Once upon a time, the Milwaukee Brewers made Lucas Erceg a second-round draft pick and expected him to reach the major leagues as a lefty-hitting, slugging third baseman. Things did not quite work out as planned. Still, eight years and several franchises after being drafted, Erceg is the most-added relief pitcher in ESPN standard fantasy leagues, as he saves games for the postseason-bound Kansas City Royals.
Erceg made his MLB debut for the Oakland Athletics last season, posting a 4.75 ERA and a messy 1.58 WHIP (walks were a problem) over 55 innings. A power right-hander who averages 98.5 mph with his fastball but throws four different pitches at least 20% of the time (sinker, slider, changeup as well), Erceg moved to the Royals at the trade deadline and quickly assumed a high-leverage role. He has now thrown 12⅓ scoreless innings for his new team, with 15 strikeouts, only one walk and, most importantly, five saves. Somehow, Erceg is still only rostered in a mere 15.6% of ESPN standard leagues.
Now 29, Erceg's path to success was hardly a typical one, but it's still a reminder to fantasy managers that saves often arrive unconventionally and we should always take opportunity seriously. Erceg was not going to close for the Athletics with a healthy Mason Miller thriving. With the Royals, however, there is no such competition. Erceg has chopped his walk rate in half, and in 104 MLB innings, he has permitted a mere four home runs. It all looks to be legit, making Erceg a viable candidate for a top-10 RP ranking in 2025 drafts.
Five other readily available relievers
Michael Kopech, Los Angeles Dodgers: His wild, inefficient days as a starting pitcher appear to be over, as Kopech has thrived since coming to the Dodgers from the Chicago White Sox at the trade deadline. Kopech has thrown 11⅓ innings for his new team (permitting only one earned run), while striking out 15 batters with only two walks. He also boasts a win, a hold and two saves over his last four appearances. He may not be the sole closer for the league's top team with Daniel Hudson, Evan Phillips and Alex Vesia in play, but he's close. Next year, just like Erceg, he may well save 30-plus games.
Ryan Walker, San Francisco Giants: Walker took over closing duties two weeks ago when the incumbent Camilo Doval was shockingly demoted to Triple-A. Even though Doval is back now, there is little indication Walker will cede the role. Walker hasn't allowed a run in more than a month and, in opposition to his surname (and unlike Doval), walks are not a problem. Walker is striking out 33% of the hitters he faces. He may keep this job into 2025 and, while closers generally make for poor keepers, the top ones are valuable.
Justin Martinez, Arizona Diamondbacks: It's been that kind of season for original NL West closers, folks. Robert Suarez of the San Diego Padres is awesome, but the other teams have had to make changes. Martinez took over for a struggling Paul Sewald and, while he entered this week having permitted earned runs in consecutive games, he nonetheless remains the closer. He features the typical pitch that managers like to see from ninth-inning options: a 100-mph heater. Martinez, a rookie who tends to lose control of the strike zone, is also inducing ground balls 62% of the time, one of the best rates among relievers. He has also allowed just two home runs all season.
Ben Joyce, Los Angeles Angels: Speaking of hard throwers, Joyce is the current king at lighting up the radar gun, averaging 102 mph with his fastball. As with Martinez, Joyce does not always know where the baseball is headed and walks can be a problem, but if the Tennessee product can harness his stuff, watch out! The Angels do not have many games to save these days, but Joyce still has had several of them in August -- and more are coming. This is why Joyce was drafted in 2022. Fantasy managers are going to have quite the decision to make on him next spring, because the ceiling is incredibly high.
Edwin Uceta, Tampa Bay Rays: A journeyman hurling in the majors for his fourth franchise in as many seasons, Uceta didn't have much success in the past. He didn't have much success even this season at Triple-A, with a hideous 5.77 ERA over 34⅓ innings for Durham. The Rays promoted him anyway and ... voila! His 0.86 ERA and 0.61 WHIP over 31⅓ innings is mighty noteworthy. Uceta has been a top-10 fantasy reliever over the past 30 days. There is some BABIP love going on here, but Uceta earned his first career save last week after Pete Fairbanks hit the IL, and more high-leverage work seems likely. It's the Rays, so one never knows about ninth-inning committees, but this is a hot reliever.
Final RP thoughts
Some may wonder why Baltimore Orioles RHP Seranthony Dominguez didn't make the previous section's list but the former Phillies arm isn't exactly thriving. He does have an opportunity for saves because Craig Kimbrel became less reliable but, as we saw last week in the Mets series when Dominguez permitted two walk-off home runs, one must be careful.
Brewers RHP Trevor Megill can't pile on the saves with a healthy Devin Williams around, blunting his remaining value. Still, Megill has proved himself this season and may well close someplace else in 2025.
Padres LHP Tanner Scott is a pending free agent. One presumes he seeks a closing role this winter. For now, he offers elite innings and, in 2025, myriad saves. Stash him away now!
Cleveland Guardians RHP Cade Smith is only a rookie, but if the franchise chooses to move Emmanuel Clase for other needs (or to save money), Smith is an obvious future closer.