At RotoProspects.com, we pride ourselves on being your source for up-to-the-minute bullpen updates that matter for fantasy baseball with our Fantasy Baseball Closer Chart. Whether it’s injury news, role changes, or late-inning trends, we monitor every bullpen across the league to help fantasy managers stay ahead of the curve.
As we move into the dog days of summer, MLB bullpens are under the microscope with the trade deadline looming and postseason races intensifying. Roles are shifting, new names are emerging, and veteran closers are fighting to prove they still belong.
Guardians: Emmanuel Clase placed on MLB restricted list
Cleveland’s star closer (pictured above) has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave through August 31, amid an MLB sports betting investigation. MLB and the Guardians confirmed the move; no additional team personnel are expected to be implicated. Clase is now ineligible to pitch during this period and will not count against the 40-man roster while on leave.
With Clase unavailable, Cleveland is expected to shift to a closer-by-committee approach, led by Cade Smith (3.02 ERA, 65 strikeouts in 44.2 innings), among others. Smith blew the save chance on Monday against the Rockies, allowing four runs while recording one out. Hunter Gaddis, Erik Sabrowski and Tim Herrin could also be in the mix, creating uncertainty until Clase’s status changes.
Dodgers: Blake Treinen activated, hits bump immediately
The Dodgers officially activated Treinen on July 27 following an extended absence due to forearm issues. However, in his first MLB outing on July 28, he struggled—walking two and blowing a late-inning lead with a home run allowed. The outing raised concerns about his readiness and control post-injury. The Dodgers are currently alternating Yates and Vesia in the ninth, looking for consistency while the team pursues relief help in impending trade rumors.
Marlins: Bullpen roller coaster continues
Over the past week, Miami’s bullpen has been notably unreliable, with Ronny Henriquez enduring his second blown save of the month, leading managers to look elsewhere for saves. Calvin Faucher and Anthony Bender are in the mix to some degree. The lack of a settled ninth-inning option has exposed underlying weaknesses, and the team’s reliance on committee-based relief use continues to frustrate.
A look at the above mentioned bullpen situations (* denotes committee)
| Team | Current closer | Backup | Next option | Dark horse |
| Guardians | Cade Smith* | Hunter Gaddis* | Erik Sabrowski | Tim Herrin |
| Marlins | Ronny Henriquez* | Calvin Faucher* | Anthony Bender* | Lake Bachar |
| Dodgers | Blake Treinen* | Alex Vesia* | Kirby Yates* | Alexis Diaz |
Don’t miss the next big change
Closer roles are among the most fluid in fantasy baseball—and the biggest source of sneaky value. That’s why it’s essential to stay on top of bullpen usage, velocity trends, and manager comments.
Our Fantasy Baseball Closer Chart does just that. We monitor every MLB bullpen so you can act before your league-mates do.