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

Fantasy Baseball Closers and Saves Waiver Wire Report for Week 20

James McArthur- Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups for closers, saves, and bullpen arms for Week 20 (2024). David's relief pitcher and bullpen updates, and closers to add.

Well, folks, that was a wild one. The trade deadline came and went, but it certainly made its presence known. There weren't as many *huge* trades as in some other years, and it seemed like there were fewer last-minute deals, but it was still an exciting baseball holiday and it still is sure to make a huge difference in the upcoming pennant race.

An elite closer we all thought would keep closing very suddenly won't. An upside guy goes to a team that does well with upside guys. Another upside guy might finally get his chance to show said upside. That, and SO much more covering this week's action in today's Closers and Saves Report, so read on!

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 2024 baseball season. 

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

 

Sunday Quick Hit Closer Updates

-Make sure to check the Diamondbacks bullpen update below! (Sewald out, no answer yet on who is in, although Ryan Thompson got his 2nd save this weekend)

-The Marlins look like they're going with Calvin Faucher as their closer. He got two save chances this weekend, converting one of them.

-Victor Vodnik now has five saves, and while standard fantasy baseball wisdom is, "avoid Rockies pitchers," there might be some deep league value there.

-Liam Hendriks has been cleared to throw to live batters and as long as that goes well, his next step should be a minor league rehab assignment.

-Tanner Scott and Emmanuel Clase are your NL and AL Relievers of the Month. Combined, they allowed one run in 20 2/3 innings, saving 14 games.

-Ben Joyce picked up the save on Saturday against the Mets, while Hunter Strickland pitched in the 7th inning and gave up two runs.

 

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Saves

Michael Kopech, Los Angeles Dodgers (Rostered in 19% of leagues)

Kopech believers, stand up! The former White Sox starter-then-closer made the biggest trade-deadline jump in the standings, joining the Dodgers bullpen. For now, he's unlikely to jump right into the closer's role, but he seems to already be getting some leverage situations, and the Dodgers bullpen has been pretty fluid.

Daniel Hudson has been closing the most often, but L.A. seems to like using him in more of a fireman role, which could leave Kopech as the reserved ninth-inning guy. The Dodgers have plenty of history of taking upside relievers and turning them into all of that upside, so if Kopech is ever going to reach the tantalizing upside we've all heard of, it could be right now. He's not an immediate must-add, but anyone with room on their roster (and especially those in holds leagues) should look for him on the wire.

Ben Joyce, Los Angeles Angels (Rostered in 30% of leagues)

Making his third appearance in a row on this list, Ben Joyce is no longer a speculative add but now a "no, for real, go get him" type of add. With Carlos Estevez traded to the Phillies and Luis Garcia traded to the Red Sox, the door is now wide open for Joyce and his 104 mph fastball to step into the closer's role. The Angels went ahead and gave Hunter Strickland (yes, Hunter Strickland) the first save chance in the post-deadline era, but Joyce got the fireman role in that eighth inning, facing the much stronger part of the opposing lineup. While it may be somewhat of a mix-and-match, Joyce should see the majority of leverage chances and has the stuff to be one of the better closers in the league if he gets enough chances.

Tyler Ferguson, Oakland Athletics (Rostered in 16% of leagues)

With elite closer Mason Miller on the injured list (although he's recovering quickly), the A's turned to Lucas Erceg as their closer. But only for a little while, as Erceg was shipped off to the Kansas City Royals at the trade deadline. Rookie pitcher Tyler Ferguson has stepped in to close for the A's, earning his second save of the season this week. Ferguson is a 30-year-old rookie who has a 4.01 ERA in his first 24 2/3 innings of big league work with decent ratios. His role as closer is certainly temporary, as Miller is expected back sooner than later. But for now, Ferguson could add some value to fantasy teams looking for a save or two a week.

 

More Bullpen and Closer News

Miami Marlins

The Marlins roster after the trade deadline sure looks different than it did before, as expected. The bullpen especially saw some changes, as A.J. Puk went to the Diamondbacks, Huascar Brazoban went to the Mets, and JT Chargois went to the Mariners. In one of the bigger deals of the deadline, Bryan Hoeing and Tanner Scott went to the Padres. That leaves Calvin Faucher, Anthony Bender, and Andrew Nardi as the likely leverage guys in the Marlins bullpen, although wins might be hard to come by for the Fish Team. Faucher seems like the early favorite (he's only rostered in 4% of leagues), and he could help deep league teams desperate for another save a week.

