March 23, 2022

Baltimore Orioles — The Orioles probably aren’t going to be a surefire source of saves again this season, but if you are looking to Baltimore, Cole Sulser is probably the best bet to start the year. That’s because Brandon Hyde plans to stretch out Tyler Wells. If Wells ends up in the bullpen, he’ll likely be at the top of the Orioles’ committee that includes Sulser, Paul Fry, Tanner Scott, and maybe even Jorge Lopez.

Starting 2022 hierarchy: Sulser | Fry | Scott.
Holds candidates: Fry, Scott, Jorge Lopez.

Boston Red Sox — Despite their strong 2021 season, the Red Sox never really had a reliable option for saves by the end of the year. With Adam Ottavino gone, the Red Sox will likely turn to Matt Barnes as their first option at closer. Garrett Whitlock was sharp out of the ‘pen last season but if he ends up in the bullpen it’s probably in a multi-inning role. The Sox signed Jake Diekman and Matt Straham, with Diekman bringing closing experience with him to Boston. Alex Cora is also high on Hirokazu Sawamura. We’ll plan on Barnes being the first one to get a crack at saves, with Whitlock and Diekman behind him. If you’re playing the long game, Eduardo Bazardo is a name worth monitoring.

Starting 2022 hierarchy: *Barnes | Whitlock | Diekman.
* = closer-by-committee
Holds candidates: Whitlock, Diekman, Hirokazu Sawamura.

New York Yankees — The Yankees have one of the more stable bullpens in baseball, with Aroldis Chapman set to once again close in the Bronx. Jonathan Loaisiga and Chad Green will set up Chapman, as Zack Britton isn’t expected to be back from Tommy John surgery until later this year, if at all.

Starting 2022 hierarchy: Chapman | Loaisiga | Green.
Holds candidates: Loaisiga, Green.

Tampa Bay Rays — Oh, the Rays. The bullpen where anyone has a chance to pitch the ninth inning. A lot of that was unfortunately due to injuries, but the Rays are projected to have several strong late-inning options back. As for who might have the first crack at saves? Uhhh, Andrew Kittredge? Pete Fairbanks? Good luck!

Starting 2022 hierarchy: *Kittredge | Fairbanks | Beeks.
* = closer-by-committee
Holds candidates: Literally everyone!

Toronto Blue Jays — The Blue Jays will have some familiar faces back in the bullpen for 2022. We expect Jordan Romano to start the year as the team’s closer, with Trevor Richards and Adam Cimber as the primary setup men. The Jays also added Yimi Garcia and he’ll likely get some looks in the late innings as well.

Starting 2022 hierarchy: Romano | Richards | Cimber.
Holds candidates: Richards, Cimber, Yimi Garcia.

March 23, 2022

Chicago White Sox — Chicago currently boasts its most formidable bullpen to open a season in recent memory. They could still look to trade Craig Kimbrel, who has tended to fare better as a closer than in a setup role, but for now consider him first in line behind one of the game’s best, Liam Hendriks. Kendall Graveman and Joe Kelly joined Chicago in the offseason to give the bullpen some significant depth. 

Starting 2022 hierarchy: Hendriks | Kimbrel | Graveman.
Holds candidates: Kimbrel, Graveman, Joe Kelly, Garrett Crochet, Aaron Bummer.

Cleveland Guardians — The Guardians begin the season with a lot of clarity at the back end of their relief corps. Emmanuel Clase will lead the group for save chances to begin the year, and if he pitches like he did down the stretch in 2021 (0.82 ERA, .373 OPS against in 33 second-half games), he’ll hold onto the job for a long time. Backing him up will be James Karinchak, who needs to work on his control after an up-and-down 2021 (32 walks in 55.1 IP; 4.07 ERA, 1.21 WHIP), and outfielder-turned-reliever Anthony Gose. Gose features a high-90s fastball and impressed in AAA last year with 13.4 K/9. 

Starting 2022 hierarchy: Clase | Karinchak | Gose.
Holds candidates: Karinchak, Gose, Sam Hentges, Trevor Stephan, Nick Sandlin.

Detroit Tigers — Given the signings of Javier Baez and Eduardo Rodriguez, and the likely debuts of top prospects of Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene, Detroit intends to compete in 2022. This should mean more save chances for… who exactly? In October, manager AJ Hinch said Gregory Soto was his closer, and we have to take him at his word even if he was being a bit coy. Michael Fulmer and Jose Cisnero round out the hierarchy to start 2022.

