👉 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE SPRING
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


MLB Closers and Saves Report Week 20

The playoffs are coming! Fantasy baseball life comes at you fast, and even though we can all probably remember drafting our teams, it's already almost playoff time.

With the trade deadline well behind us (despite some intriguing post-deadline deals still going on), teams have their bullpens more or less set. Injuries, however, are unpredictable.

You've made it this far and you're looking good heading into the last few weeks of the regular season (hopefully). Let's see what we can do to help you make that last push into the playoffs.

Featured Promo: Save 50% the regular price with discount code SPRING, for a limited time. Exclusive access to our Team Sync platform, DFS cheat sheets, Lineup Optimizers, betting/prop picks, and exclusive content from Nick Mariano and Eric Cross! GAIN ACCESS NOW

 

Bullpen News for Week 20

Los Angeles Angels

With Bud Norris removed from the ninth inning, Cam Bedrosian has earned three saves in the past week. Normally, someone earning three saves in a week would be considered a team's closer, but due to the fact that he's still recovering from the groin injury that kept him off the field for a good chunk of the season, Bedrosian is still unable to pitch in back-to-back games. Basically, Bedrosian is the team's closer, as long as he didn't pitch the day before. That leads to a strange committee that will include Blake Parker and Keynan Middleton. Bedrosian is the one to own in this bullpen, but the other two should retain some value as well.

St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal was a perfect 7-for-7 in save opportunities since officially taking over the role. The Cardinals and their fans felt comfortable that they had finally found a closer, a solid rock to lock down their wins. Then Wednesday happened. Rosenthal came in for a save, faced two batters, allowed a home run and a walk, and was pulled from the game. While Rosenthal had not allowed a hit on a fastball slower than 96 mph this season, the home run he allowed was on a 91 mph meatball. Combine diminished velocity with Rosenthal complaining about tightness in his throwing arm, and there's a lot to worry about.

Not even 24 hours after the game, Rosenthal was placed on the disabled list with the official diagnosis of "right elbow irritation." Former closer Seung Hwan Oh seems to have fixed the issues that got him booted from the ninth inning in the first place. He's allowed just one run over his past 12 appearances. Meanwhile, lefty Tyler Lyons is working on 14 consecutive scoreless appearances. Manager Mike Matheny may mix things up based on the batters due to hit in the ninth, but with Rosenthal out of the picture for what may be a while, Oh would seem to be the one to own.

New York Yankees

The Yankees bullpen is something special: almost all of their relievers could be great closers if they were on different teams. Still, that does not mean the Yankees have no issues in their relief corps. Closer Aroldis Chapman hasn't quite been his usual dominant self lately, and recently has complained about tightness in his hamstring. While it may not be a serious injury, the Yankees may take the opportunity to switch a few roles in the bullpen, giving Dellin Betances the ninth inning and shifting Chapman to an earlier role. It's unclear what manager Joe Girardi will do, but it's no longer a given that Chapman will continue in the ninth inning for the remainder of the season.

 

Odds and Ends

Cleveland Indians reliever Andrew Miller (knee) tossed a successful rehab inning this week and is expected to rejoin the Indians on Friday.

Miami Marlins reliever Kyle Barraclough (shoulder) came back and tossed an inning in a low leverage situation while setup man Junichi Tazawa (bad) allowed four hits to the four batters he faced. Barraclough will quickly begin working in higher leverage situations and may take over the closer role from Brad Ziegler before too long.

The Chicago White Sox bullpen is a smoldering dumpster fire, but owners absolutely desperate for saves might look into Juan Minaya. Honestly, just leaving a RP slot empty might be a better option than a White Sox reliever.

New York Mets reliever Jeurys Familia (shoulder) made his first rehab appearance, tossing a scoreless inning. He'll need several more rehab innings and won't jump into meaningful innings right away when he rejoins the Mets, but there's a chance he's given a few save opportunities before the end of the season.

 

 

Roster Moves of the Week

Adds

Cam Bedrosian, Los Angeles Angels- Bedrosian still can't pitch in two games in a row, but he'll likely be looking at a save opportunity whenever he is on the mound. He's still part of a committee in Anaheim, but he's the leader of the committee and should eventually take over full time.

