February 26, 2020
Chicago Cubs — The Cubs, for better or worse, will get their first full season of Craig Kimbrel as closer in 2020, as Kimbrel is currently on schedule to be ready for the season opener. It will be a new-look, low-cost bullpen after Kimbrel, as the Cubs lost Pedro Strop, Brandon Kintzler and Steve Cishek to free agency, and Brandon Morrow still isn’t any nearer to a return. The Cubs signed Jeremy Jeffress to a one-year deal in hopes the former Milwaukee closer bounces back after a rough 2019. Rowan Wick, who was a closer-by-default at times last year, is back and will join Kyle Ryan as part of the Cubs’ late-inning plans. Ryan Tepera and Dan Winkler are new to Chicago and will be fighting for a spot in the bullpen as well.
Starting 2020 hierarchy: Kimbrel | Wick | Jeffress.
Holds candidates: Wick, Jeffress, Ryan.
Cincinnati Reds — Raisel Iglesias feels “more prepared” for 2020 after an up-and-down 2019 campaign in which he saved 34 games but also went 3-12 with a 4.16 ERA. Iglesias didn’t always pitch the ninth inning last year, as manager David Bell wanted to deploy his top arm in the highest-leverage situation possible, even if it came earlier in the game, and that may have had an impact on Iglesias. It remains to be seen if Bell employs that strategy again. After Iglesias, familiar faces Amir Garrett and Michael Lorenzen will continue to see time in the late innings, as will newcomer Pedro Strop, who signed a one-year deal earlier this month following seven years with the Cubs. Strop was not healthy and not particularly effective in 2019, but if he recaptures what has made him so good in the past, then the Reds will have one of the top bullpens in the division.
Starting 2020 hierarchy: Iglesias | Strop | Garrett.
Holds candidates: Strop, Garrett, Lorenzen.
Milwaukee Brewers – Josh Hader will be the most coveted reliever for fantasy owners entering 2020 and should continue to function in the same role as he did last season. After Hader, the rest of the bullpen becomes a little murkier. Brent Suter, who dazzled in the bullpen last September after his return from Tommy John surgery, avoided arbitration with the club and signed a two-year deal, but the incentives in that deal indicate he may see time as a starter. Speaking of Tommy John, Corey Knebel remains on track to return during the first half of the season, and David Phelps joined the squad on a one-year deal. Alex Claudio will be back, as will fireballer Ray Black. It remains a mystery for now as to who will supplement Hader in the late innings, but the Brewers certainly have some options.
Starting 2020 hierarchy: Hader | Suter | Phelps.
Holds candidates: Suter, Phelps, Claudio, Black.
Pittsburgh Pirates – The Pirates wasted little time naming Keone Kela as closer, which wasn’t too much of a surprise. Kyle Crick, who spent most of 2019 tipping his pitches and getting into fights with sex criminals, is healthy and will likely be the eighth-inning guy for new manager Derek Shelton. Richard Rodriguez and Michael Feliz are also back and should compete for the seventh inning. One intriguing arm to watch is Edgar Santana, who missed all of last season due to Tommy John surgery. Santana showed flashes of brilliance at the end of the 2018 campaign and could pitch his way into the late innings this season.
Starting 2020 hierarchy: Kela | Crick | Rodriguez.
Holds candidates: Crick, Rodriguez, Feliz, Santana.
St. Louis Cardinals — There is plenty of uncertainty as to who will close games for the Cardinals in 2020. Jordan Hicks is out until at least the summer as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. Carlos Martinez, the Cardinals’ closer after Hicks’ injury, is trying to earn a spot in the rotation. Andrew Miller says he’s a lot better than he was last year, while Giovanny Gallegos has nasty stuff and joins Miller as a frontrunner for the ninth inning. Be sure to keep an eye on Ryan Helsley, who could either start or be a high-leverage option out of the ‘pen with his triple-digit fastball. A lot of what the Cardinals’ late-inning plans entail depends on Martinez; for now, we’ll assume he makes the rotation and expect a committee of Gallegos and Miller to start the season.
Starting 2020 hierarchy: *Gallegos | Miller | Brebbia.
* = closer-by-committee
Holds candidates: Gallegos, Miller, Brebbia, Helsley.
