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Ranking relief pitchers in Fantasy Baseball is probably the hardest position to get right. Not only do you have to try to assess talent for pitchers who are throwing, at most, about 80 innings in a season – a little less than half a season for most starting pitchers – but you also have to try to predict how managers will deploy their best relievers.
Is Tanner Scott, a very good reliever on a very good team, a better Fantasy option than Kenley Jansen in 2025? Jansen is likely the worst pitcher of the two, and he's certainly on a worse team, so you would think it's an easy call to just take Scott, right? Well, the Angels have an old-school manager who is almost certainly going to rely on one closer as long as he gets the job done, while the Dodgers have a bullpen full of elite arms and a manager who has been willing to mix and match to get the job done over the years.
It would be a fairly easy call if all that mattered was who the better player is, which is pretty much how it works at every other position. But because saves are such a huge part of how closers get their value in Fantasy, it's entirely possible that Jansen will end up the better option – and there are some outcomes in which it isn't even close.
And then there's another wrinkle to consider for those of you in H2H points leagues – the SPaRPs. So, before we get to the closer candidates, for 2025, let's talk about the SPaRPs you need to know about:
- Position Strategies: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP
- Position Previews: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP
- Position Tiers: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP
Meet The SpaRPs!
SPaRP noun : A starting pitcher who is eligible at a relief pitcher spot in your lineup.
Cole Ragans as a SPaRP in 2024 was a cheat code for H2H points leagues.
Now, I want to be clear about something: Last year was an unusually good year for SPaRPs. Cole Ragans was an ace, and Garrett Crochet and Reynaldo Lopez provided ace-level production for long stretches. We don't have anyone who is an obvious impact option among the SPaRPs like Ragans was, but it's worth noting that neither Crochet nor Lopez was expected to be anywhere near as good as they were. So, there's still a chance, despite a much less intriguing pool of options, that a few must-start guys come out of this group. Let's rank 'em, in order of how likely I am to draft them in a 12-team H2H points league:
- Bowden Francis, Blue Jays -- Francis added a splitter to his arsenal last season and emerged as a nearly unhittable force in the Blue Jays rotation, giving up more than three hits in just two of his final 11 appearances (10 starts). He wasn't racking up huge strikeout numbers, but his 3.39 xERA backed up his overall 3.30 mark and showed just how good he was at generating weak contact. I don't think he's an ace, but Francis could be an above-average pitcher with that splitter playing a big part.
- Jackson Jobe, Tigers -- Jobe is either the best or second-best pitching prospect in the league, one who is certainly regarded as major-league-ready at this point, which makes his relatively underwhelming minor-league production in 2024 sort of curious. He had a 2.36 ERA across three levels, but also struck out a merely decent 25.6% of opposing batters while walking a truly terrible 12.0%. The stuff should play at the MLB level, and his injury history is mostly of the non-arm variety, but I wish I felt more confident about his chances of being an immediate impact arm for Fantasy. Still, the upside is worth chasing in all leagues, and especially H2H points leagues.
- Clay Holmes, Mets -- Holmes is making the transition from the bullpen to the rotation, and the early returns this spring have been very promising. The 13 strikeouts in 9.2 innings of work tell part of the story, but it's the process that I remain impressed with; he's throwing a full six-pitch mix this spring, and his new changeup especially looks like a weapon vs. lefties. Given his platoon split issues and the need to face batters multiple times in the rotation, expanding the arsenal was a must. That's not a guarantee he'll be a difference maker, but I'm willing to take Holmes in the top-250 in any league now.
- Nick Martinez, Reds -- In some ways, Martinez has some Seth Lugo to him, with a deep arsenal full of pitches he commands well, relying on generating weak contact and avoiding walks more than racking up strikeouts. I don't expect anything like what Lugo managed a year ago, obviously, and he's also pretty fringe-y for Roto leagues. But I think he's a fine target for H2H leagues.
