2019 Fantasy Baseball Rankings

There is a top tier of three or four closers, but among them, Diaz is likely the best. He racked up 124 Ks in 73 innings last year, and while you can't bank on 57 saves again, 40 is well within question for a surprisingly good Mets team this year. His ratios will surely be stellar, but even so, with only 70 innings, they won't help you enough to warrant using a fifth or even earlier pick on him or any other closer.

Treinen was magical last season, floating a 0.78 ERA and 0.834 WHIP to go with 100 Ks and 38 saves. That made him the number two fantasy closer behind only Edwin Diaz, and that is precisely how he should be drafted this year. With that said, no closer taken in the first five rounds ever returns enough value so be patient.

What felt like a disastrous season for Jansen would have been great for most other relievers. He registered a career-high 3.01 ERA and career-low 10.3 K/9 substantially below his career average of 13.5. Health is his primary concern after undergoing heart surgery over the offseason, and he reportedly lost 25 pounds and is "ready to roll." Although no longer the premier closer in town, he's still a top-five option.

Chapman has been exceptional for nearly a decade now. It may surprise you to learn that he hasn't struck out 100 batters since 2015, though. Edwin Diaz, meanwhile, had 123 last year to go with 25 more saves than Aroldis. Chapman is obviously one of the top closers in baseball still, but doesn't deserve any consideration as a top 50 fantasy pick.

Some investors spent the entire season wondering when a trade would cost Hand his recently gained closing role in San Diego. Although not a full-time closer for Cleveland, he recorded eight saves in 28 outings to finish with 32. Of course, it's the 2.75 ERA and 104 strikeouts-Dellin Betances is the only other reliever to record triple-digit Ks in each of the last two seasons-that make him such an attractive fantasy asset. While Terry Francona may want to use his best reliever in high-leverage spots a la Andrew Miller, he no longer has Cody Allen to handle the final frame. Even if he shares the spotlight occasionally, Hand makes a top-10 stopper on the strength of a seismic strikeout tally.

Osuna didn't accomplish much last year because of his legal issues and the time missed as a result, but he as still extremely efficient, driving a 2.37 ERA with a 0.97 WHIP. Assuming he stays on the field, you can bank on 30 saves and plenty of strikeouts on top of the strong ratios.

One of baseball's hardest throwers, Vazquez has accrued a 2.17 ERA, 2.45 FIP, and 10.96 K/9 over the past two seasons combined. The 27-year-old is locked into Pittsburgh's closer gig after collecting 37 saves last year. A perfect blend of job stability and elite strikeout upside makes him closer to target after waiting out the more expensive top tier.

Doolittle only had 25 saves and 60 strikeouts last year, but he had an absurd 0.600 WHIP. That isn't a typo. With a full season, don't be surprised when Doolittle finishes in the elite tier of fantasy closers.

Kimbrel still hasn't signed so wherever he plays will obviously impact his fantasy upside. Boston would offer plenty more save opportunities, of course, than somewhere like San Diego. You can bank on excellent ratios with nearly 100 Ks regardless, however, so don't hesitate to grab him toward the end of the top tier of closers once again.

The Padres aren't expected to compete with the Dodgers or even Rockies for the division, but San Diego plays in enough low scoring close games that their closers tend to rack up the saves. This year should be no different for their new closer, who just so happened to be one of the best setup men in baseball before Brad Hand left the closer job open. Yates should find his way to 80+ Ks to go with amazing ratios once again.

You may not get a dozen saves out of Hader again, but the 143 strikeouts and lights out ratios are here to stay. Those video game numbers make him a top 10 fantasy relief pitcher, as you won't find anyone more apt to help you in those three big categories.

Iglesias has been one of the better closers over the past two seasons with 58 saves and 172 Ks, but the Reds have been suggesting that he might not be the every day closer this year. The Ks and ratios would still be good enough to own even if he didn't get any saves, but this undoubtedly causes a hit in his overall fantasy value.

Don't look now, but Leclerc may already be the most dominant reliever in baseball. His ERA last year was 1.56 with a 0.850 WHIP and 13.3 K/9. The saves could triple to 35+ this season so don't hesitate to reach a few rounds to secure a stud on draft day.

It only takes one bad week to torpedo a reliever's season. Davis relinquished eight runs in three outings from Aug. 2-9, raising his ERA from 4.20 to 5.51. He recovered back to 4.13 by allowing one run over his last 18 innings, but the final line remains far too high for a pricey reliever. Despite looking more like his dominant self down the stretch, diminished velocity and a putrid 49.4% first-pitch strike rate pose major problems. The Rockies kept him in the ninth all season over the clearly superior Adam Ottavino, who signed with the Yankees, so job security makes Davis one of few "saves are saves" picks still left on the table.

Giles may have been an elite closer in 2015 and 2017, but his other two seasons have been disappointing for fantasy owners. Although he straightened is out with Toronto in his final 20 innings, we were still looking at a low K-rate and an ERA over 4.00. Plus, it isn't like there will be a ton of save opportunities in Toronto like he saw in Houston the past few years.

It was easy to forget how great Robertson is since he only managed 19 saves over the past two seasons. He has racked up 88 Ks per season and excellent ratios over the last 8 years, however. With plenty of save opportunities in store, we could see him return to being a top 10 closer this year.

It seemed as though Ty Buttrey, Bedrosian and Anderson were going to compete for saves in LA, but then they signed Allen who figures to get the job. Don't be surprised if he losses the gig early, however, if he struggles like we saw last season. Don't consider him a lock for 25 saves again.

With a full season as the Rays' closer, Alvarado could end up one of the top 10 closers in baseball. There is some more risk with him than the guys who have done it for years, but we could be looking at 90 Ks with excellent ratios and 35 saves which makes him a total steal late in drafts.

Smith and Mark Melancon will reportedly enter spring training as the top two candidates to serve as the Giants' closer in 2019. While Smith has clearly done far more to deserve the job, the Giants' desire to save face on Melancon's bloated $62 million contract may make him the slight favorite. After posting a strong 2.55 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in the role last season, Smith could be a very good fantasy closer if he's able to win the job.

Contrary to popular belief, Hicks is the favorite to land the Cardinals' closer job over Andrew Miller this season. He may not be as dynamite a reliever, but Hicks is excellent in his own respect. If he does get the job, expect loads of save opportunities to go with 70+ Ks and excellent ratios.

Braves manager Brian Snitker recently suggested that the team could play matchups in the eighth and ninth innings, which means that both the right-handed Vizcaino and left-handed A.J. Minter could see plenty of save opportunities in 2019. Most major league hitters are right-handed, so Vizcaino is the favorite to again lead Atlanta in saves when all is said and done. His walk rate is higher than you'd like, but he's outperformed his peripherals for most of his career, so it wouldn't be shocking if he managed another sub-3.00 ERA.

Although Baltimore may only win 50 games, Givens is one of the closers who has no competition for saves on his team. Even 25 save opportunities is better than what someone like Josh Hader or Zach Britton will get. Pair that with another 80 strikeouts and respectable ratios and we are looking at a top 30 fantasy reliever.

The Cardinals acquired Miller this offseason, but they appear unlikely to use him exclusively in the ninth inning. Still, Miller is the definition of the kind of dominant reliever who belongs on fantasy rosters in many leagues even if he isn't closing.

Colome is reportedly the favorite to see most of the saves chances, but Kelvin Herrera and Nate Jones could also factor into the ninth inning at times. Colome isn't quite the dominant pitcher he appeared to be back in 2016, but he got his strikeout rate back over a batter per inning last season and he has tended to slightly outperform his peripherals. Perhaps most importantly, he's shown he can handle the ninth inning. It's not a lock that he'll run away with the job or hold it all season, but he could be a sneaky source of saves with serviceable ratios.

There may be no other relief pitcher who is slipping under the radar as much as Barnes. Unless the Red Sox sign Craig Kimbrel, it seems as though Barnes will be the closer for a team that should win around 100 games once again. Don't hesitate to grab him late if your draft happens before Kimbrel signs.

Bradley isn't a 90 strikeout guy, nor should we expect an ERA south of 2.00, but he is the heavy favorite to get saves in Arizona, which certainly counts for something. Granted, they won't win 80 games, but even 35 saves is plenty to warrant a late-round pick.

Betances could work his way into save chances if something happens to Aroldis Chapman. But even if Chapman remains healthy and effective, Betances is worth owning in leagues where non-closing relievers are rostered as a source of elite strikeouts and ratios.

Strop is currently penciled in to serve as the Cubs' closer, at least until Brandon Morrow returns from an elbow injury. With a 2.61 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 10.1 K/9 over the last five seasons, Strop has proven to be a fantasy asset in many formats even when he isn't closing games. He could well be a top-10 closer for however long he's allowed to handle the job. That uncertainty puts a bit of a damper on Strop's draft stock, but he is still a solid selection in the middle rounds of drafts.

The majority of Dominguez' appeal was ruined when the Phillies signed David Robertson, who will almost certainly be their closer. With that said, Dominguez should be a three-category monster and well worth owning even without the saves.

Plenty are suggesting that Blake Parker was brought in to be the closer for Minnesota, but

Although Greene had a rough 2018 season, he comes into this year as the expected closer for Detroit. Joe Jimenez might take over before long, but as long as Greene continues to offer saves and strikeouts, he deserves a roster spot.

Minter was supposed to be in the heat of the competition for saves in Atlanta, and while that may happen down the road, an injury setback for him has handed the job over to Vizcaino. Unless you play in a deeper league, this should make Minter undraftable, but worth keeping an eye on in free agency.

The Marlins likely won't win 70 games, but even so, there will be saves to be found on the roster and Steckenrider is the early favorite to get the job done. How long the role stays his is anyone's guess, but saves are saves so add him late if you are desperate.

It sounds as though Morrow is going to miss the start of the season. That could very well turn into multiple months as we've seen with "minor" pitching injuries many times before. It is a dangerous game to draft based on injury optimism, even if the closer does have considerable upside.

The Mariners are in the midst of a complete rebuild, but one under-the-radar move they made this offseason was signing Hunter Strickland away from the Giants on a one-year deal. Strickland took a step backward last year while also suffering a broken hand, but he posted some solid numbers the previous three years. Mariners manager Scott Servais has indicated that the team may not have a "set closer," but Seattle may have an incentive to settle on Strickland as the closer to inflate his trade value. As such, Strickland could be a decent late-round option for saves, even though the chance he's eventually traded to a contender is fairly high.

Looking like a lost cause in Pittsburgh, Glasnow revitalized his career following a midseason trade to Tampa Bay. The former elite prospect posted a 4.20 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 64 strikeouts in 55.2 frames. The burgeoning hype would be much bigger if not for getting tagged for seven runs by Toronto in the first frame on Sept. 5. His 19 walks in 11 starts actually represented a stark, and workable improvement over past abhorrent command, and he has reportedly thrown his fastball at 98.7 mph (a full two ticks above last season's average velocity) in camp. His rising price is going to skyrocket if the 6'8" righty throws that hard in a spring training game.

After Parker signed with the Twins, many assumed he will be the closer, but it seems as though Trevor May is the favorite. In fact, Parker is likely the third-best reliever in this bullpen behind May and Rogers so beware on draft day.

Stripling may have faded toward the end of the season, but his start to the season was so absurd that he still managed to finish top five in xFIP among all starting pitchers with at least 120 innings. Stripling is like Mike Clevinger this time last year in that his dominant sample size is large enough to assume he can be a top 30 starting pitcher with a full season worth of work.

Knebel was injured and had a rough year, but still tallied up 88 strikeouts in 55 innings with a killer WHIP. Expect the ERA to improve closer to that 1.78 rate from 2017, and with that and a full bill of health should come a bounceback to 30 or even 40 saves.

Boxberger is expected to hold off Peralta for the Royals' closer job, and while it may not be the most envied role, he should still be able to compile 20 to 25 saves if he can hang onto the job. His ratios won't be ideal, but he does offer some K-upside as we've seen before.

Herrera was presumably signed to close for the White Sox, but they also added Alex Colome who has closing experience. This one is too close to call for now so you may want to add both in a late round just to make sure you get some saves.

McHugh was terrific in relief for the Astros last season and is now slated for a return to the starting rotation. This is a pitcher capable of helping in ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts, and the win potential is certainly there as well. He's a nice sleeper.

Jeffress could again see save opportunities in Milwaukee this season, but Corey Knebel is the favorite to lead the closer committee. Regardless, Jeffress can help enough in other areas (Ks, ERA, WHIP) to be worth rostering in many formats even if he isn't closing. If you're skeptical, consider this: Josh Hader and Jeffress finished as the third and fourth most-valuable relievers in standard 5

Ottavino might be stuck behind Chapman, Betances, Britton and Chad Green for the closer job, but he is a force of nature who could strike out 100 batters this season to go with sparkling ratios and a handful of wins. Don't hesitate to add him late in drafts to boost you in three categories.

