RADIO
Jacob Latz Continues to be a Top Priority Closer on the Waiver Wire
Texas Rangers left-hander Jacob Latz has been fantastic thus far in 2026, converting on 12 of his 14 save opportunities with an impressive 1.62 ERA and 0.60 WHIP with 35 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings pitched. Under the hood, he has a 2.23 xERA (99th percentile) and a .168 xBA (99th percentile) and is completely dominating the ninth inning of games. The only downfall for Latz is that the Rangers are sitting four games under .500, and have not earned him as many opportunities as some of the other top closers in the game. To put the 14 opportunities into perspective, Cade Smith of the Guardians, who leads the league, has 26 opportunities. While 14 isn't bad, it still leaves more to be desired for fantasy managers and Latz. That being said, the Rangers are still in the hunt in the AL West, as it's been one of the weaker divisions in baseball, with the Mariners leading the division at 39-37, meaning the Rangers should be motivated to make a push, considering they have guys like Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, and Corey Seager as a veteran core. Due to the lack of consistent closers for fantasy baseball in 2026, Latz remains a top option if available on your waiver wire.
Source: Baseball Savant
Source: Baseball Savant