- Drew Rasmussen, Rays -- Rasmussen has had two Tommy John surgeries and an internal brace procedure in his career, which makes it all the more impressive that he came back last season throwing as hard as we've ever seen. Sure, it was in the bullpen, mostly in two-inning bursts, but it was nice to see that the stuff was still there. If he was definitely going to be in the Opening Day rotation, Rasmussen would be a higher priority, but right now it looks like he might be sixth in the pecking order, which makes it tougher to justify drafting him in a shallower points league. But if he's in the rotation, there's still some upside here.
- Mike Soroka, Nationals -- After so many injuries, Soroka just wasn't the same guy last season. He had to reinvent himself, and that's what he did, prioritizing his four-seam fastball over his sinker over his final 10 appearances, leading to a massive 43% strikeout rate. It wasn't a starter's workload, but it was mostly in multi-inning bursts, so I do have some optimism that he'll be able to make this work after signing with the Nationals this offseason. At the very least, I'm taking a late-round flier on him in pretty much every points league, just in case, especially with a spring velocity jump.
- Kris Bubic, Royals -- Bubic is trying to win a spot in the Royals rotation this spring after absolutely dominating out of the bullpen in his return from elbow surgery last year. He flashed a bit of upside before the injury in 2023, and his stuff looked even better in shorter stints last season. It's a starter's arsenal and a decent home park and supporting cast, making him a viable late-round target in deeper leagues.
- Grant Holmes, Braves -- Holmes has a decent fastball and a couple of breaking balls that look better than decent, which isn't a bad way to start a resume for a No. 5 starter. I'm not sure he's much more than that – and won't be for the Braves once Spencer Strider is back, assuming they stay healthy – but he'll be a useful SPaRP whenever he's in the rotation.
- Hayden Wesneski, Astros -- Wesneski was kind of an afterthought in the trade that sent Kyle Tucker to the Cubs, but it looks like he's going to be in the Astros rotation to open the season, and there are some interesting skills here, led by a sweeper with a massive 43% strikeout rate. His pair of fastballs aren't really great, though, so he might need to find another answer here – maybe more of the solid cutter he only threw 9% of the time last year? It seems reasonable to bet on the Astros wringing the most they can out of Wesneski, and with the win potential that comes from being backed by a good lineup, he could be a fine SPaRP option.
- Luis Ortiz, Guardians -- The Guardians are another organization where we tend to assume they'll get the most out of the marginally interesting pitchers on their roster, so this one is a bit of a bet on that. Ortiz is coming off a decent season with the Pirates, where he had a 3.32 ERA in 135.2 innings, but with limited strikeouts and underlying numbers that didn't really back it up. I think the best you're hoping for here is an average-ish starter unless he can find a way to tap into the strikeout upside he once showed as a prospect.
Consensus Top 12
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There were some concerning signs below the surface with Clase in 2023, but he largely reversed them en route to the best season of his career. He's still at a relative deficit in strikeouts compared to other elite closers, but everything else about his track record is absolutely unimpeachable.
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Despite a concerning back injury, Williams looked like his typically dominant self when he came back in the second half. His changeup remains arguably the single most dominant pitch in baseball, and the Yankees should give him plenty of opportunities to rank among the league leaders in saves. Injury is the only concern here.
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Hader has lost a bit of effectiveness, though the extent to which that is true is probably overstated by his 3.80 ERA last season. He remains one of just a handful of relievers capable of 100-plus strikeouts in a season – especially with the Astros upping his workload in his first season with the new team – and his 2.72 expected ERA is much more palatable.
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It was, at times, a rough ride for Diaz in 2024 as he came back from a knee injury that cost him the entire previous season. Diaz has never been quite as consistent as you'd prefer, but we know the upside here is as high as it is for any reliever in baseball – remember, he had 118 strikeouts and a 1.31 ERA in 2022 – and the worst-case scenario still usually ends up being a mid-3.00s ERA and a slightly smaller pile of strikeouts.
