Ryan Walker DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin said on Wednesday that right-handed reliever Ryan Walker will open the season as the team's closer. Walker took over as the Giants' closer in the second half last year and never looked back after Camilo Doval was removed from the ninth-inning role. All in all, the 29-year-old was excellent with a 1.91 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 99 strikeouts, 18 walks, 10 wins, 10 saves and 21 holds in 80 innings pitched for San Fran. Walker's 26.9 K-BB percentage ranked 10th in the league as well. The former 31st-round pick has been rewarded for his breakout 2024 campaign and should now be considered a top-10 fantasy closer now that he's officially been named the team's primary closer entering the 2025 season. Walker's biggest threat to closing duties if he struggles will probably be Doval if he's able to bounce back.

San Francisco Giants closer Ryan Walker continued his excellent season in Monday's 6-3 win over the Diamondbacks, picking up his 10th save. Walker came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning up by three and turned in a 1-2-3 performance with no strikeouts. The 28-year-old has had an outstanding season, compiling a 9-4 record while converting 10 of 14 save opportunities with 21 holds to go with a 1.94 ERA, an 11.28 K/9 rate, and a 1.94 BB/9 rate in 79 innings of work. He has served as a reliable fantasy closer since taking over the closer's role from Camilo Doval, who pitched the eighth inning in this game. Fantasy managers will need to see how spring plays out prior to the 2025 season, but Walker could be a fantasy target in all leagues if named the team's closer and will be a target at least in saves-plus-holds leagues.

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Ryan Walker earned his first save of the season on Saturday afternoon. Walker allowed two baserunners, one via walk and the other via a single. He tallied two punchouts and did not surrender a run. Walker was recently named San Francisco's closer as Camilo Doval was optioned to Triple-A. Walker operated as a high-leverage option and held a stellar 2.20 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and a 14:73 BB:K ratio. Under the hood, Walker sports an excellent 30.5% K rate, 31.2% hard-hit rate, and a 29.9% whiff rate. Walker should be added in all formats, as he should be in line to see all save opportunities in the Bay going forward while also providing elite ratios.

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin said that right-handed reliever Ryan Walker will serve as the team's closer after the club decided to option former closer Camilo Doval to Triple-A Sacramento on Friday. The Giants were ready to make a change at the back end of their bullpen after Doval blew his fifth save of the season on Thursday night against the Washington Nationals. Walker is deserving of the closer's gig this year after going 7-3 with a 2.24 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 71 strikeouts and only 13 walks in 60 1/3 innings pitched over a league-high 59 appearances (one start). Melvin mentioned Jordan Hicks, who was recently moved to the bullpen after beginning the year as a starter, as another possibility for saves, but Walker is going to get the first crack to replace Doval and should be added immediately by fantasy managers in need of saves.