In this week’s Saves and Steals, we take a look at the closer fallout following the trade deadline. The Padres were aggressive in upgrading their bullpen. Carlos Estévez and Michael Kopech found new homes. And the Royals added some competition for James McArthur. All that and more as we run through the post-deadline closer rankings.
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Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings
Tier 1: At the Top
Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians
Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals
There wasn’t much reason for the Guardians to make trade-deadline additions to the bullpen. The team’s relievers have the best collective ERA in baseball, led by Clase’s 0.72 ERA over 50 1/3 innings. He picked up two more saves in the last week to give him 33 on the season. Clase matched Helsley’s 33 to lead their respective leagues. Helsley was held without a save this week but did pick up a win to go with a 2.15 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 54 strikeouts over 46 innings.
Tier 2: The Elite
Kirby Yates - Texas Rangers
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Yates keeps on cruising in what’s been an incredible resurgent season for the 37-year-old veteran. He added a save this week to give him 19 with a 1.17 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts over 38 1/3 innings. Texas did add left-handed specialist Andrew Chafin from the Tigers. Chafin has allowed just a .474 OPS against left-handed batters.
Muñoz falls in right behind Yates with 18 saves after adding two more this week. He’s been outstanding, posting a 1.25 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts over 43 1/3 frames. Seattle made one of the biggest acquisitions at the deadline, acquiring Yimi García from the Blue Jays. García already has two holds as the primary setup man for the Mariners.
Home runs have been an issue for Hader this season. He surrendered his ninth of the season Monday against the Pirates, giving up three runs for the loss. He’s been otherwise excellent, bouncing back Wednesday with a scoreless inning for his 21st save with a 4.02 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 73 strikeouts over 47 innings.
Tier 3: The Solid Options
Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
Edwin Diaz - New York Mets
Devin Williams - Milwaukee Brewers
Craig Kimbrel - Baltimore Orioles
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
Kenley Jansen - Boston Red Sox
Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins
Clay Holmes - New York Yankees
Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
The Padres were among the most aggressive teams at the trade deadline, acquiring two of the better relievers on the market, adding Jason Adam from the Rays and Tanner Scott from the Marlins. The two should slot in for high-leverage work behind Suarez, who has a 1.48 ERA and 0.84 WHIP across 42 2/3 innings while converting 23 saves.
Iglesias didn’t see a save chance this week, but he did make four scoreless appearances, striking out two batters in three of his four outings. He remains at 22 saves with a 1.77 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts over 40 2/3 innings.
Díaz recorded a clean four-out save against the Twins on Tuesday, striking out two batters for his 13th save to go with a 3.77 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts across 31 innings. He’s allowed just one run over his last 12 outings since coming off the injured list on June 13th.
Williams worked around a hit and a walk, striking out one batter in one inning of work in his season debut for the Brewers on Sunday. He returns as the team’s closer as Trevor Megill hit the injured list with a back injury. The team will likely be careful with Williams as he gets going, avoiding working back-to-back outings. But he should be one of the better closers down the stretch if he returns to form.
Kimbrel is in the midst of another rough stretch, giving up seven runs over his last six outings, including a pair of blown saves. He went through a similar stretch in early May before making 14 consecutive scoreless appearances. Yennier Cano picked up a save this week with Kimbrel unavailable. The team added some depth to the bullpen by trading for Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto from the Phillies. Still, Kimbrel will likely be given every chance to get right in the ninth inning.
Finnegan remaining in Washington was one of the surprises of the trade deadline. He surrendered five runs against the Diamondbacks on Monday. Still, he’s having an excellent season, posting a 3.48 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts over 44 innings while converting 28 saves.
Jansen worked back-to-back save chances against the Yankees, locking down his 20th save on Friday before blowing an opportunity for his 21st on Saturday. The team did bolster the back end of the bullpen with the acquisitions of Luis García and Lucas Sims on Tuesday.
Duran’s only appearance this week came in a non-save situation Wednesday with the Twins up by six runs against the Mets. He surrendered one run, striking out two batters. He remains at 15 saves with a 3.67 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 34 strikeouts over 34 1/3 innings.
Holmes has been shaky on the mound over the last two months. He locked down a save with a scoreless inning of work against the Phillies on Wednesday for his 22nd of the season. The Yankees added Mark Leiter Jr. to the bullpen in a trade with the Cubs at the deadline. In Tampa Bay, Fairbanks picked up a save this week to give him 20 on the year to go with a 3.11 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 35 strikeouts over 37 2/3 innings.
