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Ranking the 15 projected closers in the American League

Chapman saved 37 games in 2019. [Image Source: Flickr | Arturo Pardavila III]
Chapman saved 37 games in 2019. [Image Source: Flickr | Arturo Pardavila III]

There are a lot of teams in the American League who should be confident with who they are trotting out in the ninth inning.

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reviewed by Parasshuram Shalgar
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With the regular season just a little over a month away from beginning, we have been taking a look at the projected starters at each position. After ranking most offensive starters, let’s take a look at the closers in the American League.

As a subjective list, many of the players can almost be considered interchangeable as to where they are ranked. Depth charts were taken from Fangraphs.

1

Aroldis Chapman, Yankees

During Chapman’s three seasons with the Yankees, he has struck out an absurd 14 hitters per nine innings and owns a 2.61 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP.

2

Brandon Workman, Red Sox

Imagine if Workman could limit the walks (5.9 per nine innings in 2019, was 3.0 in 2017-18) as last year, he stifled hitters to the tune of a .123 batting average allowed and finished with 104 strikeouts in 71.2 innings.

3

Liam Hendriks, Athletics

The 31-year-old Hendriks was a breakout star in 2019 as he owned a stellar 1.80 ERA (career 4.72 entering last year) and struck out 124 batters in 85 innings.

4

Ken Giles, Blue Jays

While his 2016 and 2018 seasons can be deemed as down years, Giles has spent much of his career as a dominant reliever (1.87 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 83 strikeouts in 53 innings in 2019).

5

Taylor Rogers, Twins

Rogers possesses a 2.62 ERA over the last two years and had an incredible 8.2 strikeout-to-walk ratio last season.

6

Brad Hand, Indians

An All-Star each of the last three seasons, Hand has a 2.67 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 87 saves over that time.

7

Roberto Osuna, Astros

Osuna led the AL with 38 saves last year and has posted an ERA of 2.68 or lower in four of his five big league seasons.

8

Nick Anderson, Rays

While Fangraphs lists three pitchers (Diego Castillo, Jose Alvarado as well) that could be Tampa Bay’s closer, ESPN wrote on how it is Anderson’s job to lose. After being traded from the Marlins on July 31, he pitched to a 2.11 ERA with a 0.66 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in 21.1 innings.

9

Alex Colome, White Sox

In his first season with the White Sox last year, Colome pitched to the tune of a 2.80 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and saved 30 games.

10

Jose Leclerc, Rangers

Leclerc followed up a dominant 2018 season (1.56 ERA, 0.84 WHIP) with a much less-so year in 2019 (4.33 ERA, 1.33 WHIP).

11

Hansel Robles, Angels

In his first year in the closer role last season, Robles performed admirably finishing with a 2.48 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 75 strikeouts in 72.2 innings.

12

Ian Kennedy, Royals

A converted starter, the 35-year-old held down the ninth inning well in 2019 as he ended with 30 saves, a 3.41 ERA, and 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

13

Mychal Givens. Orioles

Givens will have to look to limit the longballs if he wants to move up this list as he allowed 13 in 63 innings last season.

14

Yoshihisa Hirano, Mariners

Turning 36 on March 8, Hirano hopes to rebound from a rough 2019 with the Diamondbacks and reproduce his MLB rookie year in 2018 (2.44 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, finished sixth in NL Rookie of the Year).

15

Joe Jimenez, Tigers

While Jimenez possesses a high strikeout rate (12.4 strikeouts per nine innings in 2019), he had subpar numbers last year for someone who will be called on to close out games (4.37 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 13 homers allowed in 59.2 innings).

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