Fantasy baseball closer tiers for the Top 50 relievers, plus seven sleepers to know

New York Times

13-03-2025

Context can be as crucial as the rote number when placing closers into tiered rankings. Relying on a rank creates potential disappointment and criticism. However, it's part of the valuation process leading up to fantasy baseball drafts. After much thought and consternation, I've put together my Top 50 closer rankings for 2025, with some caveats.
Here are some baseline numbers using 12-team league trends for setting saves targets. In the NFBC overall championship, these are the 80th- and 90th-percentile save totals since 2021:
Beginning your draft preparations with a target of 70 or more saves should ensure success in the category. There will be changes throughout the season, which makes some wary of paying for saves, but from NFBC leagues, here are the trends in saves among the top-25 finishers in this same timeframe:
Last year represented a shift toward accruing more saves. There is more than one way to win a league, but punting saves was not among them in this format.
Now for my tiers, with context:
1. Josh Hader (HOU)
2. Mason Miller (ATH)
3. Emmanuel Clase (CLE)
Two of the five qualified relievers with over 100 strikeouts lead the way in my updated rankings. Clase has been such a stabilizing force among closers, but can he record more than 70 innings and 40 saves in a fourth straight season? If yes, he will make history.
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4. Edwin Díaz (NYM)
5. Ryan Helsley (STL)
6. Devin Williams (NYY)
7. Raisel Iglesias (ATL)
There is a chance Díaz could be pitching for a new contract since he can opt out at the end of the season. Unless he receives an extension, Helsley will be moved before this year's trade deadline but was last year's breakout among his peers. Williams will bring his vaunted 'Airbender' to the Bronx and gets to keep his beard. But will his back hold up? Iglesias also features a plus changeup and will be a free agent at the end of 2025.
8. Jhoan Duran (MIN)
9. Andrés Muñoz (SEA)
10. Ryan Walker (SF)
11. Jeff Hoffman (TOR)
This tier features less stability but teems with upside. Duran's velocity remains a hot topic, but if he's throwing above 101 miles per hour, his stuff remains elite. With Muñoz, it's always about health. He's tinkering with a 'kick-change,' which may provide more whiffs this year. Walker took over as the closer for the Giants during the second half of last year, and he enters 2025 in the role. The only worry is that his manager misses using him as the highest-leveraged reliever (HLR). Hoffman signed a three-year contract with the Blue Jays to take over the ninth inning. Do not overthink this.
12. Tanner Scott (LAD)
13. Félix Bautista (BAL)
Here are two more elite strikeout relievers who are a bit further down but could finish higher if their save totals net out at or above 30. However, this is not assured. Scott will receive the 'brunt' of save chances with the Dodgers. His projected total could increase if he takes on a larger save share. Bautista's returning from Tommy John surgery, and the team has said his workload will be monitored closely early this season. Once the training wheels come off and his split-finger fastball finds its form, 'The Mountain' will be a tremendous fantasy asset, though fantasy managers must remain patient.
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14. David Bednar (PIT)
15. Jordan Romano (PHI)
16. Ryan Pressly (CHC)
17. Kenley Jansen (LAA)
Welcome to the unsexy veteran tier of closers. Not only does this tier feature 'Dad' bods, but it comes with some inherent risk. Bednar lost the closer role in the second half and has not been named his team's closer as of this writing. However, he's one year removed from tying for the NL lead in saves. Soft tissue injuries (oblique) have not been his friend, but with health, he could be a steak at his current price point.
Romano likely fills the vacated preferred save share role filled by Craig Kimbrel in 2023 for the Phillies. Fantasy managers cannot forget about Rob Thomson's 'floating closer' philosophy, which keeps Romano's save ceiling from possibly reaching its full potential. Pressly waived his no-trade clause for a chance at closing again with the Cubs. Many prefer Porter Hodge, but the all-time postseason saves leader for the Astros should do well pitching for a contract. Jansen has his eyes set on moving up the all-time saves list, and he will get his chance with the Angels. Just note his innings totals and save totals from the previous two seasons — you should not be disappointed. Sometimes, slow and steady wins the race.
18. Carlos Estévez (KC)
19. Trevor Megill (MIL)
