Fantasy Baseball Closer Chart 9-19-21 update: Jake McGee and Gregory Soto were placed on the IL.
Be sure to check out all the new info below and adjust your lineups/rosters accordingly!
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 | IL/COVID LIST | TEAM NEWS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL EAST | ||||||
| BAL* | Drunk Tank | Tyler Wells | Cole Sulser | Dillon Tate | Hunter Harvey | Tyler Wells is back from the IL, and Brandon Hyde says he wants to use Wells as the primary closer. The Orioles will stay as a committee until Wells is used as a consistent closer. |
| BOS* | Drunk Tank | Adam Ottavino | Garrett Whitlock | Hansel Robles | Ryan Brasier | Matt Barnes is out as the closer which makes Boston a closing committee. Ottavino picked up his second straight save which makes the leader of the pack. |
| NYY* | Drunk Tank | Aroldis Chapman | Chad Green | Wandy Peralta | Jonathan Loaisiga | Loaisiga is on the IL with a strained rotator cuff. |
| TB* | Drunk Tank | Andrew Kittredge | Colin McHugh | Pete Fairbanks | Nick Anderson (60-Day IL) JP Feyereisen Jeffrey Springs Matt Wisler | Fairbanks is back from the IL. |
| TOR* | Sober | Jordan Romano | Adam Cimber | Tim Mayza | Kirby Yates Julian Merryweather | Brad Hand has been awful for the Jays, and Mayza pick up his first save, so he moving up the chart. |
| AL CENTRAL | ||||||
| CHW* | Sober | Liam Hendriks | Craig Kimbrel | Michael Kopech | Kopech is moving up the closer chart; he has been outstanding in his previous three games, allowing no runs and three strikeouts. | |
| CLE* | Drunk Tank | Emmanuel Clase | Bryan Shaw | Blake Parker | Cleveland sent James Karinchak to Triple-A. | |
| DET* | Drunk Tank | Michael Fulmer | Kyle Funkhouser | Jose Cisnero | Gregory Soto | Soto has been placed on the IL. Fulmer picked up his 10th save, so he is the committee leader. |
| KC* | Drunk Tank | Scott Barlow | Josh Staumont | Wade Davis | Jesse Hahn Greg Holland | Barlow is finally the committee leader in the Royals' bullpen. He recorded the Royals' last two saves, has pitched the most high leverage innings, and has the most strikeouts in the bullpen. |
| MIN* | Drunk Tank | Alex Colome | Tyler Duffey | Caleb Thielbar | Taylor Rogers | Alex Colome is back as the Twins closer (not because of his performance) because Hansel Robles was traded to Boston, and Rogers is on the IL. |
| AL WEST | ||||||
| HOU | Sober | Ryan Pressly | Kendall Graveman | Yimi Garcia | Ryne Stanek is pitching lights out, striking out six batters and not allowing a single run in his last five appearances. Garcia is pitching just as well, so he'll remain on the chart, but fantasy managers should keep an eye on Stanek. | |
| LAA | Sober | Raisel Iglesias | Steve Cishek | Mike Mayers | At one point, Maddon said he wouldn't use Mayers in high leverage innings, but Mayers has turned it around, allowing only three earned runs in his last 10 appearances. I need to see Mayers continue this success a little more before he overtakes Cishek. | |
| OAK* | Drunk Tank | Sergio Romo | Jake Diekman | Andrew Chafin | The A's are giving Trivino a break from his closing duties, which moves Romo up the hierarchy of Oakland's closing committee. | |
| SEA* | Drunk Tank | Drew Steckenrider | Paul Sewlad | Diego Castillo | Steckenrider is overtaking Sewald as the committee leader. He has gotten four out of the last six saves for Seatle. | |
| TEX* | Drunk Tank | Joe Barlow | Spencer Patton | Josh Sborz | Jonathan Hernandez Jose Leclerc Matt Bush Joe Barlow | Joe Barlow is off the IL, and retakes his role as committee leader. |
| NL EAST | ||||||
| ATL | Sober | Will Smith | Richard Rodriguez | Luke Jackson | SO, Rodriguez's arrival hasn't turned the Braves' bullpen into a committee as many of us thought it would. The Braves are no longer a drunk tank. | |
| MIA* | Drunk Tank | Dylan Floro | Anthony Bender | Richard Bleier | Floro has overtaken Bender as the committee leader for the Marlins. | |
| NYM | Sober | Edwin Diaz | Trevor May | Seth Lugo | Dellinan Betances | Trevor May has leapfrogged Seth Lugo as the Mets setup man. |
| PHL | Sober | Ian Kennedy | Jose Alvarado | Archie Bradley | Alvarado picked up his fifth save, so he is moving up the chart over Bradley. | |
| WAS* | Drunk Tank | Kyle Finnegan | Andrews Machado | Austin Voth | Will Harris | Gabe Klobosits was sent to Triple-A, and Austin Voth is back from the IL. |
| NL CENTRAL | ||||||
| CHC | Sober | Rowan Wick | Adam Morgan | Codi Heuer | Adam Morgan has been the Cubs' best bullpen arm since the All-Star break. | |
| CIN* | Drunk Tank | Mychal Givens | Michael Lorenzen | Lucas Sims | Tejay Antone | Mychal Givens has recorded two saves in his last three appearances, which will make him the committee leader for the Reds. |
| MIL | Sober | Josh Hader | Devin Williams | Brad Boxberger | Josh Hader has returned from the COVID IL. | |
| PIT | Sober | Chris Stratton | Chasen Shreve | Chad Kuhl | David Bednar | David Bednar is hitting the IL with a right oblique strain, which makes Stratton the closer. |
| STL* | Drunk Tank | Giovanny Gallegos | Alex Reyes | Genesis Cabrera | Jordan Hicks | The Cardinals are now a full blown committee now, and Gallegos is the leader not Reyes. |
| NL WEST | ||||||
| ARI* | Drunk Tank | J.B. Wendelken | Tyler Clippard | Noe Ramirez | Clippard is back from the IL, but Torey Lovullo is not sure if Clippard will retake his closer role, so we have to wait to see for now. | |
| COL | Sober | Carlos Estevez | Jhoulys Chacin | Tyler Kinley | Scott Oberg | Daniel Bard is off the chart, he has been terrible ever since he lost his job to Estevez. |
| LAD | Sober | Kenley Jansen | Blake Treinen | Joe Kelly | Joe Kelly is back from the COVID-19 IL. | |
| SD | Sober | Mark Melancon | Emilio Pagan | Daniel Hudson | Drew Pomeranz | Drew Pomeranz is back on the IL. |
| SF* | Drunk Tank | Tyler Rogers | Dominic Leone | Tony Watson | Reyes Moronta Jake McGee | McGee is on the IL, which means Rogers and Leone will split closing duties. |
