The 2021 MLB season is fast approaching and we here at DraftKings Nation are doing our best to get you ready. On top of the plethora of fantasy baseball draft strategy content and rankings we’ve put out, there’s always room for more! In this article, you’ll find every team’s bullpen situation late in games. We go over every team’s closer situation, handing out grades based on how safe said closer’s job is, plus list out set-up men who could be in line for saves should the closer falter.
AL East
Baltimore Orioles
Closer: Hunter Harvey
Set-up men: Dillon Tate, Cesar Valdez
Security grade: D
Harvey will get the first chances in the ninth inning for the lowly Orioles, but the 26-year-old has recorded just one save in his pro career. Tate and Tanner Scott will be waiting in the wings. Harvey will have a fairly short leash if he struggles early.
Boston Red Sox
Closer: Matt Barnes
Set-up men: Adam Ottavino
Security grade: C
Barnes has been tabbed as the Red Sox’s closer. He went 9-for-13 in save chances last year for Boston. Ottavino was acquired in January and will provide competition. Both pitchers have power arms with sub-optimal control, so this will likely be a rocky ride throughout the summer.
New York Yankees
Closer: Aroldis Chapman
Set-up men: Darren O’Day, Justin Wilson
Security grade: A
Chapman is one of the best and highest-paid closers in the game. The question with the Yankees’ bullpen lies in the eighth inning since Zack Britton will miss the next couple of months after undergoing elbow surgery. That means O’Day or RP Chad Green is probably next in line should something happen to Chapman.
Tampa Bay Rays
Closer: Nick Anderson
Set-up men: Diego Castillo, Pete Fairbanks,
Security grade: F
Who’s closing for the defending American League champions? All guesses are welcome. Eleven Rays pitchers recorded a save in last year’s 60-game regular season. Anderson had six saves while Castillo had four. This is going to be a mix-and-match situation all year long.
Toronto Blue Jays
Closer: Kirby Yates
Set-up men: Jordan Romano, Rafael Dolis
Security grade: B
Yates had a breakout season in 2019 as he saved 41 games for the Padres and recorded a 1.19 earned run average. Last season was a different story, however. He posted a 12.46 ERA in just 4.1 innings before undergoing season-ending elbow surgery. He’s locked in as Toronto’s closer right now, but until he proves otherwise, it’s fair to wonder if he can regain that previous form.
AL Central
Chicago White Sox
Closer: Liam Hendriks
Set-up men: Aaron Bummer, Garrett Crochet
Security grade: A
The White Sox signed Hendriks to a four-year deal this winter to fortify their strong bullpen. He has been a lights-out closer for the past couple of seasons, recording 39 saves and a 1.79 ERA since 2019. He should be one of the first relievers selected in all fantasy drafts.
Cleveland Indians
Closer: James Karinchak
Set-up men: Nick Wittgren, Emmanuel Clase
Security grade: C
Karinchak has posted some incredible strikeout rates throughout his young career — he had a K/9 rate of 17.7 in 27 innings with the Indians last year. Karinchak needs to prove that he can close at the MLB level, but there is no doubt that he has the stuff to succeed.
Detroit Tigers
Closer: Bryan Garcia
Set-up men: Gregory Soto, Joe Jimenez
Security grade: F
Garcia had a 1.66 ERA in 21.2 innings last year. Soto is armed with a 100-mph fastball. Jimenez was an all-star reliever in 2018. And you should assume that all of them will get ninth-inning chances this year in Detroit. This is a bullpen to avoid in fantasy.
Kansas City Royals
Closer: Greg Holland
Set-up men: Josh Staumont
Security grade: B
The 35-year-old Holland is the Royals’ closer once again. He picked up 141 saves for Kansas City from 2012-15. He turned his career around last year when he registered six saves and a 1.91 ERA in his second stint as a Royal. Staumont has better stuff and will probably vulture a few saves, but the Royals will probably give Holland a lot of leeway if he stumbles early.
Minnesota Twins
Closer: Alex Colome
Set-up men: Taylor Rogers
Security grade: D
Rogers was undoubtedly the man at the back of the Twins’ bullpen until Minnesota added Colome in February. Colome saved 138 games between 2016-20 for the Rays and White Sox. He doesn’t have the overpowering repertoire that Rogers possesses, but his established history in the ninth gives him a leg up. However, this will probably be a two-man committee throughout the season.
AL West
Houston Astros
Closer: Ryan Pressly
Set-up men: Pedro Baez, Enoli Paredes
Security grade: A
Pressly has been generally outstanding for the past three years, posting a 2.58 ERA with high strikeout rates dating back to 2018. He can be streaky, but he is definitely the best reliever in the Astros’ bullpen right now. Manager Dusty Baker will probably stick with him through thick and thin this year.
