Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Devin Williams leaving April struggles behind, Giants demote Ryan Walker
In this week’s Closer Report, Raisel Iglesias extends his scoreless streak with a dominant begin to the season. Devin Williams is popping the web page on a horrible April. go to Ryan Walker demotion opens the door for Caleb Kilian in San Francisco. All that and extra as we break down the final week in saves.
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2026 Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings
▶ Tier 1
Mason Miller – San Diego Padres
Cade Smith – Cleveland Guardians
Jhoan Duran – Philadelphia Phillies
Aroldis Chapman – Boston Red Sox
Andrés Muñoz – Seattle Mariners
Raisel Iglesias- Atlanta Braves
Miller recorded a four-out save towards the Cardinals on Saturday, working round two walks and placing out 4 batters. He then struck out two for his thirteenth save on Wednesday towards the Brewers. The 27-year-old right-hander sports activities a 0.92 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, and 40 strikeouts over 19 2/3 innings.
Smith is making fantasy managers neglect about his sluggish begin. He locked down 4 extra saves this week, giving him 13 with a 3.05 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 29 strikeouts over 20 2/3 innings. He ought to proceed to work down these ratios and be one of many league’s high closers with a 4.8% stroll fee and 34.9% strikeout fee.
Duran had a superb week on the mound after giving up a run in his first recreation again from harm. He made three scoreless appearances, placing out two batters in every, and picked up his sixth save towards the Red Sox on Tuesday.
Chapman made two appearances this week. He struck out two in a clear inning towards the Rays on Friday for a save, then labored round two walks and struck out the facet towards the Phillies on Wednesday for his ninth save. The 38-year-old left-hander has picked up the place he left off final 12 months, posting a 0.66 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts over 13 2/3 innings.
Muñoz picked up his eighth save of the season with a scoreless inning towards the Astros on Monday. It hasn’t been the perfect begin to the season, with a 5.29 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 17 innings, however his top-notch abilities ought to overcome some dangerous luck (23.1% HR/FB, .371 BABIP).
There’s no motive to maintain Iglesias from the highest tier. The 36-year-old right-hander has been dominant, tossing 12 2/3 scoreless innings with a 15/2 Okay/BB ratio. He’s made 4 scoreless appearances since coming off the injured listing, together with three this week, along with his eighth save towards the Cubs on Wednesday.
▶ Tier 2
Riley O’Brien – St. Louis Cardinals
Bryan Baker – Tampa Bay Rays
David Bednar – New York Yankees
Daniel Palencia – Chicago Cubs
Tanner Scott – Los Angeles Dodgers
Devin Williams – New York Mets
O’Brien went 2-for-3 in save probabilities this week. He labored a clear inning towards the Padres on Thursday, surrendered two runs to blow a save on Sunday, then bounced again with a scoreless body towards the Athletics on Tuesday. The 31-year-old right-hander has been probably the greatest general values amongst relievers, posting a 2.70 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 23 strikeouts over 20 innings.
Baker has been one other unbelievable worth, rising because the Rays’ high closing possibility with a 2.60 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts over 17 1/3 innings. He’s transformed 11 of the group’s 17 saves, with no different highlighter changing greater than two.
Bednar labored three appearances in non-save conditions this week. After tossing a clear inning towards the Brewers on Saturday, he gave up one run to take the loss on Sunday earlier than bouncing again with a scoreless body towards the Orioles on Tuesday.
Palencia recorded the ultimate out towards the Reds on Thursday to choose up simply his second save of the season. He then gave up two runs in a non-save state of affairs towards the Rangers on Sunday. Between his two-week absence with an indirect pressure and the Cubs not producing many save probabilities, it has been a sluggish begin for the 26-year-old right-hander.
Scott transformed a save with a clear inning towards the Braves on Friday, placing out one batter for his third save of the season. With a 1.56 ERA, 0.63 WHIP, and a 16/2 Okay/BB ratio throughout 17 1/3 innings, that is the Scott the Dodgers believed they had been getting once they made him one of many highest-paid relievers earlier than the 2025 season.
Williams made his fourth straight clear out on Friday, choosing up a win towards the Diamondbacks. He then tossed a scoreless body in a tie recreation towards the Tigers on Wednesday. With sturdy underlying abilities, he continues to work down his ratios and will reward affected person fantasy managers.
