MLB Position Power Rankings for Each Team's Projected Bullpen
A great bullpen can elevate a mediocre team to championship heights, but a poor corps of relievers can keep an otherwise World Series-caliber roster from even making the postseason. (Just ask the 2019 New York Mets about that one.)
Which teams are best equipped to lock down the final three innings of games in 2020, and which ones have a chain with a weak link or three?
As with last week's starting rotations ranking, get ready to see the words "Tommy John surgery" quite often. Just in Milwaukee's bullpen, three of the four most noteworthy contributors had that procedure done in the past two years.
Unlike position rankings where the value of the primary projected starter is the main consideration, we're looking at the top four to six options for each team in this ranking of the best bullpens. How good is the closer? Is the setup guy good enough to take the reins if needed? And how much of a potential black hole are the middle relievers?
Certainly not all bullpens are built equally, which made this ranking a challenge.
Several teams have two legitimate closers and a bunch of guys they're hoping won't hurt them too much. Others seem to have an entire bullpen made up of pitchers who would be best suited for a seventh-inning role.
That said, the New York Yankees were an obvious choice for a spot in the top three, even though Dellin Betances is now pitching for that other team in New York.
Nos. 30-26
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30. Seattle Mariners
Key Contributors: Yoshihisa Hirano, Matt Magill, Brandon Brennan, Austin Adams, Carl Edwards Jr.
Hirano is probably going to get first crack at the closer job, despite a disappointing 2019 season with Arizona (4.75 ERA) and only four saves in his career. However, no one on this roster has more than five career saves. The newly acquired Edwards is the only one with at least 1.0 career FanGraphs WAR (2.6), but he's not exactly surging into Seattle after an 8.47 ERA in 17.0 innings last season.
Not sure if this is a saving grace or an extra punch to the gut, but at least it's not like subpar pitching in the eighth and ninth innings will be the Achilles' heel that keeps the Mariners out of the postseason. Save opportunities figure to be few and far between for what should be one of the five worst teams in 2020.
29. Pittsburgh Pirates
Key Contributors: Keone Kela, Kyle Crick, Richard Rodriguez, Michael Feliz
Felipe Vazquez was an All-Star in each of the last two seasons and was expected to be Pittsburgh's closer for the foreseeable future. However, he was charged with statutory sexual assault last September and placed on the restricted list by the Pirates.
The team is now scrambling for bullpen options. Kela figures to be the primary closer, as he had 24 saves with the Texas Rangers in the first four months of the 2018 season. However, there's little reason to expect him to be a top-15 closer, and the rest of this bullpen leaves a lot to be desired. The top three candidates for the setup gig (Crick, Rodriguez and Feliz) had a combined FanGraphs WAR of minus-0.9 in 2019.
28. Baltimore Orioles
Key Contributors: Mychal Givens, Hunter Harvey, Miguel Castro, Shawn Armstrong
After six-plus seasons as a starting pitcher in Baltimore's farm system, Harvey transitioned to a bullpen role in the middle of last season, culminating in a 1.42 ERA with a 15.63 K/9 in 6.1 innings toward the end of the year. He has always had good strikeout stuff, so he could be a guy who thrives in those one-inning scenarios.
However, it's way too early to just assume he's going to be the closer, let alone an above-average one, and the rest of this 'pen drops off in a hurry from there. Givens has struggled in the closer role for the past two years, posting a 4.57 ERA last year—and he was the only Baltimore reliever who worked at least 10 innings with a sub-4.60 ERA.
27. Miami Marlins
Key Contributors: Brandon Kintzler, Yimi Garcia, Ryne Stanek, Brad Boxberger
Miami's relievers had a cumulative FanGraphs WAR of minus-2.2 last season. No other team was in the negatives. But the Marlins went out and got Kintzler from the Cubs and Garcia from the Dodgers in hopes of fixing that problem.
Neither guy is a flamethrower, but at least they don't have the back-breaking walk issues that came with the likes of Jose Quijada, Tayron Guerrero and Tyler Kinley last year. Kintzler had a nice run as the closer for the Twins in 2016-17 and an impressive 2.68 ERA last season. Like Kela at Pittsburgh, it's unlikely he'll be a top-half-of-the-league closer. At least Miami should be able to somewhat trust someone in that role this year, though.
26. Detroit Tigers
Key Contributors: Joe Jimenez, Buck Farmer, Jose Cisnero, Bryan Garcia
Jimenez picked up nine saves after the Tigers dealt Shane Greene to Atlanta, but he also gave up four home runs over his final 12 innings of work. He's definitely going to get the first crack at any save opportunities that come Detroit's way, though that's largely because the only other player on the roster to ever record an MLB save was starting pitcher Ivan Nova, who pitched the final four innings in relief in a 16-6 win back in April 2016.
