Fantasy Baseball Closers & Bullpen Report: American League Breakdown

After looking into National League bullpens and closer roles, let's turn our attention to the American League.

Here is the last AL bullpen update we did.

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Rays

Bryan Baker has been serving as the team's closer. He worked twice over the past six days, earning a save on Sunday.

Baker is the guy to own and utilize right now, but I'd still keep tabs on the closer role for Tampa Bay. Ian Seymour, Kevin Kelly and Garrett Cleavinger are some other late-inning relievers the Rays could turn to if Baker ever struggles or is unavailable.

Yankees

David Bednar is the Yankees' closer, and also worked twice over the past six days. He earned a save on Thursday, then took a no decision back on Sunday.

He's in no jeopardy of losing the closer role, and New York continues to win to support his fantasy cause.

Fernando Cruz and Brent Headrick are the top setup men right now, but things belong to Bednar.

Guardians

Cade Smith is the team's go-to closer. He only got in one game over the past six days, but he earned a save in that game Wednesday.

Smith has been stellar this season and is one of the best fantasy relievers in the game. He's in no jeopardy of losing the closer role.

Hunter Gaddis, Shawn Armstrong, Colin Holderman and Tim Herrin are other relievers with late-inning roles, or who earned holds or wins over the past week.

White Sox

The only save for Chicago since Saturday went to Tyler Davis in a six-pitch outing on Sunday.

Seranthony Dominguez has been the team's closer, but hasn't appeared in a game since Saturday. He earned a hold in that one.

Grant Taylor and Bryan Hudson are other setup men in Chicago. Things aren't set in stone, so keep tabs on things to see if anyone ever emerges as a go-to closer. The White Sox are winning enough to support a go-to guy for now.

Mariners

Andres Munoz is the team's closer, but he didn't get a save or win in his lone appearance over the past six days. He's struggled a bit this season, but the Mariners' lack of winning is what is really holding him back.

Matt Brash and Jose A. Ferrer are the top setup men, and have some fantasy value despite not earning many save chances.

Keep tabs on things, but Munoz is still the guy for now.

Athletics

Three different Athletics' relievers earned a win over the past week, so things are uncertain here.

Scott Barlow got a save on Saturday, then a hold on Tuesday. Hogan Harris got a save on Tuesday after getting a hold on Saturday - he then earned a win on Wednesday. Justin Sterner earned the save on Wednesday, a day after he earned a hold.

If those three weren't enough, Mark Leiter Jr. is another late-inning reliever the team could turn to.

Things are a mess for the Athletics, so keep close tabs on the situation. I'm not sure the team can win consistently enough to support even a go-to closer outside of deeper fantasy leagues though.

Rangers

Jacob Latz is the team's closer, and he earned saves on Sunday and Monday. Jakob Junis got a save on Tuesday, probably because the team didn't want Latz to pitch in three straight games.

I like Latz the best right now, but with the team not winning a ton, he's probably a better deep-league fantasy asset. Junis is one to keep tabs on, as is Tyler Alexander, who earned two saves early in the season.

Things are still a bit murky in Texas, so keep tabs on things until they are more set in stone.

Orioles

Ryan Helsley continues to miss time, and Rico Garcia appears to be the team's closer for the time being. Garcia got a save on Tuesday across two appearances over the past six days.

Garcia is the guy to add and utilize in fantasy leagues. He's pitched well enough this year to keep holding in deeper leagues, even when Helsley is back as the closer.

Blue Jays

Louis Varland got the only Toronto save over the past six days. He got the save on Thursday, and also pitched back on Saturday, getting a hold that day.

Tyler Rogers and Jeff Hoffman are some other late-inning relievers the Blue Jays are deploying, and Braydon Fisher also has a save this year.

I like Varland the best right now, even if he's not earning every save chance - he's pitched well enough to own in a lot of fantasy leagues. Keep tabs on things in case someone else emerges as the closer though.

Twins

Yoendrys Gomez earned the team's only save over the past six days. He got it on Tuesday, and took no decisions in appearances on Monday and Thursday.

Anthony Banda and Eric Orze have served as setup men of late, so those are other options for saves. Minnesota likely isn't going to win enough to support even one go-to closer outside deeper leagues, but it's a situation to monitor nevertheless.

Astros

Josh Hader is back from the injured list, and he earned the lone save for Houston over the past six days. He should be added back in all leagues, and hopefully the Astros will win enough to make him a high-end fantasy option again.

Bryan King, Bryan Abreu, Enyel De Los Santos and Nate Pearson have all collected saves while Hader was out, but now their fantasy outlooks are lower with the chance for saves diminished. The ones that pitch the best could still be deep-league fantasy assets, so don't overlook them in all leagues.

Red Sox

Aroldis Chapman is the team's closer, but he didn't earn a save over the past six days. He only pitched once, not earning a decision on Sunday.

Justin Slaten and Greg Weissert are the setup men. They could earn saves down the line if Chapman is traded away, so keep those guys in mind. Chapman will get any save chances the team has while he's on the roster though.

Tigers

Will Vest and Enmanuel De Jesus earned saves over the past six days. Vest needed 40 pitches to get his save on Monday, while De Jesus tossed 35 pitches to get his on Tuesday.

Kenley Jansen had been the team's closer, but he's on the 15-day injured list for now. Kyle Finnegan is my favorite option for saves, but Vest, Tyler Holton or Drew Anderson could also get saves in Jansen's absence.

It's a mess for now, and might not be cleaned up until Jansen is back. Keep tabs on things daily, although Detroit hasn't been winning enough anyways.

Royals

Carlos Estevez is still on the injured list, and Lucas Erceg had been filling the closer role in his absence. Erceg blew saves on Tuesday and Saturday, and it was Alex Lange who got saves on Wednesday and Thursday instead.

So Lange is on the rise, and maybe worth an add in some deeper leagues until Estevez is back. Erceg should only be rostered in deeper fantasy leagues until he figures things out.

Keep close tabs on things in KC, because the team is winning a bit more of late, making the team's closer role a bit more prominent in fantasy leagues.

Angels

No LA reliever earned a save over the past six days. Nobody got a win either, and only two guys got a hold.

Kirby Yates is expected to be the team's closer, but he was tagged with a loss on Monday across two appearances this past week.

The Angels aren't winning enough, so I'd just avoid these relievers outside deeper leagues for now.