Los Angeles Angels
Closer: Raisel Iglesias
Set-up men: Mike Mayers, Ty Buttrey
Security grade: A
The ninth inning was usually a jumbled mess for the Angels last season. They acquired Iglesias in December from the Reds to provide much-needed stability. He notched 100 saves for Cincinnati from 2017-20 and has the talent and job security to be a top-five fantasy closer.
Oakland Athletics
Closer: Trevor Rosenthal
Set-up men: Jake Diekman, Sergio Romo
Security grade: B
Rosenthal resurrected his career in 2020 as he recorded a 1.90 ERA with 11 saves across 23 appearances for the Royals and Padres. He was signed by the Athletics in February to replace Hendriks. If healthy, he will be closing the bulk of the games in Oakland. However, with Rosenthal dealing with a groin strain this March, fantasy owners need to keep tabs on Diekman and Romo.
Seattle Mariners
Closer: Rafael Montero
Set-up men: Kendall Graveman, Keynan Middleton
Security grade: B
Montero isn’t a special closer — he saved eight games last year for Texas while recording a 4.08 ERA and a very average strikeout rate — but there isn’t a bunch of great arms behind him nipping at his heels for this job. Andres Munoz and Ken Giles are probably the closers-in-waiting, but the former won’t be ready to pitch until midseason, and the latter will miss the entire season due to Tommy John surgery.
Texas Rangers
Closer: Jose Leclerc
Set-up men: Joely Rodriguez
Security grade: B
With Montero now in Seattle, Leclerc will look to reclaim the closer’s role. He missed most of last season due to a shoulder injury. If he can rediscover his 2018 form — 1.56 ERA with a 13.3 K/9 rate — Leclerc could be a steal in fantasy drafts. His assumed top competition for the ninth-inning gig, Jonathan Hernandez, has been shut down because of a sprained elbow ligament.
NL East
Atlanta Braves
Closer: Will Smith
Set-up men: Chris Martin, A.J. Minter
Security grade: C
Smith wasn’t as successful last year as Martin or Minter; those two men combined for a sub-1.00 ERA in nearly 40 innings while Smith posted a 4.50 ERA in 18 games. But Smith has the most closing experience by far of anyone in this bullpen and is just a year removed from saving 34 games for the Giants. That gives him the edge here, but you shouldn’t expect ninth-inning stability from Atlanta in 2021.
Miami Marlins
Closer: Anthony Bass
Set-up men: Yimi Garcia
Security grade: D
Bass and Garcia should be viewed as co-closers in Miami right now. Bass probably gets first dibs because he has some history as a closer for the Marlins and Mariners, but Garcia has the better arm and was electric in 2020. Good luck here.
New York Mets
Closer: Edwin Diaz
Set-up men: Trevor May, Dellin Betances
Security grade: A
Everyone knows that Diaz’s first year with the Mets, 2019, was comically bumpy. He got hit around a lot and gave up 15 homers in 58 innings. However, he reverted back to his elite form in 2020, posting a 1.75 ERA and a ridiculous K/9 rate of 17.5. He can be wild at times, but Diaz is still one of the best closers in baseball when he’s on.
Philadelphia Phillies
Closer: Hector Neris
Set-up men: Archie Bradley, Jose Alvarado
Security grade: D
The offseason additions of Bradley and Alvarado give the Phillies two decent options for the ninth inning if they move on from Neris, who has been a roller coaster for the past few years while also recording 70 saves since 2017. If Bradley’s control is decent, like it was in 2017, 2018 and 2020, he could take this job soon.
Washington Nationals
Closer: Brad Hand
Set-up men: Tanner Rainey, Daniel Hudson
Security grade: A
Hand has been a quality closer for the past four years, saving 103 games between the Padres and Indians. His skills are diminishing a little bit as he heads into his age-31 season, but it would take quite a few blowups before he relinquishes that role to either the hard-throwing Rainey or to Hudson, who was the Nats’ closer during their 2019 World Series run.
NL Central
Chicago Cubs
Closer: Craig Kimbrel
Set-up men: Rowan Wick, Brandon Workman
Security grade: B
Kimbrel has posted an unsightly 6.00 ERA in two seasons with the Cubs. However, over his last 14 appearances in 2020, he struck out 26 batters in 12.2 innings and permitted just two runs. If we get that Kimbrel in 2021, he’s a top-notch fantasy closer. But beware overrating small sample sizes. Wick is still dealing with an oblique from last season but has looked great when healthy. Workman has closing experience his from days in Boston and Philadelphia.
