Saves and Steals: End of Season Closer Rankings
Fantasy Cy Young candidates 2023: Snell, Eflin
D.J. Short and Eric Samulski reveal their picks for this year's fantasy baseball Cy Young winner including Blake Snell and Zach Eflin.
The regular season is coming to an end. And to close out the year of Saves and Steals, we'll go through an end-of-season ranking with some looks ahead to 2024, starting with Devin Williams taking the top spot.
Tier 1: Untouchable
Devin Williams - Milwaukee Brewers
Williams ends the year number one in the rankings after his first full season as the Brewers' closer. The team entrusted him with the job after trading Josh Hader to the Padres in 2022. He's come through with 36 saves and a 1.56 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 85 strikeouts across 57 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old right-hander should be the first closer off draft boards next season. Felix Bautista would have joined Williams here in the top tier, and possibly the top closer. But his injury situation casts a cloud over his 2024 prospects. So, he'll be someone to monitor.
Tier 2: The Elite
Josh Hader - San Diego Padres
Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians
Alexis Díaz - Cincinnati Reds
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
Camilo Doval - San Francisco Giants
Hader bounced back with a tremendous season. After posting a 5.22 ERA in 2022, he's produced a 1.16 mark with a 1.10 WHIP and 84 strikeouts across 54 1/3 innings while converting 32 saves.
Clase had some ups and downs throughout the year. But in the end, he's led baseball with 43 saves. He saw a decline in his strikeout rate this season, down to 21.7 percent. Still, he limited damage and held things down with a 5.4 percent walk rate and 55.9 percent ground ball rate.
Iglesias got off to a slow start, starting his season late due to a shoulder injury. From July on, there were few relievers better than the 33-year-old right hander. Through Wednesday, he's up to 31 saves with a 2.95 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 66 strikeouts across 53 2/3 innings.
Díaz comes in at fifth. He started the season much better than he's ended it, but it's hard to argue with a 2.94 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 86 strikeouts, and 37 saves over 67 1/3 innings. He saw a significant dip in his strikeout rate over the second half, going from 37.4 percent to 20.8 percent. Something to keep in mind come draft season. Still, he should be, at worst, among the top five to six closers taken.
It took Fairbanks some time, and a stint on the injured list. But he's turned in a stellar season, converting 25 saves with a 2.64 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 68 strikeouts across 44 1/3 innings.
Doval, like the Giants, had a much better first half than second half. But he still turned in a solid season and will finish among the leaders in saves as one of the few who will approach 40.
Your fantasy season doesn’t end after the draft. Dominate your fantasy football league with our new FREE Season Tools, including Weekly Expert Rankings, Targets Reports, Lineup Adviser, Trade Analyzer and more. Click here to get started.
Tier 3: The Solid Options
Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
David Bednar - Pittsburgh Pirates
Jordan Romano - Toronto Blue Jays
Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins
Ryan Pressly - Houston Astros
Sewald converted his 34th save on Wednesday, striking out two batters against the White Sox. He should go into next season as the primary closer for the Diamondbacks and near the top ten among closers drafted.
Bednar took a loss on Tuesday against the Phillies, but he's been otherwise solid all season. The 28-year-old right-hander has converted 37 saves with a 2.07 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 76 strikeouts across 65 1/3 innings.
Romano took a pair of losses, but started the week by converting his 36th save against the Rays. He'll go into next season as a dependable closer option who now has a track record of producing excellent numbers for three seasons.
Duran took off with the closer role as soon as he was given all the ninth-inning opportunities in Minnesota. He's converted 27 saves with a 2.54 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 81 strikeouts across 60 1/3 innings. With the prospects of a full season as the closer in 2024, he'll likely be drafted among those a tier ahead of this in fantasy drafts.
Pressly has posted his worst statistical season as a member of the Astros with a 3.71 ERA through Wednesday. Still, he's converted 30-of-36 save chances. His underlying numbers don't indicate too much of a skills decline. So, don't rule out a bounceback in 2024.
