SAGNOF: Early Bird Closer Specials, 2025 Edition

What’s poppin’, Razzpimples?

Pretty quick read for y’all today. I like to do one of these each year: who’s currently being underdrafted for saves in fantasy baseball? Last year I highlighted Ryan Helsley, Pete Fairbanks, Tanner Scott, Jose Leclerc, Alex Lange, Jose Alvarado, Kyle Finnegan, and Robert Suarez. A few of those worked out great; a few did…not. I hope to lead ye to greener pastures in 2025.

Don’t forget to keep that Razzball Bullpen Chart bookmarked. It’s been updated with the latest, and I’m usually quick to get it touched up once any type of news drops. And if you’re not a subscriber, I do highly, highly, highly recommend it. The tools are — how do you say? — bussin’. If’n you’re of the mind to consider it, you can find all the info here. I’m partial to the Relievonator Game Log Tool. So dope.

Welp. Let’s do it to it, pardner.

Note: All ADPs via Yahoo.

Jeff Hoffman (ADP 141.7)

Two consecutive seasons of a sub-1.00 WHIP means Jeff Hoffman is no longer really a sleeper. Still think he’s being slept on as a potential stud closer. He was 96th percentile last year in Chase%, Whiff%, and K%. Then 81st in BB%, 90th in xBA, and 91st in xERA. Year before that, he was even better. The big red flag with Hoffman is the fact he failed a physical with Baltimore, so they pulled back and left him for Toronto to scoop up. I haven’t seen anything that indicates Hoffman won’t be ready, though, so you just have to treat him as a healthy option heading into the season. And as such, he’s got elite potential. Basically just a better Jordan Romano. Everyone loved healthy Jordan Romano in fantasy, right? Hoffman is peak 2021 Romano with fewer walks. Ideally, you let your leaguemates pay up for the Walkers and Scotts and Munozes and Millers of the world, and you wait for Hoffman as your RP1 who can do pretty much the exact same things.

Kenley Jansen (ADP 179.1)

Next up is new Angels closer Kenley Jansen. I know this name doesn’t spark excitement like it used to, but, well, that’s kinda the point of this article. Unexciting budget options to get those elusive saves. At the moment, Ben Joyce is being drafted right alongside Jansen in Yahoo ADP. Kinda silly. I expect he does exactly what Carlos Estevez did, block Joyce from earning saves (which keeps his price tag down). They might try to spin it as veteran leadership/experience and giving a future HOFer his due. But nah. They’re just controlling Joyce. Or maybe I’m being too cynical and they just want to use Jansen as trade bait. Jansen is still an effective MLB closer, to be fair. Was 82nd percentile in xERA and 86th in xBA last season, and while K% is nothing like it was back when Statcast was in its early days, he’s still well above average. He’s made a long, HOF-worthy career out of relying mostly on a cutter, like that Mariano Rivera guy did. If it ain’t broke!

Chris Martin (ADP 210.3)

Chris Martin was one of my favorite setup men entering the ’24 season, and now he finds himself in a situation to be one of the better bargain closers of ’25. I don’t buy into the “Jon Gray might close” mumbo jumbo. I’m not even entertaining that as a possibility. Martin was incredible in 2023 but then struggled through injuries last year (still posting a solid 3.45 ERA and 1.13 WHIP). Secrets to his success are that he walks almost nobody at all and gets batters to chase, leading to weak contact. I know he’s older’n the hills, so health is going to be a concern. But isn’t it always? Feels like today’s closer pool is either a flamethrower who might ruin his elbow, or an old guy who might just break down on ya. Pick your poison, padre. Martin won’t knock your socks off with strikeout stuff, but elite ratios are a very real possibility. Dude had a 1.7 BB% last year!! ONE. POINT. SEVEN. Across a 44.1 IP sample. So over a full season, that’s like, what, 5 BB total? Amazing fact: never once in his career has he had a season with double-digit free passes. Worst he’s ever done is 8 BB in ’23.

Aroldis Chapman (ADP 227.2)

If you can stomach his less-than-ideal WHIP, Aroldis Chapman still makes for a fine closer option in 2025. I imagine it’s at least a split between him and Liam Hendriks to start, and Chapman to me still has plenty of upside. Had 103 K in 2023 and 98 K in 2024, and both of those years he kept the ERA in pretty good shape. Pains me to say it: I just can’t get excited about Hendriks anymore. Chapman is bound to pull ahead. Yes, he’ll walk almost as many as Martin doesn’t, but the rest of the package deal ain’t bad at all. We’re outside the Top 200 here, y’all. Even just like 15-20 SV and 90+ K is well worth this price tag.

