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David's closers and saves fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and bullpen report for Week 13 (2025). His relief pitcher updates, and closers to add for saves.
We're almost at the 2025 season's halfway point, folks. By this time next week, some teams will have played 81 games. We're starting to see clear competitors, clear bottom dwellers, deadline buyers, and deadline sellers. Significant bullpen changes are coming as that trade deadline gets closer and closer, but even this regular ol' week had plenty of bullpen news.
A guy who lost his job might be working his way right back into it. A guy who lost his job and then got it back may have now lost it again. An injured closer who wasn't expected back for a while might be back already. All that and more this week, read on!
Let's dive into this week's report! As always, stay tapped in with our Fantasy Baseball Closer Depth Charts for saves, holds, and bullpens. They will be updated frequently throughout the 2025 baseball season as news breaks.
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Waiver Wire Pickups For Standard Leagues
Luke Weaver, New York Yankees (Rostered in 56% of leagues)
EDIT: Weaver was indeed activated on Friday, with manager Aaron Boone saying he will use both Weaver and Williams to close games.
EDIT 2: Williams earned the save on Sunday, with Weaver not appearing since Friday's two-inning, two-run outing.
Luke Weaver last pitched on May 31. He was expected to miss "four to six weeks," but manager Aaron Boone already said that Weaver could skip a rehab assignment and rejoin the Yankees' bullpen this weekend. Devin Williams started off the season poorly, but since Weaver landed on the injured list, Williams has only allowed one run and has recorded four saves and a hold.
It's unclear what the bullpen roles will be once Weaver is back, but with Williams showing such significant improvement, Weaver may return to a high-leverage fireman-type role. Either way, Weaver should see save situations at least occasionally, so it's worth checking the waiver wire in your leagues.
Looks like Luke Weaver could be activated as soon as tomorrow 👀🐅
— Jacob P.M.🌔 (@JacobBSpeaks) June 19, 2025
Luke Jackson, Texas Rangers (Rostered in 19% of leagues)
Robert Garcia, Texas Rangers (Rostered in 19% of leagues)
EDIT: Chris Martin earned the save in Saturday's game. He's currently rostered in, much like the other two Rangers relievers, 19% of leagues.
It's starting to look like the Rangers' bullpen may end up being the most fluid one in the league. Luke Jackson was the closer for a while, then he wasn't. It was a committee for a while, then it wasn't. It was Robert Garcia for a while, and...now maybe it's not anymore?
Jackson and Garcia both picked up saves this week. It was Jackson's first one since April 28, but he's been very good lately, allowing just two runs in 16 outings since May began.
While one save doesn't immediately change an entire hierarchy, Jackson has clearly been the best reliever in the Texas bullpen, and the fact that he earned a save in a traditional closer usage this week could mean that a change is coming. He's available in most leagues, so fantasy owners should at least keep an eye on him for now.
Shelby Miller, Arizona Diamondbacks (Rostered in 36% of leagues)
With Justin Martinez heading for Tommy John Surgery and A.J. Puk forced to stop his throwing program and get more imaging done on his elbow, it's going to be the Shelby Miller show in the Arizona ninth inning for a while, and possibly for the rest of the season.
Miller took a loss and blew his fourth save of the season this week, but that broke an eight-game scoreless streak, so he's been pitching well despite the one bad outing. His rostered percentage only went up by three this week, but as the clear-cut closer on a contending team, he should be on way more fantasy teams.
Addison Barger (8)
Walk-Off🚨Opponent: Arizona Diamondbacks
Pitcher: Shelby Miller
Date: 6/17/25 pic.twitter.com/TiRsrWTbks— TOR Home Runs (@TOR__HR) June 18, 2025
Pierce Johnson, Atlanta Braves (Rostered in 1% of leagues)
Dylan Lee, Atlanta Braves (Rostered in 8% of leagues)
Raisel Iglesias, Atlanta Braves (Rostered in 79% of leagues)
There were no saves recorded by the Braves this week, but former closer Raisel Iglesias earned the only hold and got the last out of Wednesday's game despite it not being a statistical save situation. Iglesias was ousted from the closer's role after an awful start to the season, but he's been excellent since losing his job, allowing just one hit with four strikeouts and no walks in four games.
Atlanta will likely continue with a committee for now, but there certainly appears to be a path for Iglesias to reclaim the role, as no one has taken over in the meantime. For now, both Lee and Johnson are available in almost every league and could be picked up by fantasy managers desperate for a save or two, just in case.
Raisel Iglesias Nasty Chanegup 🥲 #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/VGyGrcteW0
— Eric Yu (@Eric35_Yu) June 10, 2025
Daniel Palencia, Chicago Cubs (Rostered in 43% of leagues)
Daniel Palencia is the Cubs' closer. There was a little bit of a question mark this week when Ryan Pressly worked his way into a save, but it's going to be Palencia more than anyone else. Palencia had two saves and a hold this week, while Pressly had one of each.
