AL Closer Watch: Fantasy Baseball Saves Updates for Every Team

It's time for our weekly check-in on fantasy baseball closers. Let's go over American League teams first.

Here's the last AL closer breakdown we did. Check back in a bit for the National League breakdown.

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Rays

Bryan Baker has been serving as the team's closer. He earned saves on Sunday and Monday over the past six days, but also blew a save on Wednesday.

I think Baker is still the top option for saves in Tampa Bay, but with him not locked in, he's worth watching.

Garrett Cleavinger earned a save on Tuesday, when Baker was likely unavailable, so he's likely next in line for saves.

Yankees

David Bednar has been the team's closer over the course of the season. He pitched three times since Saturday, but didn't get a save. Bednar took a loss on Sunday and had two games where he walked away without a decision.

Bednar is still locked into the closer role, so be confident in him in the long haul. The Yanks would likely go to a committee if Bednar were ever unavailable or injured.

Guardians

Cade Smith is the Cleveland closer. He had a good week, earning saves on Tuesday and Wednesday in his lone appearances.

Cleveland is starting to win more, which works in Smith's favor. He's one to utilize in all leagues.

Erik Sabrowski and Matt Festa are the top setup men for now, but the closer role belongs to Smith.

Athletics

Jack Perkins took a loss and blew a save on Thursday. He, Hogan Harris and Joel Kuhnel are in a projected committee for saves right now.

Harris earned a hold over two appearances over the past six days. Kuhnel didn't earn a decision across three appearances.

The Athletics are one of the better teams in the American League for now, but with no clear closer and not a lot of tight wins, no reliever is more than a deep-league asset.

White Sox

Seranthony Dominguez had a good six-day stretch for the surprising White Sox. He earned saves on Sunday and Wednesday, and grabbed a win on Tuesday.

Bryan Hudson and Sean Newcomb earned a save each for Chicago this week, but Dominguez is still the clear closer. The team just couldn't pitch him in all those wins.

Chicago is winning enough to support a fantasy closer, so Dominguez is on the rise as a fantasy asset. Be watching him closely, but if the White Sox keep winning, Dominguez could be a decent fantasy asset all season.

Mariners

Andres Munoz is the team's closer. He pitched twice over the past six days, earning a save on Monday. The bullpen blew a couple leads before Munoz could pitch and go for other saves.

Munoz is the clear closer, but Seattle needs to win more to support him as a fantasy asset. He's still one to own in all leagues, but he's not the big-time asset he was a season ago.

Rangers

Jacob Latz earned two saves over three appearances for Texas over the past six days. He got the saves on Sunday and Tuesday, but then blew a save on Wednesday.

Latz is pitching enough for fantasy relevance, but he needs to pitch well to be a good fantasy asset. I like him most in deeper leagues for now, but he could work into standard leagues if he sticks as the closer and the Rangers win enough.

Orioles

Ryan Helsley is still on the injured list, and there's no clear closer in his absence. Rico Garcia and Anthony Nunez each earned a save this week.

In the game where each pitcher earned a save, the other got a hold in that contest. That just shows the team is playing matchups, but those are the two clear closer options for now.

Only try them in deeper fantasy leagues until Helsley is back on the bump for Baltimore.

Twins 

The Twins don't have a clear closer, and they might not be winning enough to support one in fantasy leagues anyways.

Justin Topa, Eric Orze and Taylor Rogers are supposedly part of a closer committee, but it was Luis Garcia and Yoendrys Gomez who earned saves this week.

Things are a mess in Minnesota, and it makes all the team's relievers just deep-league fantasy options. It's a situation to monitor daily.

Blue Jays

No Toronto reliever earned a save over the past week. New closer Louis Varland pitched on Tuesday and Wednesday, but didn't earn a decision either day.

I like Varland the best right now, but he needs to be earning saves or wins to have a better fantasy value. Jeff Hoffman and Tyler Rogers are there if Varland ever struggles, so keep tabs on this situation.

Royals

Carlos Estevez is still out, so Lucas Erceg continues to serve as the closer. He appeared in just one game over the past six days, not earning a decision on Thursday.

The Royals aren't winning enough to support Erceg as a fantasy asset right now. That makes him a better deep-league asset for the time being.

We'll see how things look whenever Estevez returns, so it's a situation to monitor closely for several reasons.

Tigers

Kenley Jansen is the team's closer. He earned a save on Sunday across two appearances this week.

He's had a bit of a down season, but he's the clear closer for now, which is a positive. Keep tabs on things in Detroit, as the bullpen also has Kyle Finnegan to go to if Jansen keeps struggling or gets hurt ever.

Red Sox

Aroldis Chapman continues to lock down saves for Boston, but the team isn't giving him many leads to protect. He earned a save on Wednesday in what was his only appearance over the past six days.

Chapman is a great fantasy asset, but he's not pitching enough to roster him in all leagues. I'd look to sell him high on his big name, although a trade to a contender is possible, so some will hold out hope for that.

Astros

Things are still a mess in Houston, where Josh Hader is still out. He should be the clear No. 1 option for saves when he's activated from the injured list.

Bryan King blew a save chance this week. Bryan Abreu and Enyel De Los Santos are other late-inning relievers who could earn saves between now and when Hader returns.

It's a situation to monitor daily until Hader is back in the fold.

Angels

No LA reliever earned a save over the past six days. Ryan Zeferjahn and Sam Bachman are the projected co-closers for now, but nothing is set firmly there.

That makes this another situation to monitor daily. We'll see if anyone can ever emerge as the go-to closer, although LA might not win enough to make that reliever more than a deep-league fantasy asset.