Closer Carousel: Who Earned Saves This Weekend?

Welcome to a new series here at RotoWire. Every Monday and Friday, I'll take a look back at the previous series and wrap up everything you need to know about the rapidly changing closer market.

These articles will contain five parts:

• Who Earned Saves This Week/Weekend? A division-by-division look at who picked up saves in the previous series, as well as "true" blown saves and a few quick notes.
• Closers I'm Worried About: A breakdown of a handful of closers whose jobs seem the most tenuous, as well as a look at the setup men who could be about to step up.
• Bullpen Deep Dive: A closer look at a bullpen where everything is even more up in the air than usual, focusing on key stats and usage trends.
• Injury Round-Up: A quick look at any currently injured closers and their progress toward a return to action.
• Closer Grid: A snapshot of the RotoWire Closer Grid, which can also be found here.

Who Earned Saves This Weekend?

*A pitcher can earn a blown save if he enters in what is technically a save situation prior to the ninth inning and blows the lead. For fantasy purposes, we don't really care about blown saves where a reliever was clearly being used as a setup man and coughed up the lead. What matters to us is when a reliever was genuinely being given a chance to save the game but blew it. Therefore, for the purposes of this article, I'm only going to report blown saves of that variety.

Closers I'm Worried About

Bryan Abreu, Astros: The Astros didn't generate any save chances while being swept by the Mariners over the weekend, so we can't say for sure yet whether Abreu is still the top option for saves, though he did get yet another high-leverage opportunity, entering the bottom of the ninth with the scored tied Saturday. He struck out Luke Raley before walking the bases loaded and giving up a walk-off single to J.P. Crawford.

Abreu did finally pitch his first scoreless inning of the season Sunday against the Mariners, entering in the bottom of the eighth with the Astros down five runs. Even in that game, he gave up a pair of baserunners, but it counts as a good appearance by the low standards he's set for himself this season.

Perhaps that Sunday appearance finally indicates that Abreu has lost his high-leverage role. Even if that hasn't officially happened, it's tough to keep holding onto him in most formats, even a 15-team mixed league. Abreu does have a 31.3 percent strikeout rate this year, but that comes with a 34.4 percent walk rate, a figure which makes his 16.20 ERA and 3.60 WHIP hardly a surprise. He's also given up three homers in five innings of work after allowing just four in 71 innings last season. With Josh Hader continuing to make progress in his return from biceps tendinitis, even if Abreu is still surprisingly the Astros' top closer candidate, he won't be for long.

Worry-o-meter: 5 out of 5

Setup man to stash: Bryan King remains the top name to add if you're looking to squeeze a few saves out of this bullpen, but unless Josh Hader suffers a setback, anyone who leapfrogs Abreu on the closer depth chart is unlikely to get much more than three or fours saves before slipping back into a setup role. That's even without considering the fact that the Astros' significantly depleted rotation — which lost Hunter Brown (shoulder), Tatsuya Imai (arm) and Cristian Javier (shoulder) in the last 10 days — means the team will probably generate fewer save chances than expected.

King has pitched quite well this season, however, and deserves the Astros' next save chance ahead of Abreu, whenever it might come. King is merely fourth in the Astros' bullpen in leverage index, but No. 1 (Jayden Murray) only spent two days on the big-league roster before being sent back to the minors, while No. 2 (AJ Blubaugh) has a 9.64 ERA and may need to step into the rotation. King's leverage index is narrowly behind that of fellow lefty Steven Okert, but King has pitched better this season, with a 1.35 ERA and 9:3 K:BB compared to Okert's 4.91 ERA and 6:3 K:BB. 

David Bednar, Yankees: Bednar recorded a save in his first five outings of the season but appears in the second straight edition of this article after blowing a save in his last two appearances. This time, he was given the chance to hold onto a one-run lead in the bottom of the 10th inning Saturday against the Rays but could only record one out before allowing both the zombie runner and an additional run to score.