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There's a notable dip in upside here, as Iglesias hasn't had more than 68 strikeouts since 2022 and hasn't had more than 80 since 2021. But he pitches for a very good team and typically ends the season with a very good ERA and around 35 saves. He's about as safe as any 35-year-old pitcher can be, with no real signs of slipping skills at this point in his career. He's certainly less exciting than some of the guys after him, but exciting doesn't pay the league entry fee.
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Staying healthy has been something of an issue for Helsley, but there's little arguing with the results at this point. He won't repeat last year's 49 saves on a Cardinals team that figures to take a half-step back, but he should be an excellent source of ratios and strikeouts if he can avoid the IL. Even the threat of a trade shouldn't scare you off – any team that trades for Helsley is likely to do so to make him their closer. Unless it's the Dodgers, I guess.
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If Miller's elbow can hold up, he might already be the best reliever in baseball. Among pitchers with at least 60 innings in 2024, he had the best strikeout rate and the best K-BB%, and neither was particularly close. His 1.77 expected ERA also led all pitchers, with Kirby Yates' 1.86 mark the only one below 2.00. He pitches for a team that likely tops out at average, so improving much on his 28 saves from 2024 might be tough, limiting his RP1 overall upside. But he's about as impactful as a closer can be without 40-save upside.
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For Munoz, the issue isn't health as much as it is an organizational insistence on not using him as a true closer. Keeping him flexible in the late innings isn't a bad thing for the Mariners' chances of winning games, but it does make it hard to project even 30 saves for Munoz. If he got there, he'd probably be a top-five closer in Fantasy. As it is, he's still a top-10 option, just one whose middling saves totals mean you have to plan for at least one other high-volume option.
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I'm hoping Duran can get through this spring without any injuries like the one that derailed the start of his 2024 season and kept him looking a bit shaky pretty much all season. When he's right, Duran is a nightmare for opposing batters, generating both weak contact on the ground and bunches of strikeouts. He probably won't get 35 saves – even 30 hasn't happened yet – but he's a very good closer who should contribute 25 or so. He might be more valuable in deeper leagues – he's especially pretty middling in points leagues – but he's a fine closer anywhere.
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Bautista is working his way back from Tommy John surgery plus a second clean-up procedure, but at this point, he is expected to be ready to pitch well before Opening Day. And the last time we saw him, he was arguably the best reliever in Fantasy, so there's plenty to be excited about. But drafting him as a top-10 closer requires a leap of faith, especially with his velocity down at least two mph in his first couple of spring outings. I'm hopeful he's still the same guy, but I won't personally be drafting him with that assumption until I see it.
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Walker was tremendous for the Giants last season, sporting a 32.1% strikeout rate and 5.8% walk rate in addition to his terrific ratios. I'm a little bit skeptical, mostly because both the strikeout rate and walk rate were better than he had managed at either Double-A or Triple-A. I think he's probably pretty good, but I'm less certain he's elite – an ERA in the low 3.00s and a bunch of strikeouts would be a fine outcome as he remains the Giants closer. But if Camilo Doval looks like his pre-2024 self and Walker stumbles, there's plenty of risk here, too.
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Hoffman took a big step forward in 2023 and then sustained it in 2024, emerging as one of the true elite relievers in baseball. There's some concern here after the Orioles and Braves both got spooked off signing him due to concerns about his shoulder, but I do wonder how much of that was due to the Braves and Orioles looking at Hoffman as a starter. He'll close for the Blue Jays, and as long as he's healthy, Hoffman sure looks like an elite closer for a team that should compete for a playoff spot.
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Don't Forget About ...
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In a league where fastballs are thrown less than ever, Suarez is bucking the trend, throwing either of his two versions a combined 87% of the time last season. It mostly worked out for him, but I do worry that his 4.28 ERA in the second half was a sign that the league started catching up to Suarez's one weird trick. With trade rumors following him all offseason, Suarez feels like a less safe bet for a big save total than you might expect given his dominance a year ago.
