Fantasy baseball managers should target these emerging closers

Scouring the waiver wire late in the fantasy baseball season can feel like a desperate hunt for lost treasure, but no category is more chaotic, or more lucrative, than saves. As rosters churn and managers handle high-leverage arms unpredictably, sharp fantasy managers know a crucial truth: Teams do not need to be playoff contenders to offer elite ninth-inning value.You simply need teams that remain competitive on a night-to-night basis paired with fluid, open bullpen situations.Securing even a small handful of saves each week can be the precise difference-maker you need to steal a tight head-to-head matchup or leapfrog a rival in rotisserie standings. Your first stop on the wire should be the Athletics.

Though Hogan Harris leads the team in saves and is finally healthy again, Elvis Alvarado seems to be the current favorite for high-leverage duty.Alvarado started the second half on a rough note, allowing three earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning, but his turnaround has been nothing short of spectacular.

Since that bump in the road, he has conceded just two runs over his past 16 frames while striking out 18 batters.Having recorded a save in each of his past three outings, Alvarado holds the hot hand in Oakland and is primed to deliver immediate value. A look at Oakland’s rest-of-season schedule makes Alvarado an even more enticing target.

The Athletics spend significant time matching up against division rivals such as Texas and Seattle, alongside series against retooling opponents where lower-scoring, tightly contested games are frequent.Because the Athletics play in so many close, single-run contests rather than offensive blowouts, the late-inning lead situations will be there for Alvarado to convert down the stretch. Next, turn your attention to Miami, where closer Pete Fairbanks recently landed on the IL, opening up ninth-inning duties.

Both Calvin Faucher and Michael Petersen are firmly in the mix and represent the top two candidates for the job....