▶ Tier 3
Paul Sewald – Arizona Diamondbacks
Pete Fairbanks – Miami Marlins
Louis Varland – Toronto Blue Jays
Seranthony Dominguez – Chicago White Sox
Kenley Jansen – Detroit Tigers
Abner Uribe – Milwaukee Brewers
Lucas Erceg – Kansas City Royals
Jacob Latz – Texas Rangers
Gregory Soto – Pittsburgh Pirates
Sewald locked down two extra saves this week earlier than blowing a two-run lead towards the Rangers on Wednesday. The three-run outing raised his ERA from 3.07 to 4.70. He’s been susceptible to those occasional blowups, with all of his earned runs coming in three of his 18 outings. Both AJ Puk and Justin Martinez are aiming for mid-season returns. Still, Sewald has possible earned the possibility to function as nearer so long as he is efficient.
Fairbanks was reinstated from the 15-day injured listing on Wednesday after a bout of nerve irritation in his proper hand. He steps proper again into the nearer function. Meanwhile, Varland has held the job in Toronto. He made 4 appearances this week, choosing up a save towards the Angels on Friday. Jeff Hoffman has continued to get his work within the seventh and eighth innings. It does not appear to be the group will likely be turning again to him within the ninth anytime quickly.
Domíguez was on a stable run, stringing collectively six straight scoreless appearances earlier than giving up two towards the Royals on Wednesday. He held on for his tenth save to go along with a 4.08 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts over 17 2/3 innings.
In Detroit, Jansen made two appearances. He struck out two in a clear outing towards the Royals on Sunday for his seventh save, then struck out the facet in a tie recreation towards the Mets on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Uribe added a win and a save this week earlier than blowing the save probability towards the Padres on Wednesday. He’s as much as 4 saves since taking on the ninth inning in Milwaukee. Trevor Megill had made seven straight scoreless appearances, however has allowed a run in two of his final three. It stays a state of affairs that seems like it could flip at a second’s discover.
Erceg made his eighth straight scoreless look, choosing up a win towards the Tigers on Friday. While he figures to get further leash on the nearer function with Carlos Estévez shut down with shoulder discomfort, a 14/12 Okay/BB ratio throughout 16 1/3 innings fortells some regression coming for Erceg, and never the nice variety. Should he stumble at any level, Daniel Lynch IV may very well be a reputation to observe. He’s posted a 2.08 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and 23 strikeouts over 17 1/3 innings.
Latz appears to be settling in because the group’s nearer. He collected two extra saves this week to offer him 5 on the season. He had a uncommon dangerous outing on Wednesday, giving up three runs to blow the save towards the Diamondbacks with out recording an out. Still, the 30-year-old left-hander has undoubtedly been their most suitable choice, posting a 2.08 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, and a 17/5 Okay/BB ratio throughout 21 2/3 innings.
In Pittsburgh, Soto picked up two saves for the Pirates. He’s been dominant, recording a 1.69 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts over 21 1/3 frames. He’s been exceptionally higher than Dennis Santana, greater than doubling his strikeout fee.
▶ Tier 4
Rico Garcia/Anthony Nunez – Baltimore Orioles
Kaleb Killian – San Francisco Giants
Gus Varland – Washington Nationals
Graham Ashcraft – Cincinnati Reds
Garcia and Nunez alternated save probabilities this week, with Garcia locking down a save towards the Athletics on Sunday earlier than Nunez closed it out on Monday towards the Yankees. Ryan Helsley has but to renew throwing, however nonetheless hopes to return in late May after touchdown on the injured listing with proper elbow irritation.
Kilian picked up the lone save for the Giants this week, recording 4 outs towards the Dodgers on Tuesday. Manager Tony Vitello will possible play the matchups, however may lean on Kilian for almost all of save probabilities, particularly for the reason that group optioned Ryan Walker to Triple-A.
Varland transformed a four-out save towards the Twins on Thursday, then took a loss towards the Marlins on Sunday earlier than bouncing again with a scoreless ninth on Wednesday towards the Reds to fall in line for a win.
It’s been robust to learn the state of affairs in Cincinnati since Emilio Pagán landed on the injured listing with a hamstring harm. Pierce Johnson had picked up a save on Sunday, then pitched the ninth with the group down for six runs on Tuesday. Ashcraft took the ninth in a tie recreation towards the Nationals on Wednesday. He appears to be the favourite in the meanwhile, with a 1.66 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts over 21 2/3 innings.
▶ Tier 5
Bryan King – Houston Astros
Jack Perkins – Athletics
Victor Vodnik – Colorado Rockies
Eric Orze/Justin Topa – Minnesota Twins
Sam Bachman/Ryan Zeferjahn – Los Angeles Angels
