Closers are a constant source of frustration for fantasy owners. The variability of relief pitching from year-to-year makes the truly reliable closers worth their weight in gold, and drafting the wrong closers can cause a six-month headache in the saves category. Avoiding these six closers on draft day could go a long way in allowing your 2020 fantasy season to go much more smoothly.
Wade Davis, RHP, Colorado Rockiess
While Rockies manager Bud Black has already anointed Davis his closer, that proclamation could be more related to his sizable contract and experience than ability. The long-time closer was ousted from the role last year, posting an 8.65 ERA and 6.1 BB/9 in 42.2 innings. He's also lost significant velocity in four consecutive seasons, and his curveball was completely ineffective last year. While Davis' ADP is a reasonable 277 in NFBC leagues since mid-February, backup option Scott Oberg could be the preferred investment.
Edwin Diaz, RHP, New York Mets
Diaz was the top closer in baseball during 2018, but his 2019 owners still have PTSD. His ERA increased by nearly four runs in 5.59 last season, even as Diaz posted a dominant 15.4 K/9. The flame-throwing right-hander simply couldn't keep the ball in the park (15 home runs allowed), and allowed a .377 BABIP, up nearly 100 points from 2018. The law of averages suggests his BABIP will come down this year, but the ...
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... long ball is still a major concern. There's also even less margin for error this season after the Mets signed Dellin Betances, giving them another formidable closing option in addition to Seth Lugo. Diaz has upside given his great arm, elite strikeout rate, and history, but his 116 ADP since mid-February puts him ahead of the likes of Brad Hand, Kenley Jansen, and Ken Giles, and is simply too rich for my blood.
Sean Doolittle, LHP, Washington Nationals
Mike Sheets touched on Doolittle's injury history last week, as the converted first baseman has a streak of six straight seasons missing time. That's not the only reason to be concerned, however. Doolittle has lost velocity on his fastball in consecutive years, and his extreme flyball rate (52% for his career) didn't play well with the juiced ball last year (11 home runs allowed). The Nats have also added more bullpen depth, signing the capable Will Harris in addition to bringing back Daniel Hudson.
Ian Kennedy, RHP, Kansas City Royals
Kennedy made a surprisingly successful conversion from the starting rotation to closer at age 34 last season, tallying 30 saves after making only two relief appearances in his previous 12 MLB seasons. There's a lot to be said for Kennedy's strong peripherals last year (4.29 K/BB, 10.4 K/9). That said, Kennedy has been nothing if not inconsistent from year-to-year during his MLB career, and the Royals have many more options this year should Kennedy falter. KC has added former Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal, who is back to throwing strikes this spring after struggling last year, and also added former closer Greg Holland. Kennedy's 179 ADP is reasonable, but his track record shows reason to at least consider his backup options for insurance.
Craig Kimbrel, RHP, Chicago Cubs
Kimbrel was another example of a player who struggled after signing well into the regular season in 2019, posting a 6.53 ERA in 23 appearances for the Cubs and missing much of the second half with elbow problems. Now entering the second year of a three-year contract, the Cubs are obviously hopeful Kimbrel can turn things around with a full spring training, but the years of wear and tear make Kimbrel a significant risk. He showed the worst velocity last year since his 2010 rookie season, and while still dominant, Kimbrel's 13.1 K/9 was also the worst of his career. Kimbrel is healthy this spring, but he's pricier closer at ADP 138 with recent injury issues that could make that investment scary.
Mark Melancon, RHP, Atlanta Braves
Melancon did a nice job as Atlanta's closer late last season after Shane Greene was unable to handle the job. Formerly one of the elite closers in the game with Pittsburgh, Melancon has two injury-plagued seasons in San Francisco before bouncing back last year. His control during the stretch run with the Braves was brilliant, with 24/2 K/BB in 21 innings, and Melancon added an elite 62% groundball rate last season. Still, the recent arm injury history is a concern, as is the limited margin for error with Greene still around and former Giants teammate Will Smith coming over to Atlanta on a three-year, $40 million contract during the offseason. The only consolation is that Melancon has actually been much cheaper than Smith during draft season, with a 208 ADP compared to Smith's 170.