MLB Closers 2024: Closer Report - Fantasy Baseball This Week, September 26th
Way back in March when we fantasy baseball managers were knee deep in our preseason drafts these relievers were the top 10 MLB closers that were selected as per FantasyPros’ consensus ADP:
Whether it was due to injuries or simple ineffectiveness only six of those 10 MLB closers in the above table managed to hold onto their jobs until the end of the season.
I’m counting Diaz as one of those six closers that held onto their jobs, but even he was removed as the Mets’ closer for a short time in the middle of the season. Doval, Bednar and Sewald lost their jobs as their teams’ closer due to their poor pitching performances. Romano lost his job due to a season ending injury.
Other fantasy baseball closers who lost their jobs that were drafted outside the top 10 at the position include Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips, New York Yankee Clay Holmes, and Baltimore Oriole Craig Kimbrel.
Aroldis Chapman proved that sometimes what’s old can be made new again. He took advantage of Bednar’s struggles and resurfaced as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ closer. Chapman even managed to hit triple digits on the radar gun, just like the old days.
As far as the elite fantasy baseball closers, it would be fun to write that Emmanuel Clase was in a class by himself, but this season also saw St. Louis Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley avoid injury and join him as one of the games’ best at the position. As this article is being written Helsey leads the major leagues with 48 saves and Clase is right behind him with 47.
Placing third on the major league leaderboard for saves with 38 is Washington Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan. Many analysts and fans expected Hunter Harvey to eventually steal that job away from Finnegan, but he ended up getting traded to the Kansas City Royals.
MLB Closers 2024: Fantasy Baseball Closer Report
With just a few days left to the regular baseball season you can continue to check out our Fantasy Baseball Closer Grid. We’ll still update the grid as news breaks regarding baseball’s high-leverage relievers.
As you start to prepare for the 2025 fantasy baseball season and are looking for potential MLB closers to put on your watch list keep in mind that prior closing experience is very important. Even if a reliever’s closing experience is from his days in college or in the minor leagues, there’s always a chance that a big-league manager who is desperate for a guy with nerves of steel who can close out games will seek him out.
That being said, here’s a few relievers who came out of nowhere and ended up closing out games for their respective teams that you should be aware of when you begin your preseason prep for the upcoming 2025 fantasy baseball season.
(All stats quoted in this article are accurate as of the morning of 9/26/2024)
Seranthony Dominguez, Baltimore Orioles
Dominguez was an Oriole trade deadline acquisition who ended up running away with their closer position. In 23 appearances for the Orioles he converted 10 of 11 save opportunities and added a hold as well. Since he had 28 career saves when the Orioles traded for him, making him their closer made a lot of sense.
The Orioles have an $8MM club option to hold onto Dominguez for the 2025 season and if they choose not to, it’ll cost them $500,000. Felix Bautista, who saved 48 games for the O’s between the 2022 and 2023 seasons should be fully recovered from his Tommy John surgery in time for the 2025 season.
Recovery from TJ surgery could sometimes be tricky, but Bautista will likely to reclaim his role as the team’s closer. If the Orioles do decide to exercise their option to hold onto Dominguez he might be a better resource for holds, than saves.
Chad Green, Toronto Blue Jays
Green took over as the Blue Jays’ closer after they traded Yimi Garcia to the Seattle Mariners. Jordan Romano, the team’s expected closer at the start of the season, spent much of it on the IL and he eventually had elbow surgery. Keep in mind that Romano will be a free agent at the end of this season and Green is signed through the 2025 season.
Since July 14th Green has appeared in 27 games and he’s converted 11 of 14 save opportunities, but he did have a rough patch early in the month of September. He gave up 11 runs in five games between September 1st and 11th, but Green has pitched better lately and hasn’t given up a run in his last four appearances.
Since he’s under contract the Jays may decide to use him as their closer to start next season. It should be noted that his 7.8 K/9 this season is the lowest of his career.
Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics
Miller’s 27 saves tie him for 10th place overall with Boston Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen, and he has saved 39% of the A’s’ wins this season. His stuff is electric and his fastball regularly tops triple digits on the radar gun.