Even when Bednar was getting saves, things looked shaky, as he allowed runs in two of those five saves with a mediocre 5:3 K:BB. Through seven outings this season, he now owns a 5.40 ERA and 2.25 WHIP, striking out just 22.9 percent of opposing batters while walking 11.4 percent. Those numbers are a far cry from his 2.30 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 2.30 ERA and 1.04 WHIP from last season.

It's worth remembering that Bednar hasn't put together a full season where he held onto closer duties all year since 2023. He struggled to a 5.77 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 2024 and lost the job in August, then got off to a terrible start in 2025 and was demoted for a brief period early in the year to get back on track.

While there haven't been reports that Bednar is on the verge of losing his job for the third straight season, he's another blown save or two away from forcing the Yankees' hand. Given that his average fastball velocity is down a tick and a half from last season (from 97.0 mph to 95.5) and reached a season-low 94.3 mph in his latest outing, it would hardly be a surprise if his current struggles continue.

Worry-o-meter: 3 out of 5

Setup man to stash: Camilo Doval. He's third on the team in leverage index behind Bednar and southpaw Tim Hill, who's likely to continue to be used as a lefty specialist. Doval has extensive experience in the ninth inning, with his 108 career saves narrowly trailing Bednar's 116. He does have a poor 6.00 ERA on the season, but that comes with an excellent 2.44 SIERA and a 1.17 WHIP. His 22.2 percent strikeout rate is lower than usual, but he's never shown good control (3.7 percent walk rate) like this before and has held onto his usual strong groundball rate (55.0 percent). Fernando Cruz and his 1.69 ERA could also be an option, but he has just two career saves and owns a 19.0 percent walk rate this season. 

Edwin Diaz, Dodgers: Diaz isn't about to lose his job for the Dodgers for performance reasons or anything like that. His 6.00 ERA, 1.67 WHIP and 13.8 percent walk rate through six appearances are all poor, but even a team with the Dodgers' considerable wealth isn't going to give up on a pitcher they just gave a three-year, $69 million contract to after less than a month of play.

That doesn't mean there's nothing to worry about with Diaz, however, and the Dodgers are certainly projecting some amount of worry. After he blew his first save of the year Friday, the Dodgers stayed away from Diaz on Saturday, despite the fact that Friday was his only appearance in the last three days. It's possible the Dodgers simply didn't want to use him on back-to-back days this early in the season after he threw 23 high-stress pitches the day before, but it looks like there's something more here, with manager Dave Roberts saying the team considers Diaz "day to day" despite the fact that he hasn't reported any physical issues, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.

The fact that Diaz's velocity is down is the main reason to worry here, as you'd otherwise forgive a small-sample statistical blip like this one, especially since Diaz is still missing plenty of bats (34.5 percent strikeout rate). His average fastball velocity has dipped from 97.2 mph last year to 95.8 mph this year, and it averaged just 95.5 mph in his most recent outing. The Dodgers don't think he's dealing with any mechanical issues, which leaves a physical problem as the most likely explanation, even if none has been reported yet. For most organizations, I would expect Diaz to continue pitching through it, but this is the Dodgers we're talking about, a team which can afford to prioritize October from the start of the regular season. The Dodgers have long since established a reputation for being quick to send players to the injured list to get a bit of rest and keep them fresh for the postseason, so don't be surprised if Diaz spends some time on the sidelines in the near future, even if nothing is significantly wrong.

Worry-o-meter: 2 out of 5

Setup man to stash: Possibly Tanner Scott, even though it was Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia who pitched in the ninth inning Saturday. Treinen got the save chance after Scott pitched a clean eighth inning but could only record two outs before the Dodgers turned to Vesia with two men on and a lefty (Evan Carter) due up. Carter was replaced by the right-handed Danny Jansen, but Vesia struck him out to record a one-out save. 

