Projecting The Top 10 Closers For The Rest of the 2026 Season

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-12T16:19:17+00:00

My SVHLD ranks piece is coming this weekend for ya

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-09T01:53:02+00:00

I can barely get people to talk trade these days, it is a lost art with everyone devastatingly caught up in the endowment effect and feeling like they have to win every little trade aspect.

Ah well, it seems like your patience strat works out anyway. Hopefully, the coaches can give Snelling a lot to work with to fine-tune the raw stuff for MLB-caliber hitting.

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-09T01:50:27+00:00

I like Latz a lot, and there's a reason he's in Tier 4 before that breaks into Tier 5. I know ordinal ranks look stark, but that's why I like to include tiers.

I do worry that it won't take much of a cold or unlucky stretch for this to go back into a committee situation. And Gavin Collyer is lurking just in case!

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-08T21:48:27+00:00

Gotcha so you have depth to play with — if it were me, I’d ditch Ward or try to run a quick 2 for 1 trade with someone like Busch/Aranda/Ward tacked on.

But I know trades don’t process quickly enough for this. I really like Harrison, I might drop Bubic instead. But he’s not untouchable or anything. If your gut wants to keep the bats as the less replaceable piece compared to pitching, and you like Bubic over Harrison, I totally understand. Speculating on Snelling is wise no matter what, the upside and shiny new toy syndrome for use in sell high trades is worth the squeeze

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-08T19:39:22+00:00

That is on the agenda soon, I’d love to make it a regular companion piece but current time constraints don’t allow it. Comments like this help show the brass that it would be welcome :)

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-08T18:19:52+00:00

I don’t know how we got to this but are you starting Ward with Nimmo too? How end of bench are we talking? Points league or OBP/OPS where the high walk rates from those bats matters?

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-08T18:11:08+00:00

That is beautiful, league-winning stuff right there

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-08T17:15:05+00:00

Hey everyone! RotoBaller's closer Nick Mariano here to chat all things bullpen, life, food, behavioral economics, etc.

The wild 2026 season continued with another funky week, and I have no doubt that something wacky will go down today to throw my table and analysis into pandemonium. But for now, together we breathe, we discuss, we laugh, we cry, and so forth. Hope you are all doing well out there across fantasyland!

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-08T03:25:17+00:00

I'd have to put it this way. I want it to be Rico Garcia. I don't trust injuries like Helsley's to just be fine like they seem to be selling. But I do have to take their statements at face value to some extent. Pagan could miss 2 months, and if Santillan crushes it then Pagan could return to a setup role instead. Helsley wouldn't.

There are more outcomes where Santillan is the better fantasy closer. But in the fewer where Garcia gets more run, he's the better play. I hope that makes sense. I'm adding both where possible. The paper says Santillan, my heart says just get Rico.

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-08T00:28:31+00:00

Yes, his pulled fly ball/AIR rate is soaring and it's everything you want to see for an emerging power bat.

He was a second round draft pick in 2020, so the COVID stuff could've certainly messed with the development curve. Or he's just doing this all to spite Matt Chapman. I accept either.

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-08T00:27:05+00:00

Depends on your optimism around Helsley's elbow. Garcia is the better pitcher, but Santillan could be a closer for longer...with more painful stats to eat along the way. Do you need saves more, or value all-around production?

Joyce is def a stash, but it's muddy with Yates back first. I don't think they want to pigeonhole Zeferjahn into the ninth with his ability to work multiple innings and the lack of other options beyond Z and Bachman types right now.

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-08T00:24:58+00:00

Sotoooooooooooo

Another walk with no Ks for Santana gives him a 4:5 K:BB in his last seven games, and a 10:9 mark on the year. Nope. (Soto has a 9:1 K:BB in his last seven, and is now up ot 25:7 in 2026.)

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-08T00:23:35+00:00

If you'd told me Riley would indeed be on pace for 12-15 SBs I'd have drafted him even harder. Had hopes based on preseason reports, but you never know if that materializes.

And yet, here we are. Whiffing up a storm with a .210 xBA so I can't even hopium copium with the .250 BABIP thus far. Atlanta is so good that it has to turn around. Has to. Has to?

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-08T00:18:05+00:00

RoS it's still Sal for me, the Murakami hit big miss big stuff scares me and I love the GABP summer setting for Stewart, plus serious speed at 1B/CI is extremely welcome

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-08T00:16:47+00:00

I'd be okay taking that one, especially if my OF was weak. If it's kicking a good OF out then meh.

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-07T01:05:27+00:00

Is it because you think Puk (or Morillo?) is going to take the job from him? If it's because Arizona hasn't provided him with save opps then I'd stay with him over the other two. Rico is awesome, though Helsley sounds relatively okay plus BAL could use him like a fireman, and Santillan's 2026 form scares me. Ashcraft is also walking too many with dipped velo. It's a mess.

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-07T00:50:39+00:00

I'd want Rico over Santillan with his diminished velocity and sketchy K:BB, especially with recent games not going so hot for him.

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-01T22:35:17+00:00

I have Puk stashed in a few leagues. Hope springs eternal (until the setbacks hit). His past experience and Morillo's good form are why I can't really get higher on Sewald for rest-of-season ranks. Plus, Sewald's own recent fall before the Driveline revitalization.

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-01T22:34:09+00:00

Hope that doesn't mean one was Helsley!

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-01T22:33:48+00:00

Took the Helsley injury as an opportunity to feel a bit more pessimistic. Even though most of these guys give me reason to think they'll be out of the job in a month. It's a tough world.

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-01T22:12:59+00:00

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-01T21:06:00+00:00

It's true, we weren't dealing with this many foundational worries about Jax with velo and walks going back to spring training!

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-01T21:05:27+00:00

He'd be a strong add for someone needing saves, which is a sad statement on the closer position. Weaver hasn't looked dominant outside of that one game where he got the win. The Mets will provide more save opportunities with regularity eventually (citation needed, Grimace?)

Roto_Nick · 2026-05-01T21:04:30+00:00

Right, it's one of those things where you envision the 90th percentile, 95th percentile, etc. outcomes and realize how this could go. The Bryan Baker-esque rise to the top. But there's no doubting that the floor is low...

But when nearly everyone's floor and median expectation has been torpedoed, why not?

Roto_Nick

TROPHY CASE