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

Projecting Rest of Season Top 10 Closers in 2025 Fantasy Baseball (Week 9)

Andres Munoz - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Closers and Saves

Dan Palyo projects which 10 closers will finish the season in the top 10 for the 2025 fantasy baseball season as we head into Week 9 of MLB action.

In fantasy baseball, there's no way to be competitive in saves without having a solid closer (or two) on your roster. Years ago, almost every major league team had a closer they leaned on in the ninth inning for most of the season. But today we are seeing more closer-by-committee approaches than ever before, and if closers struggle for more than a few outings in a row, they have a short leash as teams have other talented arms that they won't hesitate to promote to the closer role.

Some players may try to avoid paying a premium for closers by employing a strategy to draft starting pitchers who are eligible at RP and then look for some bargain closers in the later rounds or off the waiver wire. Or you can punt saves altogether. But having at least one of the top 10 closers in baseball can pay big dividends as these closers are not only a huge help in winning the saves category, but they also usually come with some elite strikeout, ERA, and WHIP numbers, too.

So, which closers do we expect to finish in the top 10 come October? Let's start by looking at the current top 10 closers as of May 29, 2025.

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

 

Current Top 10 Closers for Fantasy Baseball

Here are the top 10 most valuable starting pitchers in 5x5 roto leagues right now, according to Yahoo's player rankings.

Not included are any starting pitchers with RP eligibility, such as Kris Bubic or Drew Rasmussen. I also excluded some relievers with elite ratios who are not being used in save situations, such as Randy Rodriguez (SFG), Huascar Brazoban (NYM), and Jason Adam (SDP).

Pitcher IP SV K ERA WHIP
Andres Munoz 22.2 17 28 0 0.71
Josh Hader 23 13 32 1.57 0.78
Jhoan Duran 25.1 9 30 1.07 1.11
Luke Weaver 24.2 8 23 0.73 0.69
Will Vest 26 7 28 1.73 1.04
Camilo Doval 23.1 5 20 1.16 0.73
Robert Suarez 23 17 23 2.35 0.87
Edwin Diaz 22.1 11 31 2.42 0.99
Carlos Estevez 23 14 21 1.96 1.13
Aroldis Chapman 21 8 28 2.14 1.05

The undisputed top closer in baseball is Andres Munoz of the Seattle Mariners. Munoz is tied for the MLB lead in saves with 17 and has yet to surrender an earned run while putting up an elite 0.71 WHIP through his first 22+ innings this season.

Munoz pairs 98 mph heat on his two-seamer and four-seamer with and devastating slider that has elicited a 52.7% whiff rate and a .132 xBA. He's done a great job of keeping the ball on the ground, too, as his GB% is at 66% right now, which would be the best mark of his career.

The gap between Munoz and the second-rated closer, Josh Hader, is significant, as Munoz ranks 34th overall and Hader comes in at 53rd. Hader is having a terrific year of his own and doing what we have come to expect from him over the past few seasons. His 35 strikeouts are the second-most by any closer behind only Mason Miller at 36.

Jhoan Duran has been as dominant as ever and is only being held back by a lack of saves, as he simply hasn't had as many opportunities. He didn't earn his first save until April 15th and had only two saves by May 1st. However, he's been lights out this month, earning seven saves, three wins, and allowing just one earned run over 13 appearances.

The Yankees would be pretty dumb to return to Devin Williams as their closer with how darn good Luke Weaver has been. His 0.69 WHIP leads all closers, and he's converted eight of nine save opportunities.

Big news yesterday in San Francisco was that the Giants announced that Camilo Doval will remain the closer going forward, replacing Ryan Walker. Doval's rostership should be on the rise in the coming days, and he's pitched well enough to think that he's not likely to relinquish that role easily.

Suarez has a bunch of saves with 17, but he's averaging one strikeout per inning and had one awful blowup outing that raised his ERA. Edwin Diaz is a perfect 11 for 11 in save situations for the Mets and has a 12-game scoreless stretch after getting roughed up a few times early in April.