Seung Hwan Oh, St. Louis Cardinals- Oh was certainly owned earlier this season, but was likely dropped once he lost his job as closer. With Trevor Rosenthal looking like he might miss a long time, Oh is the most likely Cardinals reliever to earn saves until Rosey comes back.

Drops

Tyler Clippard, Houston Astros- If you grabbed Clippard when he was on the White Sox, hoping he'd pick up some saves now and then, you can go ahead and cut him now that he's on the Astros. He won't see any save opportunities in Houston, and doesn't have the ratio upside to be worth keeping around.

 

Best of the Week

 Corey Knebel, Milwaukee Brewers- 5 IP, 6 K, 3 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.60 WHIP

Brewers closer Corey Knebel had a busy but very successful week. In five innings, he struck out six batters and earned three saves and a win. Meanwhile, he only allowed two hits and a walk.

Sean Doolittle, Washington Nationals- 4 IP, 3 K, 3 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP

Nationals closer Sean Doolittle had a strong week, saving three games while tossing four scoreless innings. He allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out three. Doolittle is only owned in 64% of fantasy leagues right now. That should be much closer to 100.

Cam Bedrosian, Los Angeles Angels AND Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers-  3 IP, 3 SV, 3 K, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP

The two Los Angeles-area closers had almost identical weeks, with both righties tossing three innings, recording three strike outs, and picking up a save in all three games they appeared in. Bedrosian allowed just a hit and a walk while Jansen allowed two hits. The two closers are juxtaposed here not only because they both pitch their home games near Interstate 5, but also to show that Bedrosian can be an elite fantasy closer. He's owned in just 34% of leagues (compared to 99% for Jansen), and Bedrosian's role will only grow as we move into the fantasy playoffs.

 

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Adds

 

Premium Tools & DFS Research

Get a free trial of our powerful MLB Premium Tools. Our famous DFS Optimizer & Lineup Generator, daily Matchup Ratings, expert DFS Lineups/Cheat Sheets, and more.

Sign Up Now!

 




RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Deebo Samuel Sr.

Does Deebo Samuel Sr. Carry Buy-Low Appeal for Win-Now Dynasty Managers?
Elic Ayomanor

Is Elic Ayomanor Still Worthy of a Dynasty Roster Spot?
Jose Altuve

Astros Reinstate Jose Altuve From the Injured List
Tyler Warren

Does Tyler Warren Have Dynasty TE1 Upside?
Jonathon Brooks

Entering 2026 as a Buy-Low Dynasty Candidate?
Tyler Allgeier

Remains a Dynasty Buy-Low Candidate
Quentin Johnston

Is Quentin Johnston Undervalued by Dynasty Managers?
CFB

Reed Harris Hoping to Fill Void in Arizona State Receiving Room
CFB

Nick Marsh Gearing Up for Breakout
CFB

Drew Mestemaker Looking to Catapult Oklahoma State Offense in 2026
CFB

Rocco Becht Brings Experience to New-Look Nittany Lions
CFB

Can Trey White, Adam Trick Keep Texas Tech's Defensive Front Elite?
CFB

Devon Dampier is Key to Success for Morgan Scalley in Year 1
Aaron Judge

Yankees Officially Place Aaron Judge on Injured List With Fractured Rib
Francisco Lindor

Expected to Return in "About a Couple Weeks"
J.J. McCarthy

Fighting Uphill Battle to Win Starting QB Job?
Brian Thomas Jr.

Improving his Chemistry With QB
Malik Willis

' Chemistry With New WRs is a "Work in Progress"
Baker Mayfield

"Not Anywhere Close" to New Contract With Buccaneers
Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Sitting Out of OTAs
Isaiah Likely

