Fantasy Baseball Bullpens 2025: Targeting Bullpen ADP Values
The 2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft season is well underway, and has been for some time. Thus, the relative rankings of players are being defined in terms of Average Draft Position (ADP). Where the 2025 Fantasy Baseball Players are being selected in drafts is one of those tools that can assist when putting together your squads, but can also backfire if relied upon too heavily. That being said, looking at the ranks of the 2025 Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitchers, with an emphasis those arms that are not leaving camp as the anointed closer, may allow you to plan for the inevitable replacement of those closers who lose their jobs due to injury or poor performances on the hill. Let us take a gander at a few relievers that have fallen in the drafts that have taken place thus far, which should aid with your 2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Prep.
2025 Fantasy Baseball Bullpen ADP Values
Remember, that ADP does not predict on-field production, only represents opinion among those who have participated in drafts so far in the 2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft season…if you take a chance on any lower-rated player, your mileage may vary positively. Should ADP prove accurate, however, there is always the ability to cut the player you took the gamble on, and other options on the waiver wire.
Pitcher stats below are: Innings Pitched/Wins/Saves/Strikeouts/ERA/WHIP
Cade Smith (R) Cleveland Guardians
ADP: 305.7
2024 Stats 75.1/6/1/103/1.91/0.90
2025 Projections 68.0/4/2/86/2.95/1.09
Our weekly profiles open with the 25-year-old right-hander who dazzled in this rookie season, racking up significant strikeouts while demonstrating exceptional control while on the bump: 103:17 K/BB ratio, which over his 74 appearances for the Guardians resulted in a superior 12.3 K/9 rate and an attractive 2.0 BB/9 ratio. Of course, with preeminent closer Emmanuel Clase also in the Cleveland bullpen, he is relegated to a set-up role, one that he fills extraordinarily well. The 26 holds he collected during the course of 2024 are valuable for those who participate in fantasy baseball leagues that use either the hold stat category as a separate method of valuing relievers, or a combined save/hold (SOLDS) counting stat. Because our crystal balls are cloudy with regard to any individual pitcher’s ability to consistently take the ball when his turn comes up, having the next in line potential closer on a good team is not a luxury, but could be seen as good anticipation. His ratio stats are likely due to have some negative regression this season, but his peripheral metrics do not strongly suggest the regression to be anything to be greatly concerned about.
Chad Green (R) Toronto Blue Jays
ADP: 334.8
2024 Stats 53.1/4/17/46/3.21/1.03
2025 Projections 63.0/4/6/60/3.78/1.20
Tommy John surgery (TJS) forced the veteran righty to miss the majority of both 2022 and 2023, and he was plagued early on in 2024 with a right shoulder teres strain, but once he was able to toe the rubber in Toronto, the team relied upon his arm to close games when Jordan Romano had to sit on the sidelines for significant time, racking up 17 saves for the Blue Jays. Despite blowing three saves at the end of the season, he was this winter considered the prime candidate to take the closer’s role in 2025…until the team brought in competition in the form of Jeff Hoffman (and the reliever profiled a paragraph or so below, Yimi Garcia). Green was an effective pitcher in the set-up role earlier in his career with the Yankees, racking up 19 holds and 10 victories in 2021 before the TJS procedure put him on the bench.
David Robertson (R) Free Agent
ADP: 386.2
2024 Stats 72.0/3/2/99/3.0/1.11
2025 Projections 54.0/3/4/65/3.50/1.21
The 39-year-old (soon to be 40 in April) was cut loose by the Rangers despite delivering excellent set-up results last season in the form of 35 holds, while also coming within one K of the century mark over his 68 relief appearances. His walk rate was an issue (3.4 BB/9, not terrible but not noteworthy, either), nothing unexpected given his career numbers, although he did post an attractive WHIP and also generates a good number of grounders from opposing hitters (48.8% GB). His consistent ability to miss bats or keep the ball in play should lead to him finding another bullpen role this coming season. Until he signs with a team, keep him on ice for a waiver claim, depending on the landing spot.