San Diego Padres

The Padres bullpen was pretty good before the deadline. The Padres bullpen may be the best in the league after the deadline. They started by picking up Jason Adam from the Tampa Bay Rays, who should slot in as a very strong seventh-inning guy. Then, just a few hours before the deadline, they picked up the top reliever on the market, Tanner Scott from the Marlins. Scott should make his way into the eighth inning, with both him and Adam working ahead of closer Robert Suarez. (One of the best comments from the deadline: in Jason Adam and Tanner Scott, the Padres have picked up two more great relievers and four more first names.) Scott loses a ton of value in the deal in standard leagues, as he's unlikely to see consistent save opportunities on his new team.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Paul Sewald's seat has been pretty hot, although what isn't hot in Arizona right now? Newly acquired A.J. Puk could sneak in for some saves, but Kevin Ginkel seems like the more likely option (or just a committee approach) if Sewald is removed from the role. **UPDATE: Sewald was, in fact, removed from the role, with manager Torey Lovullo saying on Friday that he would be taking Sewald out of the ninth inning. He added that he has not yet decided who will take his place, so we can expect some version of a committee or mix-and-match approach, at least for now.

 

Short Relief - Other Bullpen News

-John Brebbia remains as the closer for the White Sox. As a team, they have more blown saves (28) than wins (27) for the season. Stay away regardless of his solidified role.

-The revamped Red Sox bullpen features Lucas Sims and Luis Garcia, but Kenley Jansen remains atop the depth chart in Boston. Jansen is dealing with a back issue right now, but the team does not seem to think it's anything too serious.

-James McArthur should be looking in the rearview mirror quite a bit now, with both Hunter Harvey and Lucas Erceg possibilities in the ninth inning for the Royals. The job belongs to "The General" for now, but much like the Earth, his seat is getting increasingly hotter.

-Yimi Garcia made his way to the Mariners in a trade and should work as the primary setup man ahead of Andres Munoz. Garcia is worth a roster spot in all holds leagues but does not need to be rostered right now in saves-only formats.

-The Phillies added to their bullpen, picking up Carlos Estevez from the Angels before the deadline. He'll join the "floating closer" situation in Philadelphia, with Matt Strahm, Jose Alvarado, and Jeff Hoffman along for the ride. Estevez might have the slightest nod in his favor, but this won't be a traditional one-inning closer situation, making all Phillies relievers much more valuable in holds leagues than in standard saves-only formats.

-Our Major League Baseball saves leader remains Ryan Helsley with 33, but now he's tied by Emmanuel Clase with 33 of his own. Kyle Finnegan has 28 before a fairly large gap between him and Craig Kimbrel and Robert Suarez, with 23 each.

-Hunter Harvey has taken the lead for himself in holds, with 28 split between his two teams. Andrew Kittredge sits in second with 27, followed by Bryan Abreu and JoJo Romero, each with 26.

-We have a new blown saves leader, as Clay Holmes sits atop the chart with eight. He's followed by Jalen Beeks with seven, then four different pitchers with six each.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




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

Los Angeles Clippers

Nicolas Batum Staying with Clippers
Jurickson Profar

to Return on Wednesday
Jordan Clarkson

Jazz Finalize Contract Buyout for Jordan Clarkson
Aldrich Potgieter

Wins Rocket Mortgage Classic
Thorbjorn Olesen

Finishes Tied for 41st at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Denny McCarthy

Finishes Tied For 12th at Travelers Championship
Chris Kirk

Finishes Tied For Second at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Michael Kim

Finishes Tied for 26th at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Max Homa

Misses Cut at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Lucas Glover

Finishes Tied For Ninth at Travelers Championship
PGA

Nico Echavarria Finishes Tied For Sixth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Brooklyn Nets

Day'Ron Sharpe Staying with Nets
Colby Thomas

Called Up From Triple-A
Shea Langeliers

A's Reinstate Shea Langeliers From Injured List
Pittsburgh Steelers

Rumors Still Swirling Around Potential T.J. Watt Trade
Jalen Williams

will Undergo Surgery on Right Wrist
Bryce Harper

Activated and Starting on Monday
Deandre Ayton

Finalizing Contract Buyout with Portland
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Lands on Injured List With Fractured Ribs
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Tyler Boyd

Interested in Playing for Steelers
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Now Looking to Acquire a Tight End
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
L'Jarius Sneed

Says he's Healthy
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Minkah Fitzpatrick

Heading Back to Miami
Jonnu Smith

Shipped to Pittsburgh
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Jalen Ramsey

Steelers Acquiring Jalen Ramsey
Kerry Carpenter

Leaves Game with Apparent Hamstring Injury
Brooklyn Nets

Day'Ron Sharpe Heads to Free Agency
Santi Aldama

Receives Qualifying Offer
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner has Team Option Declined
Jabari Smith Jr.

