Following up on last week’s post, with the advent of lineup lanes and matchup-based approaches, it’s hard to put a definition on the word “closer” this season, but using games finished percentage (games finished/games), save share percentage (saves/team saves), and high-leverage outings as defined by Baseball Reference, we are down to six relievers that have met the following criteria:
- Games finished percentage of at least 66.7 percent
- A save share percentage of at least 60 percent
- A high-leverage percentage of 60 percent or better.
They will be revealed in our weekend primers for each league.
American League
Beginning with team trends through games played through June fourth:
Only two teams do not have a reliever with at least five saves; Hogan Harris, posting his fifth, took the Athletics out of this designation. Still, only six teams have a closer with at least 10 saves, and only two teams have a reliever who has secured at least 15.
Here are the updated games finished, save share percentages, and high-leverage percentages:
There have been some differing usage patterns for a few teams, which should be monitored this weekend.
What to Watch For This Weekend
- Baltimore Orioles: Any updates regarding Ryan Helsley and his throwing progression? Is he nearing a minor league rehab assignment?
- Boston Red Sox: Aroldis Chapman will be a highly sought-after reliever in the trade market if he’s made available. This will also pave the way for Garrett Whitlock’s chances at saves later this season. His stash window begins now for teams with roster space.
- Chicago White Sox: How does Seranthony Domínguez pitch in his next save chance? What are Grant Taylor‘s usage patterns?
- Cleveland Guardians: Can this bullpen continue thriving despite the player turnover? When will Daniel Espino be considered for a promotion?
- Detroit Tigers: Who gets the next save chance? Will Vest? Kyle Finnegan? Drew Anderson? How does the team deploy Ty Madden as a reliever?
- Houston Astros: What is the workload management for Josh Hader? Which reliever fills in if he’s unavailable?
- Kansas City Royals: Is Alex Lange the new preferred save share? Will it really be fluid? Carlos Estévez has started throwing, but his buildup will require patience.
- Los Angeles Angels: Can the team rely on Kirby Yates as the closer? Updates on Ben Joyce?
- Minnesota Twins: Should fantasy players trust Yoendrys Gómez? Which pitcher becomes the 12th with a save this season?
- New York Yankees: What timetable does Carlos Lagrange have to join the team? Can he eventually usurp David Bednar? If the Yankees struggle without Aaron Judge, will they trade Bednar?
- Seattle Mariners: Will Andrés Muñoz be rusty or dominant in his next appearance? He has not recorded a save since May 22.
- Tampa Bay Rays: Has Garrett Cleavinger moved ahead of Ian Seymour as the high-leverage left-handed reliever?
- Texas Rangers: Can the team get a third reliable reliever to set up for Jakob Junis and Jacob Latz?
- The Athletics: Are Hogan Harris and Justin Sterner the two preferred options for saves, or will the leverage ladder remain amorphous?
- Toronto Blue Jays: Does King Louis get his tenth save this weekend?
National League
Beginning with team trends through games played through June fourth:
Which team gets a reliever with five saves first between Washington, Colorado, San Francisco, and the Cubs? Poor Daniel Palencia. Here are the games finished, save share percentages, and high-leverage percents as the season hits the one-third point:
What to Watch For This Weekend
- Arizona Diamondbacks: An updated timeline for A.J. Puk’s return. He made his first Triple-A appearance on June 2 with a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and striking out one on eight pitches.
- Atlanta Braves: Can Raisel Iglesias record his 30th straight save since July 28 of last year?
- Chicago Cubs: Free Daniel Palencia, that is all, or at least provide him with a save opportunity or two.
- Cincinnati Reds: Who do the Reds use in a save situation? Will they give chances to the young guns (Zach Maxwell or Luis Mey)?
- Colorado Rockies: Which reliever gets the next save chance? Will any firm usage patterns emerge?
- Los Angeles Dodgers: Does Tanner Scott bounce back after allowing two home runs in his last three appearances?
- Miami Marlins: How does Pete Fairbanks look in his next save chance?
- Milwaukee Brewers: Can the bullpen withstand the extra innings it’s being forced to absorb?
- New York Mets: Has the team got Devin Williams back on track?
- Philadelphia Phillies: Can Brad Keller lower his WHIP? If not, can Orion Kerkering eventually overtake him as the eighth-inning reliever?
