Week 1 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: 5 Best Free Agent Closers

The injury to Aroldis Chapman meant that someone was in line to take over the ninth inning duties in Cincy. Hoover will be first in line to take over as the team’s closer, and considering the Reds won 90 games last season, it will be a pretty cushy job.

Santos will take over as Toronto’s closer following the injury to closer Casey Janssen, who has been dealing with abdominal and back issues all off-season. Santos does have closing experience, as he saved 30 games back in 2011 with the White Sox. He won’t be a permanent solution in the fantasy pen, but he will have value during the first month of the season.

Valverde is yet another closer that will inherit the closer role due to injury. Closer Bobby Parnell has been dealing with back problems all off-season and it just came out that he has a partially torn ligament in his elbow. Parnell will hit the DL for now and Valverde will be handed the everyday closer job. The veteran was an All-Star closer a couple years ago with the Detroit Tigers and Valverde will do enough to put up RP2 numbers this year.

Most thought that Jim Henderson would once again be the closer in Milwaukee. He saved 28 games down the stretch last season and ended up becoming a great RP2. Shockingly, though, manager Ron Roenicke named Francisco Rodriguez the closer to begin the season and allowed K-Rod to collect the first save on Opening Day. Rodriguez will be worth a look in all formats as long as he holds onto the closer job.

In another surprising move, the White Sox anointed Lindstrom as the team’s closer. Most originally pegged Nate Jones to take the ball in the ninth inning, but the team decided to go with Lindstrom’s experience. The 34-year-old recorded the first save of the year for the Chi-Sox and the veteran seems to have complete control of the closer job. Lindstrom will be the safest closer to grab off the waiver wire in Week 1.