Being one week beyond the trade deadline, Pittsburgh made moves to strengthen the bullpen, targeting three right-handed relievers, including Luke Weaver, and has not had a save chance since. Raisel Iglesias, Edwin Díaz, and *Devin Williams have struggled in recent outings, affecting their fantasy status.
- UPDATE: After the rankings were posted, Williams was placed on the 15-day injured list. He has been removed from the closer and SOLDS rankings.
Because teams continue using matchup-based approaches and managing workloads, an MLB record 227 relievers have already recorded a save this season. However, the number of relievers with at least 15 saves remains well behind pace compared to 2024 and 2025:
When assessing the rankings, understand that they remain fluid as sample sizes grow. They are a mix of in-season results and rest-of-season potential. Rankings should be part of a fantasy player’s toolkit, not the sole source of evaluation. I continue to use updated SGPs (standard gains points) for the season and the last two weeks, with an eye on rest-of-season potential.
Each category will have an updated leaderboard featuring the leaders for the season and July, based on games played through August 9.
Stock Up for Saves
- Emilio Pagán (CIN): Has been scoreless in his last eight games, posting two wins and six saves with 10 strikeouts and no walks.
- Pete Fairbanks (MIA): Owns a six-game scoreless streak, converting all four saves while recording nine strikeouts against two walks across six innings, yielding one hit.
Here are their statistical boxes for the second half:
Saves Leaderboards
Updated RP Rankings for Saves
| Rank | Reliever |
| 1 | Mason Miller |
| 2 | Bryan Baker |
| 3 | David Bednar |
| 4 | Jhoan Duran |
| 5 | Cade Smith |
| 6 | Josh Hader |
| 7 | Trevor Megill |
| 8 | Aroldis Chapman |
| 9 | Emilio Pagán |
| 10 | Riley O’Brien |
| 11 | Andrés Muñoz |
| 12 | Pete Fairbanks |
| 13 | Louis Varland |
| 14 | Jacob Latz |
| 15 | Raisel Iglesias |
| 16 | Yoendrys Gómez |
| 17 | Kenley Jansen |
| 18 | Jacob Webb |
| 19 | Edwin Díaz |
| 20 | Luke Weaver |
| 21 | Clayton Beeter |
| 22 | Steven Cruz |
| 23 | Brandyn Garcia |
| 24 | Dylan Smith |
| 25 | Jordan Romano |
| 26 | Hogan Harris |
| 27 | Bryan Abreu |
| 28 | Andrew Kittredge |
| 29 | Mason Montgomery |
| 30 | Grant Taylor |
| 31 | Yennier Cano |
| 32 | Didier Fuentes |
| 33 | Samy Natera Jr. |
| 34 | Kevin Ginkel |
| 35 | Ben Joyce |
| 36 | Chad Patrick |
| 37 | Nate Pearson |
| 38 | Huascar Brazobán |
| 39 | Kodai Senga |
| 40 | Brayan Bello |
| 41 | Garrett Whitlock |
| 42 | Jeff Hoffman |
| 43 | Tanner Scott |
| 44 | Adrian Morejon |
| 45 | Abner Uribe |
| 46 | Daniel Duarte |
| 47 | Ryan Zeferjahn |
| 48 | Juan Morillo |
| 49 | Tyler Wells |
| 50 | Dylan Lee |
| 51 | Gordon Graceffo |
| 52 | Aaron Ashby |
| 53 | Ty Madden |
| 54 | Brock Burke |
| 55 | Luis Medina |
| 56 | Paul Blackburn |
| 57 | Rico Garcia |
| 58 | Steven Matz |
| 59 | Calvin Faucher |
| 60 | Trevor Williams |
Stock Up for SOLDS
- Jacob Webb (CHC): Flying below the radar, he’s on a 19-game scoreless streak since June 24, during which he has three wins, five saves, and three holds, with a 0.879 WHIP and 19 strikeouts versus seven walks across 17.1 innings.
- Bryan Abreu (HOU): Returning to his old slider grip has unlocked past production for the talented leverage reliever. It’s important since he’s on the precipice of free agency. He’s riding an 11-game scoreless streak with two wins, two saves, and two holds over his last 11 innings, recording 15 strikeouts and four walks while posting a 0.636 WHIP.
