2025 MLB AL East Bullpen Update
Baltimore Orioles
Félix Bautista, Closer: Across six spring training outings, Bautista surrendered four runs, 10 baserunners, and one home run in 5.1 innings while fanning 11. His velocity was down roughly 2 mph across his pitch arsenal in tracked games, though he introduced a new "show-me" cutter. Bautista earned a spot on the Opening Day roster, but the Orioles may take a cautious approach with his closer role early on.
Seranthony Domínguez: Baltimore would need strong faith in Domínguez to tap him for their first save opportunity of 2025. His spring was rough, yielding 13 runs, 20 baserunners, and five home runs in six innings despite 11 strikeouts. He’s been tinkering with a split-finger fastball and curveball, scaling back on his slider and sinker. His velocity held steady with past norms, and his adjusted pitch mix could lead to better results in the regular season.
Yennier Cano: Cano allowed one run, three hits, and two walks over six innings, with just two strikeouts. His sinker dropped about 1 mph in clocked games this spring, and he added a cutter in March.
Boston Red Sox
Aroldis Chapman, Closer: Chapman will handle ninth-inning duties to start 2025 for Boston, barring a stumble or a challenger emerging. In spring training, he gave up two runs, three hits, and five walks across 7.1 innings, striking out 14. His fastball still hummed above 98.0 mph, and he leaned more on split-finger fastballs this spring.
Liam Hendriks: Hendriks’ spring struggles—seven runs, 14 hits, and two home runs in 6.1 innings, with no walks and four strikeouts—have dimmed his fantasy stock as a closer candidate. His fastball averaged 94.1 mph in clocked games, a drop from his 2021-2022 peak (over 97.0 mph), with his curveball and slider showing reduced bite and velocity.
Garrett Whitlock: Whitlock’s command shined this spring (no walks, 11 strikeouts in 5.2 innings), positioning him as a potential eighth-inning option early in the season. He allowed three runs and seven baserunners, relying heavily on his slider in March while mixing in a new cutter. His fastball averaged 93.9 mph across four outings.
New York Yankees
Devin Williams, Closer: In four spring innings, Williams permitted one run and four hits, with no walks and four strikeouts. His fastball averaged 93.4 mph, down from 94.8 mph in 2024 and well below his 2020 peak of 96.7 mph. His elite changeup dominated his pitch mix, thrown over 51% of the time.
Luke Weaver: Weaver pitched five times this spring, conceding two runs, six baserunners, and two home runs in four innings, with four strikeouts. His fastball (93.2 mph), slider (86.1 mph), and changeup (85.7 mph) all lagged behind his standout 2024 velocities.
Tampa Bay Rays
Pete Fairbanks, Closer: Fairbanks struggled with command (five walks) this spring but limited damage to one earned run and four hits over five innings, striking out seven. His fastball and changeup dipped about 1 mph in velocity.
Edwin Uceta: Uceta appeared in nine games this March, posting uneven results: seven runs, 11 baserunners, and two home runs in 7.1 innings, with seven strikeouts. He cut back on cutters, favoring four-seam fastballs instead.
Hunter Bigge: Initially optioned late in March, Bigge made the Opening Day roster after Shane McClanahan’s injury. He impressed this spring, allowing two runs and eight baserunners while striking out seven in 7.1 innings.
Toronto Blue Jays
Jeff Hoffman, Closer: Hoffman yielded two runs, six baserunners, and one home run across 5.2 innings in six spring games, with eight strikeouts. His velocity remained consistent with his successful 2024 bullpen campaign.
Chad Green: Green’s March stats (one run, four baserunners, six strikeouts in 6.2 innings) and prior save experience in 2024 make him the likely eighth-inning arm to start the year. His fastball averaged 94.1 mph in clocked games, down over 1 mph from last season.
Yimi García: In seven spring outings, García allowed two runs, seven hits, and one home run over 7.0 innings, with no walks and 10 strikeouts. Though he has closing experience, late-game home runs have occasionally plagued him in the ninth.