- Pittsburgh Pirates: The team has been aggressive in trade talks. Can they add a right-handed high-leverage option?
- San Diego Padres: Mason Miller has not closed out a save since May 29.
- San Francisco Giants: Is it Keaton Winn for the next save? Caleb Kilian? Any reliever on any given day? Should fantasy players care?
- St. Louis Cardinals: How long of a leash does Riley O’Brien have?
- Washington Nationals: Can the fantasy community trust any reliever in this leverage ladder?
Rankings can fluctuate daily, and with waivers on tap in many leagues this weekend, the weekend planner will highlight situations worth tracking. It will also include updates to reliever rankings for saves and SOLDS formats.
First, updated leaderboards for saves in 2026 and the last 14 days on games played through June 4:
| 2026 Leaders | Saves | Last 14 Days | Saves |
| Cade Smith | 21 | Jhoan Duran | 6 |
| Mason Miller | 17 | Cade Smith | 5 |
| Bryan Baker | 16 | Paul Sewald | 4 |
| Paul Sewald | 15 | Gregory Soto | 4 |
| Riley O’Brien | 15 | Trevor Megill | 3 |
| Jhoan Duran | 14 | Bryan Baker | 3 |
| David Bednar | 13 | Louie Varland | 3 |
| Aroldis Chapman | 12 | Jacob Latz | 3 |
| Raisel Iglesias | 11 | Raisel Iglesias | 3 |
| Seranthony Domínguez | 11 | David Bednar | 2 |
| Lucas Erceg | 11 | Alex Lange | 2 |
| Louie Varland | 9 | Mason Miller | 2 |
| Andrés Muñoz | 9 | Yoendrys Gómez | 2 |
| Jacob Latz | 8 | Pete Fairbanks | 2 |
| Gregory Soto | 8 | Bryan King | 2 |
| Trevor Megill | 8 | Clayton Beeter | 2 |
| Devin Williams | 8 | Tanner Scott | 2 |
| Ryan Helsley | 7 | Scott Barlow | 2 |
| Kenley Jansen | 7 | Caleb Kilian | 2 |
| Pete Fairbanks | 7 | Riley O’Brien | 2 |
Updated RP Rankings for Saves
| Rank | Reliever |
| 1 | Cade Smith |
| 2 | Mason Miller |
| 3 | Jhoan Duran |
| 4 | Paul Sewald |
| 5 | Bryan Baker |
| 6 | Louis Varland |
| 7 | Trevor Megill |
| 8 | Aroldis Chapman |
| 9 | Raisel Iglesias |
| 10 | Andrés Muñoz |
| 11 | Josh Hader |
| 12 | David Bednar |
| 13 | Jacob Latz |
| 14 | Riley O’Brien |
| 15 | Daniel Palencia |
| 16 | Tanner Scott |
| 17 | Pete Fairbanks |
| 18 | Devin Williams |
| 19 | Gregory Soto |
| 20 | Seranthony Domínguez |
| 21 | Kirby Yates |
| 22 | Rico Garcia |
| 23 | Keaton Winn |
| 24 | Will Vest |
| 25 | Yoendrys Gómez |
| 26 | Hogan Harris |
| 27 | Alex Lange |
| 28 | Clayton Beeter |
| 29 | Antonio Senzatela |
| 30 | Justin Sterner |
| 31 | Matt Strahm |
| 32 | Jeff Hoffman |
| 33 | Aaron Ashby |
| 34 | Grant Taylor |
| 35 | Tyler Rogers |
| 36 | Kyle Finnegan |
| 37 | Daniel Lynch IV |
| 38 | Robert Suarez |
| 39 | Gus Varland |
| 40 | Jose A. Ferrer |
| 41 | Luke Weaver |
| 42 | Caleb Kilian |
| 43 | Mark Leiter Jr. |
| 44 | Carmen Mlodzinski |
| 45 | Brock Burke |
| 46 | Abner Uribe |
| 47 | Bryan Hudson |
| 48 | Hunter Gaddis |
| 49 | George Soriano |