Since his first save on May 21, Palencia has an 0.79 ERA with 13 strikeouts and three walks in 11 1/3 innings. Pitching on a first-place Cubs team, he is close to a must-roster in all eligible formats. Porter Hodge (hip) has started a rehab assignment and will deepen the bullpen, but shouldn't be a threat to Palencia's role.
Daniel Palencia should remain as the Cubs closer once Porter Hodge returns
(@jacobzanolla) pic.twitter.com/dt5GbXrPsr
— Cubs Insider (@realcubsinsider) June 19, 2025
Orion Kerkering, Philadelphia Phillies (Rostered in 19% of leagues)
Matt Strahm, Philadelphia Phillies (Rostered in 15% of leagues)
It looks like we may be witnessing another change in the Phillies' bullpen. Jordan Romano had the role, lost the role, got it back, and now looks like he may have lost it again. Romano has a 6.75 ERA since May 23 and has worked in lower-leverage situations lately.
Meanwhile, Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering seem to be getting the leverage outings for Philadelphia. Strahm had two saves this week but has allowed a run in three of his past four appearances. Kerkering also had two saves this week and hasn't allowed an earned run since May 6.
It seems like the Phillies may go with a handedness platoon for their ninth inning right now, which means Kerkering will likely have the larger "half" of the duties over Strahm. Both are available in most leagues right now and could be fantasy assets going forward.
Orion Kerkering already with save No. 2!
He genuinely has 3 elite offerings—
FF: 97.4 MPH /T99.7, 16.4 iVB, 11.3 ASR, -4.6° VAA, 5.9’ yRPST: 86.6 MPH, 2.2 iVB, 14.2 GSB, 2861 RPM, 5.6’ yRP
SI: 96.1 MPH, 17.1 ASR, -5.8 VAA, 5.7’ yRP
I hoped he would become the eventual closer pic.twitter.com/BzpM6Qt3pC
— Joseph Cammisa (@jcammisabsbl) June 20, 2025
Waiver Wire Pickups For Deeper Leagues
Calvin Faucher, Miami Marlins (Rostered in 17% of leagues)
EDIT: It wasn't quite a save situation as the Marlins had a four-run lead, but Faucher got the last three outs on Friday's win against the Braves.
EDIT 2: Faucher got the higher leverage inning, but Ronny Henriquez got the last three outs and earned the save in Sunday's game.
While this is Marlins manager Clayton McCullough's first season as a big league manager, if we've learned one thing from him already, it's that he does not like to keep things the same. The Marlins have yet to repeat a lineup all season, and they've mixed and matched a lot in their bullpen as well.
Lately, however, it's been Calvin Faucher more often than not in save situations. This week, the Marlins earned three saves, and two of those went to Faucher. (The other was Freddy Tarnok's first career save, and he was sent back to Triple-A almost immediately afterwards.) Since May 25, Faucher has allowed just one run in 10 innings and has earned five saves.
He's not a must-roster in standard leagues, but he could certainly be an asset in deeper leagues and NL-only formats.
Calvin Faucher since allowing 4 R (1 ER) back on April 8th:
- 11.2 IP
- 0 R
- 7 H
- 14/5 K/BBSeason ERA now down to 2.25 pic.twitter.com/2M6mBqlV42
— Louis Addeo-Weiss (@addeo_louis00) May 18, 2025
Greg Weissert, Boston Red Sox (Rostered in 6% of leagues)
The Red Sox still have Aroldis Chapman in their closer role, but Greg Weissert has taken on a significant high-leverage role in this bullpen and worked his way into two saves this week. Chapman could see more of a flexible role and pitch some eighth innings when the matchups go that way, which could leave Weissert waiting for the save chance.
Can’t imagine where the Red Sox bullpen would be without Greg Weissert. Super underrated pic.twitter.com/bXJXrzFXQ6
— Sammy James🔺 (@HebHammer94) June 8, 2025
Short Relief: More Bullpen Notes
-This week's saves leader is Trevor Megill, who earned three.
-The holds leader for the week goes to Bryan Baker, with four.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers' bullpen has become a weekly section in this report just based on the expected chaos going on over there. This week, Tanner Scott earned two saves and a hold. Kirby Yates earned one save and one hold. Michael Kopech and Alex Vesia each earned two saves.
Scott seems like he's still the one to roster from LA's bullpen in standard leagues, but any of the guys mentioned could provide significant holds league value from here on out.
St. Louis Cardinals
Ryan Helsley has been struggling. He had four outings in a row where he allowed a run, but he was able to come back strong on Thursday to pick up his 14th save of the season with a perfect inning. Phil Maton and JoJo Romero figure to be up next, but for now, it looks like Helsley is still safe.
Colorado Rockies
Seth Halvorsen had an eventful week, earning two saves and a win but also taking a loss. It seems like he's locked in as the top option for saves in Colorado, but as you're surely aware, he's a Rockies reliever, so he's only fantasy viable in the deepest leagues for the most saves-needy managers.
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