Hello, Relief Pitcher fans, and welcome to the inaugural edition of the 2020 Fantasy Six Pack Fantasy Baseball Closer Chart! We apologize for the delay in launching this year’s chart, as our overall format revamp took longer than expected.
Last season, we tweaked each Closer’s Job Security designation to pay a bit of homage to the “Six Pack” moniker. This season, we’re using a similar classification system, albeit, with a few minor BAC Level changes, as noted below.
2020’s big change to our Closer Chart is the updated overall appearance/layout of the MLB teams. This year, we ditched the alphabetical order used in previous years, and streamlined the teams by their divisions.
As always, we strive to provide our Fantasy Baseball readers with up-to-date news and analysis for each team’s closing situation. Stay tuned all season long as we roll-out our league-wide weekly updates, along with any daily breaking news updates. Good luck with all of your 2020 Fantasy Baseball teams!
As witnessed year-in and year-out, Relief Pitcher exemplifies the term “volatility” more than any other position in baseball. Injuries, repeated blown saves/ineffective outings, and deadline trades are just a few reasons for player movement at the position.
The Closer role is an even more-fluid position due to the influx of “Closer Committees” present throughout the league. Numerous MLB teams have adopted this philosophy, allowing for more flexibility in deploying their best pitchers during the later innings.
Last season we altered the Job Security Legend in an effort to stay true to our site’s namesake. This year, we are keeping a similar format, but we have updated the BAC Levels slightly. Here is the breakdown of updated levels of confidence from high to low:
- Sober: Who got the keys to the Jeep? This guy does, and he is the clear Designated Driver of his team’s ninth-inning duties.
- Buzzed: This player has a clear case of the hiccups, but he’s still the best choice for late-night excitement.
- Hammered: Sloppy and stumbling are continually used to describe this player’s performance. His seat at the center field bar is ripe for the taking.
- Drunk Tank: Our new Closer Committee classification (noted with an *) for teams with two-plus relievers trying to seal the deal.
Pick-up a Sixer, and come drink-in all the frothy goodness of our 2020 Closer Chart. Stay tuned weekly for any, and all, relief pitching changes throughout the fantasy season.
Be sure to check out the rest of our Fantasy Baseball content for the latest news and notes to help you win your league. Stay frosty!
Fantasy Baseball Closer Chart
| TEAMS | BAC LEVEL | LEAD CLOSER | SETUP MAN | NEXT MAN UP | INJURED LIST | TEAM NEWS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL EAST | ||||||
| BAL * | Drunk Tank | Mychal Givens | Richard Bleier | Hunter Harvey | The Orioles bullpen was an absolute mess last season, so we're expecting them to open the 2020 season as a committee until someone takes the reigns. | |
| BOS | Buzzed | Brandon Workman | Matt Barnes | Heath Hembree | Brandon Workman fared well as the team's Closer down the stretch, so he'll get the first shot in 2020 for the rebounding Red Sox. | |
| NYY | Sober | Aroldis Chapman | Zack Britton | Adam Ottavino | The Yankees boasted one of the most stable bullpens in all of baseball last season. This lineup remains status quo to start 2020. | |
| TB * | Drunk Tank | Nick Anderson | Jose Alvarado | Diego Castillo | After watching Emilio Pagan take control of the Closer role in 2019, the Rays traded him to the Padres in the off season. Nick Anderson, who was brought in late last season, should lead this Closer Committee early this year. | |
| TOR | Buzzed | Ken Giles | Anthony Bass | Sam Gaviglio | Ken Giles should start the year as Toronto’s Closer after mixed success in 2019, and few viable options behind him. | |
| AL CENTRAL | ||||||
| CHW | Sober | Alex Colome | Aaron Bummer | Steve Cishek | The White Sox 1-2 punch of Bummer/Colome was quite successful last season. The addition of Cishek only strengthens this consistent back end in 2020. | |
| CLE | Sober | Brad Hand | Nick Wittgren | James Karinchak | Brad Hand is one of the best in the biz, but keep an eye on Karinchak if Hands falters, it gets injured. | |
| DET | Sober | Joe Jimenez | Buck Farmer | Jose Cisnero | Jimenez reprises his role as Detroit’s Closer for 2020, with Farmer taking Setup duties. | |
| KC | Sober | Ian Kennedy | Scott Barlow | Greg Holland | Ian Kennedy’s transition to Closer in 2019 was a smooth one, but don’t sleep on former KC Closer, Greg Holland, if an opportunity presents itself. | |
