In this week’s Saves and Steals, we run through the closer rankings and take a look at where things stand through the All-Star break. And in the steals department, we examine Rece Hinds’ red-hot start for Cincinnati, Xavier Edwards’ viability in deep leagues, and a prospect to consider stashing.
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Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings
Tier 1: At the Top
Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians
Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals
Craig Kimbrel - Baltimore Orioles
Clase picked up a save on Saturday, taking 29 saves, a 0.81 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, and a 39/5 K/BB ratio across 44 1/3 innings into the All-Star break. More strikeouts would be ideal, but you can’t ask for much more from the 26-year-old right-hander. Helsley ended the first half as the major league saves leader at 32. And despite blowing a save and coming away with a win in a wild finish against the Yankees before the break, Kimbrel has enjoyed an excellent season, with a 2.80 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts while converting 23 saves across 35 1/3 innings.
Tier 2: The Elite
Mason Miller - Oakland Athletics
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Kirby Yates - Texas Rangers
Miller leads all relievers in strikeouts at the break with 70 to go with a 2.27 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 15 saves over 39 2/3 innings. Hader comes in just behind Miller in strikeouts with 67. After posting a 6.39 ERA in April, he’s recorded a 2.76 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, and a 46/6 K/BB ratio over his last 29 1/3 innings. A third closer out of the AL West rounds out this tier with Yates. The 37-year-old right-hander has enjoyed an incredible resurgent season, posting a 1.05 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts across 34 1/3 innings while converting 16 saves. Yates and David Robertson have formed an outstanding duo to close out the late innings in Texas.
Tier 3: The Solid Options
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
Kenley Jansen - Boston Red Sox
Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins
Evan Phillips - Los Angeles Dodgers
Clay Holmes - New York Yankees
Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
Edwin Diaz - New York Mets
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
While the strikeouts have dipped a bit, Muñoz has been steady as Seattle’s closer, converting 15 saves with a 1.41 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts across 38 1/3 innings in the first half. Suarez got off to a great start, with 17 saves through May. He’s since converted just five since the start of June. Still, he’s been incredibly solid for the Padres, with an elite 1.67 ERA and 0.90 WHIP over 37 2/3 innings.
Iglesias ended the first half with 22 saves and a 2.02 ERA across 35 2/3 innings. His strikeout rate has ticked up over the last two months after a slow start, with a 9.31 K/9 and 15.7 percent swinging strike rate since May 15. Jansen is another veteran performing well late in his career. He’s gotten the job done in Boston, converting 19 saves with a 2.16 ERA over 33 1/3 innings into the All-Star break.
Duran’s strikeouts have lagged behind his career norm. Still, he’s posted a 2.93 ERA and 0.98 WHIP while converting 15 saves over 30 2/3 innings of work. Griffin Jax remains one of the better relievers to roster in deeper formats and holds leagues, recording a 1.91 ERA and 58 strikeouts over 42 1/3 frames.
Phillips has stumbled a bit to close the first half, blowing his last two save chances. He’s allowed runs to score in four of his last six outings going into the break. Daniel Hudson, Alex Vesia, and Blake Treinen have all been incredibly effective in setup roles. The All-Star break also came at a good time for Holmes, who has a 7.45 ERA while converting just two saves over the last month. Meanwhile, Sewald recovered from a rough stretch, with three straight scoreless outings to close the first half after giving up seven runs in three games.
Díaz returned from his suspension and locked down three saves and a win. And since coming off the injured list on June 13, he’s tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.
Finnegan has surprisingly been one of the best closers over the first half, converting 25 saves with a 2.45 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts across 40 1/3 innings. The Nationals have already traded Hunter Harvey to the Royals before the All-Star break. Finnegan could be next on the move by the trade deadline.
Megill has done an outstanding job stepping in as the Brewers’ closer. He’s gone 18-for-20 in save chances with a 2.05 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts over 30 2/3 innings. Devin Williams has begun a rehab assignment as he looks to return from a spring training back injury. He struck out three batters in a perfect inning on Sunday for High-A Wisconsin. It may not be long before he’s activated to the major league roster and settles back into the closer role.
