Domestic Opening Day has arrived, so now the fun begins, right? Focusing on things fantasy managers should watch for this weekend during high-leverage events takes center stage in today’s post. A gentle reminder about email updates for the 2025 season:
Closer Monkey Emails for 2025
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What to Watch For
American League
Baltimore Orioles
- What does a managed workload for Félix Bautista look like? What will his velocity be like at the onset of the season? Is he adding a cutter?
- Who gets the ancillary save chances when “The Mountain” is unavailable?
- Leverage roles leading to the ninth?
Boston Red Sox
- Aroldis Chapman will be the preferred save share, but who steps up if he’s needed in the eighth against an opponent’s best left-handed hitter?
- Which reliever gets more saves this year: Justin Slaten or Liam Hendriks?
- Will Garrett Whitlock remain a multi-inning reliever all season or emerge as a one-inning leverage reliever?
UPDATE: Liam Hendriks will open the season on the injured list, per Ian Browne of MLB.com.
Chicago White Sox
- How well will Mike Clevinger pitch during save situations?
- Were we a year early on Jordan Leasure?
- Which left-handed reliever will be the high-leverage preference: Cam Booser or Fraser Ellard?
Cleveland Guardians
- Can Emmanuel Clase stave off regression with his batting average on balls in play (BAbip)? Will he become the first reliever with four consecutive seasons of 70 or more innings pitched with 40-plus saves?
- Does Cade Smith repeat his breakout rookie performance?
- Who gets the third high-leverage set-up role: Paul Sewald or Hunter Gaddis?
Detroit Tigers
- After demoting Jason Foley, who will be the preferred save option? Beau Brieske? Will Vest? John Brebbia? Tommy Kahnle? Me? You?
Houston Astros
- Was Josh Hader going through the motions this spring while working on his change-up? Does his velocity return to normal levels? Is his command back? He posted a -10.3 K-BB% over 6.2 innings this spring.
- Who emerges as set-up options before Bryan Abreu takes over in the eighth?
Kansas City Royals
- Will the velocity results for Carlos Estévez improve in short order? If not, can we trust him?
- Lucas Erceg will be the highest-leverage reliever or the “fireman,” whichever term you prefer. Does he reclaim the ninth inning as the season progresses?
- Can Hunter Harvey record at least 60 innings for the second time in his career?
Los Angeles Angels
- Can Kenley Jansen keep climbing the all-time saves leaderboard? He’s 31 behind Lee Smith for third in career saves.
- Will Ben Joyce build on his breakout from last year after adding the “splinker?” Will he be ready for a closer workload in the second half?
Minnesota Twins
- Does Jhoan Durán rebound, along with his velocity?
- Will Griffin Jax remain one of the best relievers in baseball even though he flies below the radar?
New York Yankees
- How many saves will Devin Williams record this year?
- Who helps Luke Weaver reach the ninth inning for save chances by the “Airbender?” Can the “Dreamweaver” repeat his breakout from last season?
Seattle Mariners
- Can Andrés Muñoz remain healthy and post a season closer to his 2022 breakout than the last two years?
- When will Matt Brash return? Will Gregory Santos remain healthy and productive?
Tampa Bay Rays
- Can Pete Fairbanks post more than 45.1 innings? Will he be the closer after the All-Star break?
- Will Edwin Uceta continue his progress as a high-leverage reliever or was this spring a harbinger of migration toward the mean?
- Which Rays’ reliever will be this year’s breakout? Mason Montgomery? Hunter Bigge?
Texas Rangers
- Who gets the first save chance? Chris Martin? Luke Jackson? Robert Garcia?
- Could Jackson follow the path toward ninth-inning success blazed in Texas last year by Kirby Yates?
- Over or under on 50 innings for Martin?
The Athletics
- Can Mason Miller remain healthy for a second straight season? If yes, can he replicate 100 or more strikeouts? 30-plus saves?
- Who emerges as the primary set-up relievers? José Leclerc? Tyler Ferguson? Michel Otañez (currently on the injured list)? Justin Sterner?
Toronto Blue Jays
- Will Jeff Hoffman parlay his previous two years of success as a high-leverage reliever into being a dominant closer? Will his health allow it?
- Can Yimi García remain healthy? He struggled after the All-Star break last year.
