RELIEVERS: Pens with weak closers

Having just taken a quick look at each team's Plan B situations, this column shifts to a deeper dive on the bullpens with closers possessing the weakest skill sets. These closers are the most likely to lose their jobs in-season due to performance, providing opportunities for others. (All tables are current BaseballHQ.com projections).

Baltimore

Baltimore has been working slowly to improve and the bullpen is a lower priority.  Closer Jim Johnson (RHP) has a low 5.7 Dom, which gives him only the seventh best BPV on the team, a tad below LIMA-worthiness.  Here are the options going into spring training:

BAL          IP  Sv  BS  Hld  Dom   Cmd  HR/9  xERA  BPV
==========  ===  ==  ==  === ====  ====  ====  ====  ===
O'Day        36  ...

Almost!

You’re just a few clicks away from accessing this feature and hundreds more throughout the year that have a singular goal in mind: Winning your league. Subscribe to BaseballHQ.com here!

Already a subscriber? Sign in here

More From Relief Pitchers

This column took the best K-BB% relievers and filtered for xERA and HR/F as well to create a list of who performed in April.
May 3 2026 3:06am
This column filters by first two weeks K%-BB% and then looks at the projections to make an early call on whether the elite start is real or not real.
Apr 19 2026 3:07am
Using projections for skills and early-season usage patterns, we look at five more bullpens.
Apr 12 2026 3:05am
We are a week into the 2026 season and can start to look for usage patterns in fluid bullpens. Griffin Jax's season so has left managers screaming.
Apr 5 2026 3:06am

Tools