka Nacua

Taken to Locker Room for Concussion Evaluation
Byron Buxton

Exits Early With Knee Contusion
Trea Turner

Suffers Hamstring Strain
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Gateway
Denny Hamlin

Fastest in Qualifying, the Favorite to Win at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption at Gateway
Joey Logano

Has Been Elite at Gateway
Austin Cindric

Should Be On Your Radar at Gateway
AJ Allmendinger

Could Be a Sleeper Again at Gateway
Tyler Reddick

Southern 500 Near-Miss Makes Tyler Reddick a Stronger Option for Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace a Likely Gateway Contender
Alex Bowman

a Long Shot to Advance in Playoffs
Austin Dillon

Richard Childress Racing Looks Slower at Gateway, Which Will Hurt Austin Dillon
Shane Van Gisbergen

Starts 18th in Gateway Debut
Ty Gibbs

Toyota Speed May Help Ty Gibbs at Gateway
Brad Keselowski

Probably the Best DFS Place-Differential Option
Chris Buescher

May Have Qualified Too Well to Start for DFS
Kyle Busch

If Kyle Busch Contends Anywhere, it Could be at Gateway
NASCAR

John Hunter Nemechek Could Benefit From Toyota Speed Like he Did at Darlington
Bubba Chandler

to Make First Start on Sunday
Samuel Basallo

Exits Early with Hand Injury
Jeremy Swayman

Ready to Get Back on Track
Connor McDavid

Aiming for More Goals
NJ

Luke Glendening Signs Tryout Deal With Devils
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Leaves Early on Saturday After Fouling Ball Off his Knee
Dylan Harper

Hoping to be Ready for the Opener Versus Dallas
EDM

Derek Ryan Retires From Hockey
Connor Zary

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Flames
Carey Price

Canadiens Trade Carey Price to Sharks
Bobby Witt Jr.

Dealing With Back Spasms
Bobby Witt Jr.

Exits Early on Friday
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Placed on Injured List With Quad Strain
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched on Friday With Back Tightness
Rasmus Hojgaard

Finishes Tied For Second at Omega European Masters
Tyrrell Hatton

Finishes Tied for 32nd at LIV Indianapolis
Matt Fitzpatrick

Finishes Fifth at Omega European Masters
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied For Second in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Xander Schauffele

Finishes 42nd in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched From Friday's Start for Undisclosed Reasons
Shohei Ohtani

Returning to the Mound on Friday
Kyle Finnegan

Lands on Injured List With Adductor Strain
Aaron Judge

Returns to Right Field on Friday
Willson Contreras

' Suspension Reduced, to Start Serving it on Friday
Kodai Senga

Mets Send Kodai Senga to Triple-A to Get Right
Caio Borralho

Set For A Title Eliminator Bout
Nassourdine Imavov

Looks To Earn A Title Shot
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set For UFC Paris Co-Main Event
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Paul Craig

In Dire Need Of Victory
Mason Jones

Set for Main-Card Bout
Bolaji Oki

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Rhys McKee

Set To Open Up UFC Paris Main Card
Axel Sola

Alex Sola Set To Make His UFC Debut
Pablo López

Pablo Lopez Expected to Return on Friday
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Exits With Knee Contusions
Will Smith

Unlikely to Play This Weekend
Shohei Ohtani

to Pitch on Monday
Jon Rahm

Looks to Prove His Importance on European Ryder Cup Team
Tommy Fleetwood

Among Leaders of European Ryder Cup Team
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Close to Triple-Double Versus Serbia
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Fills Box Score Against Turkey
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Shakes Off Minor Injury
E.J. Liddell

Inks Two-Way Deal With Nets
NBA

Ben Simmons Reportedly Considering Retirement
P.J. Washington

Agrees to Four-Year, $90 Million Extension
Sepp Straka

Gets Captain's Pick to Join Team Europe
PGA

Victor Hovland to Make Third Ryder Cup Appearance for Team Europe
J.J. Spaun

Set to Represent Team USA for First Time at Bethpage
Russell Henley

Makes First Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Harris English

Named to Ryder Cup Team for Second Time
Justin Thomas

Making Fourth Ryder Cup Team Appearance at Bethpage
Ben Griffin

Making First Career Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Bryson DeChambeau

Set to be Part of Team USA at Bethpage
Santi Aldama

Bags Double-Double in Losing Effort
Guerschon Yabusele

Erupts for 36 Points Against Poland
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Leads Slovenia Into Next Round at EuroBasket
San Antonio Spurs

Stanley Umude Signs Training Camp Deal With Spurs
Reece Beekman

Joins Magic for Training Camp
Justin Minaya

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Magic
Alexandre Sarr

to Miss Rest of EuroBasket
Jared McCain

"On Pace" for Training Camp
Luke Hughes

Devils Optimistic About Signing Luke Hughes
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Dylan Holloway

Good to Go for Start of Season
Josh Morrissey

Fully Healthy for Start of Season
Dennis Hildeby

Signs Three-Year Extension With Maple Leafs

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP