Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: 3 Trending Up, 3 Trending Down

Let's now turn our attention to some fantasy baseball closers.

We'll look at stats since August 7, which was the last time we did a closer update. We have three closers for each section, so let's dive right into things.

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Trending Up

Jordan Romano - Colorado Rockies

Romano is one of two closers who has earned three saves over the timeframe we are using. He has appeared in three games, so he's converted every chance.

Romano has allowed a run over his three innings pitched, but he still got the job done every time out. He surrendered three hits and a walk, but also has two strikeouts.

He's not a big fantasy asset after up-and-down results this season, and while on a poor team, but Romano is definitely on the rise right now. He should at least be considered as a pickup in deeper leagues - ride with him until he cools off a bit.

Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals

O'Brien is the other reliever with three saves over the past week. He too has converted a save chance in all of his appearances in that span.

He hasn't allowed a run over his three innings, and he has only allowed one baserunner to reach (a walk) in that stretch. O'Brien has faced the minimum nine batters in that span, and has a strikeout too.

O'Brien is showing better signs of late, after some struggles after the All-Star break. St. Louis isn't winning as much as you'd like, but the wins are typically tight ones, which helps O'Brien's fantasy cause. He's worth fantasy roster spots in all deeper leagues and some standard ones, but be ready to move off him if his results worsen from here.

Josh Hader - Houston Astros

Hader has two saves over the past week. In the third appearance he made in that span, Hader got the win.

He pitched four innings, and has not allowed a single baserunner. Hader also has three strikeouts to his name in that span, so he's been a fantastic pitcher, both in the real world and for fantasy baseball.

Hader is capable of being an elite fantasy reliever, but he's had a few ups and downs when healthy this year. He's trending up right now, so he's worth roster spots/utilization in all fantasy leagues. Scoop him up if you can.

Trending Down

Edwin Diaz - Los Angeles Dodgers

Diaz is the only reliever with two blown saves over the past week. He appeared in three games in that stretch, also earning a win and save, but also taking a loss.

The bigger issue is the three runs he's allowed in just 2 1/3 innings. Diaz surrendered three hits and two walks, but had three strikeouts at least.

Diaz hasn't looked like his old self since returning from a long playoff, and he isn't the big-time fantasy closing asset we expected him to be coming into the year as a result. There's time for him to get rolling yet, but until he shows better results, he's not worth a roster spot in all fantasy leagues.

Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves

Iglesias appeared in four games over the past week, and blew a save in one of those appearances. He got a win though and avoided any losses, so it hasn't been all bad for him.

Iglesias has worked 3 2/3 innings in that span, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks. The five strikeouts he has in that stretch are nice, but the baserunners and high earned run average just don't cut it.

Iglesias can be a high-end fantasy closer when he's right, but his numbers of late are poor. Keep rostering him through the struggles, unless they continue for a while. His hold on the closer role seems pretty tight still, but extended struggles could change things. 

Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox

Chapman had been on the rise with the Red Sox winning a ton, but now the team has cooled off, and so has Chapman. He has just one appearance over the past week, so he's a fantasy closer who is trending down.

Chapman took the loss in his lone appearance over the past week. He allowed a run on two hits and a walk, while not recording a strikeout. One down performance isn't a terrible thing, but not getting save chances also holds him back.

He's one to keep holding, but if the Red Sox continue sliding, Chapman could be droppable in time. I expect Boston to turn things around and for Chapman to benefit again, so hold out hope on him for a bit longer.