Robert Suarez saved an NL-leading 40 games for the San Diego Padres last season and finished third among all relievers in ESPN fantasy points. With exciting Mason Miller working in the same bullpen, the free agent needed to go elsewhere to earn the kind of contract he desired. Suarez chose the Atlanta Braves, who presented him with a three-year deal for $45 million, even with veteran Raisel Iglesias already in their employ for 2026. Suarez figured to handle setup duties this season, and fantasy managers craving saves surmised to look elsewhere.
Things changed last week when Iglesias, unscored upon this season and with five saves in as many chances for a dominant, first-place team, hit the IL due to shoulder discomfort. The Braves claim they are merely being cautious — and they can afford to be, with a significant NL East lead and Suarez more than capable of filling in in his absence. Perhaps Iglesias misses minimal time. Regardless, Suarez was already mighty underrated for fantasy and now he is the lone relief pitcher boasting multiple wins and at least three or more holds and saves.
Suarez, still shockingly available in more than 40% of ESPN standard leagues, has permitted just one run in 13 appearances covering 12 2/3 innings, with more than a strikeout per inning. He entered Monday fifth in fantasy points for pitchers in a relief role (excluding, you know, starters with relief eligibility). Sure, saves provide more fantasy points than holds, but Suarez is just … so good.
Run prevention and whiffs matter and even if Iglesias returns to earn at least 25 saves for the eighth time, Suarez will pile on the holds and chip in perhaps double-digit saves. Maybe both of these Braves stalwarts finish among the top 10 in fantasy points among relief pitchers.
Stock rising
Ryan Walker, San Francisco Giants
Walker, so good in 2024 and not so good last season, entered 2026 with a good chance of being the primary closer again. Three weeks into the season, Walker had only one save, as new manager Tony Vitiello utilized him earlier in games for critical moments, and fantasy managers moved on. However, it wasn’t like other Giants were piling on saves. The team entered last week with only three of them!
Since then, Walker has moved to a more conventional ninth-inning role, saving two wins, though many of his metrics do not excite. Big left-hander Erik Miller also boasts two saves. This might be a timeshare, but even that is better for Walker than it looked a few weeks ago. Walker and Miller are a bit too available.
Bryan Baker, Tampa Bay Rays
Few figured Baker, 31, with only four career saves entering this season, would turn into this franchise’s primary closer, especially with manager Kevin Cash often choosing a committee approach. Perhaps that approach changes this season. Baker earned his sixth save on Sunday, and he has pitched in the ninth inning in nine of his 11 appearances. The 2024 Rays famously featured a then-record 13 pitchers earning saves, despite Pete Fairbanks (now a Miami Marlin) getting 23. The underrated Baker, available in nearly 90% of leagues, seems on his way to more than 23, without sharing as much.
Erik Sabrowski, Cleveland Guardians
Who? Sabrowski, 28, is a tall, hefty lefty from Canada who was relevant for the club last season, posting a 1.84 ERA, 12 holds and a major strikeout rate over 29 1/3 innings. This season, he looks even better, entering Monday leading the majors with 10 holds (nobody else has more than seven) and ranking fifth in strikeout rate among relief pitchers. Those in ESPN standard formats should care about the holds, because his combination of run suppression, whiffs and holds has earned Sabrowski — still available in more than 80% of leagues — the precise same number of fantasy points as his heralded teammate, Cade Smith.
Stock falling
Devin Williams, New York Mets
Williams pitched well in his first five outings for his new team, permitting nary a run and saving a pair of wins. The four outings after that, however, went so poorly, with nine hits, four walks and eight earned runs over only two innings. Williams has been mighty unlucky, shown by an incomprehensible .619 BABIP, but his fastball velocity is down and so is his strikeout rate and especially his swinging strike rate.
It remains premature to cut Williams in favor of his setup man, Luke Weaver, who followed him to “the other New York team” and finished a weekend win to break the team’s 12-game losing streak, but we should no longer presume Williams is the version who entered the 2025 season with a career 1.83 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. Take the under on him earning 25 saves. The way the Mets are playing … well, it may be tough to earn saves here.
Jeff Hoffman, Toronto Blue Jays
This one seemed predictable after Hoffman, despite saving 33 games in his first season with the club, posted a 4.37 ERA along the way with an alarming 15 home runs allowed. He also blew the save in Game 7 of the World Series. Then Hoffman, armed with the dreaded vote of club confidence, blew the save with another home run allowed on Opening Day of this season (though he did earn the win).
Hoffman ranks third among qualified relievers with a 42.1% strikeout rate, but the other top fellows don’t have a 6.94 ERA, a 1.97 WHIP and a home run problem. Louis Varland saved a pair of wins over the weekend, and fantasy managers should invest there instead.