20. Robert Suarez (SD)
21. Pete Fairbanks (TB)
We've entered the tiers of uncertainty. Estévez signed a contract that pays him like the team's closer, but his team said roles would be fluid during leverage innings. I'm still taking him for 22-25 saves, but he must perform well in those opportunities. Megill led the Brewers in saves last year but has also never thrown more than 50 MLB innings in a season. His second-half dip in K-BB and whiff rate were associated with a back issue, but if this lingers, he may not be closing by July. The same goes for Suarez, who recorded 36 saves last season but had half-season split issues, pointing toward either fatigue or the league adjusting:
22. Justin Martinez (ARI)
23. A.J. Puk (ARI)
24. Kyle Finnegan (WSH)
25. Alexis Díaz (CIN)
26. Chris Martin (TEX)
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Currently in a camp battle for the closer role in Arizona, Martinez or Puk could be a sneaky pick at their current cost in draft capital, but they could also be busts if they are not securing saves. Worse, Kevin Ginkel could be a dark horse in this contest. Finnegan may not record 95 percent of his team's saves this year, but with some migration toward the mean and better command of his four-seam fastball, he may be a stable option in a build — just be sure to monitor your ratios. Alexis Díaz may not mesh well with Terry Francona, given his propensity for issuing free passes. Martin has always been 'the guy behind the guy,' with 14 career saves in 369 appearances, but he opens the year as the Rangers' penciled-in closer. Age and workload may necessitate changes in this role as the year progresses.
27. Mike Clevinger (CHW)
28. Liam Hendriks (BOS)
29. Aroldis Chapman (BOS)
30. Seth Halvorsen/Victor Vodnik/Tyler Kinley (COL)
31. Beau Brieske (DET)
32. Calvin Faucher/Jesús Tinoco/Anthony Bender (MIA)
Because most try to accrue saves rather than use relievers for ratio protection, this tier features the remaining four unresolved closer situations. Hendriks has been working with reduced velocity this spring (though he has touched 96 miles per hour), and his contact rate allowed represents some risk. He has pedigree, but can he be the Red Sox closer with less velocity and more guts and guile? Chapman has struggled with walks this spring, and despite his strong second half last year, he has not posted a walk percentage below 15 since 2021.
While the Rockies try to determine their closer, it has been reported the team prefers one of its younger flamethrowers. That said, Kinley has had the best spring results. Stay tuned. Predicting who gets the next save for Detroit can be challenging enough daily, but Brieske broke out in September and was the preferred leverage option with Will Vest in the postseason. It may not matter who wins the closer role for the Marlins, but Bender remains a sleeper among the listed triumvirate. This may seem bizarre, but Clevinger, the preferred save option for the White Sox, may work out.
33. Griffin Jax (MIN)
34. Cade Smith (CLE)
35. Edwin Uceta (TB)
36. Jason Adam (SD)
37. Bryan Abreu (HOU)
38. Lucas Erceg (KC)
39. José Alvarado (PHI)
40. Luke Weaver (NYY)
Relievers within this group could zoom up the rankings if they become the closer at some point in 2025. Jax, Uctea, Erceg, Alvarado and Weaver will get ancillary saves, which enhances their fantasy appeal. If anything happens in their leverage ladders, Abreu, Smith and Adam are potential closer replacements.
41. Justin Slaten (BOS)
42. Tyler Holton (DET)
43. Orion Kerkering (PHI)
44. Kevin Ginkel (ARI)
45. Ben Joyce (LAA)
46. Jeremiah Estrada (SD)
47. Camilo Doval (SF)
48. Robert Garcia (TEX)
49. Kirby Yates/Blake Treinen (LAD)
50. Yennier Cano (BAL)
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Here are more potential replacement relievers for saves if the opportunity presents itself, along with a couple still in the mix for the closer role with opening day on the horizon. If either Hendriks or Chapman does not emerge as the closer in Boston, keep tabs on Slaten.
I have included projections for saves, holds, and SOLDS for The Athletic readers only. They do not have rankings attached — SGP does this based on the numbers, though they do not align with our tiers above.
Use this link: Jewett's projected Saves, Holds, and SOLDS
Greg Jewett: Closer expert for The Athletic; Owner of Reliever Recon and Closer Monkey
Statistical Credits: Fangraphs.com; Baseball-Reference.com; BaseballSavant.com; BrooksBaseball.net
Steamer projections of Steamerprojections.com on Fangraphs; ZiPS DC courtesy of Dan Szymborski; OOPSY Projections courtesy of Jordan Rosenblum
(Top photo of Devin Williams: Nathan Ray Seebeck / Imagn Images)