Tier 4: There’s Upside Here
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Evan Phillips - Los Angeles Dodgers
Clay Holmes - New York Yankees
Kenley Jansen/Chris Martin - Boston Red Sox
Yennier Cano - Baltimore Orioles
Craig Kimbrel/Jose Alvarado - Philadelphia Phillies
Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals
Tanner Scott - Miami Marlins
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
While Muñoz has led the closer committee in Seattle since Paul Sewald was traded, he's been consistent. He's converted 13-of-16 save chances. Given how the Mariners have operated in recent years, it's hard to say whether they'll let him run with the primary role in 2024. Still, the 24-year-old right-hander possesses incredible upside.
Phillips has done a more than admirable job for the Dodgers, converting 23-of-26 save chances with a 2.11 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and 64 strikeouts across 59 2/3 innings. But it's to be determined whether the team will have enough confidence in him to go into next season with Phillips as the sole primary closer.
Holmes has certainly rebounded well after a rough stretch. He converted two more saves this week, giving him 23 with a 2.90 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 69 strikeouts across 62 innings.
Jansen returned from the COVID-19 injured list this week, but has yet to make an appearance. The 35-year-old veteran right-hander is still under contract with the Red Sox for another season and should return with primary closing duties.
Cano had a mixed week, blowing a save on Friday before converting his eighth save on Tuesday against the Nationals. If Felix Bautista is available for the start of the 2024 season, he'll be the closer. Otherwise, Cano may be in the mix with any off-season additions after posting a 2.13 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over 71 2/3 frames.
Alvarado converted two saves for the Phillies, while Kibmrel was charged with two blown opportunities. Alvarado has been excellent since his return from the injured list in August. With Kimbrel set to hit free agency, Alvarado could return as the leading candidate to close for the Phillies in 2024.
Helsley blew a save on Saturday against the Padres, but bounced back with a save on Tuesday against the Brewers. He'll be a risky pick going into 2024 after he spent a significant part of the season on the injured list with an elbow injury.
Scott converted his tenth save of the season on Saturday against the Brewers. He's had an outstanding season overall, posting a 2.38 ERA, .102 WHIP, and 101 strikeouts across 75 2/3 innings. He converted 20 saves for the Marlins in 2022. It's possible they reward his season with another chance to run with the closer role, barring any major additions to the bullpen.
Tier 5: Just Getting By
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
Julian Merryweather/Mark Leiter Jr. - Chicago Cubs
Alex Lange - Detroit Tigers
Aroldis Chapman/Jose Leclerc - Texas Rangers
Carlos Estévez - Los Angeles Angels
Finnegan converted his 27th save of the season on Sunday. Overall, he was a solid source of saves for where he was drafted going into the season. But he likely won't be an attractive option next season after posting a 3.74 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 61 strikeouts across 67 1/3 innings.
Merryweather converted a save this week, his second for the Cubs since Adbert Alzolay was placed on the injured list. As long as Alzolay is healthy going into the 2024 season, he should retain the closer role.
Lange converted his 25th save on Sunday against the Athletics. While he's generally gotten the job done, a 15.8 percent walk rate made him an incredibly volatile option on an underperforming Tigers team.
Both Chapman and Leclerc converted a save for the Rangers this week. While Will Smith provided some stability in the ninth inning for much of the season, he unraveled over the last two months. Chapman is a free agent this winter and the team has a club option on Leclerc. So, the situation is up in the air going into the off-season.
Estévez started the week with a blown save last Tuesday, then converted his 31st of the season on Saturday against the Twins. Under contract for another season, he's currently the top option to close in 2024.
Tier 6: If You Must
Brooks Raley/Adam Ottavino - New York Mets
Trevor May - Oakland A's
Justin Lawrence/Tyler Kinley - Colorado Rockies
Taylor Clarke/James McArthur - Kansas City Royals
Bryan Shaw/Aaron Bumer - Chicago White Sox