Carries Significant Dynasty Upside into First Season in New York
Emanuel Wilson

Dynasty Outlook Clouded by Depth Chart Uncertainty in Seattle
Jaylin Noel

Is Jaylin Noel Still Roster-Worthy in Dynasty Formats?
Dylan Sampson

Carries Dynasty Upside Despite Current Place on Depth Chart
George Holani

Is George Holani Worthy of a Deep-League Dynasty Roster Spot?
Tank Bigsby

Could See an Increase in Snaps in 2026
Corey Seager

Rangers Activate Corey Seager From the Injured List
Gabriel Bonfim

Set For UFC Vegas 118 Main Event
Belal Muhammad

In Dire Need Of Win
Kendre Miller

Is it Time to Move on From Kendre Miller in Dynasty Leagues?
Edmen Shahbazyan

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 118
Shayne Gostisbehere

Dishes Out Two Power-Play Assists in Comeback Win
Hollywood Brown

a Dynasty Fade in New-Look Eagles Receiver Room
Brendan Allen

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Seth Jarvis

Ties Finals With Power-Play Goal
Mark Stone

Scores Sixth Playoff Goal in Overtime Defeat
Tom Nolan

Searches For His Fifth Consecutive Win
Darnell Mooney

Facing Further Dynasty Decline
Mitch Marner

Records Two Assists in Game 2 Loss
Farés Ziam

Fares Ziam A Favorite At UFC Vegas 118
Brett Howden

Matches Franchise Record With Another Productive Outing
Christian Kirk

Unlikely to Regain Dynasty Value in San Francisco
Brayden McNabb

Hospitalized After Taking Puck to Face
Aaron Judge

Diagnosed with Stress Fracture, Out 4-6 Weeks
Shohei Ohtani

has "Small" Blister, a "Non-Issue" for his Pitching Starts
Brent Rooker

Out on Thursday Due to Knee Soreness
Frederik Andersen

Hurricanes Retain Confidence in Frederik Andersen
Vincent Trocheck

Maple Leafs Interested in Vincent Trocheck
Dylan Larkin

Requests Trade From Red Wings
Corey Seager

Expected to Return This Weekend
Lucas Erceg

Royals to Mix and Match in Ninth With Lucas Erceg Struggling
Jonathan Toews

Expected to Retire
Anders Lee

Set to Hit Open Market
TB

Jon Cooper Wins First Jack Adams Trophy
De'Aaron Fox

Struggles Again Wednesday Night
Dylan Harper

Turns Heads in Finals Opener
Stephon Castle

Close to Double-Double in Game 1 Loss to Knicks
Victor Wembanyama

Notches 26 Points in Finals Debut
Josh Hart

Grabs 15 Rebounds in Game 1 Win Over Spurs
Karl-Anthony Towns

Opens Finals With Double-Double
Jalen Brunson

Scores Game-High 30 Points in Finals Opener
Aaron Judge

to Undergo Additional Imaging
Ketel Marte

Out on Wednesday With Back, Hamstring Injuries
Mitchell Robinson

is Available for Game 1 on Wednesday
Kawhi Leonard

Unlikely to be Traded
Chicago Bulls

Bulls Host Potential Lottery Picks for Workout
Washington Wizards

Wizards Considering Trading Down in Draft
Corbin Burnes

has Teres Major Strain, Unlikely to Return Until September
Rickie Fowler

Looks To Continue Resurgent Season At Memorial
CFB

Can Eric Singleton Jr. Fully Break Out at Third School?
CFB

Katin Houser Steps into QB1 Role for Illinois
CFB

Savion Hiter an Immediate Impact Freshman for Michigan
CFB

Isaiah Horton Set to Take Over KC Concepcion's Role
CFB

UCLA Transfer Karson Gordon Signs with Austin Peay
CFB

Will Muschamp Bringing New Intensity to Texas Practices
Gary Woodland

Brings Boom-or-Bust Potential to Memorial
Jordan Spieth

Still Searching for a Breakthrough
Alex Smalley

Brings Elite Form to Memorial Tournament
Justin Rose

Looks to Recapture Memorial Tournament Success
Cameron Young

Looks to Get Back to His Contending Ways at Murifield Village
Chris Gotterup

Needs to Find Fairways at Muirfield Village
Si Woo Kim

Looks to Stay Hot at Memorial Tournament
Matt Fitzpatrick

Positioned for Success at Muirfield Village
Jalen Chatfield

Records Two Assists in Tuesday's Loss
Keegan Bradley

Looking for Another Strong Finish at Muirfield
Nikolaj Ehlers

Nets Two Goals in Game 1 Loss to Golden Knights
Shea Theodore

Notches Three Points in Game 1 Win
Brayden McNabb

Sets Up Three Goals in Game 1 Win Over Hurricanes