Tier 4: There’s Upside Here
Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
Jeff Hoffman/Carlos Estévez - Philadelphia Phillies
Alexis Díaz - Cincinnati Reds
Camilo Doval - San Francisco Giants
David Bednar - Pittsburgh Pirates
Daniel Hudson/Evan Phillips/Blake Treinen - Los Angeles Dodgers
Chad Green - Toronto Blue Jays
Sewald takes a step back in the rankings amid his struggles. He picked up a save on Friday against the Pirates, then blew an opportunity on Sunday. With the Diamondbacks up three runs against the Nationals on Wednesday, he walked three batters and allowed two runs to score before Ryan Thompson stepped in to secure the save. While Sewald should continue to get save chances and work through his troubles, it could be a situation worth watching.
The Phillies acquired Carlos Estévez from the Angels, one of the best relievers on the market, while trading away Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto. Estévez will likely step into a co-closer role with Hoffman after locking down 20 saves with a 2.31 ERA with the Angels. Estévez may get the primary share of save chances to keep Hoffman available for high-leverage spots. Hoffman remains at nine saves with an 0.98 ERA over 46 innings.
Díaz made two scoreless appearances, recording two saves for his 21st of the season. He’s been better over the last two months, posting a 2.12 ERA since the start of June. However, walks continue to be an issue with a 14/10 K/BB ratio over that span.
Doval added two saves to his total this week, giving him 20 with a 4.39 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts over 41 innings. With Robbie Ray off the injured list, Jordan Hicks has been moved to the bullpen where he could work multiple inning or slot into high-leverage work. In Pittsburgh, Bednar surrendered a run against the Astros on Monday but held on for his 19th save. Jalen Beeks gets out of Coors Field via trade as he joins the Pirates after picking up nine saves with the Rockies.
The back end of the Dodgers’ bullpen collectively struggled this week, with Hudson and Treinen each blowing save chances. And Phillips continues to struggle, giving up two runs against the Astros on Saturday. The team did add Michael Kopech in a trade with the White Sox, though it is to be seen if Los Angeles can unlock more from the 28-year-old right-hander after he posted a 4.74 ERA over 43 2/3 innings with Chicago.
With Yimi Garcia sent to Seattle, Green appears to have control of the closer role in Toronto. He added a win this week to go with seven saves, a 1.67 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts over 32 1/3 innings.
Tier 5: Just Getting By
James McArthur - Kansas City Royals
Jason Foley - Detroit Tigers
Hector Neris - Chicago Cubs
Hunter Strickland/Ben Joyce - Los Angeles Angels
Calvin Faucher - Miami Marlins
John Brebbia - Chicago White Sox
Victor Vodnik - Colorado Rockies
Tyler Ferguson - Oakland Athletics
Lucas Erceg joins the Royals at the trade deadline, adding more competition for the closer role after the team had already acquired Hunter Harvey. After giving up eight runs over two outings, McArthur bounced back with a save against the White Sox on Monday. In Detroit, Foley has allowed two runs in each of his last two outings, while Shelby Miller picked up his second save of the season.
No save chances for Neris this week, but he’s allowed just one run over his last 12 outings. Meanwhile, Strickland picked up the Angels’ first save without Estévez. He figures to be joined by Joyce in the mix for ninth-inning work.
With the departure of Tanner Scott in Miami, Calvin Faucher figures to get the first chance at the closer role. He tossed a clean ninth inning with one strikeout Wednesday against the Rays with a four-run lead. And Brebbia steps in to take over in Chicago after the White Sox dealt Kopech to the Dodgers. Though, the situation isn’t likely to produce many save chances as the team rides a 17-game losing streak.
In Colorado, Vodnik appears set to take hold of the closer role with Beeks traded to the Pirates. He picked up his fourth save Wednesday against the Angels. And Ferguson has two saves for the A’s since Mason Miller was placed on the 15-day injured list last Thursday with a fractured pinky finger. Miller isn’t expected to miss more than the minimum 15 days.
Injured
Mason Miller - Hand
Jordan Romano - Elbow
Steals Department
Elly De La Cruz led the way in steals this week with six, adding to his MLB-leading 55 on the season. At this rate, he could end up with double the steals of the second-place finisher. After De La Cruz, Xavier Edwards had an impressive week at the plate and on the bases with five steals. He’s slashing an outstanding .379/.451/.484 with one homer, 15 runs scored, 12 RBI, and nine steals across 114 plate appearances. With Jazz Chisholm and Bryan De La Cruz traded at the deadline, it cleared the path for Edwards to slot in at the top of the Miami lineup, where he’s hit leadoff over the last four games. And widely available in fantasy leagues, it might be time to take a chance on Miguel Vargas, who lands with the White Sox in a trade that sent Michael Kopech to Los Angeles. Vargas never had a chance to earn regular playing time with the Dodgers after slashing .290/.440/.566 with eight homers and eight steals over 41 games in Triple-A. He now gets an opportunity to run with an everyday job in Chicago while hitting near the top of the order.
