Understanding this process does not guarantee a pitcher being his team’s closer next year. This post will assess the potential candidates after players can enter free agency, which helps set the stage for which relievers may be at the top of their hierarchy on Opening Day. It will include pending free agents and relievers with options once the World Series transpires.
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- Pending Free Agent: Jalen Beeks
- Projected 2026 Closer: TBD
- Watch List: Brandyn Garcia
In the preseason, fantasy managers wrestled between Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk as the closer, then both landed on the injured list, cutting their seasons short. Shelby Miller emerged as the preferred option in the ninth, until he suffered an injury and was traded to Milwaukee.
Following this, chaos ensued, and Arizona has set an MLB record with 17 different pitchers recording a save this season. Next year’s saves leader is not on the current roster.
- Pending Free Agent: Raisel Iglesias
- Reliever with an option: Pierce Johnson (Club for $7 million), Tyler Kinley (Club for $5 million)
- Projected 2026 Closer: Joe Jiménez
As currently constructed, it’s easy to forget Jiménez went 1-5 with three saves, 82 strikeouts, a 2.62 ERA, and a 0.99 WHIP through 69 games, spanning 68.2 innings in 2024. His 27 holds were tied for fourth in the National League.
- Pending Free Agents: Brad Keller, Caleb Thielbar, Drew Pomeranz
- Reliever with an option: Andrew Kittredge (Club for $9 million)
- Projected 2026 Closer: Daniel Palencia
- Watch List: Matthew Peters
Once again, shoulder issues can be problematic, and repeating his breakout season in 2026 may be difficult for Palencia. At this time last year, fantasy players were coronating Porter Hodge as the closer of the future. If things go awry for Palencia, it will be contact issues:
If Palencia struggles early on or is sidelined with recurring shoulder issues, Ben Brown could emerge as a force during high-leverage events. Stay tuned.
- Pending Free Agent: Emilio Pagán
- Relievers with options: Brent Suter (Club for $3 million), Scott Barlow (Club for $5 million)
- Projected 2026 Closer: Tony Santillan
- Watch List: Zach Maxwell
The team and Terry Francona may be loyal and bring back Pagán. Still, if he signs elsewhere, Santillan has proven he’s capable in the ninth inning, converting seven saves through September 22 while posting a 1.118 WHIP with 72 strikeouts versus 28 walks across 70.2 innings. Those in keeper leagues will track how Maxwell gets used early in the season, but his command must improve if he’s going to emerge as a trusted high-leverage option.
- No pending free agents or relievers with options on the 2025 roster
- Projected 2026 Closer: Victor Vodnik
- Watch List: Welinton Herrera (AFL)
Spring battles for the closer role featured Seth Halvorsen, Victor Vodnik, and Tyler Kinley. It changed hands throughout the season, with Vodnik finishing the season as the closer, setting him up for a return to the role in 2026. This bullpen has some velocity and potential upside, but command and ratios remain hurdles, particularly given the ballpark.
- Pending Free Agent: Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech
- Reliever with an option: Alex Vesia (Club for $3.6 million)
- Projected Closer for 2026: Tanner Scott
A leverage ladder in flux, plan on a rebound in 2026 for Tanner Scott. Rosi Sasaki may be used as a reliever in the playoffs, but should return to the rotation next season. Bobby Miller could be a full-time reliever next year, and may emerge as the right-handed complement to Scott, though Edgardo Henriquez has been sneakily effective in the second half.
- No pending free agents or relievers with options on the 2025 roster
- Projected Closer for 2026: TBD
During his first year as manager, Clayton McCullough focuses more on match-ups leading to the ninth inning, rather than reserving a closer for the ninth. It was frustrating from both a writer’s and a fantasy player’s perspective. Ronny Henriquez could get more save opportunities in 2026, but he was deployed against an opponent’s toughest lineup pockets this past year.
- Pending Free Agent: Shelby Miller
- Projected Closer for 2026: Trevor Megill
- Watch List: Craig Yoho
Even if Megill does not make another appearance in the regular season, he has already set career highs in saves (30), but will miss in innings by one-third (46). He has proven capable of being a closer, but can he remain healthy for a full season? If not, Abner Uribe will be a popular skills-over-role target for many in next year’s drafts.
- Pending Free Agents: Ryan Helsley, Gregory Soto, Tyler Rogers, Ryne Stanek
- Opt-out: Edwin Díaz ($15.5 million offer)
- Relievers with options: Brooks Raley (Club for $4.8 million), Drew Smith (Club for $2 million)
- Projected Closer for 2026: TBD
- Watch List: Ryan Lambert
Cue the Jeopardy music for Edwin Díaz because the trumpets do not need to return. He can opt out of his current contract and enter free agency for one more big payday, which increases in probability if the team misses the playoffs. If he leaves, an overhaul of the bullpen will be required, placing pressure squarely on the front office.
- Pending Free Agents: David Robertson; Jordan Romano, Tim Mayza, Walker Buehler
- Reliever with an option: José Alvarado (Club for $9 million)
- Projected Closer for 2026: Jhoan Duran
Acquiring Jhoan Duran at the trade deadline has rendered the “floating closer” concept useless. He has converted 15 of 17 save chances since joining the Phillies and stabilized the bullpen. He will be one of, if not the, first reliever taken in drafts next year.
- No pending free agents or relievers with options on the 2025 roster
- Projected Closer for 2026: Dennis Santana
- Watch List: Brandon Bidois
How this franchise handles the off-season may be telling, and affect how Paul Skenes views his future with it. Teams do not like hearing about windows of opportunity, but with the cache of starting pitchers arriving, the Pirates must bolster their bullpen to maximize its strength. Santana may open the year as the closer, but signing someone like Devin Williams to a show-me deal like Aroldis Chapman signed in 2024 could be beneficial.
- Opt-outs: Robert Suarez ($8 million offer), Wandy Peralta ($4.8 million offer)
- Projected Closer for 2026: Mason Miller
Another team with more ifs than answers. Robert Suarez should turn down his standing offer of $8 million and enter free agency. He may return, but if he leaves, Mason Miller would be the closer in waiting. However, he could also follow the paths blazed by Seth Lugo and Michael King and be stretched out as a starter. If this happens, Jeremiah Estrada would likely assume a more significant leverage role.
- Pending Free Agent: Joey Lucchesi
- Projected Closer for 2026: Ryan Walker
After opening the season as the closer, Walker ceded the role to Camilo Doval, then resurfaced after the trade deadline, securing six saves in seven chances through September 22. Could the team sign a free agent at closer and put Walker back into a setup capacity? Absolutely. This makes San Francisco an interesting bullpen to monitor this winter.
- No pending free agents or relievers with options on the 2025 roster
- Projected Closer for 2026: Riley O’Brien
- Watch List: Chen-Wei Lin
It is worth noting that Ryan Helsley preferred not to be traded and could return to the team on a free-agent deal, which would shift O’Brien into a setup role alongside JoJo Romero. But if the team prefers spending money elsewhere, O’Brien gets a boost from a fantasy standpoint.
- Pending Free Agent: Derek Law
- Projected Closer for 2026: Jose A. Ferrer
Who manages the Nationals and the team’s approach to free agency this winter will determine who leads the team in saves next year. If Miguel Cairo sheds the interim label and is named manager, Ferrer’s stock takes a slight hit:
Monitor who gets hired and what relievers Washington signs this off-season; it will impact how saves get distributed in 2026.
Thanks for being part of the Closer Monkey community. Stay safe, and be well.
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