You will hear many fantasy baseball players discuss how much they despise major league bullpens and mining for saves and holds. I hear you, friends.
To me and a small group of others, it is a labor of love and, at times, both a burden and a source of constant intrigue. Each week here, I will review the state of all 30 MLB bullpens and share the results of the week as well as current trends as you try and shape your fantasy roster each week. It can be lots to process, but I will try and help you figure it out every Saturday, and we will suffer together.
Let’s take a look at the week that was and the moving and shaking of bullpens.
Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Report
AL East
Felix Bautista does not have a save yet for Baltimore as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery last year. Don’t worry yet, he will get that first save soon.
Aroldis Chapman earned two saves this week in Boston. Justin Slaten is struggling thus far and lacks his strikeout pitches in the early going. Garrett Whitlock is back and serving as a multiple-inning stopper out of the bullpen for manager Alex Cora. The roles could shift here if Slaten continues to struggle. Whitlock remains an intriguing presence in this bullpen who could carve out a larger role.
In New York, Devin Williams missed some time this week due to paternity leave, and Luke Weaver converted a save in his absence. Nothing to read into here, even though Weaver can do the job as he proved last year, should Williams miss any time. Williams is the closer.
A name to watch in Tampa: Mason Montgomery, who has climbed into a high-leverage role behind Pete Fairbanks and Edwin Uceta. The rookie lefty has four strikeouts in two innings; it’s a small sample size, but he is showing what he can do with an opportunity.
AL Central
The Detroit bullpen has received lots of attention over the last few weeks as they play musical chairs at the closer spot. It appears to be a full-blown committee situation. Veteran righty Tommy Kahnle got and converted a save chance on Tuesday. Tyler Holton and Beau Brieske are part of this mix, too. Brant Hurter got a save last week in a three-inning outing. Look for this to continue to be a committee where Kahnle could get slightly more chances than the others. We say this multiple times every year: a guy who can serve multiple roles might end up being the high-leverage guy while someone else closes the game. That could be the situation with Holton and Brieske.
AL West
Mason Miller has two saves for the Athletics and looks to have picked up right where he left off in 2024. Interesting: Jose Leclerc seems to have settled into a middle relief role, with Tyler Ferguson and Justin Sterner being the primary high-leverage options.
Josh Hader has three saves this season for Houston. What’s new? Hader is still an excellent option for closing out games. Bryan Abreu remains the top option behind him, with lefty Bryan King also getting key outs thus far.
We have seen three different relievers earn saves in Los Angeles:Â Kenley Jansen (the expected closer), Ryan Zeferjahn, and Ryan Johnson. Before anyone raises their eyebrows here, Jansen is being paid to be the closer and is one of the best in the history of the game. Jansen is at a spot in his career where he may not be able to pitch back-to-back days anymore, hence why other guys might get chances.
Andres Munoz is the closer in Seattle and has three saves already. The only competition here right now is for holds, where Gregory Santos and Trent Thornton could get the bulk of that work.
Exactly as we called it, or not…in Texas, Luke Jackson had three saves this week with veterans Chris Martin and Robert Garcia pitching in support roles in the late innings. Jackson has five saves after his latest on Saturday night. Garcia has four holds, while Martin has three thus far. It will be interesting to watch this one develop over the season. Many expected Martin to be the top choice, but that is not how it has worked out thus far in Texas.
NL East
Raisel Iglesias has yet to earn a save for Atlanta, but the Braves are 1-7 so far this season. The saves will come, even though he did blow one this past week.
Miami: After months of speculation about whether the closer was Calvin Faucher or Jesus Tinoco, we have come to find out that the Miami closer is old friend Anthony Bender. Bender has a win and a save this week. Faucher looks to be a setup guy at this point, and Tinoco is on the IL with a balky back.
The carousel continues in Philadelphia. This looks like a messy committee situation. Jose Alvarado and Jordan Romano both notched saves this week on consecutive days. Both should continue to see heavy usage along with lefty Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering, with a lean towards Romano and Alvarado getting the bulk of the save chances at this time. Strahm and Kerkering get key outs at any time in games, leaving those chances primarily to Alvarado and Romano. Alvarado has long been streaky with his command and his control, but if he keeps these early gains, he will be a monster.
NL Central
Ryan Pressly has three saves, some would say shaky, with Porter Hodge being the primary setup option in Chicago. Julian Merryweather is healthy again and will be used in high-leverage roles as well.
Cincinnati: no top closer candidate has emerged with Alexis Diaz being injured, but Graham Ashcraft may have found a spot in the bullpen here as a setup man. His stuff profiles better in the bullpen, and manager Terry Francona seems willing to let him figure it out down there. Francona did say this week that he anticipates Diaz returning shortly and that he would be in the mix to close games. One to watch.
In Pittsburgh, David Bednar found himself sent to AAA this week, leaving the closer spot open for the next man up. Bednar had not pitched that badly, yet management decided to shake up the bullpen quickly. Dennis Santana was the immediate beneficiary of the move, earning his first save of 2025 this past Wednesday. For the time being, it could be Santana in the closer role, with Colin Holderman and Caleb Ferguson as the top leverage guys behind him. Holderman could also get chances depending on the game and the situation. This will be one to watch. If Bednar works out the kinks again, he should be able to reclaim the top job in Pittsburgh.
NL West
It feels like everyone is watching the happenings in Arizona to see who the top option at closer is. Well, lefty A.J. Puk got and converted the first two chances, and then Justin Martinez got the third chance and earned the save. This will be an interesting one to watch, as both should get opportunities based on the situation.
Los Angeles: Tanner Scott signed the big contract and has two saves thus far, but old friends Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia also have saves. Scott should get the bulk, but the Dodgers have upwards of five guys who could easily earn a save any day of the week, even more when Michael Kopech and Evan Phillips return from injury. This bullpen is stacked with riches.
In San Francisco, Camilo Doval is a top high-leverage guy, while Ryan Walker remains the closer. Doval has two saves to Walker’s one. Do not read too far into it; Walker was out one day and Doval got the save, and then Doval got another after Walker had pitched in two straight games. It is Walker’s job for now.
