Fantasy Baseball Closer Report for American League Teams

It's time to check out how fantasy closers are faring in the American League.

We already took a look at the National League closers in another story.

Explore the best in-season tool to manage lineup/start decisions including waiver pickups, projections, trade suggestions, trade value charts, rest of season rankings, power rankings, and tons more with Fantasy Assistant.

Rangers

Luke Jackson continues to lead Texas in the save department. He has five already, with Chris Martin earning the lone other save.

Jackson has a loss to his name too, and has allowed three runs on six hits and two walks, although all the runs came in his first outing of the season. Jackson has five strikeouts along the way.

As long as Jackson retains the starting role, he's going to be a pretty good fantasy asset on a team winning a lot of games. He should be rostered in all deeper leagues, and can be a standard league option for those needing closer help.

Martin is 0-1, and all four runs he's allowed have been unearned. He's given up five hits and two walks, while punching out 11. Martin still has deep-league fantasy value, and likely is next in line if Jackson ever struggles or gets injured.

Angels

Kenley Jansen has three of the team's five saves. Ryan Johnson and Ryan Zeferjahn have the other two.

Jansen is the team's closer and he's yet to allow a run on three hits and two walks over five innings. He's struck out six along the way. Jansen is still plugging along at age 37, and he's a good fantasy asset for the time being.

I don't expect LA to win as much as they have early on, so Jansen might eventually be just a deep-league option, but for now, he's OK to roster and utilize in some standard leagues.

Johnson has allowed seven runs (five earned) on eight hits and two walks, while striking out three over five innings. Zeferjahn has allowed a run on two hits and two walks, while striking out seven over 3 2/3 innings. 

I'm not sure who would get the saves if Jansen was unavailable, but I think the team wants Ben Joyce to be that guy.

Astros

Josh Hader has three saves and a win for Houston. Steven Okert also has earned a save.

Hader has 10 punchouts over seven innings, while allowing a run on two hits and two walks. He's the team's go-to closer, and should be rostered in all fantasy leagues.

Okert also has 10 punchouts, but in just 5 2/3 innings. He's allowed a run on two hits and no walks. Okert earned his save in a 12-inning game.

Athletics

Mason Miller has the three saves so far for the Athletics.

He's not allowed a run over four innings. Miller has eight strikeouts, and has given up just two hits and one walk. Miller is another must-own fantasy reliever.

Mariners

Andres Munoz has all four of the Seattle saves.

He's worked six games and innings, allowing three hits and four walks. Munoz has nine punchouts along the way. He's another fantasy reliever who should be rostered in all leagues, although that could change if he starts struggling a bit.

Yankees

Devin Williams, Luke Weaver and Mark Leiter Jr. have one save each for New York.

Williams is the go-to closer, but has allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and four walks, while striking out five over three innings - he also has a loss. His fantasy value has fallen since the start of the season, and if he doesn't get going soon, he might become droppable (I'd try to trade him first).

Weaver is the top setup man and has not allowed a run on a hit and three walks over 5 1/3 innings. He's struck out six batters. If Williams keeps struggling, I'd expect Weaver to take over the closer role. He's already a solid deep-league option, and is trending up.

Leiter has a 1-1 record over six games and 4 2/3 innings. He's surrendered three runs on two hits and two walks, while striking out seven. He cleaned up a mess Williams made for the team's most recent save.

Blue Jays

Jeff Hoffman leads Toronto with three saves, although Nick Sandlin and Yimi Garcia have a save each.

Hoffman also has a win to his name and is the top Toronto fantasy arm in the pen. He's allowed a run on four hits and one walk, while punching out nine. Hoffman should be owned in just about every fantasy league at this point.

Garcia has allowed an unearned run on four hits and three walks over seven frames. He's got eight punchouts, which combined with his other numbers makes Garcia a decent fantasy asset worth rostering in some deeper leagues.

Sandlin has given up three runs (two earned) on four hits and four walks over 5 2/3 innings. He's taken two losses already and has six strikeouts. Sandlin's save came in an 11-inning game, and he's no more than a deep, deep league option.

Red Sox

Aroldis Chapman leads the Red Sox with two saves, although Justin Slaten and Cooper Criswell have one each.

Chapman has eight punchouts over 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He's won two games and allowed just three hits and three walks. Chapman is on the rise as a fantasy asset, and will be a must-own player with more success in the next few games.

Slaten earned his save early in the season and has been working the seventh or eighth innings of late. He's allowed four runs on four hits and a walk over five innings, while striking out three. Slaten should only be rostered in the deepest of fantasy leagues.

Criswell earned a multi-inning save and has since been sent down to the minor leagues.

Rays

Pete Fairbanks has both of the Tampa Bay saves.

He's also got a 1-1 record and has seven punchouts over five innings. He's allowed a run on four hits and three walks. Fairbanks' lack of saves has held him back from being owned in more standard leagues, but he's definitely the team's go-to closer.

Orioles

No Baltimore reliever has a save yet.

Preferred closer Felix Bautista has given up two runs on three hits and three walks over three innings - oh, and of course he has three strikeouts too. 

The saves will eventually come, but fantasy owners are getting impatient, and starting to drop Bautista. I'd throw him on the trade block before dropping him, and I'd probably wait another week or so before making that drop.

Tigers

Brant Hurter (2) and Tommy Kahnle (1) have the Detroit saves.

Hurter has allowed three runs on six hits and a walk over 7 1/3 innings, while also having six punchouts. He's earned saves in his last two appearances, so he's a guy to keep tabs on. Hurter is a deep-league asset for now though.

Kahnle has not allowed a run over four innings, but his save was back on April 1. He's given up no hits or walks either, and has four punchouts. Kahnle needs to pitch more to gain fantasy value and be an option in deep leagues.

Royals

Carlos Estevez has four of the team's five saves - Daniel Lynch IV has the other save.

Estevez is the go-to closer, and has allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and four walks so far. He's got six strikeouts over six frames. Estevez is a better deep-league option, but could be a standard league option to those of you desperate for closer help.

Lynch earned his save after Estevez had worked the previous two days in a row. Lynch has some deep league value with a 2-0 record and no runs allowed over seven innings, along with five punchouts.

Guardians

Emmanuel Clase and Paul Sewald have a save each for Cleveland.

Clase also has two wins and is the go-to closer. He's allowed four runs (one earned) on 10 hits and one walk, while striking out six. Keep rostering him in all leagues and hope he gets more saves soon.

Sewald earned his save in a 10-inning game in his first appearance. He's allowed three runs on six hits and a walk over 6 2/3 innings, while striking out nine. Sewald has deep-league fantasy value, but probably wouldn't be next in line for saves if Clase is down or injured.

Twins

No Minnesota reliever has a save yet.

Preferred closer Jhoan Duran has allowed a run on three hits and three walks over 4 1/3 innings, while striking out four. He's lost fantasy value since the start of the season, and is being dropped by some fantasy owners.

I'd look to trade him for something before outright dropping him. Save chances should come soon, and a couple saves should take him right back up to 100% rostered.

White Sox

No Chicago pitcher has a save either.

I'm not sure who would get a save opportunity even at this point, and want to stay away from this team.