#1-#10

Master of the Airbender, Devin Williams, is number one at The Dynasty Guru.  After a couple of seasons setting up for Josh Hader (our No. 2 relief pitcher), Williams was unleashed at the trade deadline last year and has not disappointed as the Brewers stopper.  Since August 1, 2023, Williams is fifth in the league in saves (45) and for those who have pitched more than 70 innings in that time period, fifth in the league in ERA (1.81 ERA) (70 innings threshold), eighth in the league in K/9 (13.22 K/9), and ninth in WHIP (0.94 WHIP).  Williams is the total package, closing for a good Brewers team.  At 29 years old, there is plenty of run left in Williams’s right arm, and dynasty managers who need saves with elite ratios can be confident in Williams delivering.

Josh Hader will be moving to Houston through at least 2028.  Hader is seventh on the active saves leaders list with 165.  As notable as that may be, Hader is an all-timer in two stats.  He is NUMBER ONE ALL TIME in batting average against (.155 BAA) and K% (42.2%).  And now, he will be closing for the perennial World Series contender Houston Astros.  Admittedly, for a pitcher who is viewed as elite, Hader has had a bit of an up-and-down career, with 2020 and 2022 being years where his ERA ballooned over 3.75.  However, he had one of his finest seasons in 2023 and there is no reason to believe things will get worse in Houston.  In a position known for volatility, Hader is a known quantity and a great one at that.

It goes to show how good Emmanuel Clase is when a season with a 3.22 ERA, 44 saves, and a 1.16 WHIP is considered a down year.  Clase failed to strike out a batter per inning and also blew 12 saves (most in the league).  Clase was weirdly hittable in 2023, more than doubling the number of barrels he allowed and having a 5% increase in hard hit percentage.  His dominant cutter was not so dominant, with a BAA of .267.  As long as Clase is closing for Cleveland, he is going to rack up saves and be a great closer for dynasty managers.  However, because he showed some chinks in the armor in 2023, all of a sudden Clase needs to prove that he belongs in the top tier.

If not for a torn patellar tendon, Edwin Díaz would likely be Number 1 on this list.  The last time we saw Díaz in a Mets jersey, he was putting up an elite season:  62 innings with a 1.31 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 32 saves, all while striking out nearly two batters per inning.  During that epic 2022, Díaz was 9th in the Cy Young Voting and 16th in the MVP voting.  To me, if Díaz bounces back with a dominant year, then he should jump right up to the top slot.  No other reliever provides the same track record and ceiling as Díaz and at 30 years old, there is still plenty of tread on those tires.

If you are talking about unhittable pitches, any list must include Jhoan Duran’s “Splinker.”  Combine that splinker with a four-seamer that averages nearly 102 m.p.h. and a curveball, and you have one of the nastiest closers in baseball.  It took a season, but Duran was finally handed the keys to the ninth inning and he responded with 27 saves with a 2.45 ERA and 1.14 WHIP.  On a competitive Twins team, Duran will get plenty of leads to protect.  Duran improves his ability to miss barrels last season and if he can lower his walk rate to his 2022 level (6%), then Duran may even have one more gear of effectiveness.  Dynasty managers who roster Duran can depend on strong returns for many years to come.

#11-#30

We’re officially in the territory of reliever ranks where these names can say ‘thank god y’all using SVH as a category!’. The names within are either elite-ish RPs who are second on the totem pole in closing OR less than dominant closers who could lose their job by Arbor Day. You don’t know Arbor Day? It’s the last Friday in April, duh! Please tweet me (@notnotcknock) if you watch that video, even if you get as bored as the kids singing along. Anyways, in this 21-30 ranked crew of dynasty relievers, there’s some intrigue and value. Even in the shallowest of leagues using this scoring, all these names should be rostered. But allow me to highlight them in a nonlinear fashion.

Bryan Abreu has been an unsung hero in Houston the last few seasons, but now with Hader in the mix he’s the 3^rd man in line. That likely means fewer holds over the course of the season, but I don’t think he’s drop-worthy. Ryan Pressly may be the actual 8^th inning guy to start but he’s nearing the end of his illustrious career, keep holding both though I would give Pressly the shorter leash on my fantasy roster. I wouldn’t be surprised if the pecking order is different in a year.

Yennier Cano and Abner Uribe are younger arms that should be mainstays in your SVH arm barn. When Felix Bautista went down to TJS, Cano thought he’d get a season as the closer. That is until the O’s brass decided to sign Dirty Craig Kimbrel for a single season. Cano is super valuable and consistent, don’t move him. Uribe has a shorter track record but will likely be the main setup guy for Devin Williams in Milwaukee. Airbender could be out after the season, and if Uribe and his 80-grade FB continue to live up to the hype, that future role will be all his.

Robert Stephenson, a former unsuccessful starter, had a great season last year after being traded to the Rays (surprise!). He had a 30% K-BB% and 16 SVH entering his walk year and decided to sign with the Angels to (checks notes) continue being a set-up arm. He should be good and shouldn’t have much trouble maintaining the role, though opportunities for actual Holds may be less now that he’s with the middling squad.

Alzolay, Lange, and Leclerc are three ‘closers’ that very well may not maintain that role as the year goes on. They each have struggled with consistency so far in their relatively young careers. And each have names chomping at the bit behind them in their organizations. They’re all coin flips in my eyes whether they’ll keep the job but the best part of SVH leagues is that they don’t need to be closers to have value for fantasy. The team’s success can be as important if they’re still in situations to get those holds.

Hunter Harvey is in a timeshare with Kyle Finnegan (who we have ranked lower). Harvey has youth on his side but like the ‘closers’ I mentioned above, he’s not consistently dominant and there are some interesting arms that could challenge him, not just Finnegan.

Lastly is Matt Brash. Lots of speculation right now as to the size and scope of his ‘arm discomfort’. It’s odd we haven’t heard anything more since the vague initial reporting but for now, I’d say you could drop him. Yes, he has tantalizing K potential but SVH pool is deep, and burning a bench or IL spot on one is ill-advised outside of the truly elite names.

(Chris Knock)

#31-#75