Which Top MLB Closers Could Be Traded at the Deadline?

If there is one thing that absolutely every contender needs at the trade deadline, it’s a high-leverage arm in the bullpen. Whether it’s needing that closer for the 9th, or the set-up guys that get you there, teams are always looking for that missing piece that allows them to hold onto games.

Because at the end of the day, nothing will kill your postseason dreams more than a bad bullpen. Teams that can’t close games either fail to make it to October or fail once they get there. It’s the type of roster flaw that can only be masked for so long, and seems to rear its ugly head at the worst possible time.

Finding the right arm to plug into the back-end of your bullpen can be the difference in making it into the dance, and staying there once you do.

Last year, Tanner Scott was long known as the top reliever available to be traded for, and he (along with Bryan Hoeing) fetched the Marlins a package of four prospects from the Padres in return.

This year, there is no clear-cut candidate that will definitely be moved, but there are a lot of closers on teams who are falling out of the race that teams should be calling about. Whether any of these top closers will be moved is to be seen, but if any of them are, their impact will be felt.

Rentals Who Should Be Moved

Ryan Helsley, St. Louis Cardinals

The question the St. Louis Cardinals are going to have to ask themselves at the deadline is if they want to fight in a crowded NL Wild Card race or lean into a short rebuild by selling some of their pitching. The top name on that list is their closer, Ryan Helsley.

In a contract year, Helsley is not having his best season so far, but that is not going to stop every contender from dreaming about slotting him into the back-end of their bullpen. Stuff plays when trading for relievers, and “Hells Bells” has all the stuff you can want.

Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox

It looks like Netflix picked the wrong year to follow the Red Sox. Boston has been a bit of a dramatic mess, and since trading Devers a number of stories have come out in a negative light about the way the organization is being run.

Chapman immediately becomes the best lefty bullpen option on the market. Although he’s 37, his fastball still averages 99 mph, and he’s striking out 12.48 per nine. Also, his command has improved, walking a career-best 2.61 per nine.

A 1.45 ERA and 2.00 FIP to go along with his experience and track record make him a top priority for some teams. Boston would expect a pretty good return, especially if they are willing to eat any of his $10.75 million contract.

The last few times Chapman has been traded, his acquiring team has won the World Series. Just something to think about…

Kyle Finnegan, Washington Nationals

Finnegan continues to put up very good numbers despite the peripherals looking mediocre. He’s a groundball pitcher with a sub-four ERA in each of his six major league seasons with experience as a closer.

The baseball world doesn’t seem to like Finnegan as much as I do, but the consistency speaks for itself. He’s cut his HR/FB rate in half this year, which might attract more teams looking for late-inning help.

High-End Closers With Team Control Past 2025

With Ryan Helsley, Aroldis Chapman, and Kyle Finnegan being the only true closers who could be on the trade market as rentals, there may be an opportunity for teams to shop their closers with control beyond 2025, as these are the arms who could fetch a true haul at the deadline.

The Detroit Tigers are currently running away with the AL Central, which makes the path to the playoffs much tougher for the Guardians, Royals, and Twins. Each of those teams plays in small markets, and they all have closers that would generate buzz at the deadline.

Jhoan Duran, Minnesota Twins

One of the nastiest relievers in baseball, few closers have been better over the last few years than Duran. This year, he’s pitching to a 1.64 ERA across his first 33 innings pitched with 10 saves.

Having just hit arbitration, Duran still has two years of team control beyond this season, making him extremely valuable to any contender, as you can afford to trade more for a reliever knowing you have them for multiple playoff runs.

Felix Bautista, Baltimore Orioles

When it comes to team control, Bautista is sitting in the exact same spot as Duran, with two years of arbitration left beyond this season.

After missing last year recovering from Tommy John surgery, Bautista is right back to being one of the top closers in the game. His walks are up this year, but he’s still pitching to a sub-3.00 ERA and is striking out over 30% of the batters he has faced. With upside to be even better, Bautista should garner real interest at the deadline.

Carlos Estevez, Kansas City Royals

The Royals signed Estevez to a two-year, $22.2 million deal this offseason, which also carries a $13 million club option for 2027. So far, Estevez has delivered as the Royals’ closer, locking down the ninth inning with a 2.05 ERA through his first 30 appearances.

They likely want to hang onto him, considering their struggles with solidifying the ninth inning in the past, but the Royals should at least listen on Estevez.

Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland Guardians

Maybe the least likely of the bunch to get dealt, as Clase comes with so much control for the Guardians.

Signed to a five-year, $20 million deal back in 2022 that carried two additional $10 million club options, Clase is signed to one of the best deals in all of baseball. The 27-year-old is making $4.9 million this year and will make $6.4 million in 2026. Then the two options kick in.

Cleveland can just continue to take advantage of that, as they have an affordable closer, but they also could attempt to shop him and see what kind of return they could get.

David Bednar, Pittsburgh Pirates

Bednar has been the Pirates closer for four seasons now, and has largely been one of the best in the game. Last year, Bednar struggled for the first time since coming to Pittsburgh, pitching to a 5.77 ERA. Those struggles carried over to this season, leading him to a brief demotion to Triple-A.

Optioned on April 1st, Bednar returned to a big league mound on April 19th and has been lights out ever since. Across his last 25 appearances, Bednar has pitched to a 2.35 ERA, and he is striking out 36.7% of the batters that he has faced. His 1.75 SIERA is the fourth-best mark in baseball during that time, behind Griffin Jax, Edwin Diaz, and Josh Hader.

If Bednar keeps this up, he might just be the best closer moved at the deadline. He also comes with one more year of arbitration beyond this season, making him even more attractive to contenders.