National League
Arizona Diamondbacks
- After signing a team-friendly contract, can Justin Martinez emerge as the team’s preferred save share in 2025? He displayed flashes and has the velocity. Command and consistency remain the last hurdles in his progression.
- A.J. Puk was the team’s most valuable reliever after his acquisition. Does this translate into more save chances?
- Kevin Ginkel was a deep sleeper for saves before shoulder inflammation landed him on the injured list.
Atlanta Braves
- Raisel Iglesias remains a consistent source of saves, but will his strikeout percentage trends continue: 2021 (37.7 K%), 2022 (31.7 K%), 2023 (29.4 K%), 2024 (26.3 K%)
- Who will be the eighth-inning option: Pierce Johnson or Héctor Neris?
- Which left-handed reliever will be the high-leverage one: Aaron Bummer or Dylan Lee?
- Can the team help Craig Kimbrel revive his career?
Chicago Cubs
- Can Ryan Pressly keep the preferred save share for 2025 as a pending free agent?
- Will Porter Hodge or someone else take over if Pressly struggles?
- Is Nate Pearson finally reaching his potential, or will we be burned again?
Cincinnati Reds
- Who gets the first save chance in 2025? Graham Ashcraft? Tony Santillan? Taylor Rogers? Scott Barlow?
- Can Alexis Díaz bounce back or will his command cost him the closer role once he’s activated?
- Closer in June will be?
Colorado Rockies
- Who gets the first save opportunity? Victor Vodnik? Seth Halvorsen?
- How many times does the closer role change hands in 2025?
Los Angeles Dodgers
- How many saves will Tanner Scott record this year? 20? 25? More? Less?
- Who secures the second-highest total in saves, or will it be a match-up-based approach if Scott’s not used in the ninth?
Miami Marlins
- Who leads the team in saves, and will it matter from a fantasy perspective? Calvin Faucher? Jesús Tinoco?
- Can Anthony Bender reclaim the ninth a year further removed from surgery?
- Keeper league players should track Jake Faherty.
Milwaukee Brewers
- Will Trevor Megill repeat as the team leader in saves this year? Over or under on innings: 48?
- Who will be next in line if Megill’s hurt or struggles? Joel Payamps? Abner Uribe?
- Which prospect becomes an impact leverage option later this year: Craig Yoho or Jacob Misiorowski?
New York Mets
- Does the velocity rebound for Edwin Díaz once the lights go on? It was down this spring. If not, can he remain elite?
- Will Ryne Stanek and A.J. Minter provide solid results as the team’s bridge to the ninth?
- Dedniel Núñez has closer potential; can he be consistent and remain healthy?
Philadelphia Phillies
- Do not forget, Rob Thomson prefers a “floating closer” concept which means saves will be accrued by multiple relievers.
- Can Jordan Romano stay healthy and record more than 20?
- José Alvarado was dominant this spring. Does this carry over into the season? Does he record 10 or more saves?
- Will Orion Kerkering take the next step in his development as a future option for saves?
Pittsburgh Pirates
- Derek Shelton has not named a closer. Will it be David Bednar? Which iteration of the “Renegade” will fantasy players get?
- Can Dennis Santana maintain the skill gains he flashed after being claimed off waivers?
- Is this the year Colin Holderman takes over as the preferred save share? Healthy?
San Diego Padres
- On almost everyone’s fade list, what type of season can we expect from Robert Suarez? How does he widen his arsenal?
- Does Jason Adam replace Suarez as the closer? If so, when?
- Will Jeremiah Estrada repeat his breakout results from 2024? Is there another level?
San Francisco Giants
- Ryan Walker ran with the closer role, converting all ten save chances from August 10 until the end of the season in 2024. However, his manager misses having him as the “fireman.” Stay tuned.
- Camilo Doval was humbled last year. He lost his closer role, was demoted, and turned in a strong spring. Can this open the door for a return as the closer as the year progresses?
St. Louis Cardinals
- Will Ryan Helsley be traded this year? If so, when?
- Who gets saves chances once this happens?
Washington Nationals
- Kyle Finnegan cannot record 95 percent of his team’s saves again, can he? Will he avoid another second half collapse?
- If Finnegan gets moved, who replaces him in the ninth? Jose A. Ferrer? Closer by committee?
We look forward to another great season at Closer Monkey. Thanks for your support. Stay safe, and be well.
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