NL Closer Report: Rising Fantasy Baseball Save Options & Shaky Bullpens

Usually, we look at fantasy baseball closers on Fridays, but are moving the stories up this week due to a number of changing situations around the league.

Let's go over National League teams first - here was the last NL closer update we did. Check back in a bit for the American League writeup.

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.

Braves

Raisel Iglesias returned from the injured list on Tuesday, and immediately earned a save that night. That should indicate who the Braves' No. 1 option for saves is.

Robert Suarez filled in nicely, and is there in case Iglesias ever is hurt again, or is unavailable any days. The closer role is Iglesias' to lose though.

Cubs

Daniel Palencia is back from the injured list as well. He returned on Sunday, and has pitched once since. He didn't earn a decision in that contest.

Palencia should be the go-to closer for Chicago. The Cubs are winning plenty enough to support him as a fantasy asset as well, so fire him up in all leagues.

Ben Brown is likely next in line for saves if Palencia is ever hurt again, or unavailable. Brown earned the team's most recent save, doing so on Saturday.

Dodgers

Edwin Diaz is still on the injured list for LA, and will be for some time. The only save the team earned this week went to Tanner Scott, who appears to be the top choice for saves right now.

Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen are around as well, so keep tabs on them as well. Utilize Scott for the time being though, as LA wins a ton, and it sets the team's closer up for fantasy success.

Padres

Mason Miller is the locked-in closer for San Diego. He earned one save over the past six days, getting one on Sunday.

Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada are among the relievers in prominent roles before Miller, and could split the closer role if Miller were ever injured and out for a while. 

Cardinals

Riley O'Brien earned both of the team's saves over the past six days. He has been the go-to guy for a while, and as long as he's excelling on the hill, I'd expect O'Brien to keep serving as the team's closer.

JoJo Romero, Ryne Stanek and George Soriano are among the relievers who earned holds this week. If O'Brien is ever out, I like Romero to get cracks at saves.

Brewers

Milwaukee picked up one save over the past six days. Abner Uribe got it on Saturday, and he pitched one other time over the past six days.

Trevor Megill is the setup man in front of Uribe now, and is there if Uribe ever needs a day, or is struggling. The closer role belongs to Uribe for the time being though.

Pirates

Gregory Soto may have emerged as the No. 1 option for Pittsburgh over the past week. Over three appearances, he had a win and a save. 

Dennis Santana is the other part of the closer duo for the Pirates. He didn't earn a decision in his lone appearance over the past six days.

I like Soto the most right now, but this is still a situation to watch until one of the relievers solidifies themself as the No. 1 option for saves.

Reds

There's turnover in Cincinnati after Emilio Pagan was injured on Tuesday. It came a day after he blew a save and took a loss, and now he's on the injured list.

Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft are the best bets to get save chances while Pagan is out of the picture. Santillan has a blown save and loss over the past six days, while Ashcraft blew a save chance on Wednesday.

This is a situation to watch closely, but neither Santillan or Ashcraft are more than deep-league fantasy options right now. Pagan is expected to be out 4-8 weeks, and if Cincy wins enough, one of them could emerge and become a standard league fantasy option, so keep tabs on the situation.

Diamondbacks

No saves were recorded over the past six days for the D-Backs. No. 1 option Paul Sewald only pitched once, and left with no decision in that one.

Arizona needs to win more to support Sewald as a fantasy asset. Juan Morillo and Jonathan Loaisiga are the top setup men, and probably next in line if Sewald ever gets hurt, or is unavailable.

Nationals

Washington relievers combined for one save over the past week. It was Richard Lovelady who got it on Sunday, after cleaning up a mess left by Gus Varland.

Varland is probably the top choice for saves right now, but things aren't set in stone. It's a situation to watch all season, and Washington might not win consistently enough to support even a go-to closer outside of deeper fantasy leagues.

Phillies

Jhoan Duran is back from the injured list. He returned on Tuesday and pitched that night, but didn't earn a decision. Brad Keller got a save on Wednesday, and Duran didn't pitch that night.

I think that's more a way to protect Duran fresh off the IL than it is possibly a change of closer in Philly. It's worth watching, but Duran should re-establish himself as the No. 1 option in time.

Marlins

No Miami reliever earned a save over the past week. Things are up in the air right now, as Pete Fairbanks is on the 15-day injured list.

Tyler Phillips is the projected closer for the time being, but Miami isn't winning enough close games to support him as a fantasy asset. Keep tabs on things, but Fairbanks might return before anyone else emerges as a fantasy asset.

Mets

Devin Williams has had a stellar run over the past six days. He earned a save on Friday, Monday and Wednesday.

Now that the Mets are winning more, Williams is showing why he's a good fantasy asset. Utilize Williams while he's riding hot, but be tracking things in case he starts to struggle again, or the Mets stop winning again.

Giants

Things are a mess in San Fran right now. Ryan Walker had been the closer, but has now lost that role. He blew a save on Sunday, and didn't earn a decision in his only other appearance over the past six days.

Caleb Kilian earned a save on Monday, with Keaton Winn getting a hold that day. Kilian looks like the leader for saves, but the Giants haven't won enough to support a closer most of the year anyways.

This situation is one to keep tabs on until we have a clearer picture of who the top option for saves is.

Rockies

No Colorado reliever earned a save over the last week. The Rockies might not win enough ever this season to support a fantasy closer, even in most deeper leagues.

Victor Vodnik is the projected closer for the time being, but the situation is one to watch, as the team doesn't win enough to know for certain who would get save chances.