American League Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: David Bednar, Phil Maton and Kyle Finnegan Among Those On the Rise

After checking in on fantasy baseball closers in the National League, it's now time to dive into how things are going for American League relievers.

Here's the last AL closer update we did.

Wish a real fantasy expert could break down your team, not just spit out generic advice? Now you can - get a personalized Team Breakdown, tailored for your exact league.

Blue Jays

Jeff Hoffman has the closer role locked down in Toronto.

The team has won plenty of late, but he has just one save since Saturday. He worked on Sunday as well, but hasn't pitched since.

He's rostered in 96% of leagues right now. He'll need more work to get to 100%.

Red Sox

Aroldis Chapman is the Boston closer. He earned saves on Saturday and Monday, and hasn't pitched otherwise.

Chapman is rostered in 96% of leagues now. With him earning almost every save, pitching well and striking out a ton of batters, Chapman is a top-end fantasy reliever.

Yankees

David Bednar has the team's only save this week. Devin Williams blew a save and took a loss, and seems to have lost his closer role.

Bednar is trending back up after seeing his own percentage dive after the trade deadline. He's at 70%, and will continue to rise with more saves.

Williams is down to 83%. If he continues to not earn saves, expect that number to keep dropping. 

Camilo Doval (52% rostered) and Luke Weaver (40%) are other options if Bednar cannot lock down the closer role either.

Rays

Pete Fairbanks is the team's closer, but he has just one save over three appearances this week. He got the save on Wednesday.

He's holding steady at 78% rostered. If he ever struggles, Griffin Jax (34% owned) is there to potentially claim the closer role.

Orioles

Keegan Akin appears to be the team's closer for the time being. He earned a save on Saturday, then took a loss on Sunday. Akin worked in a non-save situation on Wednesday.

Akin is rostered in just 3% of leagues right now. He'll need better results and more saves to see that own mark rise.

Felix Bautista would likely get the closer role back if he ever comes off the injured list. Yennier Cano is owned in 4% of leagues and is another closer option if Akin struggles.

Astros

Josh Hader is the team's closer, but has no saves and just one appearance since Saturday.

Hader is still an elite fantasy reliever and you should expect big things out of him down the stretch. It could be a time to buy a bit lower on Hader, but I'm not a huge fan of ever trading for closers.

Mariners

Andres Munoz has pitched four times since Saturday. He earned saves on Sunday and Wednesday.

He's another elite fantasy relief option and should remain that way down the stretch. Keep utilizing Munoz instead of trying to sell him high - the only way I'd move guys like Hader or Munoz is if I got overpaid.

Rangers

The closer situation in Texas remains a mess.

Robert Garcia had a blown save on Saturday and took a loss on Wednesday. Phil Maton has the team's lone save since Saturday, earning it on Tuesday.

Maton is rostered in 30% of leagues now and is on the rise. Garcia is at 28% and is falling.

Keep an eye on this situation daily to see if Maton continues to trend up, or it's more of a co-closer situation.

Angels

Kenley Jansen is the team's closer. He doesn't have a save this week, but did earn a win on Sunday. Jansen worked two times in total.

Jansen is rostered in 77% of leagues. He's pitched well of late, and for most of this season, but I think that own mark is high. LA doesn't win enough to make him a good/great fantasy option - he's owned in that many leagues in part because of his notable name and past.

Athletics

The Athletics sent Mason Miller to the Padres at the deadline, and now they don't have a closer.

Nobody in the bullpen has earned a save since Saturday. Michael Kelly is the only one with a result (win, loss, blown save, hold) and it was a loss.

Sean Newcomb is everyone's guess for who the closer is. He worked twice this week. Newcomb is rostered in 5% of leagues, but needs some saves or wins to be worth rostering in fantasy leagues.

Tigers

Kyle Finnegan has emerged as the team's closer. He earned saves on Saturday and Monday in his lone appearances of the week.

Will Vest doesn't have a save in that span, and doesn't even have a hold over two outings.

Finnegan is rostered in 78% of leagues and deserves more waiver wire love. He's on one of the best teams in baseball, so he'll be a good fantasy option down the stretch if he can keep hold of the closer role.

Vest is down to 63%, and that should continue to drop if he doesn't get any save chances.

This is still a situation to watch, but it looks like Finnegan is emerging with his new team, while Vest fades after a long stretch of success in the closer role.

Guardians

With Emmanuel Clase on the restricted list, it's a closer committee in Cleveland.

Hunter Gaddis earned saves on Saturday and Wednesday, but he also blew a save on Monday. Cade Smith earned a win on Monday and a save on Tuesday. Nic Enright ended up getting the save on Monday, and he earned a win on Saturday.

Cleveland has several guys it can turn to, but that's not a good thing for fantasy baseball owners. Smith is rostered in 70% of leagues, while Gaddis is at 23%. Enright is at 2% owned.

I still like Smith, but the gap between him and Gaddis in own percentage is too high. Smith probably shouldn't be owned in as many leagues, while Gaddis' mark should be higher.

It's a situation to monitor daily. I think several guys will earn saves down the stretch with Clase out, and that probably means they will only be good deep-league options. If these relievers are all pitching well, you could still own them in some standard leagues, but that probably means there's also better options available.

Royals 

Carlos Estevez is the team's closer, but he doesn't have a save this week. He worked two times.

The only reliever in KC to earn a result this week was Hunter Harvey, who got a win on Sunday.

Estevez's own percentage is slightly down to 93%. It will only rise with saves, while it could continue to fall without them.

Lucas Erceg is still rostered in 35% of leagues while working in a setup role. He'd take over if Estevez ever struggled or got injured.

Twins

Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax were sent away at the deadline, so Minnesota is still searching for a new closer.

Justin Topa earned a save on Tuesday, but he earned a hold on Sunday, when Erasmo Ramirez got a save.

Topa is rostered in just 2% of leagues right now. The most-owned reliever in Minnesota is Cole Sands at 9%. 

This is a situation to monitor daily, but the Twins might not win enough to support a fantasy closer down the stretch.

White Sox

Chicago hasn't been able to support a fantasy closer all season, and with no clear option, it's still anyone's guess as to who would earn a save chance today.

Jordan Leasure got a save on Saturday, which was the last time anyone got a save.

Leasure is at 2% rostered right now. Grant Taylor is the most rostered at 10%. 

I'd avoid these guys, and anyone else in Chicago, outside the deepest of fantasy leagues.