Scott has 78 career saves and was given a four-year, $72 million contract prior to last season, presumably with the intention of him serving as the team's long-term closer, but he pitched his way out of the role. He's been great this season, though, with a 1.35 ERA, 0.60 WHIP and 8:0 K:BB in eight appearances. A temporary committee involving Scott, Treinen, Vesia and possibly more is probably the most likely outcome if Diaz hits the injured list, though if one pitcher were to take the job all for themselves, Scott may be the best bet.

Trevor Megill, Brewers: The Brewers have four saves as a team this season, with three going to Megill and one going to Angel Zerpa when both Megill and Abner Uribe were unavailable. There's little doubt that Megill is a conventional closer for now, despite worries that he'd be stuck in a committee with Uribe or even outright lose the job to him, given that Uribe took the job late last season when Megill was sidelined with a flexor strain and then held onto it in the playoffs once Megill returned to action.

But just because Megill has been the clear closer so far does not mean he's guaranteed the job all season, and the presence of Uribe as an elite setup man means Megill shouldn't have a particularly long leash. He did record a pair of saves in the first week of April, but he struggled in his only appearance of last week. He entered a tie game in the top of the ninth Friday and allowed all five batters he faced to reach base, though three did so on bunts (one single, one error by Megill himself, and one fielder's choice that failed to record an out).

That poor outing means Megill now owns an 11.25 ERA and 2.00 WHIP on the season. He's been hurt by a .357 BABIP, but he's allowed a 57.1 percent hard-hit rate, so he can't blame that BABIP all on bad luck. Most worrisome are his strikeout (21.7 percent) and walk rates (13.0 percent), neither of which are anywhere close to closer material. He doesn't seem to have the same fastball as he's had the last few seasons, with its velocity dropping from 99.2 mph to 97.4 and its Stuff+ dropping from 116 to 97.

Worry-o-meter: 2 out of 5

Setup man to stash: Abner Uribe. Uribe recorded seven saves last season while Megill was unavailable, plus one more in the playoffs. He was one of the best relievers in all of baseball last year, with a 1.67 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 30.2 percent strikeout rate. He hasn't been as dominant through six outings this season, with a 5.06 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 26.1 percent strikeout rate, but that much larger sample from last season is a better representation of who he is. 

If I'm pointing out Megill's velocity and Stuff+ drops, though, it's only fair to also note that Uribe's sinker and slider have both lost over a tick of velocity, with his overall Stuff+ dropping from 115 to 106. Those drops aren't paired with a recent injury like Megill's are, so they're perhaps less worrisome, but there's a chance that Megill losing his job would result in a committee rather than Uribe stepping seamlessly into the closer role if Uribe's stuff remains down. 

Bullpen Deep Dive

Tampa Bay Rays

*gmLI is the average Leverage Index when a pitcher enters the game. 1.0 is average; closers typically sit north of 1.50.

Drafters thought they had this bullpen figured out, with Griffin Jax going at an ADP of 121 in the NFBC Main Event, well ahead of Garrett Cleavinger (379), Edwin Uceta (412) and Bryan Baker (450, drafted just 10 percent of leagues). That confidence confused me at the time, as the Rays had already indicated they'd be using a committee, and it certainly looks misplaced at this point. There's still time for Jax to sort things out and wind up leading the team in saves, but so far, he's been exclusively used as a high-leverage arm earlier in games, and considering his poor numbers to start the season, it's easier to envision him moving to low-leverage than claiming a true closer role at this point.

What remains to be seen is whether or not the Rays will continue their committee approach, or if they've perhaps already abandoned it. Kevin Kelly recorded the team's first two saves, but both came with the team's better options unavailable. Since then, Bryan Baker has recorded both of the saves for which he was available, with Mason Englert recording a save Sunday after Baker had pitched on back-to-back days.

