This offseason, the free-agent market is thin at multiple positions, but closer is not one of them.
Even after Jonathan Papelbon, the highest-profile closer available was signed to a record contract by the Philadelphia Phillies, the depth of talent still available is significant.
Numerous teams across the league still have a void at the end of their bullpen and various others remain less-than-fully committed to their incumbent closer.
Though there is a deep pool of accomplished pitchers to choose from, teams have to be slightly distressed by the market that Papelbon’s contract set, as he signed a four-year deal with the Phillies for $50 million, which is a record for guaranteed money for a reliever.
Various teams remain in the hunt, however, with the Red Sox, Mets, Blue Jays, Rangers, Twins, Dodgers and Marlins exploring their options, along with numerous others.
It will be interesting to see if any of the remaining closers available benefit from Papelbon’s deal, or if he was a special case that stood out above the others.
The leverage would appear to be on the side of the teams, as there are numerous options available to choose from in order to fill the closing role.
Here are the top nine closers currently available on the free-agent market.