Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Draft Bust Candidates for 2025: Josh Hader, Ryan Helsley, Edwin Diaz and More

Let’s dive back into my fantasy baseball draft bust series by talking about relief pitchers.

We’ve discussed draft busts for starting pitchers, first base, second base, third base and shortstop so far. Check back soon for the relief pitcher draft steal story. Also be sure to check out my top-10 rankings for relief pitchers/closers (redraft and dynasty).

Check out Fantasy Baseball Average Draft Position data for 2025 and get ready for your fantasy drafts by utilizing the FantasySP Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft Simulator.

1. Josh Hader

Let’s start with Hader, who I have as my No. 3 fantasy reliever for 2025. He finished fifth a season ago and is the No. 3 reliever off draft boards on average so far.

Hader is coming off one of the worst seasons in his career. He still struck out 105 batters over 71 innings and claimed 34 saves to post a ton of fantasy points, but with an 8-8 record and 3.80 earned run average, Hader wasn’t in contention for being the top fantasy closer.

He’s going to turn 31 this season, and is probably already on the back nine of his career. Hader’s big strikeout numbers save him if he continues to struggle with his ERA and win-loss record, but there’s a chance he busts again in 2025 based on where he’s going in drafts.

I do expect him to bounce back, but if last year was a sign of things to come, Hader might not finish as a top-three fantasy reliever again. If you aren’t finishing at the same spot you were drafted in, then I can consider you a bust, and Hader could definitely be one for a second straight year.

2. Ryan Helsley

Helsley was the No. 2 fantasy reliever last season. He’s being drafted sixth on average and ranks fifth in my book.

A lot of fantasy owners are hoping to get great value out of Helsley in 2025, but there’s a chance he comes crashing back to earth after a breakout 2024 season.

He had a 2.04 ERA last season, but a 2.63 mark for his career. If he even finishes between those two marks in 2025, he’s going to drop a few fantasy slots.

He also earned seven wins last season to accompany his ridiculous 49 saves. Helsley earned a win or save in 56 of his 65 games pitched, and that’s simply not sustainable. 

If Helsley regresses in wins, saves and his ERA, he doesn’t rack up an absurd amount of strikeouts to offset the lower numbers. He had 79 punchouts in 66 1/3 innings last season, but he lacks elite K numbers, like Hader or Mason Miller have.

Everything regressing this season could turn Helsley from a top-end fantasy option to a borderline top-10 guy. While I’m personally expecting a fine fantasy showing from Helsley, the fact that he’s a top-70 pick definitely means he could be a bust if he regresses in any of his numbers.

3. Edwin Diaz

Diaz is probably the biggest bust candidate in my eyes. He didn’t pitch enough in 2024 to come anywhere near the top 10, and he’s being drafted as the fourth fantasy reliever so far. 

I have him ranked sixth, and even that makes him a bit of a bust. I think there’s a chance Diaz’s best seasons have already happened, and that he will continue to struggle to get through seasons and isn’t good enough post-injury to be a top-end fantasy option.

After missing the entire 2023 season, Diaz went 6-4 with a 3.52 ERA last season. He pitched in 54 games, collecting 20 saves and 84 strikeouts across 53 2/3 innings.

The strikeout numbers are still great, but a higher ERA and lower save total left Diaz lacking as a fantasy option in 2024. He’s also nearly 31 years old and is on the back nine of his career.

The Mets are good enough to afford him plenty of save chances and fantasy scoring opportunities, but I think he’s overrated going into 2025. 

Could he finish as the No. 4 fantasy reliever? Absolutely. I’d much rather take him 15+ picks later and hope he bounces back than take him around pick 60 and expect elite fantasy production.

With his injury history, I’m just not comfortable drafting Diaz as early as he’s going so far. Maybe things will work closer to what I’m saying by the time the season rolls around, but if you are drafting soon, I’d probably suggest you pass on Diaz and look elsewhere for fantasy help.

4. Jhoan Duran

Duran also made my top-10 list, coming in 10th. He’s also the 10th closer taken on average, but he scored less fantasy points than Diaz last season.

He dealt with injuries and was limited to 58 games and 54 1/3 innings. Duran had solid strikeout numbers, with 66 total punchouts, but that 10.9 strikeout per nine innings mark was the lowest of his three-year career by quite a bit.

It didn’t help matters that Duran went 6-9 and posted a 3.64 ERA. The six wins were a career high, but he had three more losses than his career high, and his ERA rose by 1.19.

I think he bounces back, but there’s a chance he doesn’t, or deals with injuries again, and that would turn him into a bust.

Minnesota has another elite reliever in Griffin Jax waiting for his turn to shine as well. Jax was a borderline top-10 fantasy reliever last season, and definitely has the stuff to be a team’s closer. If Duran struggles at any point this season, Jax could easily take over as the top guy.

So based on what we saw last year and the potential for him to lose his job as early as this season, I have Duran as a draft bust candidate.

5. Dodgers Closers

I have no idea how the bullpen situation for the Dodgers is going to shake out. They have several players who could close games.

The reason I have them listed together and as draft busts is because I think Los Angeles goes with a committee all season instead of turning to just one guy. That will limit the amount of saves each guy is able to achieve, and leaves a reliever’s fantasy value up to his ERA and strikeout numbers.

Tanner Scott is one closing option. He’s the lone lefty in the group that could close and could be utilized when an opponent has a couple left-handed hitters scheduled in the ninth. Scott could also be used between the 6th-8th innings if a team’s heart of the order is loaded with lefties. Scott was a top-10 fantasy reliever last season.

Kirby Yates, Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech and Evan Phillips are right-handed closing options for LA. 

Yates was the No. 3 fantasy reliever last season, but now probably will finish nowhere near that mark in 2025 while splitting the closer role with several other guys.

Phillips was the team’s closer going into 2024, but eventually ended up splitting the closer role with Daniel Hudson, Alex Vesia and Kopech. 

Treinen was one of the team’s top relievers in 2024, but only picked up one save during the regular season. Treinen got three saves during the team’s postseason run, so he’s definitely a closing option for 2025.

What’s wild is that Vesia was the team’s best reliever (who pitched a healthy amount of innings) in terms of ERA, but he’s likely a middle- or long-relief guy to start the season.

The Dodgers might challenge for the single-season win record in 2025, and all the team cares about after that is winning the World Series. LA isn’t going to burn any one reliever out, and I think it leads to a big committee.

There will be good fantasy relievers, but I’m not sure the team will ever have a true go-to closer. Scott, Phillips, Kopech and Yates are being drafted between fantasy relievers 16-23 right now, and I honestly want no part of them in standard leagues.

Take a chance on a reliever who goes into the season as the go-to closer. Let someone else take a gamble on one of the Dodgers’ relief pitchers, or grab them on the waiver wire if one emerges as the go-to guy.