Baker has pitched well enough to arguably deserve a true closer role, but his recent usage makes things unclear. Jax pitched in the sixth prior to Baker's save Friday, followed by Ian Seymour and Hunter Bigge. Baker then blew a save Saturday, though it wasn't really a save chance, as it came in the eighth inning. Baker was then unavailable for Englert's save chance Sunday, as were Jax, Seymour and Bigge. Kelly was available Sunday, but he recorded the last two outs of the seventh and all three outs in the eighth before Englert pitched the ninth, so it would be wrong to say that Kelly is Baker's top deputy. 

This looks like it's still exactly the committee the Rays told us it would be, with Baker as its leader instead of the pitcher most fantasy players expected (Jax). If Baker is just a committee leader, though, he isn't all that exciting in shallower formats, but he should save enough games that he's worth putting in your lineup most weeks in deeper leagues. Note, however, that Uceta is currently on a rehab assignment as he makes his way back from a shoulder impingement that's kept him out since the start of the season. He could challenge Baker for the top spot in the committee once he returns.

Injury Round-Up

Kirby Yates, Angels: Yates is nearly ready for a rehab assignment as he recovers from the knee inflammation which has sidelined him since the start of the season. Jordan Romano has been excellent through six appearances (four saves, 0.00 ERA, 0.40 WHIP, 41.2 percent strikeout rate), but he's been inconsistent at best in recent years. If his struggles return, a healthy Yates could be the top option to replace him. 

Josh Hader, Astros: Hader is on track to face hitters sometime this week as he works his way back from biceps inflammation, which lines up with the timeline provided by Astros GM Dana Brown in late March. Hader has been throwing bullpens for a couple weeks now, so a return before the end of April seems like a possibility. The Astros could certainly use him, and given Bryan Abreu's struggles as the temporary fill-in (covered above), Hader should have quite a long leash in the ninth inning even if he returns as merely 90 percent of his usual self.

Yimi Garcia, Blue Jays: Garcia underwent surgery on his elbow in September to clean up scar tissue from a previous procedure but is nearly ready to begin a rehab assignment. Jays closer Jeff Hoffman has generally pitched well this season but does have a pair of blown saves, and the team was open to replacing him in the ninth inning over the offseason. Garcia has some closer experience (29 career saves) and could be an option to close games if Hoffman pitches his way out of the closer role. 

Edwin Uceta, Rays: Uceta has been dealing with shoulder issues since mid-February, but he's making steady progress towards his return. He began a rehab assignment last Tuesday but is expected to build up slowly, as this is both a rehab assignment and effectively Uceta's spring training. Once he returns, however, he could challenge Bryan Baker for the top spot in the Rays' closer committee if he can get back to the form he showed over the last two seasons, when he recorded a combined 2.98 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 33.3 percent strikeout rate and 7.3 percent walk rate. 

Carlos Estevez, Royals: Estevez has begun throwing bullpen sessions as he works his way back from a bruised foot, an injury he suffered when he was hit by a line drive in his first appearance of the season. The bigger problem for Estevez is his velocity, however, which was down considerably throughout spring training and remained down nearly five miles per hour in his season debut. Expect a longer than usual rehab assignment for Estevez as he tries to reclaim that velocity and prove he deserves to win his closer job back from Lucas Erceg. 

Closer Grid

This article will be published every Monday and Friday this season, taking a look back at the previous series' top closer news. For more closer updates, check out the RotoWire Closer Grid, which changes daily.  

A few changes from Friday's grid:

• Reds downgraded from Medium to Low security
• Mets upgraded from Medium to High security
• Yankees downgraded from Very High to High security
• Rays upgraded from Very Low to Low security, with Bryan Baker now listed as a closer rather than a committee leader
• Joel Kuhnel now listed as the leader of the Athletics' committee

Here's how the whole thing looks as of Monday afternoon:

*part of a committee

Questions about any of the closers covered above or any relievers you're considering picking up off the waiver wire? Let me know in the comments below.