Committees, Anyone? Bullpen Report 8.23.25

People often reach out to me and suggest that I must get tired of covering bullpens. I will usually shrug it off because it is a labor of love for me, and I enjoy covering it and the camaraderie I have with readers on a weekly basis.

This week, I will admit it: I am exhausted. We moved my daughter into her dorm this week, which was quite the emotional rollercoaster for me, and then I was besieged with computer issues and dozens of things to catch up on at work when we returned home.

But I will say this: being on a schedule keeps me grounded and as near to normal as I can be, and writing these words this week has become therapeutic for me. Thanks to all of you who read and reach out to me. I appreciate all of you.

Now, let’s dive into the chaotic headache of major league bullpens.

Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Report

AL East

Nothing new in Baltimore, where it continues to be a committee with several players: the only pitcher to earn a save this week was veteran Corbin Martin. If you are desperate, Keegan Akin and Yennier Cano could get most of the chances here.

Aroldis Chapman keeps rolling in Boston, notching two saves this week to run his season total to 24. He has a paltry 1.08 ERA and a whopping 38.4% K%. The veteran still gets it done at 37 with high velocity. Tip of the cap to him on a great season.

Things are troubling in New York, where David Bednar remains the closer on a team that has four of them. Bednar blew a save but took a win on Wednesday in that game. All struggled this week except for Devin Williams, who earned the team’s only save on Wednesday. This could be a mix-and-match anytime, and we will be watching to see how manager Aaron Boone manages his resources in the coming games.

AL Central

Things are rocky in Cleveland, where the Guardians are struggling to stay afloat in the AL playoff picture. Closer Cade Smith has blown two consecutive saves, one coming on Friday night, where he took the loss. It’s possible that manager Steven Vogt could look to Hunter Gaddis or Erik Sabrowski for save chances, but no word yet on whether he will make any changes.

Quiet week in Detroit, where it still appears that Kyle Finnegan and Will Vest are co-closers. No save chances all week, so impossible to discern the pattern here.

Kansas City: Carlos Estevez added two more saves this week, running his season number to 33 with a 2.75 ERA despite a slightly below average 20.3% K%. John Schreiber earned his first save on Tuesday, a night when Estevez was off.

Justin Topa got a save Friday night for Minnesota, his third of the season. It looks like he is the guy on a team limping badly to the finish line after moving half their roster in July.

AL West

Sean Newcomb is the supposed closer for the Athletics, but three other guys earned saves this week: Hogan Harris, Tyler Ferguson, and Osvaldo Bido. I think we can call this a committee.  This one is probably not worth touching until there is some clarity, which may not be coming this season.

Bryan Abreu notched a save this week, his second since taking over for the injured Josh Hader.  The Astros did notably sign veteran Craig Kimbrel this week, and he was recalled Friday night and could find himself in the mix once he is up to speed. More likely, he will stick in a middle relief role; Abreu is the best pitcher in this bullpen and should continue to get the save chances, even with the presence of Kimbrel.

Kenley Jansen lost two in a row this week in Los Angeles. If the team decides to try someone else (unlikely), they could give Reid Detmers a chance, who has two saves in 2025. Detmers may have found a home in the bullpen this season, and with Jansen nearing the end of his one-year contract, they may want to see if Detmers can do the job as they look at next year’s options.

I do not know what to tell you about the Texas bullpen, other than to avoid it. This is a committee lacking a clear option, where veterans Shawn Armstrong, Robert Garcia, and Phil Maton could all be used in any game at any time. If you must add one, Armstrong seems the best bet right now, but do not quote me on it.

NL East

Raisel Iglesias is back in the top role in Atlanta, leaving no doubt with three saves this week. His season total now rests at 21. It’s good to see the veteran back in the closer job.

It’s quiet in Miami, where Calvin Faucher and Ronny Henriquez share a job without much opportunity these days. Look for this timeshare to continue there.

Edwin Diaz has not pitched all week in New York. No word on any issues there; it just appears he hasn’t had a chance as the Mets continue to flounder in the NL East.

Jhoan Duran had two saves this week for Philadelphia, but he blew the save and took a loss on Friday. This bullpen has taken on a new look, with David Robertson being recalled last week and lefty Jose Alvarado coming back from his suspension on Tuesday. What will the pecking order be here? I guess that Alvarado and Robertson become the top setup men, while Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering bump back down to middle relief roles in the short term. Manager Rob Thomson will have time to examine how to best use this impressive group down the stretch to a hopeful deep playoff run. He can now use Strahm and Kerkering in earlier situations to get key outs. Do keep in mind that Alvarado will not be available in the playoffs, a consequence of his earlier suspension.

Jose A. Ferrer is locking down the closer job in Washington. He notched two saves this week to give him four on the season.

NL Central

Daniel Palencia got three saves this week to give him a total of 19 with a 1.93 ERA and 27.9% K%. The top setup men in Chicago are Brad Keller, who is resurgent in the bullpen after being signed last winter as rotation depth, and Andrew Kittredge.

Cincinnati: My poor friend Doug Dennis suffered this last week watching this team! I am sorry, friend. Several blown saves and losses for a team trying to stay in the thick of the playoff race. Emilio Pagan remains the closer in name, but Tony Santillan and Scott Barlow earned saves this week, not Pagan. Look for the mixing-and-matching to likely continue here.

Dennis Santana got two more saves this week for Pittsburgh, and he is up to nine saves. Isaac Mattson has become the top setup guy here.

St. Louis: the committee continues with JoJo Romero, Riley O’Brien, and Kyle Leahy, although Leahy does not have any saves yet. Romero seems to pitch daily, but not always in the closer job, leaving chances for O’Brien. Both Romero and O’Brien earned saves this week. A name to watch here is Matt Svanson, who has elevated his role, earning two holds and a win over the last week.

NL West

It is full-blown committee work in Arizona, where Andrew Saalfrank, Juan Morillo, and Kyle Backhus all lay stake to the closer title. Saalfrank earned the only save this week. Avoid unless absolutely desperate for saves. No bullpen has been ravaged by more injuries than the Diamondbacks’ pen in 2025. Dare I say they have been snakebit?

Tanner Scott returned for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night, but did not get into the game. How does this shake out for the team and Scott? I think he ascends back to the closer role immediately, allowing manager Dave Roberts to be able to use Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen in setup roles. Time will tell.