Calvin Faucher (ADP 238.6)

Calvin Faucher enters the year as the favorite to get saves in Miami. I’m not much of a fan of his, I won’t lie to y’all. Saves be saves, though. He gives up hits and walks more than his fair share, but if that comes with, I dunno, 25 SV? Not that bad, all things considered. He’s at least above average for strikeouts. Ugly 1.40 WHIP last year, yet still largely kept runs off the board. He’s good at keeping hitters guessing and being able to throw his full cutter/sinker/curve/sweeper arsenal as a putaway pitch. Pretty healthy whiff% on all of em. I don’t foresee greatness, but I foresee fantasy good enoughness.

Jorge Lopez (ADP 247.5)

Meh. I almost left Jorge Lopez off this entirely, cuz I just don’t give a hoot nor holler about him. But then I thought about it, and with Jose Ferrer as his only real competition, he’s at worst in a timeshare for saves. Probably the favorite, though. He was mostly forgettable with the Mets last year, but his time with the Cubs was quite fruitful: 2.03 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 31 K in 26.2 IP. Got some gas still sloshin’ around in that tank. Kyle Finnegan did just fine from a fantasy perspective as the Nats closer — might be that Lopez picks up where he left off. Or might be that he sucks or can’t stay healthy or just loses out to Ferrer. Of all the names I mention in this piece, I’d put Lopez near the bottom. Deserves a mention, at the very least.

Edwin Uceta (ADP 258.2)

There ain’t a format under the sun (except for NL-only) where Edwin Uceta doesn’t belong on a roster. Even if he doesn’t get a single save, he boasts tantalizing upside of mega elite ratios and strikeouts. That’ll play any where, any how. Even so, he does bring some save upside. Point A, cuz it’s the Rays and sometimes they just do that. Point B, lead closer Pete Fairbanks will probably get hurt along the way. Never fails. Really feel for the guy, especially considering the real-life stuff he’s had to go through. But back to Uceta. Here’s his ’24 line: 41.2 IP, 2-0, 12 SVHD, 1.51 ERA, 1.70 FIP, 0.82 WHIP, 57 K, 31.5 CSW%. Any way you wanna look at his numbers, raw totals or metrics, he was a sex machine. Also had nary a blown save. Just straight up lockdown badassery. I want him everywhere.

Tyler Kinley (No ADP!)

Boy howdy, I hyped me some Tyler Kinley last year lol. It only took til about August for that to pan out. He did have 2 W and 14 SVHD from July 31 onward, mostly looking quite dominant throughout that stretch. That’s the Kinley I thought we’d get all season long, and I’m gonna do the damn thang again: 2025 is finally the year for the Tyler Kinley breakout. I mean, look next to his name in parentheses; the man literally does not have an ADP right now on Yahoo. He’s basically completely free while bringing some legit upside to the table. I reckon you’re right if you’re concerned about durability, pitching in Coors, pitching for a terrible team, and having a couple maybe-exciting setup men (Seth Halvorsen and Luis Peralta) hot on his heels. Still easily worth the gamble here. Post All-Star break was much better than pre. And in his leverage splits on FanGraphs, he was bad in Low, okay-ish in Medium, but then real good in High: 15.1 IP, 3 H, 6 ER, 5 BB, 20 K, 0 HR, .123 wOBA. Even with a recent tweet saying Halvorsen is competing for the job, I don’t at all trust the Rockies to let something cool like that happen. Veterans always win out in Colorado.

Some Dart Throws

Seth Halvorsen — looked good in a brief cup of coffee last year. Hell, draft both Kinley and Halvorsen if you want and make the necessary cut later.

Jesus Tinoco — Faucher is no guarantee. Tinoco is the next man up after a strong ’24 season.

Jason Foley — Tigers situation is convoluted to say the least. Potential to lead the team in SV, nonetheless.

Tyler Holton — Also could feasibly lead the Tigers in SV. Quietly one of the best RP in the majors of the last two years. Look at them ratios!

Porter Hodge — The kind of arm who probably deserves a spot on any roster. Must-own type in SVHD or if something were to happen to Pressly.

Kyle Finnegan — Homeless for now. The right situation means he goes right back to being a solid cheap closer.

A.J. Puk — Liked what I saw last year; no reason not to expect a repeat. Probably sees some saves to start, with upside for more given Martinez’s control issues.

Jose Ferrer — Late handcuff stash. I trust Lopez about as far as I can push him with a strong downwind fart.

That’s all for this week! Thanks for reading. Leave me a comment below so I feel all warm and fuzzy.