San Francisco Giants RHP Camilo Doval excelled as one of the top-10 closers in fantasy baseball for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. His performance in saves, strikeouts and run prevention earned him a top spot for relief pitchers in 2024 average live drafts. Unfortunately, that did not go well. Doval's already tenuous walk rate ballooned, he served a three-week stint at Triple-A, and surprising RHP Ryan Walker took over closing duties. As such, Doval became an afterthought in 2025 fantasy drafts.
Well, Doval is back to closing for the Giants and, while he continues to walk (so to speak) the occasional fine line with his control, fantasy managers must pay more attention. Doval, rostered in just 31.4% of ESPN standard leagues, enters Tuesday having permitted an earned run in only one appearance over eight weeks (a Manny Machado two-run single on June 3). His overall ERA is down to 1.50 and, while his strikeout rate fails to impress (30 K in 30 IP), the hard-throwing Dominican has fanned eight of 19 hitters over his last four innings and outings.
The Giants enter this week leading all of baseball in relief ERA at 2.32, well ahead of the second-best New York Mets (2.91). Perhaps Giants relievers have been a bit fortunate (the unit's FIP is 3.32, fourth best), but this is a wise place for fantasy managers to invest. Doval still has not permitted a home run. Giants manager Bob Melvin made the switch from the struggling Walker to Doval one week ago. Doval permits a .149 batting average against, with just one extra-base hit. Left-handers have had only five singles in 48 at-bats against him. In road games, Doval has allowed merely one hit in 43 AB.
Meanwhile, Walker is not next in line should Doval return to his wild ways. Unheralded RHP Randy Rodriguez, after posting a forgettable 4.30 ERA as a rookie with an ordinary strikeout rate, may be headed to the All-Star game with his fantastic, matching 0.61 ERA and 0.61 WHIP figures. Rodriguez, a 25-year-old Dominican who issued 37 walks over 37 2/3 innings at Triple-A Sacramento in 2023, currently has 43 strikeouts (second to Athletics RHP Mason Miller in K%) and three walks in 29 1/3 innings. As with Doval, left-handed hitters are overwhelmed (.096 BAA).
San Francisco's bullpen ranks 10th in strikeout rate and, despite Doval's presence, 23rd in walk rate. It's second in ground ball rate, led by reliable, side-arming RHP Tyler Rogers (67.9%), who is second in the category to Minnesota Twins RHP Jhoan Duran (an incredible 72.6%). Rogers is well on his way to 30 holds for the fourth time in the last five years. Rodriguez (rostered in only 8.9% of leagues) ranks fourth among pure relief options in ESPN fantasy points over the past 30 days, while Doval is close behind. These three Giants -- and notably not Walker, easily the most rostered in the group -- demand attention.
Stock rising
Will Vest, RHP, Detroit Tigers: Vest, recommended here two weeks ago, continues to shine and dominate the top team's save share. Vest ranks third among pure relievers in fantasy points over the last 30 days, behind only Houston Astros LHP Josh Hader and Mets RHP Edwin Diaz. He has five of the team's past six saves over two-plus weeks. Vest, 30, continues to frustrate hitters into soft contact and his 60.7% ground ball rate is eighth among qualified relief pitchers. Somehow, Vest is still available in 68% of ESPN leagues. Roster teammate RHP Tommy Kahnle as well, for he has also been a top-10 fantasy reliever for the past month.
Aroldis Chapman, LHP, Boston Red Sox: Chapman, available in 52% of leagues, ranks fifth among relievers in fantasy points over the past 30 days. He boasts all of Boston's saves since mid-April, including two this past weekend against the New York Yankees. Chapman's strikeout and ground ball rates are down a bit, but his elite fastball velocity is not, and he may be on the way to his ninth season of 30 or more saves (and the first since 2021). At 37, Chapman is showing few signs of decline, and with RHPs Justin Slaten and Liam Hendriks both injured, he has little competition for saves.
Shelby Miller, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks: Not only has Miller posted six consecutive scoreless outings, but he should step back into the closer role with RHP Justin Martinez leaving Monday's outing prematurely due to elbow pain. Further information on Martinez should come soon, but expect an absence, at the least. Miller saved a win over Atlanta last week and boasts a 1.69 ERA. While his own track record for health and consistency is lacking, the Diamondbacks are running out of proven leverage options.
Ben Casparius, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers: Casparius, an effective but occasionally wild starter in the minor leagues, has blossomed as a relevant long reliever in the majors. Before a weekend blowup in which he took a loss at St. Louis, Casparius boasted a five-game stretch in which he tossed 8 2/3 scoreless innings, permitting one hit, striking out 13, and registering four holds. Casparius entered Monday leading all Dodgers relief pitchers in ESPN fantasy points over the past 30 days, double what nominal closer LHP Tanner Scott has provided. Casparius may not earn save chances and dumping the disappointing Scott for him is not the right move. That said, multi-inning relievers offer value, too.
Stock falling
Luke Weaver, RHP, New York Yankees: Weaver's statistics remain impeccable, with a 1.05 ERA and an 0.70 WHIP, but there is hardly a guarantee he pitches to the same level or handles save situations when he returns from his IL stint. Weaver felt hamstring discomfort warming up for a game on June 1. Now he may not return until the end of June, or perhaps the mid-July All-Star break. RHP Devin Williams has pitched better after a slow start, and he can solidify his ninth-inning role this month.
Jeff Hoffman, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays: Both Hoffman and Atlanta Braves RHP Raisel Iglesias are among the several relief pitchers tied for first in home runs permitted, with seven. It is not a category one wants to lead in. Hoffman, in the first season of a three-year deal, continues to miss bats at a high rate and earn saves, but he must keep the baseball in the park. Luckily for him, the other Toronto options to close either aren't healthy (Yimi Garcia) or have the same home run problem (Chad Green). Now is probably a wise time to acquire Hoffman. His numbers should improve. Don't assume the same for Iglesias.
Ryan Pressly, RHP, Chicago Cubs: This entry may seem obvious to many, but Pressly remains rostered in more than 40% of ESPN leagues, which ranks among the top 20 for relief options (and higher than many of the pitchers evaluated above). Pressly is not a likely save option anytime soon, and investors should move on. Until Monday, he hadn't struck out a hitter in four of his last five outings, and his 2025 K rate is among the worst for qualified relievers. RHP Daniel Palencia is clearly the closer, and RHP Porter Hodge likely handles top setup duties when he returns to health.