| 50 | Lucas Erceg |
| 51 | Drew Anderson |
| 52 | Erik Miller |
| 53 | Bryan King |
| 54 | Enyel De Los Sanntos |
| 55 | Caleb Ferguson |
| 56 | Taylor Rogers |
| 57 | Orion Kerkering |
| 58 | Zach Maxwell |
| 59 | Will Klein |
| 60 | Scott Barlow |
Here are the updated leaderboards for SOLDS by season and the last 14 days, through June 4:
| 2026 Leaders | SOLDS | Last 14 Days | SOLDS |
| Cade Smith | 21 | Jhoan Duran | 6 |
| Mason Miller | 17 | Brad Keller | 6 |
| Erik Sabrowski | 17 | Louie Varland | 5 |
| Bryan Baker | 17 | Yoendrys Gómez | 5 |
| JoJo Romero | 17 | Cade Smith | 5 |
| Riley O’Brien | 16 | Tim Herrin | 5 |
| Paul Sewald | 15 | Anthony Banda | 4 |
| Louie Varland | 14 | Alex Vesia | 4 |
| Jhoan Duran | 14 | Hunter Gaddis | 4 |
| Tyler Rogers | 14 | Orion Kerkering | 4 |
| Hogan Harris | 14 | Paul Sewald | 4 |
| Kevin Kelly | 14 | Will Klein | 4 |
| Gregory Soto | 14 | Gregory Soto | 4 |
| Trevor Megill | 14 | Tyler Rogers | 4 |
| Five tied with | 13 | Kyle Hurt | 4 |
Updated RP Rankings for SOLDS
| Rank | Reliever |
| 1 | Cade Smith |
| 2 | Jhoan Duran |
| 3 | Mason Miller |
| 4 | Louis Varland |
| 5 | Robert Suarez |
| 6 | Paul Sewald |
| 7 | Bryan Baker |
| 8 | Tanner Scott |
| 9 | Rico Garcia |
| 10 | Trevor Megill |
| 11 | Dylan Lee |
| 12 | Hunter Gaddis |
| 13 | Raisel Iglesias |
| 14 | Gregory Soto |
| 15 | Aroldis Chapman |
| 16 | Jose A. Ferrer |
| 17 | JoJo Romero |
| 18 | Jeff Hoffman |
| 19 | Adrian Morejon |
| 20 | David Bednar |
| 21 | Andrés Muñoz |
| 22 | Riley O’Brien |
| 23 | Kevin Kelly |
| 24 | Jacob Latz |
| 25 | Bryan Hudson |
| 26 | Jason Adam |
| 27 | Josh Hader |
| 28 | Orion Kerkering |
| 29 | Seranthony Domínguez |
| 30 | Abner Uribe |
| 31 | Devin Williams |
| 32 | Daniel Palencia |
| 33 | Luke Weaver |
| 34 | Keaton Winn |
| 35 | Tyler Rogers |
| 36 | Pete Fairbanks |
| 37 | Aaron Ashby |
| 38 | Fernando Cruz |
| 39 | George Soriano |
| 40 | Enyel De Los Santos |
| 41 | Bryan King |
| 42 | Brad Keller |
| 43 | Antonio Senzatela |
| 44 | Justin Sterner |
| 45 | Daniel Lynch IV |
| 46 | Matt Brash |
| 47 | Yoendrys Gómez |
| 48 | Hogan Harris |
| 49 | Alex Vesia |
| 50 | Brooks Raley |
| 51 | Will Vest |
| 52 | Juan Morillo |
| 53 | Eduard Bazardo |
| 54 | Sam Moll |
| 55 | Will Klein |
| 56 | Grant Taylor |
| 57 | Garrett Cleavinger |
| 58 | Kirby Yates |
| 59 | Jeremiah Estrada |
| 60 | Justin Slaten |
| 61 | Brad Lord |
| 62 | Taylor Clarke |
| 63 | Braydon Fisher |
| 64 | Mason Montgomery |
| 65 | Jovani Móran |
| 66 | Jacob Webb |
| 67 | Brock Burke |
| 68 | Kyle Hurt |
| 69 | Lucas Erceg |
| 70 | Mark Leiter Jr. |
| 71 | Kyle Finnegan |
| 72 | Scott Barlow |
| 73 | Erik Miller |
| 74 | Richard Lovelady |
| 75 | Drew Anderson |
Thanks for being a part of the Closer Monkey community. Stay safe, and be well.
Statistical Credits: