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David's closers and saves fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and bullpen report for Week 1 (2025). His relief pitcher updates, and closers to add for saves.
It feels like "we're so back" has run its course as a thing that people say without other people rolling their eyes, so let's say that definitely wasn't the plan for the start of this article. But baseball season is back and that means fantasy baseball is back and that means RotoBaller's Closers and Saves Report is back as well!
This weekly publication (every Friday) will be your go-to for bullpen news, top relief pitching performances, and exciting waiver wire/FAAB adds. For this first edition of 2025, we'll look at the most prominent question coming from each team's bullpen and then get to our usual format next week once we have a few non-Grapefruit and non-Cactus League games to look at.
All that and more in this week's report! Be sure to also keep an eye on our Fantasy Baseball Closer Depth Charts for saves, holds, and bullpens. They will be updated daily or sometimes even more often throughout the 2025 baseball season.
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Bullpens To Watch
Colorado Rockies
Seth Halvorsen got the final four outs with a strikeout and zero baserunners to seal the win. We doubt they suddenly cement him in the ninth, but it is a notable performance given that both Tyler Kinley and Victor Vodnik had failed to keep the scoresheet clean the day before. Any Rockies reliever is still a suboptimal play, but some of us have to get dirty for saves!
Cincinnati Reds
On Saturday Cincinnati sent Emilio Pagan out for a perfect ninth after Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft worked the seventh and eighth, respectively. It's tough to chase one day with such a wide pool of arms but Pagan now has two clean frames to his name and is a viable pickup.
Texas Rangers
3/29: Despite giving up three runs in Thursday’s opener, Luke Jackson was tabbed for Friday’s save opp and rewarded Bruce Bochy with a 1-2-3 ninth. Neither Chris Martin nor Robert Garcia appeared, with Jacob Webb tossing a perfect eighth. It may be a volatile ride but Jackson needs to be rostered in most leagues.
3/28: After Luke Jackson worked back-to-back games to open the season, Texas turned to Chris Martin for Saturday’s save. He struck out two in a perfect frame, throwing 9-of-13 pitches for strikes. He’s likely the better pitcher compared to Jackson, but he’s also 38 with some durability concerns so perhaps his workload and B2B appearances will be limited. Both must be rostered.
Pittsburgh Pirates
David Bednar’s struggles continue as he gave up a leadoff walk that scored on an Otto Lopez home run. Luckily, he was working with a three-run lead and the bottom of Miami’s order was vulnerable. This came one day after he allowed three to reach base (two hits, one intentional walk) without recording an out in the season-opening loss. Dennis Santana and Colin Holderman are good stashes.
Boston Red Sox
With a 2-2 lead in the eighth inning, Boston turned to Aroldis Chapman to face Corey Seager and the heart of the order. The Red Sox then took the lead in the top of the ninth and Justin Slaten slammed the door with a perfect frame. Garrett Whitlock also tossed two scoreless innings before Chapman. With Liam Hendriks (elbow) on IL, each of those three RPs is worth rostering in most formats.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies took a 3-1 advantage into the eighth and turned to Jordan Romano with the 8-9-1 section of Washington’s lineup due up (with two righties). But he walked Dylan Crews and hit Jacob Young, who then pulled off a double steal. Both would score. Jose Alvarado would strike out two in a perfect ninth. The L/R split of who is due up will be decisive early, but Alvarado, who lost weight and picked up velocity, looks like a solid play.
Cleveland Guardians
Following a tumultuous postseason and iffy spring, Emmanuel Clase blew his first save opportunity via three hits allowed. He did hit 100.1 mph and regularly sat at 99, with two of the hits against logging .230 and .040 xBA marks. It’s not encouraging, but it may not be as bad as you think. Paul Sewald scooped the 10th-inning save with Cade Smith, Tim Herrin, and Hunter Gaddis working scoreless innings ahead of Clase.
National League East - Closers and Saves Report
Atlanta Braves
Closer: Raisel Iglesias (definitely)
Holds: Pierce Johnson, Aaron Bummer
Question: Craig Kimbrel is back with the Braves. Will he be rejuvenated or released?
Miami Marlins
Closer: Calvin Faucher (probably)
Holds: Anthony Bender, Jesus Tinoco
Question: Will anyone on the Marlins reach double digits in saves? Will anyone hit a home run off of Calvin Faucher? Will there be any big leaguers left in the bullpen after the trade deadline?
Calvin Faucher in 2024:
220 batters faced, 0 HR allowed pic.twitter.com/TPu1CifvTh
— Louis Addeo-Weiss (@addeo_louis00) August 28, 2024
New York Mets
Closer: Edwin Diaz (definitely)
Holds: A.J. Minter, Reed Garrett
Question: Edwin Diaz threw way more fastballs and way fewer sliders in the second half last year, and it worked. Can he continue being effective with this pitch mix even though his velocity was down throughout Grapefruit League play?
Philadelphia Phillies
Closer: Jordan Romano ("floating")
Holds: Jose Alvarado, Orion Kerkering
Question: Phillies manager Rob Thomson has made it no secret that he prefers to use a "floating closer" in his bullpen, meaning several relievers will earn saves. Will Jordan Romano lead the way because of his experience, or will Jose Alvarado's elite stuff float him to the top?
Washington Nationals
Closer: Kyle Finnegan (definitely)
Holds: Jorge Lopez, Jose A. Ferrer
Question: Kyle Finnegan had 38 saves last season. The Nationals, as a team, had 40. There's no "floating closer" in DC, but what happens if Finnegan, on a one-year deal, gets dealt at the trade deadline?
National League Central - Closers and Saves Report
Chicago Cubs
Closer: Ryan Pressly (definitely, for now)
Holds: Porter Hodge, Ryan Brasier
Question: At this point in their respective careers, Porter Hodge is a better reliever than Ryan Pressly. Will the Cubs lock the veteran Pressly into the ninth inning to keep Hodge in a more versatile fireman role?
Cincinnati Reds
Closer: Nobody Knows (but Ian Gibaut got and blew the first Reds save chance)
Holds: Tony Santillan, Emilio Pagan, Graham Ashcraft
Question: Once he's healthy, does Alexis Diaz (hamstring) take over the closer's role, or do the Reds go with a committee all year?
Milwaukee Brewers
Closer: Trevor Megill (definitely)
Holds: Joel Payamps, Abner Uribe
Question: The Brewers still have several very high-upside arms in their bullpen, even after trading Devin Williams. Will Megill remain "the guy," or will someone like Uribe or even a rookie like Craig Yoho or Jacob Misiorowski step up?
Trevor Megill, 99mph Paint. 🖌️🎨 @ReviewngTheBrew pic.twitter.com/uvNjKh1pHI
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 8, 2024
Pittsburgh Pirates
Closer: David Bednar (for now?)
Holds: Colin Holderman, Dennis Santana
Question: Can David Bednar find his 2023 form (2.00 ERA, 39 saves in 42 chances) and leave his 2024 form (5.77 ERA, 23 saves in 30 chances) behind? (Bonus question: Would the Pirates be willing to move the best-named holds pitcher, Colin Holderman, into a saves role?)
St. Louis Cardinals
Closer: Ryan Helsley (definitely)
Holds: JoJo Romero, Ryan Fernandez
Question: Ryan Helsley set a Cardinals record with 49 saves last season. With his contract up at the end of this season, where will he be pitching after the deadline if St. Louis falls out of contention?
National League West - Closers and Saves Report
Arizona Diamondbacks
Closer: Justin Martinez (most of the time)
Holds: A.J. Puk, Ryan Thompson, Shelby Miller
Question: Can Justin Martinez and his new (extremely DBacks-friendly) contract hold off A.J. Puk for the main closer's role? They will likely mix and match based on scheduled batters, but one will probably take the "bigger" half.
Justin Martinez has the upside to become a Top-10 (or better) reliever for #FantasyBaseball this season.
Splitter: .098 BAA, .122 SLG, 54% Whiff
Slider: .178 BAA, .289 SLG, 45.1% Whiff
Sinker & 4-seam averaged 100+ mphShould be the frontrunner for saves in Arizona. pic.twitter.com/jpyoZIye6G
— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) January 28, 2025
Colorado Rockies
Closer: Victor Vodnik (first shot, likely permanent if he does well)
Holds: Tyler Kinley, Seth Halvorsen
Question: Rockies manager Bud Black has said that Victor Vodnik will get the first shot as closer with Kinley and Halvorsen working in setup roles. Halvorsen was outstanding in Cactus League play though, could he jump Vodnik for the Rockies ninth inning job?
Los Angeles Dodgers
Closer: A rotating door (for now and probably most of the season)
Holds/Saves: Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen, Kirby Yates, Alex Vesia, more
Question: Will anyone take over the closer's role for the Dodgers, or will they continue to mix and match from game to game? In three games so far this season, three different Dodgers relievers have recorded a save.
San Diego Padres
Closer: Robert Suarez (probably)
Holds: Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam
Question: Robert Suarez wasn't great in the second half last season and those struggles continued in spring training this year. Can he put it together and be super effective like he was in the first half of 2024, or will someone like Adam, Estrada, or even Adrian Morejon need to step up for saves?
San Francisco Giants
Closer: Ryan Walker (definitely)
Holds: Camilo Doval, Erik Miller, Tyler Rogers
Question: Camilo Doval struggled on the mound in 2024. Can he return to the reliever he was before and give the Giants one of the most solid bullpens in the league?
American League East - Closers and Saves Report
Baltimore Orioles
Closer: Felix Bautista (definitely, but with days off)
Holds: Yennier Cano, Seranthony Dominguez
Question: Felix Bautista is returning from Tommy John Surgery and will be operating under a "managed workload." What does that look like to start the season, and how quickly does he get into a true closer-like routine?
Boston Red Sox
Closer: Aroldis Chapman, Justin Slaten (committee for now)
Holds: Garrett Whitlock, Liam Hendriks (soon)
Question: Do the Red Sox stick with a fairly open committee approach, or does someone take over the ninth inning role? Also, how does Liam Hendriks do when he returns from his (expectedly short) season-opening IL stint?