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Megill reported to camp with an undisclosed injury during a throwing session, and while the team is downplaying it right now, it's certainly worth watching. With Devin Williams out of the picture, Williams figures to open the season as the Brewers closer if he's healthy. If not, we could see Joel Payamps get another look, so you'll have to check on Megill's status closer to your draft before figuring out how to approach this one. As of late February, Megill is a risky RP2, and Payamps is at least worth a look in the later rounds of a 15-team league.
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Scott is a bit of a roller coaster ride, but when he's right, he's basically unhittable. The Dodgers have a deep bullpen, including another elite closer in Kirby Yates, which makes it tough to project 30-plus saves for Scott. The upside here is sky-high, and it sounds like he will at least open the season as the team's first option in the ninth inning. Just don't be surprised if he doesn't monopolize saves and you shouldn't be disappointed.
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Jansen is no longer an all-world closer, and he's now closing for a pretty mediocre team, so there isn't a ton to get excited about here. But he should remain the closer all year and is good enough to give you a low-3.00s ERA and 30-ish saves. If that's all you ask of him, he's a fine second closer, one who will likely be a discount in drafts as people inevitably chase younger, more exciting options.
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When Romano has been healthy, he has been a pretty great reliever. But he was terrible in 2024 while trying to pitch through elbow issues that ultimately required surgery to repair an elbow impingement in July. The Phillies rolled the dice on a one-year deal with him, and if he's right, he could return to the ranks of the top 12 closers in Fantasy pretty quickly. Or the 31-year-old could be more or less finished. Romano is worth drafting in all leagues, but those of you in deeper leagues might consider a late-round dart throw on Orion Kerkering or Matt Strahm. You know, just in case.
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Sleeper
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Soroka tried to do what got him to the majors early last season, but after a couple of Achilles tears and some forearm issues, he just wasn't the same guy. He had to evolve, and Soroka did exactly that, prioritizing his four-seamer, eventually totally ditching his sinker, and suddenly looking a whole lot more interesting. Over his final 10 appearances, Soroka struck out 43% of opposing hitters while typically working in multi-inning stints, and was impressive enough that the Nationals signed him with the intention of trying him out as a starter again. You should be skeptical that this success will carry over, but Soroka will cost your Fantasy team a lot less than the $9 million the Nationals are giving him, and I think he should be drafted in any H2H leagues as a SPaRP, just in case what he did at the end of the year was at all for real.
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Breakout
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Hoffman comes with some real injury question marks after concerns about his shoulder seemingly kept two separate teams from signing him this offseason. But I also think it's reasonable to assume the Orioles and Braves were targeting Hoffman for a role in the rotation, which would make health concerns a bigger obstacle to signing him than it surely was for the Blue Jays, who will ask for significantly less innings from Hoffman as their closer. And he has emerged as one of the very best high-leverage arms in the league, posting an ERA below 2.50 with K rates near 12 per nine over the past two seasons. The Blue Jays figure to be competing for a playoff spot so saves should be plentiful enough for Hoffman to potentially be an elite Fantasy closer.
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Bust
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Baustista is being drafted more or less as if there's no concern about how he's going to pitch coming back from Tommy John surgery. If that works out, great, you've got an elite closer on a very good team, and you picked him as the No. 10 RP off the board. That's pretty good! I wasn't willing to do that before we saw him pitch in Spring Training, and what we saw in his first two outings didn't really convince me. He's throwing 2-4 mph lower than he did in 2023, and while there's still room for him to be a good reliever at that velocity, there's no guarantee he ever gets back to his previous level -- and he might struggle outright if he doesn't adjust well. The Orioles haven't even guaranteed him a spot on the Opening Day roster, though I do assume he's a pretty safe bet unless something goes wrong. Still, there's just too much uncertainty here to make Bautista a top-100 pick for me.
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