| MIN | Sober | Taylor Rogers | Sergio Romo | Tyler Clippard | The offseason acquisition of Tyler Clippard could shake things up for Minnesota’s late innings as the season progresses. | |
| AL WEST | ||||||
| HOU | Sober | Roberto Osuna | Ryan Pressly | Chris Devenski | If Ryan Pressly can regain his 2019 pre-injury form, he has the potential to get some Saves early and often. | |
| LAA | Sober | Hansel Robles | Ty Buttrey | Cam Bedrosian | Hansel Robles will start 2020 as the Angels Closer, but possible future Closer, Cam Bedrosian, could get some chances, too. | |
| OAK | Sober | Liam Hendriks | Yusmeiro Petit | Joakim Soria | Hendriks took over the Closer role mid-season in 2019, and never gave it up. Can he maintain that grip in 2020? We think so! | |
| SEA * | Drunk Tank | Yoshihisa Hirano | Matt Magill | Sam Tuivailala | The Mariners struggled to keep anyone in the Closer role in 2019, and will enter 2020 with newly-acquired, Hirano the top option in this season’s Closer Committee. | |
| TEX | Sober | Jose Leclerc | Rafael Montero | Jesse Chavez | Jose Leclerc should start the season at Closer for the Rangers, with Montero the leading Setup option. | |
| NL EAST | ||||||
| ATL | Sober | Mark Melancon | Will Smith | Shane Greene | Atlanta brings all of their 2019 bullpen acquisitions back for 2020, with Melancon likely getting the bulk of the Closer work to start the year. | |
| MIA | Sober | Brandon Kintzler | Yimi Garcia | Ryne Stanek | Drew Steckenrider | Miami brought in Brandon Kintzler just prior to Spring Training to shore up the Closer position. Yimi Garcia and Ryne Stanek could also see some chances. |
| NYM | Buzzed | Edwin Diaz | Dellin Betances | Seth Lugo | Dellin Betances comes over to Citi Field from the Bronx in hopes of regaining his pre-injury form for the Mets in 2020. | |
| PHL | Buzzed | Hector Neris | Seranthony Dominguez | Adam Morgan | Hector Neris should start the season as the Phillies Closer, but Girardi could only give him a short leash. | |
| WAS * | Drunk Tank | Sean Doolittle | Daniel Hudson | Will Harris | We’re labeling this as a Closing Committee to start the year based on the mix-and-match success Washington had with Doolittle and Hudson on their WS run. This could change as April turns to May, though. Stay tuned! | |
| NL CENTRAL | ||||||
| CHC | Sober | Craig Kimbrel | Rowan Wick | Jeremy Jeffress | Brandon Morrow (IL) | The Cubs have lost the majority of their Relievers coming into 2020, so Kimberly should have a very long leash as the Closer. |
| CIN | Buzzed | Raisel Iglesias | Pedro Strop | Amir Garrett | Iglesias comes into 2020 with a refreshed outlook, but we’ll see if it holds true early this year, especially with added pressure from The addition of Pedro Strop. | |
| MIL | Sober | Josh Hader | David Phelps | Alex Claudio | Corey Knebel (IL) | Josh Hader remains one of the premier Closers in the game, and he’ll look to maintain that status again this season. |
| PIT | Buzzed | Keona Kela | Kyle Crick | Richard Rodriguez | Kela is the likely starting Closer for Pittsburgh, but this is a fluid situation, and should be monitored. | |
| STL * | Drunk Tank | Giovanny Gallegos | Andrew Miller | John Brebbia | Jordan Hicks (IL) | With Carlos Martinez vying for a rotation spot, Giovanny Gallegos should lead the Cardinals Closer Committee for 2020. Don’t forgot about Miller, though, who claims he’s past his pitching woes from 2019. |
| NL WEST | ||||||
| ARI | Sober | Archie Bradley | Kevin Ginkel | Hector Rondon | Archie Bradley is the clear-cut option for Closing duties for Arizona, and should get plenty of Save opportunities in 2020. | |
| COL | Hammered | Wade Davis | Scott Oberg | Jake McGee | Wade Davis was terrible in 2019, but should get first crack at Saves in Colorado. Oberg has great stuff, though, and is already nipping at Davis’s heels. | |
| LAD | Sober | Kenley Jansen | Blake Treinen | Pedro Baez | Jansen will again head the Dodgers Closing duties, and will have and upgraded Setup Man in newly-acquired, Blake Treinen. | |
| SD | Sober | Kirby Yates | Emilio Pagan | Drew Pomeranz | Kirby Yates is a stud. Period. SD also added Pagan and Pomeranz to further strengthen the bridge to Yates. Look out! | |
| SF * | Drunk Tank | Tony Watson | Shaun Anderson | Jandel Gustave | San Fran’s Closing situation is a murky one with Watson coming off injury and Anderson potentially getting used as a Starter. Stay away unless you’re desperate! |