Tier 4: There’s Upside Here
Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
Tanner Scott - Miami Marlins
Jeff Hoffman/José Alvarado - Philadelphia Phillies
Carlos Estévez - Los Angeles Angels
Camilo Doval - San Francisco Giants
Alexis Díaz - Cincinnati Reds
David Bednar - Pittsburgh Pirates
Chad Green/Yimi García - Toronto Blue Jays
James McArthur - Kansas City Royals
Fairbanks is another reliever that isn’t getting the strikeouts we’re accustomed to seeing. Still, he’s been solid for the Rays, converting 17 saves with a 3.21 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 32 strikeouts across 33 2/3 innings through the All-Star break.
Scott has been fantastic in Miami. He’s allowed just two runs, both in one outing, since April 14, recording a 1.34 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts over 40 1/3 innings while converting 14 saves. However, his time as a closer may be in jeopardy if he’s traded to a contender by the trade deadline.
Alvarado stumbled to the All-Star break, giving up at least one run in four of his last seven outings. Meanwhile, Hoffman seems to be gaining more and more trust in the ninth inning, with four of his nine saves coming over the last few weeks. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him lead the team in saves over the second half.
Estévez is another closer to watch at the trade deadline. The Angels appear to be in a position to sell, and the 31-year-old right-hander could be one of their more attractive players on the market with an expiring contract. He’s posted a 2.61 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and a 31/4 K/BB ratio across 31 innings while converting 17 saves. He’s been particularly good over the last two months, with no runs allowed since May 20.
It’s been a wildly inconsistent season for Doval, mostly due to an elevated walk rate and more hard contact allowed. The 27-year-old right-hander has gone 17-for-21 in save chances with a 4.38 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts across 37 innings. Much of the same can be applied to Díaz, who has similarly struggled with walk issues but hasn’t been able to strike out as many batters, leading to increased volatility. Rounding out this group of disappointing closers is Bednar, who was activated from the injured list last week and recorded his 17th save. He’s battled some oblique issues this season and has struggled on the mound with a 5.01 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts across 32 1/3 innings.
With both Jordan Romano and Yimi García on the injured list, Green has stepped in to fill the closer role, converting six saves for the Blue Jays. García has already joined the team and should be activated ahead of Friday’s return to action out of the break.
McArthur has done a fine job in Kansas City, converting 17 saves with a 3.99 ERA and 1.30 WHIP over 38 1/3 innings. We don’t often see closers sustain their role with a 7.04 K/9, so newly acquired reliever Hunter Harvey could be a name to watch over the second half.
Tier 5: Just Getting By
Jason Foley - Detroit Tigers
Hector Neris - Chicago Cubs
Michael Kopech - Chicago White Sox
Jalen Beeks/Victor Vodnik - Colorado Rockies
Like McArthur, Foley has struggled to miss bats, striking out only 25 batters over 33 1/3 innings. He’s converted just six saves over the last three months after locking down nine through April.
The ever-volatile Neris has been solid over the last month. He’s up to 13 saves with a 3.86 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, and 35 strikeouts over 32 2/3 innings. On the other side of town, Kopech has nine saves with a 5.05 ERA and 56 strikeouts over 41 innings for the White Sox. In Colorado, Vodnik and Beeks have traded save chances recently, with Beeks leading the team with nine saves.
Injured
Devin Williams - Back
Jordan Romano - Elbow
Steals Department
Elly De La Cruz is running away with the league lead in steals through the first half, swiping 46 bases while slashing .256/.346/.483 with 17 homers, 64 runs scored, and 43 RBI across 412 plate appearances. His teammate in Cincinnati, Rece Hinds, has been one of the most added players over the last week. The 23-year-old outfielder has gotten off to an incredible start, hitting .423/.464/1.192 with five homers, 11 RBI, and two steals over his first seven games. While impressive, it would be smart to temper expectations and even consider selling high. Hinds struck out nearly 40 percent of the time with just a .698 OPS over 328 Triple-A plate appearances. On the polar end of the contact spectrum, Xavier Edwards has a .352 batting average and a 16.4 percent strikeout rate over 61 plate appearances with the Marlins. He’s stolen three bases over his last four games. While he won’t provide any power, Edwards provides a solid hit tool and can supplement some speed in deeper leagues. And Houston’s Shay Whitcomb could be a prospect to consider stashing for the second half. The 25-year-old infielder is slashing .298/.383/.535 with 19 homers and 22 steals over 376 plate appearances in Triple-A.