Here are their statistical boxes for the second half:
SOLDS Leaderboards
Updated RP Rankings for SOLDS
| Rank | Reliever |
| 1 | Mason Miller |
| 2 | Bryan Baker |
| 3 | David Bednar |
| 4 | Jhoan Duran |
| 5 | Cade Smith |
| 6 | Dylan Lee |
| 7 | Josh Hader |
| 8 | Adrian Morejon |
| 9 | Garrett Whitlock |
| 10 | Aroldis Chapman |
| 11 | Trevor Megill |
| 12 | Emilio Pagán |
| 13 | Abner Uribe |
| 14 | Juan Morillo |
| 15 | Bryan Abreu |
| 16 | Brent Headrick |
| 17 | Mason Montgomery |
| 18 | Didier Fuentes |
| 19 | Riley O’Brien |
| 20 | Kevin Kelly |
| 21 | Louis Varland |
| 22 | Andrés Muñoz |
| 23 | Brandyn Garcia |
| 24 | Raisel Iglesias |
| 25 | Jacob Webb |
| 26 | Tanner Scott |
| 27 | Garrett Cleavinger |
| 28 | Pete Fairbanks |
| 29 | Luke Weaver |
| 30 | Jacob Latz |
| 31 | Grant Taylor |
| 32 | Tyler Rogers |
| 33 | Ryan Zeferjahn |
| 34 | Steve Okert |
| 35 | Hunter Gaddis |
| 36 | Jeremiah Estrada |
| 37 | Steven Cruz |
| 38 | Andrew Kittredge |
| 39 | Yoendrys Gómez |
| 40 | Yennier Cano |
| 41 | Brooks Raley |
| 42 | Justin Slaten |
| 43 | Brock Burke |
| 44 | Tyron Guerrero |
| 45 | Kenley Jansen |
| 46 | Edwin Díaz |
| 47 | Gabe Speier |
| 48 | Alex Vesia |
| 49 | Huascar Brazobán |
| 50 | Jeff Hoffman |
| 51 | Kevin Ginkel |
| 52 | Hogan Harris |
| 53 | Dylan Dodd |
| 54 | Jordan Hicks |
| 55 | Dylan Smith |
| 56 | Tyler Holton |
| 57 | Paul Blackburn |
| 58 | Clayton Beeter |
| 59 | Jordan Romano |
| 60 | Eduard Bazardo |
| 61 | Aaron Ashby |
| 62 | Chad Patrick |
| 63 | Braydon Fisher |
| 64 | Tyler Wells |
| 65 | Kody Funderburk |
| 66 | Ryne Stanek |
| 67 | Colin Holderman |
| 68 | Chase Silseth |
| 69 | Justin Bruihl |
| 70 | Nate Pearson |
| 71 | George Soriano |
| 72 | Robby Ahlstrom |
| 73 | Erik Miller |
| 74 | Tyler Zuber |
| 75 | Kodai Senga |
Stock Up for Holds
- Juan Morillo (ARI): Designated his team’s “fireman” by Torey Lovullo, he’s turned in nine consecutive scoreless outings with a 0.67 WHIP and 10 strikeouts versus one walk over his last nine innings, recording a win and five holds.
- Ryan Zeferjahn (CHC): Adapting to his new surroundings quickly, he has notched two holds in his first three appearances for the Cubs, with multiple strikeouts in back-to-back outings. Shifting from the team with the second fewest save opportunities to a team vying for the playoffs should enhance his production moving forward.
Here are their statistical boxes for the second half:
Holds Leaderboards
Updated RP Rankings for Holds
| 1 | Dylan Lee |
| 2 | Adrian Morejon |
| 3 | Abner Uribe |
| 4 | Garrett Whitlock |
| 5 | Bryan Abreu |
| 6 | Brent Headrick |
| 7 | Kevin Kelly |
| 8 | Garrett Cleavinger |
| 9 | Juan Morillo |
| 10 | Mason Montgomery |
| 11 | Ryan Zeferjahn |
| 12 | Steven Okert |
| 13 | Hunter Gaddis |
| 14 | Didier Fuentes |
| 15 | Tanner Scott |
| 16 | Ryne Stanek |
| 17 | Jeremiah Estrada |
| 18 | Tyler Rogers |
| 19 | Brooks Raley |
| 20 | Alex Vesia |
| 21 | Gabe Speier |
| 22 | Tyron Guerrero |
| 23 | Brock Burke |
| 24 | George Soriano |
| 25 | Jeff Hoffman |
| 26 | Justin Slaten |
| 27 | Andrew Morris |
| 28 | Michael Petersen |
| 29 | Tyler Holton |
| 30 | Eduard Bazardo |
| 31 | Yennier Cano |
| 32 | Aaron Ashby |
| 33 | Dylan Dodd |
| 34 | Kody Funderburk |
| 35 | Samy Natera Jr. |
| 36 | Tyler Zuber |
| 37 | Paul Blackburn |
| 38 | Bradegly Rodriguez |
| 39 | Robby Ahlstrom |
| 40 | Huascar Brazobán |
Updated AL-Only RP Rankings
| Rank | Reliever |
| 1 | Bryan Baker |
| 2 | David Bednar |
| 3 | Cade Smith |
| 4 | Josh Hader |
| 5 | Aroldis Chapman |
| 6 | Andrés Muñoz |
| 7 | Louis Varland |
| 8 | Jacob Latz |
| 9 | Yoendrys Gómez |
| 10 | Kenley Jansen |
| 11 | Steven Cruz |
| 12 | Hogan Harris |
| 13 | Bryan Abreu |
| 14 | Andrew Kittredge |
| 15 | Grant Taylor |
| 16 | Yennier Cano |
| 17 | Samy Natera Jr. |
| 18 | Ben Joyce |
| 19 | Nate Pearson |
| 20 | Huascar Brazobán |
| 21 | Brayan Bello |
| 22 | Garrett Whitlock |
| 23 | Jeff Hoffman |
| 24 | Tyler Wells |
| 25 | Ty Madden |
Updated NL-Only RP Rankings
| Rank | Reliever |
| 1 | Mason Miller |
| 2 | Jhoan Duran |
| 3 | Trevor Megill |
| 4 | Emilio Pagán |
| 5 | Riley O’Brien |
| 6 | Pete Fairbanks |
| 7 | Raisel Iglesias |
| 8 | Jacob Webb |
| 9 | Edwin Díaz |
| 10 | Luke Weaver |
| 11 | Clayton Beeter |
| 12 | Devin Williams |
| 13 | Brandyn Garcia |
| 14 | Dylan Smith |
| 15 | Jordan Romano |
| 16 | Mason Montgomery |
| 17 | Didier Fuentes |
| 18 | Kevin Ginkel |
| 19 | Chad Patrick |
| 20 | Tanner Scott |
| 21 | Adrian Morejon |
| 22 | Abner Uribe |
| 23 | Kodai Senga |
| 24 | Juan Morillo |
| 25 | Dylan Lee |
Thanks for being a part of the Closer Monkey community. Stay safe and be well.
Statistical Credits: