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Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Riley O’Brien secures ninth-inning role in St. Louis

Jorge Montanez breaks down the last week in saves from around the league with updated closer rankings.

Jorge Montanez,

Jorge Montanez,

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Byron Buxton

MIN Center Fielder #25

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Byron Buxton went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk and three runs scored as the Twins topped the Tigers 8-6 on Wednesday.

Despite a 50% hard-hit rate, Buxton was 6-for-38 this season coming into the game. He didn’t crush the ball tonight, with just one of his four balls in play topping 80 mph, but he picked good spots to improve to .214/.292/.333 on the young season. Somewhat disappointing is that he’s yet to attempt a steal after going 24-for-24 last year.
Bailey Ober

MIN Starting Pitcher #17

Bailey Ober picked up his first win after allowing two runs in 5 2/3 innings Wednesday against the Tigers.

Ober got six runs of support in the first and didn’t face many threats afterwards. His velocity was particularly bad tonight, as he averaged 88.1 mph on his 35 fastballs on a chilly night in Minneapolis. The Tigers just didn’t capitalize, and when he did get into trouble in the sixth, Justin Topa came on and stranded two inherited runners. Ober has a two-start week next week at home against the Red Sox and Reds, but he still seems too risky in mixed leagues at this point.
Kody Funderburk

MIN Relief Pitcher #57

Kody Funderburk retired two of the four batters he faced in the ninth for a save Wednesday against the Tigers.

After a scoreless eighth, Cody Laweryson got Jahmai Jones to fly out to open the ninth. The Twins preferred a lefty at that point, so in came Funderburk. He walked Riley Greene and plunked Dillon Dingler, but he then retired Parker Meadows for the second out. That brought up Zach McKinstry, who delivered a liner into what would have been the gap between first and second, except Luke Keaschall was pulled way over towards the line and managed to snare it to end the game. It’s Funderburk’s first save. He could get more opportunities when the situation calls for a left-hander, but he probably won’t ever be the Twins’ primary closer.
Framber Valdez

DET Starting Pitcher #59

Framber Valdez was lit up for six runs in the first and wound up allowing eight runs in five-plus innings against the Twins on Wednesday.

The first inning included four hits, a HBP, a walk and little defensive help. Still, Valdez ended up pitching into a sixth, when he gave up a soft double and a softer single to open the frame, at which point he was replaced by Enmanuel De Jesus. In all, he gave up 10 hits but only seven hard-hit balls. It’s the third time in his career he’s surrendered eight runs; he previously did so against the Angels in 2020 and ’24. Expect a rebound against the Royals next week.
Zach McKinstry

DET 3rd Baseman #39

Zach McKinstry went 0-for-5 with a strikeout in the loss to the Twins on Wednesday.

McKinstry was a surprising AL All-Star last year, but he’s back searching for a role this season because of Kevin McGonigle’s arrival. He was on the bench for four of the Tigers’ first nine games, even though all of those came against righties. He has, however, started the last three in a row, playing right field twice and second base once. Since he’s hitting just .222/.276/.370 in 29 at-bats, he could continue to sit semi-frequently against righties, and he definitely won’t be playing versus lefties.
Jackson Holliday

BAL 2nd Baseman #7

Jackson Holliday (wrist) went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base on Wednesday in a minor league rehab game for Triple-A Norfolk.

Holliday remains without a definitive timetable to return to Baltimore as he continues to work his way back from a hamate fracture in his wrist. He told David Hall of The Virginian-Pilot that he’s still not feeling 100 percent, which might explain why he hasn’t been summoned back to the big leagues yet.
Max Clark

DET Center Fielder #95

Tigers OF prospect Max Clark went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base on Wednesday for Triple-A Toledo.

Clark has reached base safely in 10 consecutive games with at least one hit in eight straight contests. He’s also up to five stolen bases on the young season. The 21-year-old, who is hitting .421 (16-for-38) so far, looks like a potential top-of-the-order igniter at the highest level and figures to reach Detroit at some point later this summer.
Josue De Paula

LAD Right Fielder #90

Dodgers OF prospect Josue De Paula went 4-for-5 with a two-run homer and five RBI on Wednesday for Double-A Tulsa.

It’s easy to forget that the Dodgers boast one of the strongest farm systems in baseball with a quartet of elite outfield prospects in De Paula, Eduardo Quintero, Zyhir Hope and Mike Sirota. Not to mention the emergence of James Tibbs III at Triple-A this year. The 20-year-old prodigy is among the most intriguing fantasy-wise based on his power/speed blend and has a real shot at making it to Los Angeles by the end of the year or early next season.
Jhonny Level

SF Shortstop

Giants SS prospect Jhonny Level went 3-for-5 with a solo homer on Wednesday for Low-A San Jose.

Level was one of last year’s biggest risers as he rocketed through a couple levels in San Francisco’s system to finish at Low-A at just 18 years old. He manages to hit for a ton of power considering his smaller frame and his hit tool is one of the strongest of any teenage prospect in the minors already.
Andrew Fischer

MIL 1st Baseman

Brewers 1B/3B prospect Andrew Fischer went 2-for-4 with a grand slam on Wednesday for High-A Wisconsin.

Fischer remains a hyperspace jump or two away from the big leagues, but he’s making some early-season noise in the lower minors already. The 21-year-old slugging prospect belted his first round-tripper of the season after going deep 25 times during his final collegiate season at Tennessee last spring. If he’s able to control the strike zone in the upper minors, he could arrive in Milwaukee as a legitimate middle-of-the-order power bat as early as 2027.