Starting 2022 hierarchy: Soto | Fulmer | Cisnero.
Holds candidates: Fulmer, Cisnero, Andrew Chafin, Kyle Funkhouser, Joe Jimenez.

Kansas City Royals — Manager Mike Matheny doesn’t always settle on “the guy” in the ninth inning, but Scott Barlow might force his hand to begin 2022. Barlow was strong in last season’s second half, netting 12 saves with a 1.71 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. The waters got muddied a bit, though, when longtime Reds reliever Amir Garrett, who fell out of favor last year when he got his chance to close for Cincinnati, was traded to KC. Josh Staumount, meanwhile, could be the team’s best relief pitcher, but Matheny could also choose to deploy him in the tightest spots in games. Consider this situation a committee to start. 

Starting 2022 hierarchy: *Barlow | Staumont | Garrett.
* = closer-by-committee
Holds candidates: Staumont, Garrett, Jake Brentz, Dylan Coleman, Taylor Clarke.

Minnesota Twins — The Twins shocked some people when they traded away catcher Mitch Garver for Isiah Kiner-Falefa, shocked more people when they spun Kiner-Falefa in a trade to land Gary Sanchez, and then stunned the baseball world when they landed the year’s top free agent, Carlos Correa. So the Twins appear serious about competing in 2022. But will their bullpen rise to the challenge? Taylor Rogers likely sits in the driver’s seat in the bullpen hierarchy, but Rocco Baldelli has been hesitant to fully stick with Rogers in the past, instead deploying him at times in the highest-leverage situations. Tyler Duffey will set up and Jorge Alcala should get some late-inning looks, too.

Starting 2022 hierarchy: Rogers | Duffey | Alcala.
Holds candidates: Duffey, Alcala, Joe Smith, Caleb Thielbar, Juan Minaya.

March 23, 2022

Houston Astros — Ryan Pressly will return as the closer for the Astros after having an All-Star season last year. The Astros signed former Phillies’ closer Hector Neris and he should serve as the primary set-up man for Pressly. Ryne Stanek was an important part of the Astros bullpen last year and he should return to a late-inning role. Enoli Paredes had a forgettable 2021 season after showing promise in 2020 but will hope that spending time with Closer Monkey favorite Fernando Rodney can help him bounce back in 2022.

Starting 2022 hierarchy: Pressly | Neris | Stanek.
Holds candidates: Neris, Stanek, Phil Maton.

Los Angeles Angels — Raisel Iglesias re-signed with the Angels and will enter 2022 as their unquestioned closer after a stellar season in 2021 that saw him strike out 103 batters against only 12 walks in 70 innings. The Angels also bolstered their bullpen by signing Aaron Loup, after he finished 2021 with an ERA under 1.00, as well as Archie Bradley and Ryan Tepera. Mike Mayers returns after serving as the primary set-up man ahead of Iglesias last year. We will slot Archie Bradley behind Iglesias based on his closing experience (30 career saves) while lefty Aaron Loup rounds out the hierarchy for now.

Starting 2022 hierarchy: Iglesias | Bradley | Loup.
Holds candidates: Bradley, Loup, Mike Mayers, Ryan Tepera.

Oakland A’s — The A’s will need to add some bullpen arms so this hierarchy will likely change before the start of the regular season. Lou Trivino is the closer as of right now and they re-signed Deolis Guerra, who became one of their better relievers last season. We will put Domingo Acevedo on the hierarchy got now but we expect the A’s to sign some veteran relievers who could take over that spot.

Starting 2022 hierarchy: Trivino | Guerra | Acevedo.
Holds candidates: Guerra, Acevedo.

Seattle Mariners — The Mariners bullpen was a strength last season and they will bring back most of the key members. Drew Steckenrider and Paul Sewald ended last season splitting save chances and we expect them to start the same way in 2022. Former Rays’ closer Diego Castillo should also factor into the late innings and keep an eye on Ken Giles as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.

Starting 2022 hierarchy: *Steckenrider | Sewald | Castillo.
* = closer-by-committee
Holds candidates: Castillo, Giles.

Texas Rangers — Last year, Joe Barlow made his major league debut towards the end of June and less than two months later he was closing out games. Barlow finished the season with 11 saves and an ERA of 1.55 and will enter 2022 as the Rangers’ closer. Spencer Patton and Josh Sborz finished last year setting up Barlow and could return to that role again this year. The Rangers also signed veterans Greg Holland and Garrett Richards and both should complete for time in the late innings.

Starting 2022 hierarchy: Barlow | Patton | Sborz.
Holds candidates: Patton, Sborz, Greg Holland, Garrett Richards.