Assuming the Red Sox keep their word and don't re-sign Kimbrel, Braiser will be battling it out with Matt Barnes for one of the most coveted closer jobs in the league. If he wins it, you can count on stellar ratios to go along with all the save opportunities.

The Mets added the best closer in baseball this off-season so Familia takes a step back, but if anything happens to Diaz, Familia is the clear closer-in-waiting and would be top 20 at the position right away.

Green wasn't as electric in 2018 as the year before, but he still registered 94 strikeouts with excellent ratios and 8 wins. He isn't the closer, nor does he have a path to saves, but you can certainly make a case for drafting him even in standard sized leagues.

Peacock has been very effective as both a starter and reliever for the Astros over the last two seasons and looks likely to open the season in Houston's rotation this year. While it's possible he's eventually pushed out by Josh James or Forrest Whitley, Peacock can be nearly as valuable as a reliever, particularly in innings-capped roto leagues. He's well worth drafting.

Britton isn't going to be the closer in New York, nor is he likely the next man up since Dellin Betances is also ahead of him, but Britton is still well worth owning if your league allows you to start four or five relievers. He will help your ratios significantly while adding nearly 80 Ks as usual.

Melancon and Will Smith will reportedly enter spring training as the top two candidates to serve as the Giants' closer in 2019. While Smith has clearly done far more to deserve the job, the Giants' desire to save face on Melancon's bloated $62 million contract may make him the slight favorite. If the job goes to Melancon, he'll be worth owning in case he can rediscover his past form, but the chances of him blowing up your ERA and/or WHIP would be significant.

Despite posting a 4.66 ERA last season and struggling to reach 90 mph in spring, Holland will open 2019 as Arizona's closer. Best-case scenario: He keeps the job and records 30 saves with an ugly ERA like Brad Boxberger last season. He could just as easily lose the job to Archie Bradley or Yoshihisa Hirano in April, so he's best deployed in deeper leagues.

Strahm is the ultimate sleeper, as he is a great bet to post killer numbers if he beats out the odds and makes the Padres rotation. He has been a stud in the bullpen when healthy but may end up there once again.

Vasquez is the closer in Pittsburgh for now, but Kela has immense upside if he slips up or is injured so be sure to keep him on waiver wire speed dial.

Pressly isn't expected to pick up more than a save or two this season because of Roberto Osuna's presence, but if Osuna were to suffer an injury, Pressly would likely take over the job and be a top 10 closer right away.

 

 

 

Boxberger is expected to have the closer job in Kansas City to start the season, but he is among the worst closers in baseball so keep Peralta on speed dial in case he takes over the job.

Most depth charts have Shane Greene slotted into the closer role for Detroit but this job is up in the air. Jimenez was an all-star last season, and while he pitched poorly down the stretch, don't sleep on him winning the job this spring.

 

 

 

If you play in a deeper league, Castillo can be a ratio master that racks up plenty of saves, or better yet, if you employ the Marmol Strategy, Castillo qualifies as a starting pitcher so you can plug him on days where you don't have enough starters going.

 

It seems as though Pedro Strop will be the closer to open the season and eventually Brandon Morrow will get the job back. There is a chance Edwards slips in as the closer, however, but he has plenty of upside regardless of saves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lugo is one of those rare assets who qualifies as both a starting pitcher and reliever. Most likely, he will be used exclusively in the bullpen where he may pile up another 100 innings of stellar ratios.

 

 

May and Parker are seemingly in a batter at the top of Minnesota's depth chart, but Rogers is the type of guy who could find himself in the role at some point, and if it were to happen, he would dominate.

With Brandon Morrow out, the Cubs' closer job will likely end up in Strop or Edwards' hands, but keep an eye on Cishek just in case he takes the coveted role for a month or two to start the season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hudson has quality stuff and produced for the Redbirds last season, but he is going to have a difficult time beating out both Alex Wainwright and Alex Reyes for the final spot in St. Louis' rotation. If it happens, he will be worth owning, but don't bank on it until we get more info.

 

 

 

Erlin may not be a household name and you'll never feel sexy about drafting him, but if you want quality ratios, especially WHIP, he will answer the call late into drafts as your 6th starting pitcher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The closer job in Chicago seems to be between Herrera and Colome, but don't be shocked if Fry jumps in at some point in the season, as he has the best raw stuff and numbers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Castillo is out for the first two months, but if the Padres fall behind early and dangle Kirby Yates in trades like they've done with closers in the past, don't be surprised if Castillo takes over as a dominant second-half closer.