Signs Massive Extension
Jusuf Nurkić

Hornets Trading Jusuf Nurkic to Utah
Collin Sexton

Heading to Charlotte
Cam Thomas

Set for Restricted Free Agency
Milwaukee Bucks

Bobby Portis Staying in Milwaukee
Jonas Brodin

Expected to Miss Start of Next Season
TB

Conor Sheary Placed on Waivers for Contract Termination
Los Angeles Clippers

James Harden, Clippers Agree on a New Contract
Dante Fabbro

Stays with Blue Jackets on Four-Year Deal
Joel Hofer

Commits to Blues for Two More Years
Kevin Bahl

Signs Long-Term Extension with Flames
Oneil Cruz

Smacks Two Homers
Jordan Spence

Traded to Ottawa
Petr Mrazek

Heads to Anaheim
John Gibson

Red Wings Acquire John Gibson
Matthew Knies

Inks Six-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Aaron Judge

Blasts Two Homers, Dealing With Back Issue
Claude Giroux

Signs One-Year Deal with Senators
Yordan Alvarez

has Chance to Return Next Weekend
Minnesota Timberwolves

Julius Randle Signs Three-Year Extension
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Opts into Player Option
Luis Robert Jr.

Heads to Injured List
Gabriel Arias

Carted Off on Sunday
Bryce Harper

Faces Live Pitching
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Remains Out on Sunday
Utah Jazz

Bojan Bogdanovic Retiring From Basketball
Los Angeles Lakers

Dorian Finney-Smith Declines Player Option
Jaylin Williams

Signing Three-Year Extension
LeBron James

Accepts Player Option
Anfernee Simons

"a Possible Re-Trade Candidate"
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
NFL

NFL Won't Hold Supplemental Draft This Year
Damon Arnette

Getting Second Chance With Texans
Deommodore Lenoir

Arrested for Obstruction of Justice
Yordan Alvarez

Eyeing Return Before All-Star Break
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Quinn Priester

Fans 11 in One-Hit Gem
Spencer Schwellenbach

Dominant in Victory
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Expected to Make Second-Year Jump
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Out of Lineup Saturday
Jalin Hyatt

Looking to Flip the Script in 2025
Garrett Mitchell

to Undergo Shoulder Surgery
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez in Guardians Lineup on Saturday
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
Ty Dillon

Could Benefit from Kaulig Speed
Chase Burns

Slated to Make Next Start on Monday
Dylan Sampson

Being Used as a Receiver
Carson Schwesinger

Figures to be in Full-Time Role in 2025
Cedric Tillman

Should Have Full-Time Role
Bryce Young

Looking More Comfortable, Showing More Intensity
Charlie Coyle

Blue Jackets Acquire Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood From Colorado
Jack Quinn

Signs Up for Two More Years with Sabres
Brandon Saad

Stays in Vegas on One-Year Deal
Trent Frederic

Inks Eight-Year Extension
Josh Naylor

Exits Friday's Contest Early with Neck Stiffness
Emil Heineman

Shipped to the Islanders
Noah Dobson

Traded to Montreal
John Tavares

Agrees to Four-Year Extension with Maple Leafs
Sam Bennett

Signs Eight-Year Extension with Panthers
NYI

Islanders Select Matthew Schaefer With No. 1 Pick in NHL Draft
Aaron Rodgers

Roman Wilson Could Fit Nicely With Aaron Rodgers
Josh Simmons

on Schedule to Open the Year as a Starter
Micah Parsons

Contract Length an Issue for Cowboys, Micah Parsons
Denver Broncos

Broncos Unsure How Their Running Back Room Will Look
Russell Wilson

Not the Only Leader in Giants Clubhouse
Charles Oliveira

Can Become A Two-Time Lightweight Champion
Ilia Topuria

A Favorite At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fourth Title Defense At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Renato Moicano

Returns At UFC 317
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC 317
Payton Talbott

Looks To Bounce Back
Felipe Lima

Set To Open Up UFC 317 Main Card
Daniil Tarasov

Panthers Bring in Daniil Tarasov
Frederick Gaudreau

Kraken Pick Up Frederick Gaudreau From Wild
Michael Thorbjornsen

Returns in Detroit at Rocket Classic
Adam Hadwin

Could Struggle Over the Weekend in Detroit
Cam Davis

Hopes Detroit Magic Can Spark Turnaround
Matt Wallace

a Boom-or-Bust Option at Rocket Classic
Joel Dahmen

Not Cutting it Lately
Michael Kim

Searching for Spark at Rocket Classic
Rasmus Hojgaard

a High-Ceiling Play in Rocket Classic
Matt McCarty

a Wild Card Heading into Detroit
Emiliano Grillo

Rolling into the Summer Season
Rickie Fowler

Looking for More Magic at Rocket Classic
Wyndham Clark

Brings High Upside to Detroit Golf Club
Max Greyserman

Could Make Noise at Rocket Classic
Akshay Bhatia

a Strong Value Play at Rocket Classic
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF