Fantasy Baseballl Bullpen Report: Squeezing Out a Few More Saves

Most teams have fewer than 20 games left to play in their seasons, and most of the playoff races are becoming clearer as we near this finish line. It has been another fantastic baseball season filled with fun and drama.

For those of us fighting for our own playoff spots, we are in the region of the season where one or two more saves can help us gain in the standings, or provide that needed cushion against the team closing in on us in the standings. Rostering someone like Keegan Akin, a player you would not have drafted or had interest in two months ago, now all of a sudden can be a league winner.

Such is the nature of this beast we call fantasy baseball. Let’s look at the current state of bullpens as time ticks down on the clock.

Fantasy Baseball Bullpen Report

AL East

Baltimore is slightly more interesting this week, with lefty Keegan Akin and veteran Yennier Cano both earning saves. Cano also notched a win on Friday night. My slight lean here is Akin, who has just been better, but Cano will also get chances here.

Boston decided to hold on to ace closer Aroldis Chapman at the trade deadline and then extended his contract. Chapman notched two more saves this week, running his season total to 28.

There are some concerns in the New York Yankees’ bullpen, where the four-headed monster of David Bednar, Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, and Camilo Doval has all struggled to get outs this week. Doval has the only save this week. Could changes be coming?

Tampa Bay: This is still Pete Fairbanks‘ job, but the Rays have mixed and matched this week, where Garrett Cleavinger and Bryan Baker both earned saves as well.

Jeff Hoffman stands on shaky ground in Toronto. The thing is, who would be a better option for a team looking for a deep playoff run?

AL Central

Now that there are fewer than three weeks left in the season, the White Sox might have some clarity in their pen. Jordan Leasure has emerged to earn the last three saves, and rookie Rule 5 pick Mike Vasil also has one this week. Grant Taylor‘s struggles have pushed him back to a middle relief role, even as he has a 31.3% K%. Need two or three saves to push up in your standings?  Think about Leasure. The White Sox are playing better baseball despite their meager win-loss record.

Detroit has not had a chance all week.  Would Kyle Finnegan or Will Vest get the next one? Well, some clarity came when Finnegan hit the IL this week with an abductor strain. Vest will be the closer and will be set up by Troy Melton, Rafael Montero, and Tyler Holton. Vest may be available after job sharing led him back to the waiver wire a few weeks back. Scoop him up if you need saves; the opportunity is clear.

Things are messy in Minnesota. Justin Topa has been the nominal closer, but there just haven’t been many opportunities here for him. He had the White Sox down to their last strike on Wednesday and lost the lead. Avoid unless desperate.

AL West

I am not sure the Athletics have or need a closer. I will keep watch on it, and maybe it is Sean Newcomb, but he only pitched once this week. Avoid.

It’s a quiet week in Houston, where Bryan Abreu took an ugly loss earlier last weekend and has not earned a save in either appearance this week. Still, he should remain the closer for the first-place Astros. Craig Kimbrel is one of the best to ever do the job, but he has been pitching in middle relief since joining the team, where he has struck out eight of 20 hitters thus far, but also has five walks.

Shawn Armstrong quietly took the job over in Texas. The Rangers’ bullpen is functional right now, with Armstrong being set up by veterans Chris Martin, Robert Garcia, and Phil Maton. Armstrong has six saves, a 2.51 ERA, and a useful 26.6% K%. His emergence here has allowed the Rangers to stay afloat for a playoff berth.

NL East

It is going to end up looking like a good year for Raisel Iglesias, who earned two more saves this week to give him 23 on the season. The veteran has 13 saves since the All-Star break, with a 2.45 ERA, a 0.73 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts in 22 innings. Continue to use with confidence despite the lost season for the Atlanta Braves.

No clarity in Miami, with no save chances this week among Calvin Faucher, Ronny Henriquez, and Tyler Phillips.

Edwin Diaz has been great in New York, with 25 saves to go with his tidy 1.87 ERA and 38.6% K%. Those who invested have gotten a nice payoff in 2025.

NL Central

Is Daniel Palencia on shaky ground in Chicago? He might be, but he has two saves this week sandwiched around a loss. Palencia has seven saves and a win in August, but also suffered three losses with a 5.23 ERA and a bloated 1.87 WHIP.  A change might not be imminent, but he’s been shaky since the All-Star break for a club with high playoff aspirations.

Abner Uribe is the top dog in Milwaukee. Upon Trevor Megill‘s return, which could be next weekend, Uribe will return as the top setup man in an outstanding bullpen. Uribe has five saves now to go with a whopping 36 holds, a 1.87 ERA, and a 30.1% K%. A tremendous season for him in Milwaukee.

Dennis Santana has been a revelation in Pittsburgh. Two more saves this week give him 13 this year, despite a pedestrian 21% K%. Colin Holderman earned his first save of 2025 this week on a night where Santana was off. Isaac Mattson remains the top setup guy.

JoJo Romero seems to have seized the most opportunities in St. Louis. He earned both chances this week and converted both, running his total to seven this season while making a case for the closer job in 2026.

NL West

Jake Woodford? The journeyman has gotten the last two saves in Arizona. I would not touch this situation at this time. If you must speculate, Andrew Saalfrank could be the best bet, but he is also being used in the high-leverage situations earlier in games. Avoid this bullpen for fantasy purposes. Taylor Rashi earned a 41-pitch save this week as well. What an unexpected mess in Arizona due to injuries.

San Francisco: Ryan Walker is the closer again here. He has lowered his ERA to 3.44 and run his season save total to 14 with two more this week. Walker has three wins, four saves, a 2.04 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts in 17 innings since the All-Star break. This could be a Spring Training duel between Walker and Randy Rodriguez, given that Rodriguez can put his current elbow woes behind him.