Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Report: September Solutions Are Out There

The calendar ticks into September this weekend, with Labor Day upon us. Time continues to fly, my friends, and with it, the days of another baseball season go. Whether you are competing for a title or will finish as an also-ran this season, please do not abandon your team as the football season rises. Manage until the end, whether that end be glorious or bitter.

This weekend, it is essential to assess your team or teams and identify areas where you can gain an advantage over your opponents or withstand a challenge down the stretch. A few saves or holds might come in handy this time of year. Let’s take a look and see what went down in major league bullpens this week.

As always, you can comment here, or you can DM me @mdrc0508 on Twitter/X, and I will try and answer your questions or be a shoulder to cry on when that hot new reliever on your team implodes. I am here for you.

Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Report

AL East

New York: David Bednar still appears to be the closer, but beware the advance of Devin Williams. There have not been any save chances this week for the Yankees, who have four guys on their roster with at least eight saves. Granted, most of those were for other teams. If the Yankees make the playoffs, their bullpen will have to be a source of strength for them.

Jeff Hoffman has run across some troubles lately in Toronto. Hoffman blew two saves this week, but bounced back on Wednesday to earn his 29th save. While his 4.69 ERA hurts, the 32.5% K% provides some relief.

AL Central

Chicago has a committee that hasn’t earned a save all week. Move on. Grant Taylor had a chance earlier this week and blew it. My thought is that the lack of transparency in roles is hurting this bullpen, where Steven Wilson and Jordan Leasure are also getting looks. Essentially, they are closer-less at this time.

Cade Smith looks comfortable again in a closing role in Cleveland. He earned his eighth save and sixth win this week. Continue to use him as an RP on your teams with confidence.

Detroit is a two-man race between Kyle Finnegan and Will Vest. Some will say when you have two closers, you have no closers, and that may be the case here in Detroit. Vest earned this 19th save last weekend, but also imploded on Wednesday night and took a loss. Finnegan has only pitched once this week. It will be interesting to see who gets the next save chance here. On Friday night, Finnegan got the win, covering part of the seventh and all of the eighth inning, and Vest got the save, giving him 20 on the season.

Carlos Estevez continues to shine in Kansas City with 35 saves in 2025. He has a 2.62 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP, despite having a rather average 21% K%. This is a career year for Estevez.

AL West

I could not tell you who the closer is for the Athletics at this moment. I am not sure that anyone would care. Is it Sean Newcomb? Michael Kelly?  Hogan Harris? Harris has the only save this week.

Bryan Abreu looks like he has been closing his entire career. He notched two more saves this week in the absence of Josh Hader, who will not pitch again in the regular season. Bryan King remains the best option for holds, although Steven Okert has joined him there recently. Kaleb Ort earned a save Friday night, a night when Abreu was off.

Texas remains a full-blown committee as manager Bruce Bochy tries to find solutions on the fly. If you must, lean toward Shawn Armstrong here over Phil Maton and Robert Garcia. Armstrong earned his fifth save on Friday night.

NL East

Calvin Faucher is back in the mix in Miami. He earned two saves this week. This still looks like a mix-and-match committee with Ronny Henriquez and recent entrant Tyler Phillips. This is a really tough one to call. I would avoid unless desperate for saves. IF so, the slight lean right now would be Faucher.

Philadelphia: This bullpen fascinates me. Jhoan Duran is the top choice, and Jose Alvarado is back and in the setup role with veteran David Robertson. Former closer Jordan Romano hit the IL with finger inflammation. Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm have moved back to middle relief roles. This will be fascinating to watch in the playoffs, sans Alvarado, who is not eligible for postseason play due to his prior suspension this year. Duran notched his 24th save on Friday night.

NL Central

Despite numbers that look good, Daniel Palencia of the Cubs has struggled recently. He has a win and six saves in August, but an untidy 4.82 ERA and 1.82 WHIP mar those results. Palencia took a loss on Thursday night. Should those struggles continue, could Andrew Kittredge get an opportunity on Chicago’s North Side? This is one to keep an eye on in the coming days.

Things are quiet in Cincinnati, where there has not been a save chance all week. Emilio Pagan has 25 saves this season, with a 2.98 ERA and minuscule 0.92 WHIP with a 29% K%. He has been a godsend for manager Terry Francona and the Reds.

In Milwaukee, closer Trevor Megill hit the IL this week with a Grade 1 flexor tendon strain, leaving the job in the short term to Abner Uribe. Megill hopes to return when first eligible on September 9th. Uribe got a save this week, his third of the season, while trade deadline acquisition Shelby Miller earned a win and a hold this week. Megill has 30 saves with a 2.54 ERA and a 30.7% K%.

Dennis Santana has converted two consecutive saves this week, giving him 11 on the season. Isaac Mattson is right on his heels and has pitched just as well, making him the top setup guy in Pittsburgh.

NL West

Arizona is a committee with the most impressive member being lefty Andrew Saalfrank. If you are desperate for saves, he might be the best choice here. He has three saves this season in only 19 appearances in an injury-ravaged bullpen. Taylor Rashi and Jake Woodford also got saves this week, but both were earned in bulk relief roles. Perhaps interstingly, Woodford earned a second save this week against the Dodgers on Friday night. With this bullpen, it could be anybody on any given night.

Checking in on Los Angeles, where Tanner Scott returned last week and was immediately inserted into the closer role. He has only pitched twice this week, but earned a save on one of those nights. Alex Vesia hit the IL this week with an oblique strain, which has allowed Edgardo Henriquez to elevate to a setup role with veteran Blake Treinen. It will be interesting to see what shape this bullpen takes as the Dodgers prepare for a deep playoff run.

What goes around, comes around: Ryan Walker is back as the closer in San Francisco after an injury to Randy Rodriguez. Walker has two saves and a win this week. Grab him if someone let him loose on your waiver wire.