March 10, 2021
Below are our top middle relievers/save sleepers for 2021. Please note that these rankings are based on traditional (saves only) leagues and are therefore weighted toward players with the best chances of getting save opportunities at some point this season.
1. Taylor Rogers – Taylor Rogers led the Twins in saves last year but his other numbers were not as good as they were in 2019. The Twins went out and signed Alex Colome, who finished 4th in the league in saves last year, but Rogers is still very much in the mix for saves. Rogers is the safest bet for save chances on this list and that puts him at the top.
2. Jordan Hicks – Jordan Hicks missed all of 2020 recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2019, but he is healthy now and is a candidate to close for the Cardinals. Hicks saved 14 games in 2019, has an electric arm, and is still only 24 years old.
3. Hector Neris – The Phillies brought in Archie Bradley this offseason since Hector Neris, along with the entire Phillies’ bullpen, struggled last year. However, Neris recorded 28 saves with an ERA under 3.00 and 89 Ks in 67 innings in 2019 and he could work his way back to closing games if he can regain that form.
4. Devin Williams – Devin Williams was arguably the best reliever in baseball last year as he finished the season with a 0.33 ERA and 53 Ks in 27 innings. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, he is stuck behind Josh Hader, who is probably the best closer in fantasy baseball. Still, Williams should see some save chances this year and if anything were to happen to Hader, Williams would immediately be a top 5 closer.
5. Chad Green – With the recent news that Zack Britton will have surgery, Chad Green becomes the next man up behind closer Aroldis Chapman. There will likely be plenty of save chances for the Yankees this year and Chapman has missed time in the three of the past four seasons so Green should be a decent source of saves among middle relievers.
6. Daniel Bard – Daniel Bard had a solid season last year as he led the Rockies with 6 saves. Scott Oberg, who was the Rockies’ best reliever in 2019, is back after missing the entire 2020 season, but Bard still has a chance to become the Rockies closer in 2021.
7. Bryan Garcia – Bryan Garcia finished last year as the Tigers’ closer, but he only had 12 strikeouts, versus 10 walks, in 21 innings. The Tigers’ closer job is wide open right now so Garcia could find himself in that role and for that reason, he might be worth drafting in deeper leagues if you are looking for saves.
8. Stefan Crichton – Stefan Crichton took over as the primary closer for the Diamondbacks last year after the mid-season trade of Archie Bradley and performed fine in that role. The Diamondbacks brought in veteran Joakim Soria, who has 223 career saves, but they have not named a closer yet so there is still a chance Crichton closes for the Diamondbacks at some point this season.
9. John Curtiss – John Curtiss picked up a pair of saves in 2020 for the Rays and then got traded to the Marlins in the offseason. The Marlins do not have any proven closers on their roster so Curtiss could definitely find himself with some save opportunities this season.
10. Adam Ottavino – Matt Barnes is expected to open the season as the Red Sox closer after recording 9 saves in 2020. However, Barnes struggled with walks and home runs last season, which is typically a recipe for disaster for closers. Ottavino struggled in 2020, but if he can get back to pitching like he did in 2018 and 2019, he could overtake Barnes as the closer for Boston.
11. Chris Martin – Chris Martin enjoyed a stellar season in 2020 as he finished the year with an era of 1.00 and a WHIP of 0.61. Will Smith seems to be the favorite for saves in Atlanta but Martin is another option.
12. Blake Treinen – Kenley Jansen is still the Dodgers’ closer but his velocity continues to decline year after year and the Dodgers lost faith in him during the postseason last year. Blake Treinen is a good insurance policy for both the Dodgers and fantasy owners if Jansen falters.
13. Kendall Graveman – Kendall Graveman is the latest failed starter turned late inning reliever. Graveman throws hard and impressed out of the bullpen towards the end of last season for the Mariners. Rafael Montero saved 8 games last year but he is far from a sure thing so Graveman could challenge him for saves.
14. Peter Fairbanks – Peter Fairbanks was an effective and reliable reliever for the Rays last year. The Rays aren’t shy about using multiple pitches throughout the season to close out games so there is a good chance Fairbanks could be in line for a handful of saves this season even if he is never the primary closer.
15. Keone Kela – Keone Kela joins Mark Melancon as new additions to the Padres’ bullpen this season. Kela only made three appearances in 2020 but he is just a couple years removed from a 24 save season. Melancon is 35 years old and has never been a traditional lock down closer so Kela could take over if Melancon struggles.