Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat: AL | NL

Fantasy baseball closer depth charts: AL | NL

In fantasy baseball, the closer position remains volatile. Rarely does every closer hang on to the job for an entire season - injuries, poor performance and managerial decisions can cloud a team's bullpen picture.

Should you be concerned about a struggling stopper? Which relievers are climbing the depth chart? Are any injuries popping up? KFFL.com's Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat keeps you informed when you're looking for saves.

Key

Cleveland Indians

Closer: Kerry Wood

Understudy: Chris Perez

Fantasy owners Wood like saves

Wood only needed two Double-A rehab appearances. Apparently, after his latest, the club liked what they saw enough to bring him back from the DL.

Maybe Perez's recent blown save factored into it. Regardless, Wood should slot back into the closer's gig. He could be held back from closing a day or two to make sure he's right against MLB hitters, but go ahead and throw him back in your fantasy lineup.

Deep mixed and AL-only owners can retain Perez. He has been fairly strong outside of two blown saves. One of them wasn't even his completely; all three runs Wednesday were unearned. He'll likely remain next in line.

Job security score: 4

Health score: 3

Mound meetings

• Put a mark in the win column for the Texas Rangers' Frank Francisco. Still, it wasn't a great outing for the righty; he backed into the victory, giving up one run on two hits in one inning. Neftali Feliz came on in the ninth (his first work since May 3) and converted his fifth straight save with a perfect inning.
  Both were on two days' rest. Francisco will probably still see save chances if they want to conserve Feliz.
• New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi is "pretty positive" Mariano Rivera (side) will be available today. Mo said he could have closed Wednesday, but New York opted to give him another two days off.

Fantasy Baseball Closer Hot Seat: AL | NL

Fantasy baseball closer depth charts: AL | NL