Yimi Garcia (R) Toronto Blue Jays
ADP: 416.6
2024 Stats 39.0/3/5/49/3.46/0.90
2025 Projections 61.0/3/5/68/3.61/1.15
Garcia was traded from the Blue Jays to the Mariners in 2024, but his presence must have been missed because the team tendered him a two-year deal to rejoin the Toronto bullpen this season. The 34-year-old reliever did struggle while in Seattle, but was lights-out for Toronto, undoubtedly part of why he is back north of the border to open the season. He should compete for at least a portion of the save opportunities for the Blue Jays, making him a valuable late-round flyer to take a chance on in deeper-roster leagues. Those difficulties while toeing the rubber for the Mariners are likely the reason his ADP is depressed below his teammate and are a potential gift for the savvy fantasy baseball owner in upcoming drafts.
Beau Brieske (R) Detroit Tigers
ADP: 433.2
2024 Stats 67.2/4/1/69/3.59/1.26
2025 Projections 66.0/3/10/62/3.91/1.27
The Detroit bullpen is anything but stable, with Jason Foley, Tyler Horton, Will Vest and the 26-year-old righty Brieske all potential closer-by-committee arms that manager A.J. Hinch can call upon in the late innings. Brieske proved valuable as a hybrid opener/starter/reliever during the Tigers’ impressive late-season run in 2024, and the variable nature of the team’s use of its pitching staff while not providing for a definite role for the young righthander, does offer the opportunity for him to put up useful pitching stats in several categories, including wins and saves. It is said that if a draft selection cannot contribute in four of five categories, he is best left for others to draft; Brieske has the potential to provide stat production in all pitching categories, albeit nothing eye-popping. Useful pitching in late draft rounds does have value, however, and Brieske offers that potential.
Robert Garcia (L) Texas Rangers
ADP: 463.5
2024 Stats 59.2/3/0/75/4.22/1.19
2025 Projections 64.0/5/8/72/3.50/1.20
It is likely that the southpaw’s inflated ERA from 2024 is a major cause for his ADP being at such a level that he is at best a late-round draft option in deep-deep leagues this 2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft season so far. That, and him being sidelined to open spring training with a nerve issue in his throwing arm. Looking at his peripheral metrics- 2.38 FIP, 2.71 SIERA and 2.53 xERA-there is hope that he was simply the victim of bad luck while on the hill for the Nationals. He was able to post a desirable 75:16 K/BB ratio over his 72 appearances toeing the rubber for Washington, while collecting 13 holds. It sounds as though there are considerations by the Rangers to make him and Chris Martin part of a closer combo duo, which certainly makes the lefty a worthy end-of-the-draft gamble for the Fantasy Baseball Owner willing to take a flyer on the new addition to the Ranger bullpen.
Craig Kimbrel (R) Free Agent
ADP: 479.8
2024 Stats 52.1/7/23/73/5.33/1.36
2025 Projections 34.0/4/1/41/4.02/1.29
The 40-year-old was cut loose from the Orioles and is still looking for a home to potentially wind up his career. He was picked up by Baltimore last season, and did offer some value, successfully closing 23 of the 29 opportunities afforded him. He continued his ways of handing out a generous number of free passes, which inflated his WHIP, and that ERA is certainly not what you desire out of your closer, either. That he is profiled here is not a suggestion you add him to your rosters when drafting during the 2025 Fantasy Baseball Season, but he did step into a closer’s role last season based on his career numbers and perceived skillset, and with the volatility in the last few years in baseball among ninth-inning arms, he is another hurler to keep on the radar if some team becomes needful of a veteran closer.
If you found this article to be useful or interesting, the good news is there will be weekly installments throughout the coming month. Peripheral statistical analysis is on the horizon, as well, as we look to groundball rates, xFIP, swinging K%, and more, and how those help us discover gems among the non-closer relievers. When you have satisfied your interest in end-game pitchers, make a point to check out the rest of the draft preparation on the site, including the Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide for 2025.
Player News
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Bogaerts put the Padres on the board early with a base hit in the first to score Manny Machado from second base before coming around to score on a hit by Jose Iglesias. Bogaerts later extended the lead with a two-run blast off Randy Rodríguez in the seventh for his first home run of the season. The 32-year-old shortstop is hitting .253/.342/.364 with 13 runs scored, eight RBI, and four steals over 114 plate appearances.
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Robert Suarez pitched a clean ninth inning to earn the save against the Giants on Tuesday.
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