Bullpen roles can change overnight. Injuries, trades, performance swings, and managerial decisions can turn a seemingly stable closer situation into a committee before fantasy managers have time to react.
That is why RotoProspects continually updates its Fantasy Baseball Closer Chart, helping fantasy managers track not only the current ninth-inning option, but also the relievers most likely to inherit saves next.
This update focuses on the bullpens that have experienced meaningful changes since our previous chart. The complete team-by-team closer hierarchy—including each team’s backup, next option, dark horse, and Closer of the Future—is available to subscribers.
Marlins lose Fairbanks — again
Pete Fairbanks landed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a recurrence of the nerve irritation that already cost him two weeks back in April. It’s the same underlying issue — Fairbanks has dealt with Raynaud’s syndrome, which restricts blood flow to his pitching hand — and manager Clayton McCullough isn’t naming a straight replacement. Miami is going committee: Calvin Faucher is the name getting the most run as the early favorite for save chances, with Michael Petersen and Tyler Zuber both squarely in the mix. Worth checking back on this one often — committees like this rarely stay settled for long, and Miami’s been here before (five different relievers logged saves for them in the second half of 2025).
Cubs: Webb keeps the job, Palencia keeps waiting
Daniel Palencia is back from his elbow injury, but he isn’t walking back into the ninth inning. Jacob Webb has been the story of the Cubs’ bullpen in his absence — a 2.49 ERA and a scoreless streak that’s stretched past 20 appearances — and manager Craig Counsell has made clear he intends to keep using Webb as the go-to guy while working Palencia back in gradually. Palencia himself has said he’s open to whatever role the team needs. It’s a good problem for Chicago to have, and a real threat to Webb’s hold on the job if Palencia looks like his old self, but as of now the ninth inning is still Webb’s.
Red Sox bullpen thins out fast
Boston lost two trusted relievers to the injured list within a week of each other — Garrett Whitlock (elbow inflammation) and then Justin Slaten (elbow soreness) — leaving Aroldis Chapman with a noticeably different cast behind him. It’s made the deadline trade for Erik Miller look better by the day: the lefty hasn’t allowed an earned run since arriving and has stepped straight into a high-leverage setup role.
Updated bullpens
Here’s a look at the Fantasy Baseball Closer Chart for the teams listed above (* denotes a committee). For the complete chart, with every team’s Closer of the Future, CLICK HERE and purchase a subscription.
| Team | Current closer | 1st In Line | 2nd In Line | Dark horse |
| Cubs | Jacob Webb* | Daniel Palencia* | Ryan Zeferjahn | Ryan Rolison |
| Marlins | Calvin Faucher* | Michael Petersen* | Tyler Zuber* | Josh Ekness |
| Red Sox | Aroldis Chapman | Erik Miller | Greg Weissert | Tyron Guerrero |