Cincinnati Reds
Closer: Amir Garrett
Set-up men: Tejay Antone, Lucas Sims, Sean Doolittle
Security grade: C
There are a bunch of suitable ninth-inning options in Cincinnati. Garrett looks like he’ll be the lead one when the season opens, but Antone has opened eyes with his high-90s sinker, Doolittle has been a closer for two different teams dating back to 2014, and Sims is coming off a solid 2020. This could be a mess, but whoever establishes himself as the closer will be an attractive fantasy commodity.
Milwaukee Brewers
Closer: Josh Hader
Set-up men: Devin Williams
Security grade: A
Hader is at the top of the heap among closers in baseball. His strikeout numbers are just insane. But his control can be spotty and he does have a high HR rate. If he falters, however, Milwaukee will be in fine shape with Williams, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, as a backup. While Hader is an early-round fantasy pick, Williams provides plenty of value on his own. He gave up one earned run 27 innings last year.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Closer: Richard Rodriguez
Set-up men: Chris Stratton, Kyle Crick
Security grade: C
Nothing has been announced, but it’s assumed that the rebuilding Pirates will rely on Rodriguez in the ninth. He saved 4-of-5 games last year and finished with 10 scoreless appearances in September. He doesn’t bring incredible velocity, but his ratios in 2020 — a K/9 rate north of 13.00 and a BB/9 rate less than 2.00 — indicate that he is well-suited for a high-leverage role.
St. Louis Cardinals
Closer: Jordan Hicks
Set-up men: Giovanny Gallegos, Alex Reyes
Security grade: C
Hicks will probably be reinstalled as St. Louis closer this year despite not pitching since the summer of 2019 because of Tommy John surgery followed by his decision to opt out prior to last season. He doesn’t have the strikeout rates of someone who commonly hits 100 on the radar gun, but he does get a lot of ground balls and saved 27 games in his first two years in St. Louis. Gallegos earned four saves in 2020 and has been a stellar reliever for the past couple of years, so the Cardinals may give ninth-inning duties to more than one man.
NL West
Arizona Diamondbacks
Closer: Joakim Soria
Set-up men: Stefan Crichton, Tyler Clippard
Security grade: C
Soria is 36 years old and while he has a wealth of ninth-inning experience, he’s no longer a stable closer. But weighing in his favor is the fact that Arizona’s other options to close don’t inspire much confidence either. Soria’s résumé gives him some safety in this role; he has 223 career saves. But this could be a merry-go-round in 2021.
Colorado Rockies
Closer: Daniel Bard
Set-up men: Mychal Givens, Scott Oberg
Security grade: C
Bard was just a great story in 2020 as he made it back to the majors after seven years away, which included a retirement. And not only did he make it back, he converted all six save chances and recorded a 3.65 ERA for the Rockies. However, Givens has closing experience, too, and Oberg is close to a return after missing all of 2020 when he underwent surgery to address blood clots in his right arm. He was very solid in 2018 and 2019, so he could mix in here whenever he’s ready.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Closer: Kenley Jansen
Set-up men: Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol
Security grade: A
After almost a decade as one of the game’s best relievers, Jansen is predictably slowing down as he heads into his age-33 season. He’s a good reliever, but no longer untouchable. He has built up so much goodwill with the Dodgers franchise that it would probably take a long string of bad outings before he is booted out of the closer’s role. The Dodgers have fantastic secondary options in Treinen, Graterol and Corey Knebel. That trio will take a handful of chances away from Jansen this year as the Dodgers try to not overload him.
San Diego Padres
Closer: Drew Pomeranz
Set-up men: Emilio Pagan, Mark Melancon
Security grade: D
The Padres, like the rival Dodgers, have multiple guys who can be reliable in the ninth inning. But unlike the Dodgers, it doesn’t sound like the Padres will settle on just one man for an extended stretch. Melancon, with more than 200 saves on his ledger, has the most experience, but Pomeranz and Pagan are much more dominant. The former is a lefty and the latter is a righty, so expect some mixing and matching here.
San Francisco Giants
Closer: Jake McGee
Set-up men: Reyes Moronta, Tyler Rogers, Matt Wisler
Security grade: F
Manager Gabe Kapler has already said he prefers a closer-by-committee bullpen, so … yeah. The 34-year-old McGee is probably the leader at the moment, but Moronta could be an outstanding reliever if he can just harness his stuff a little better. Regardless, it’s not worth spending any draft capital on this bullpen.