Aroldis Chapman rounds out our top 10 as he's been quite effective since being handed the closer duties by the Red Sox. The left-handed fireballer is still getting it done at age 37 as he's converted eight of nine save opportunities for Boston.

 

Projected Top 10 Closers for Fantasy Baseball

When we factor in the remaining two-thirds of the schedule and adjust for some expected regression, we end up with this list - my prediction for which relief pitchers finish as the top ten closers by the end of the season.

Pitcher Projection Current Rank
Andres Munoz 1 1
Luke Weaver 2 4
Josh Hader 3 2
Jhoan Duran 4 3
Camilo Doval 5 6
Robert Suarez 6 7
Carlos Estevez 7 9
Edwin Diaz 8 8
Emmanuel Clase 9 18
Jeff Hoffman 10 13

Not too much movement at the top, but I do think that Luke Weaver could continue his upward trajectory with how well he's pitched for the Pinstripes. There should be ample save opportunities there, so as long as he holds onto that job, he could push for 30+ saves by season's end.

I didn't mention Carlos Estevez in the first section, but the Royals closer is third in saves and has a strong hold on his job in Kansas City. We'd love to see more strikeouts, but his ratios and saves have been fantastic.

One name you didn't see in the current top 10 is the guy who is sixth among all active relievers in saves, Emmanuel Clase. After two back-to-back dominant seasons, Clase struggled badly in April, blowing several saves and seeing his ERA balloon as high as 7.15.

However, Clase has looked more like his usual self in May, allowing just one earned run in ten appearances. I like his chances of finishing inside the top ten when it's all said and done.

The same goes for Blue Jays' closer Jeff Hoffman, who has an elite 35/6 K/BB this season but an ugly 5.55 ERA. Hoffman has allowed 15 earned runs this season, but 11 of those came across three outings. That feels very fluky, and his ERA should normalize over time while he continues to pile up saves and moves up the rankings.

One of the closers I have dropping out of the top 10 to make room for Hoffman or Clase is Detroit co-closer Will Vest. While Vest is having a great season, the Tigers are still giving Tommy Kahnle some save opportunities, too. Kahnle has 10 save opportunities this year, converting seven of those. Meanwhile, Vest has converted seven of nine opportunities with much cleaner ratios.

Vest is the one to own of the two, but unless he can pull away from Kahnle and get the job to himself, then it's hard to envision him finishing with enough saves this season to crack the top ten, even if Detroit is playing some great baseball and winning a lot of games.



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 Analysis




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

Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
NHL

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
A.J. Dillon

Not a Lock for a Roster Spot?
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Cooper Flagg

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
LeBron James

Hasn't Requested a Trade
Quinshon Judkins

Following Quinshon Judkins Arrest, NFL Declines Comment
Travis Hunter

Earning Praise in Jaguars Camp for Work Ethic
Memphis Grizzlies

Cole Anthony, Grizzlies Agree to Contract Buyout
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Lars Nootbaar

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Jake Burger

Scratched on Sunday
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Back in Action on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Julius Chestnut

Kalel Mullings Competing for RB3 Role
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
Kimani Vidal

Fighting for No. 3 Job
Cam Hart

Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
Quentin Johnston

Might Not Get Many Chances to Prove Himself
Tre Harris

Officially a Holdout
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

. Should Move Up on Sunday
Ross Chastain

is a Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Josh Berry

Should Be Avoided in Fantasy at Sonoma
Chris Buescher

is A Great DFS Option to Consider for Sonoma Lineups
Riley Herbst

a Deep Sleeper at Sonoma
Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Terry McLaurin

Could be a Holdout at Training Camp
Roger McCreary

a Candidate for a Contract Extension?
Mike Evans

Buccaneers Could Have Difficult Time Retaining Mike Evans
Charles Cross

Could Sign Extension Before Training Camp
Xavier Restrepo

One to Watch Going into Training Camp
Calvin Ridley

Appears Re-Energized
Mark Andrews

Still a Key Piece in Ravens Offense
Ndamukong Suh

Officially Announces his Retirement
Jaylen Waddle

Motivated After Disappointing Season
Tre Harris

Still Unsigned
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF