Outlook Pete Fairbanks
Lock Down Closer With Top-Tier Strikeout Upside in Miami
Pete Fairbanks enters his first full season with the Marlins as the established closer, anchoring the back end of the Miami bullpen. At 32 years old, Fairbanks brings a wealth of high-leverage experience and a proven track record of late-inning dominance. He slots in at the very top of the team's depth chart for saves, giving him immense fantasy security as long as he remains healthy.
Our projections expect Fairbanks to be a major asset for fantasy managers hunting for saves and strikeouts. Over 63 projected innings, our models project him to rack up 22 saves, 63 strikeouts, a strong 3.43 ERA, and a tidy 1.18 WHIP. Comparing this to his career benchmarks, Fairbanks is fully capable of sustaining an elite strikeout rate well over one per inning, helping stabilize fantasy pitching staffs even in weeks where save opportunities are scarce.
Drafted around ADP 160, Fairbanks represents a solid mid-round investment for managers looking to secure a reliable source of saves without paying premium prices for elite closers. While his aggressive, high-velocity style carries some inherent risk of minor injury hiccups, his locked-in ninth-inning role and immense strikeout upside make him an excellent target to anchor your bullpen.
Updated 13 hrs ago
Latest News Pete Fairbanks
Outlook Kevin Kelly
Kevin Kelly's elite control and solidifying setup role make him a key holds target
After a difficult 2025 season where his ERA ballooned to 6.96, Kevin Kelly has bounced back in a major way for the second-place Rays, asserting himself as a vital late-inning weapon. Currently slotting in as a key setup option in Tampa Bay's bullpen, Kelly has benefited from a series of injuries to fellow relievers Edwin Uceta and Steven Wilson. This has cleared a path for consistent high-leverage opportunities, which was highlighted by a recent crucial save against the Red Sox. At 28 years old, Kelly is pitching with the confidence of a seasoned high-leverage arm.
The underlying numbers suggest Kelly's turnaround is highly sustainable. Across 27.0 innings of work this year, he has logged a sparkling 2.67 ERA and an elite 0.93 WHIP, which stands in stark contrast to our conservative season projection of a 3.89 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. The secret to his success has been pinpoint control, having walked only six batters all season. While he remains more of a groundball specialist than a pure bat-misser—averaging under a strikeout per inning—his ability to limit base runners keeps his ratios incredibly clean and protects his fantasy value.
For fantasy managers, Kelly is a highly valuable asset in leagues that reward holds, and he is a useful ratio stabilizer even in standard formats. While his lack of consistent save opportunities caps his absolute ceiling, his reliable volume and ability to protect ERA and WHIP make him a very safe floor play. He should be rostered and active in all deep and holds-leagues as he continues to play a prominent late-inning role for a winning club.
Updated 13 hrs ago
