Livescore
The regular season is coming to an end. To close out the year of Saves and Steals, we’ll go through an end-of-season ranking with some looks ahead to 2025.
Listen to the Rotoworld Baseball Show for the latest player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.
Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings
Tier 1: At the Top
Emmanuel Clase – Cleveland Guardians
Ryan Helsley – St. Louis Cardinals
Clase has been the model of consistency at the closer position over the last four seasons. For the third consecutive year, the 26-year-old right-hander has converted over 40 saves. He goes into the final weekend with 47 saves while posting a 0.61 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, and a 66/10 K/BB ratio across 73 1/3 innings, numbers that could earn him Cy Young consideration. Meanwhile, Helsley is tied with Clase for the saves lead at 47. He’s bounced back nicely after an injury-shortened 2023, posting a 2.09 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 77 strikeouts over 64 2/3 innings.
Tier 2: The Elite
Devin Williams – Milwaukee Brewers
Kirby Yates – Texas Rangers
Mason Miller – Oakland Athletics
Andrés Muñoz – Seattle Mariners
Josh Hader – Houston Astros
Raisel Iglesias – Atlanta Braves
Edwin Díaz – New York Mets
With his strikeout ability and back injury seemingly in the rear-view mirror, Williams has a case to be the top closer in 2025. He’s been excellent since coming off the injured list, striking out 37 batters with just three runs allowed over 19 2/3 innings while locking down 13 saves.
Yates has had an incredible renaissance season, taking over as closer for the Rangers early in the season and locking down 31 saves with a 1.21 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 84 strikeouts over 59 2/3 innings. Entering free agency, it’ll be interesting to see where the 37-year-old veteran is pitching next season.
Miller’s move to the bullpen allowed him to stay healthy and unlocked his potential as a top-tier closer. He’s converted 27 saves with a 2.30 ERA and 99 strikeouts over 62 2/3 innings, leading all relievers in strikeout rate.
Muñoz also had some injury concerns coming into the season, and despite some shaky moments, he was able to stay relatively healthy all season, converting 22 saves with a 2.12 ERA and 77 strikeouts across 59 1/3 innings.
Hader may have had a worse season than his 2023 campaign on the surface, but the underlying skills remain outstanding. His 29.4 percent K-BB rate was his best mark since 2021. There’s no reason not to trust him as a top closer option going into 2025.
Slow starts are nothing new for the veteran Iglesias. This season was no different. And while he was still effective in run suppression, strikeouts were way down in the first half of the season. He bounced back with an incredible second half, posting a 1.45 ERA and 31 percent strikeout rate since the All-Star break.
Speaking of slow starts, Díaz struggled mightily in May before hitting the injured list, followed by a suspension shortly after his return. But he’s looked every bit himself over the second half, posting a 2.59 ERA and 45.2 percent strikeout rate since the All-Star break.
Tier 3: The Solid Options
Jhoan Duran – Minnesota Twins
Robert Suarez – San Diego Padres
Kenley Jansen – Boston Red Sox
Ryan Walker – San Francisco Giants
Seranthony Domínguez – Baltimore Orioles
Carlos Estévez – Philadelphia Phillies
Duran could make for a great bounce-back candidate in 2025. He’s had a relatively down year, posting a 3.83 ERA over 51 2/3 innings. But all of his ERA indicators sit below 3.00 and his strikeout rate has improved throughout the season.
Suarez has taken a step back after an incredible first half. He posted a 1.67 ERA going into the All-Star break, with a 4.44 ERA since, while ceding a few save chances to Tanner Scott. Still, it’s an outstanding season for the 33-year-old right-hander after converting 35 saves for the Padres.
Jansen ends the season on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation after posting a 3.29 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 62 strikeouts over 54 2/3 innings while converting 27 saves. The 36-year-old right-hander will hit the free-agent market this winter.
Walker converted two more saves over the last week, giving him 10 on the season with a 1.94 ERA across 79 innings. While Walker should have the edge to go into next season as the closer, the Giants could give Camilo Doval a chance to earn his spot back next spring. It’ll be an interesting competition to follow going into 2025.
After blowing a save last Thursday, Domínguez bounced back with a save Tuesday against the Yankees, his 11th on the year. The 29-year-old right-hander has performed well as the team’s closer since he was acquired from the Phillies at the trade deadline. With a club option for 2025, it seems likely he’ll be returning as a key part of the bullpen going into next season, slotting behind Félix Bautista, who will be returning from Tommy John surgery.
Estévez has likely earned himself a good payday after posting a 2.45 ERA across 55 innings while converting 26 saves. He’s now recorded 57 saves over the last two seasons. His free agency will be one to watch.
Tier 4: There’s Upside Here
Kyle Finnegan – Washington Nationals
Alexis Díaz – Cincinnati Reds
Luke Weaver – New York Yankees
Michael Kopech – Los Angeles Dodgers
Porter Hodge – Chicago Cubs
Justin Martinez/AJ Puk – Arizona Diamondbacks
Lucas Erceg – Kansas City Royals
Aroldis Chapman – Pittsburgh Pirates
Jason Foley/Tyler Holton – Detroit Tigers
Chad Green – Toronto Blue Jays
Edwin Uceta/Manuel Rodríguez/Garrett Cleavinger – Tampa Bay Rays
Finnegan approached 40 saves this season with 38 while posting a 3.19 ERA over 62 innings. He might not be the flashiest option, but he’ll seemingly be a safe fallback for saves in 2025 drafts.
Díaz took a step back this season, posting a 4.07 ERA with a career-low strikeout rate and career-high walk rate. Still, he’s held the closer role in Cincinnati, locking down 28 saves.
Weaver stepped in for two more saves this week in New York, giving him four. The 31-year-old right-hander has excelled in the bullpen this season, posting a 2.93 ERA with 101 strikeouts over 83 innings. It seems likely the team will pick up his 2025 club option and slot him back into a prominent role in the bullpen.
Kopech added two saves this week, including one against the Padres on Wednesday, his 15th of the season and seventh since joining the Dodgers at the trade deadline. Evan Phillips still leads the team with 18. Even with Kopech returning next season, it’s hard to trust any reliever on the current roster to hold the closer role for all of 2025.
Porter Hodge picked up two more saves for the Cubs, he’s filled in nicely since the team moved on from Hector Neris. The 23-year-old right-hander has converted seven saves with a 1.98 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts over 41 innings.
Martinez blew a save and took the loss on Sunday. This comes after AJ Puk locked down a save against the Brewers on Friday. Martinez then pitched the seventh inning against the Giants on Wednesday. Puk has been incredible since joining the Diamondbacks, giving up just one run with 43 strikeouts to just four walks over 26 innings with Arizona.
Erceg continues to pitch well for the Royals, adding his 13th save against the Nationals on Wednesday. He’s posted a 3.47 ERA across 60 2/3 innings. Chapman is up to 12 saves after tossing a scoreless inning against the Brewers on Wednesday. The 36-year-old left-hander is set to hit the free-agent market.
Foley surrendered two runs to blow a save chance on Saturday, his first blown save since July 12. He bounced back Sunday with his 26th save before Beau Brieske picked up a save Tuesday against the Rays. In Toronto, Green remains at 17 saves with a 3.27 ERA across 52 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, the Rays got saves from four different relievers this week.
Tier 5: Just Getting By
Jesus Tinoco – Miami Marlins
Jose Quijada – Los Angeles Angels
Victor Vodnik/Tyler Kinley – Colorado Rockies
Chad Kuhl/Justin Anderson/Fraser Ellard – Chicago White Sox
Read the full article here