He’s had some injury concerns in the past when he was a starting pitcher, but those seem to have faded now that he’s a reliever. Miller is must-watch TV when he takes the mound and should be one of the top five closers taken in preseason fantasy baseball drafts next season.
Lucas Erceg, Kansas City Royals
Erceg had been one of baseball’s most reliable set up men when he was with the A’s, and he continued in that role after he was traded to the Royals. However, he eventually replaced James McArthur as the Royals’ closer and even though he slumped a bit at the end of August, he has adapted well to his new role.
In 22 games since joining the Royals, Erceg has struck out 30 batters in 24 innings and he’s converted 10 of his 12 save opportunities. He also has six holds during that time frame. Erceg came into this season with less than a year of service time which means he won’t be a free agent until the 2030 season.
He has a good chance of opening the 2025 season as the Royals’ closer and he should have a very attractive ADP in preseason drafts.
Kirby Yates, Texas Rangers
Yates is yet another example of a veteran pitcher who found the fountain of youth this season. As this article is being written the 37 year old right-hander has converted an amazing 31 of 32 save opportunities and pitched to a 1.21 ERA.
Yates is going to be a free agent at the end of the season and his role in 2025 will depend on where he pitches next season. If he signs with a team that expects him to close out their games to start the season, he’ll be that closer that fantasy baseball managers draft in the later rounds but hate themselves for doing it later on.
Jesus Tinoco, Miami Marlins
Tinoco was DFA’ed twice this season, but as the season draws to a close, he’s the Marlins’ closer. He has converted three saves for the Marlins this season, giving him four in his major league career but he’s no stranger to pitching in high leverage late inning situations.
Tinoco has 18 career minor league saves. Tinoco took over as the team’s closer after Calvin Faucher hit the IL and he’s a long shot to open the 2025 season as the Marlins’ closer.
Porter Hodge, Chicago Cubs
Adbert Alzolay, Hector Neris and Jorge Lopez all had a piece of the closer’s role at one point this season. However, Hodge started closing out games for the Cubs in late August and converted six of his seven save opportunities down the stretch.
It’s too early to know whether or not Hodge will open the 2025 season as the team’s closer, but he should certainly be in the mix to be one of the Cubs’ high leverage relievers on Opening Day.
Justin Martinez, Arizona Diamondbacks
Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald began the season on the IL, and he’ll end the season on the IL. The Diamondbacks experimented with Ryan Thompson and A.J. Puk closing games for them but Martinez eventually took over as the team’s closer. In his last 20 games Martinez has converted six of his seven save opportunities and he’s also recorded a hold.
However, he has slumped in the month of September, with a 5.06 ERA. Martinez is just 22 years old and including his eight saves for the Diamondbacks this season, he has a total of 26 in his professional baseball career.
Sewald will be a free agent at the end of the season and if the Diamondbacks don’t sign him, Martinez and Puk will likely be among the Arizona relievers who’ll compete for the team’s closer role next spring.
Michael Kopech, Los Angeles Dodgers
Kopech started the season closing out games for the Chicago White Sox, arguably baseball’s worst team. He’ll end his season as the closer for the Dodgers, a team that is expected to compete for a World Series title.
Manager Dave Roberts never likes to name a closer but if there’s any hint that he’ll be closing out games for the Dodgers next spring make Kopech a priority in your preseason drafts. His expected ADP should make him pretty affordable.
Ryan Walker, San Francisco Giants
Camilo Doval was tied with Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar for the NL lead in saves with 39. Unfortunately, both Doval and Bednar lost their closer’s job this season. Control issues got the best of Doval, and he even found himself throwing 5.2 innings for Triple-A Sacramento.
Walker leap frogged over Tyler and Taylor Rogers and took over the Giants’ closers role in mid-August. In his last 10 games Walker has converted 10 straight save opportunities and in 18.2 IP during that time span he’s struck out 28 batters and walked just four.
The Giants will probably give Doval a chance to reclaim his closer’s role next spring, but Walker will also likely be in the mix to pitch in late inning high leverage situations next season as well.