Arizona's 2025 season started with promise but collapsed under a tide of injuries and underperformance. Corbin Burnes’ season ended after 11 starts due to elbow surgery, and Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk also hit the IL, crippling the bullpen. Moreno, Vargas, Marte, and Carroll fought through injuries, forcing lineup shuffles and late-season role changes. The rotation never stabilized: Gallen (4.83), Pfaadt (5.25), and Rodriguez (5.02) struggled, while a deadline fire sale sent Suárez, Kelly and others out, reshaping the org for 2026.

Closers in 2025 remained the most volatile fantasy category, with half of the top 20 ADP options failing to hit draft value. Emmanuel Clase led the way in durability but was limited by a late-season suspension. A mix of elite performers (Muñoz, Díaz, Duran) and value pickups (Chapman, Pagán) underscored the strategy: grab saves early or hunt for late-round opportunities in the right spots.

The 2026 landscape centers on big-name free agents and uncertain roles, headlined by Devin Williams and a group of veterans and under-the-radar relievers who already showed upside. Rising arms like Braydon Fisher and Ronny Henriquez offer path-to-closer potential, while teams with blank closers loom as clear targets for speculative adds in drafts and on waivers.

For fantasy managers, the piece maps stable closers (Muñoz, Díaz, Hader, Jansen), potential job switches (Bednar to Yankees), and the year-to-year volatility that can yield value in late rounds. The key is identifying the right situations early and monitoring winter moves that could shuffle saves into or out of DJ-friendly bullpens.

Relief-pitcher values in 12-team NFBC lean on locked-in closers with elite strikeout upside and manageable walks. Chapman wins Boston’s closer role, posting a 1.17 ERA and 0.70 WHIP with a 37% K rate. Estevez led MLB with 42 saves but rising walks and slightly lower velocity hint at regression in 2026. Bednar’s late-season rebound after a Pirates-to-Yankees move underscores both upside and risk in bullpen targets.

Pagan delivered 32 saves for Cincinnati with a sturdy 2.88 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. Morejon logged 13 wins as a full-time reliever for San Diego, offering upside if stretched toward a rotation. The piece also flags depth options and late pivots—Cade Smith, Will Vest, Ronny Henriquez, Dylan Cease, Michael King, Robert Suárez, Mason Miller and Jason Adam—that could reshape bullpen hierarchies next season.

Houston’s 2025 season kept second base in flux after a spring shakeup aimed at strengthening the infield defense. Jose Altuve shifted toward left field, but injuries and roster moves forced him back to 2B late in the year. Seven players logged at least a start there, with Mauricio Dubón and Ramón Urías delivering the best defensive value, while Altuve struggled offensively at times. The mix produced better fielding metrics but left the position unsettled for 2026 as the club weighs internal options vs. potential trades.

Offensively, Altuve’s 2B line (.265/.333/.426, .759 OPS) trailed his DH numbers, while the rest of the group slugged far less. Matthews and Whitcomb showed flashes in limited time, but the absence of a clear long-term 2B solution persists. With arbitration, contracts, and developing in-house options shaping the offseason, Houston faces a practical crossroads: keep Altuve at 2B, slide him back to LF, or acquire a true everyday option while protecting Altuve for his peak years.