New York Yankees
Closer: Devin Williams (definitely)
Holds: Luke Weaver, Mark Leiter Jr.
Question: The Yankees' eighth and ninth innings are pretty much set in stone with Weaver and Williams, but who steps up in the earlier innings to bridge games from their starters to their two big relievers?
Tampa Bay Rays
Closer: Pete Fairbanks (definitely)
Holds: Edwin Uceta, Garrett Cleavinger
Question: Will the Rays, seemingly the originators of the closer-by-committee approach, stick to a more traditional bullpen setup with Fairbanks in most of their ninth innings?
Pete Fairbanks, Gross 94mph Changeup. 🤮 pic.twitter.com/cgSCxJ34ED
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 24, 2025
Toronto Blue Jays
Closer: Jeff Hoffman (definitely)
Holds: Yimi Garcia, Chad Green
Question: Jeff Hoffman has been one of baseball's best relievers for the past two seasons, mostly working as a fireman in the Phillies bullpen, but can he keep that success going now that he's locked into Toronto's specific closer role?
American League Central - Closers and Saves Report
Chicago White Sox
Closer: Mike Clevinger (definitely what they're going with)
Holds: Jordan Leasure, Fraser Ellard
Question: Mike Clevinger was bad in a small sample in 2024, but he's been good as a starter in the past. Will he be any good as a closer, and will the White Sox have enough late leads for it to matter?
Cleveland Guardians
Closer: Emmanuel Clase (definitely)
Holds: Cade Smith, Paul Sewald
Question: Emmanuel Clase was video game levels of good last season, ending up with a 0.61 ERA, but can he keep up a seemingly unsustainable .195 BABIP, or is regression coming for the often first closer off the board?
lowest ERA in MLB history (min. 50 innings):
2016 Zack Britton - 0.54 (4 ER in 67 IP)
2012 Fernando Rodney - 0.60 (5 ER in 74.2 IP)
1990 Dennis Eckersley - 0.61 (5 ER in 73.1 IP)
2024 Emmanuel Clase - 0.66 (5 ER in 68.1 IP)
Britton out of reach but Clase could climb to #2 https://t.co/fjHkJ87qy5 pic.twitter.com/yhtG1nhm7z
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) September 15, 2024
Detroit Tigers
Closer: A Committee of Motor City Kitties
Holds/Saves: Beau Brieske, Will Vest, Tyler Holton, Brenan Hanifee
Question: Jason Foley led the Tigers in saves last season with 28 (20 more than anyone else). This season, he's starting the year in Triple-A. Will he be brought back up soon to regain his role, or will the Tigers stick with mixing and matching throughout the season?
Kansas City Royals
Closer: Carlos Estevez (definitely, but concerningly)
Holds: Lucas Erceg, Hunter Harvey
Question: Lucas Erceg is clearly the best reliever in the Royals' bullpen. Will the Royals maintain his more versatile fireman role, or will he have to take over the ninth inning based on Carlos Estevez's diminishing velocity?
Minnesota Twins
Closer: Jhoan Duran (definitely)
Holds: Griffin Jax, Cole Sands
Question: Griffin Jax is one of the best relievers in baseball right now. Can Jhoan Duran prove that he's regained the velocity he lost at the end of last season and in spring training this year, or will Jax end up as a ninth-inning option in 2025?
American League West - Closers and Saves Report
The Athletics
Closer: Mason Miller (definitely)
Holds: Jose Leclerc, Tyler Ferguson
Question: Mason Miller had one of the best rookie seasons for a closer in baseball history. It was also the most innings he's ever pitched as a professional. Can he repeat his amazing season as a major leaguer playing in a minor league stadium?
Mason Miller, 102mph Fastball & Wicked Slider, Individual Pitches + Overlay. 😲
Why you'd swing at that Slider way off the plate. pic.twitter.com/1VAjdoRYH7
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 16, 2025
Houston Astros
Closer: Josh Hader (definitely)
Holds: Bryan Abreu, Tayler Scott
Question: Josh Hader had an awful spring, but he was reportedly working on his changeup and not fully trying to just get outs. After a somewhat iffy save on Opening Day, does he rebound to the Josh Hader we're used to?
Los Angeles Angels
Closer: Kenley Jansen (definitely)
Holds: Ben Joyce, Brock Burke
Question: Can Ben Joyce continue his rise into the ranks of the most exciting relief pitchers in baseball? Does Kenley Jansen catch Lee Smith for third all-time in saves?
Seattle Mariners
Closer: Andres Munoz (definitely)
Holds: Gregory Santos, Collin Snider
Question: Can Andres Munoz stay healthy and consistent for a full season and finally reach the upside he's teased so often? (And what does Matt Brash do when he comes back?)
Texas Rangers
Closer: Committee for now
Holds/Saves: Luke Jackson, Chris Martin, Robert Garcia
Question: Luke Jackson got the first "used as a closer" ninth inning tie game appearance. Was that just the first usage of a committee, or does he have/did he have the upper hand?
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