Justin Thomas

is an Exciting Play This Week in Ohio
Brett Howden

Starts Finals With Multi-Point Effort
Scottie Scheffler

Looks to Win Memorial Tournament for Third Consecutive Year
Tomas Hertl

Scores Game-Winner in Finals Opener
Rory McIlroy

Looking for Better Performance at Muirfield Village
Drake Baldwin

Could Return During Braves Next Homestand
Garrett Crochet

Diagnosed With Low-Grade Lat Strain
Russell Henley

Coming to Ohio on the Heels of Latest Victory
Tommy Fleetwood

Looking for Better Iron Play at Memorial Tournament
Patrick Cantlay

Looks to Continue Dominance at Muirfield Village
Ludvig Aberg

a Great Fit for Muirfield Village
Isaiah Hartenstein

Hopeful to Stay with Oklahoma City
Luguentz Dort

Wants to Remain with Thunder
Mitchell Robinson

is Questionable for Game 1
Moussa Diabaté

Moussa Diabate Has Contract Guaranteed for 2026-2027 Season
Oso Ighodaro

Gets Guaranteed Contract for Next Season
NAS

Chris MacFarland Joins Predators as President and General Manager
VAN

Canucks Name Manny Malhotra as New Head Coach
Brendan Gallagher

to Leave Canadiens This Offseason
Aaron Judge

Out on Tuesday With Rib/Shoulder Injury
Josh Hader

Set to Return from Injured List on Tuesday
CFB

SEC Coach Calls Buster Faulkner a "Home-Run Hire"
CFB

Auburn a Sleeper in the SEC Under Alex Golesh?
CFB

Noah Fifita Primed for Strong 2026 Campaign
CFB

Oregon Assistant Coach Charged with DUII, Reckless Driving
CFB

Tight End Nick Pollack Commits to Clemson
Akshay Bhatia

Needs the Driver to be True in Ohio
Aaron Rai

Primed to take on the Memorial Tournament
J.J. Spaun

Rebounded at Charles Schwab Challenge
Xander Schauffele

One to Watch This Week in Ohio
Elly De La Cruz

to Miss 2-4 Weeks of Action
Chase Burns

is Scratched Due to Illness
Deiveson Figueiredo

Suffers Second-Round Submission Loss
Song Yadong

Gets Second-Round Submission Win
Zhang Mingyang

Suffers Back-To-Back Losses
Alonzo Menifield

Gets Back In The Win Column
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Sergei Pavlovich

Scores First-Round Knockout Win
Cameron Smotherman

Suffers Third Loss In A Row
Edwin Arroyo

Reds Promote Top Infield Prospect Edwin Arroyo, Viewed as Priority Pick Up Ahead of MLB Debut
Kai Asakura

Earns His First UFC Win
Elly De La Cruz

Placed on IL with Right Hamstring Tightness
Denny Hamlin

Earns the first Nashville Cup Series Victory of his Career on Sunday
Christopher Bell

Finishes as the Runner-Up at Nashville
Chase Briscoe

Earns First Career Podium Finish at Nashville
Ryan Blaney

Scores A Solid Top-10 Finish at Nashville
Kyle Larson

Top-10 Streak at Nashville Ends after Late Flat Tire Spin
Elly De La Cruz

Exits with Hamstring Tightness
Tyler Reddick

Is One of the Top Favorites to Win at Nashville
Kyle Larson

May Continue his Top-10 Consistency at Nashville this week
Christopher Bell

Is One of the Top Competitors for the Win at Nashville
Chase Briscoe

Is A Must Start for Nashville DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

has Plenty of Upside for Nashville DFS Lineups
William Byron

Is William Byron A Playable DFS Option for Nashville Lineups?
Carson Hocevar

Is Likely to have Another Solid Result at Nashville
NASCAR

Should Fantasy Players Roster Bubba Wallace at Nashville?
Chris Buescher

Is A Decent All-Around DFS Option for Nashville Lineups
Daniel Suarez

is Likely to Drop Positions during the Cracker Barrel 400
Denny Hamlin

Could Denny Hamlin Dominate at Nashville?
Ryan Blaney

Is a DFS Tournament Option at Nashville
Ty Gibbs

Don't Overlook Ty Gibbs at Nashville
Joey Logano

Could Show Life at Nashville
Ross Chastain

Needs a Good Run at Nashville
Chet Holmgren

Fails to Step Up in the Season Finale
Cason Wallace

Ends Postseason with Strong Showing
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Caps MVP Season with Game 7 Exit
Stephon Castle

Continues Postseason Run with 16 Points
Julian Champagnie

Shines in Series-Clinching Win