Fantasy Baseball Closers to Start Season: AL Edition | Felix Bautista, Jason Foley, Lucas Erceg, Aroldis Chapman, Luke Jackson and More

With the fantasy baseball season about to kick into high gear, it's time we look at each team's closer situation. We'll use FanGraphs to get us pointed in the right direction, and then I'll add some thoughts on how I see things shaking out in 2025. 

We'll begin with the American League teams - check back later for the National League writeup.

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Yankees

Devin Williams is the unquestioned closer for New York. He was acquired from the Brewers in the offseason, and he'd need to struggle mightily, or get injured, to lose that closer role.

Luke Weaver is next in line for the Yankees if Williams ever goes down, or struggles.

Guardians

Emmanuel Clase is the clear No. 1 closer in Cleveland. Like Williams, the only thing stopping Clase from closing games would be struggling mightily, or getting injured and being unavailable. 

Cade Smith or Hunter Gaddis could be the next in line if Clase is ever unavailable. Paul Sewald also is on the roster and has closing experience in his career.

Orioles

Felix Bautista is back as the Baltimore closer after missing all of the 2024 season. He might not get every save this season in an effort to not overwork him, but he'll be the go-to guy most often.

Seranthony Dominguez looks to be the top setup man, and backup option in case Bautista struggles, or gets hurt again. Keegan Akin and Yennier Cano are other options. 

Astros

Josh Hader will open the season as the unquestioned closer for Houston. He struggled a bit in 2024, but still put up good enough fantasy totals.

Bryan Abreu is in place if Hader ever gets injured, or struggles mightily. 

Tigers

Detroit is likely going to go with a committee again in 2025. Jason Foley will get most of the closing chances, but Tyler Holton and Beau Brieske are also closer options.

Foley is the one that should have the most fantasy value, but he could be outscored by Holton, like he was in the 2024 season. An injury to one of those three, and definitely two of them, might be the only time we get real clarity on a full-time closer.

The trio splitting late-inning chances could stop them from ever being standard league options.

Royals

Kansas City has Carlos Estevez and Lucas Erceg who they could turn to. Estevez is projected for 22 saves, while Erceg is at just 10.

I think it will be more of an even split, with Erceg emerging as the better fantasy asset this season. Both might have a difficult time sticking in standard leagues if they split the save opportunities all season.

Mariners

Andres Munoz is the clear closer in Seattle. He's one of my favorite fantasy reliever sleepers in 2025.

If he struggles, or gets injured, Collin Snider or Gregory Santos could be next in line for saves. Santos has a little more fantasy upside, but has an injury history himself.

Twins

Jhoan Duran should be the clear No. 1 closer in Minnesota this season, but Griffin Jax is also breathing down his neck. Duran has struggled with injuries over the past couple seasons, and has regressed since debuting a couple years ago.

Jax is older, but has been the more dominant reliever of late. I think he could get close to 10 saves this season, even if Duran is healthy all season. It's not a committee, but a few rough Duran outings could turn it into one.

Red Sox

Aroldis Chapman appears to have won the Boston closer role, taking that spot from Liam Hendriks. I don't think that means Chapman will be the only one getting saves though.

Chapman is definitely the better fantasy asset to start the season, and would remain the better asset even if this becomes a committee because of his strikeout numbers. I still think Hendriks gets a few save opportunities a month, and could reach double-digit saves by the end of the season.

Hendriks is just a deep-league option after losing the closer role, but this is a battle to keep track of all season, as the hottest reliever might get the save chances.

Rays

Pete Fairbanks is the unquestioned No. 1 closer in Tampa Bay. He's another fantasy sleeper in my eyes, with health holding him back in a lot of fantasy owner's eyes.

If Fairbanks gets injured again, or struggles and loses the job, Edwin Uceta looks like the next in line. He should get any save opportunities if Fairbanks is unavailable to pitch this season, but he'll only be a deep-league option unless Fairbanks loses the role or is out injured.

Rangers

Chris Martin looked like the clear favorite to be the Texas closer in 2025, with Robert Garcia as the only other contender to close games. Now it looks like Luke Jackson has not only entered the mix, but is maybe the favorite to close games at the start of the season.

Jackson earned a save in a perfect ninth inning in an exhibition game for the Rangers on Monday. Manager Bruce Bochy said the way that game played out is how he'd like the bullpen to look, so Jackson is now a week 1 streaming option.

Texas is a bounceback team in 2025 for me, and should win plenty of games, so the team's closer could be in store for a good fantasy season. I'd definitely add Jackson in deeper leagues in case he keeps the closer role all season - he could become a standard league option in a hurry if he gets the first couple saves.

Martin looks like the next in line for the closer role, while Garcia is after that. Don't write either guy off, but Jackson looks like the top fantasy asset to kick off the season. This could become a committee this season and be an absolute fantasy mess, so keep checking back to FantasySP for the latest!

Blue Jays

Jeff Hoffman is the Toronto closer to kick off the season. He was a free agent pickup this offseason, and has the most closing experience on the team.

Chad Green or Yimi Garcia could be next in line if Hoffman struggles or gets injured at any point. Hoffman's hold on the closer role should be pretty secure, at least to open the season.

Athletics

Mason Miller is the Athletics' go-to reliever, and is one of the most electric pitchers in all of baseball. He's a top-end fantasy reliever for a reason, and getting multi-inning outings should offset a lower save total on a bad Athletics' team.

If Miller goes down with an injury, or struggles mightily, Jose Leclerc would probably be next in line for saves. 

At least to start the season, Miller is the only notable fantasy asset in the Athletics' bullpen, and that might not even change if he's out for an extended period of time.

Angels

Kenley Jansen should close games for Los Angeles to kick off the 2025 season. He was signed by the team in February, stealing the job away from Ben Joyce.

The 24-year-old Joyce could regain the closer role after an injury, or maybe a trade of Jansen, but for now, Joyce looks like a deep-league fantasy option at best. 

I'm still not really sure why LA signed Jansen, because it's taking a major opportunity away from a player who could be a cornerstone in the team's bullpen for years to come.

White Sox

Mike Clevinger could be the favorite to earn saves for Chicago, but Justin Anderson and Fraser Ellard are in the mix too.

Whoever gets the majority of the save opportunities still won't be a great fantasy asset on what's likely to be the league's worst team again. I'd avoid any Chicago reliever in standard leagues, and probably wait to see who emerges as the top reliever before adding anyone in a deeper league.