Farmer would figure to be next in line if Jimenez is unable to get the job done, but don't sleep on Garcia. He was dreadful in his 6.2 IP MLB cameo last year (12.15 ERA), but he saved 17 games and had an impressive rate of strikeouts in the minors in 2017. He could propel this bullpen from "bottom five" to "marginally below league average."
Nos. 25-21
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25. San Francisco Giants
Key Contributors: Trevor Gott, Tyler Rogers, Jarlin Garcia, Tony Watson
The Giants had a relatively solid bullpen last year, but three of the six guys who logged at least 35 innings in relief are no longer on the roster, and a fourth (Reyes Moronta) isn't expected to be available until possibly August following labrum surgery. The two who do return—Gott and Watson—each had an ERA north of 4.0 in 2019.
The biggest loss was Will Smith, who saved 34 games last season. It's anyone's guess who will become the primary closer in his absence. If Rogers can come anywhere close to the 1.02 ERA he posted in 17.2 innings as a rookie last year, maybe he's the guy.
24. Colorado Rockies
Key Contributors: Wade Davis, Scott Oberg, Carlos Estevez, Jairo Diaz
Which version of Davis shows up for the Rockies? He was almost unhittable from 2014-17, saved 43 games in 2018 and then was a complete disaster last year, allowing 41 earned runs in just 42.2 innings of work. If he's anywhere near that bad again, Colorado is in serious trouble.
At least Oberg is a strong Plan B. He had a sub-2.50 ERA in each of the last two seasons, averaging almost exactly one strikeout per inning in each year. He has been one of the better non-closer relievers in the league during that time. Estevez was a solid middle reliever last year, too, giving the Rockies 72 innings with a 3.75 ERA.
23. Texas Rangers
Key Contributors: Jose LeClerc, Rafael Montero, Joely Rodriguez, Brett Martin
This bullpen is basically one big wild card, starting with the presumed closer, LeClerc. He had a 3.94 ERA in 2017 and a minuscule 1.56 ERA in 2018, and then it ballooned back up to 4.33 last year. He lost the closer job after a terrible April and only got it back in August after Shawn Kelley got injured and Chris Martin was traded to Atlanta.
Then there's Montero, who struggled as a starter with the Mets, missed all of 2018 after Tommy John surgery and had a 2.48 ERA in 29 innings as a reliever last season. He might be a great bullpen arm, or it might have just been a small sample size. The Rangers also have Rodriguez, who was kind of dreadful for the Phillies in 2017 but was lethal in Japan last year.
It might work out nicely, but it's also hard to trust a team whose three most noteworthy relievers have been that erratic/unproven.
22. Philadelphia Phillies
Key Contributors: Hector Neris, Adam Morgan, Tommy Hunter, Jose Alvarez
Neris has been solid in three of the past four years, bouncing back from a woeful 2018 campaign with a 2.93 ERA and 28 saves this past season.
He's a far cry from the top 10 closers, though, and Philadelphia doesn't have much else with Seranthony Dominguez likely in need of Tommy John surgery. Either Morgan or Hunter will likely assume the primary setup role, although neither former starter has much upside.
The X-factor here could be Vince Velasquez. If he doesn't get one of the starting jobs and subsequently transitions fully to the bullpen, he has the cannon to be a dominant seventh- or eighth-inning type of guy.
21. Kansas City Royals
Key Contributors: Ian Kennedy, Greg Holland, Scott Barlow, Trevor Rosenthal
Kennedy saved 30 games in 2019, but it was a rocky journey for a guy pitching out of the bullpen for the first time in his 13-year career. He was excellent in April and June, but he got lit up in May and (to a lesser extent) August. Kind of an "incomplete" on the proverbial report card, and we'll see how he does for the first few weeks of 2020.
Both Holland (206 saves) and Rosenthal (121 saves) have a fair amount of history in the closer role, but they've each struggled with control since undergoing Tommy John surgery. Rosenthal was historically awful last year, walking 26 batters in just 15.1 innings of work. But if he can overcome those demons and get back to 2017 form, Kansas City could emerge as one of the tougher bullpens to score against.
Nos. 20-17
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20. Chicago Cubs
Key Contributors: Craig Kimbrel, Kyle Ryan, Rowan Wick, Jeremy Jeffress, Tyler Chatwood
Is Kimbrel past his prime at the age of 31, or did his decision to wait until June to sign with the Cubs merely screw him up for last season? Either way, he allowed nine home runs in just 20.2 innings, a rate more than six times higher than his previous career average. He also had the lowest strikeout rate and highest walk rate of his career, so something wasn't right.
We won't bother to entertain the possibility of Kimbrel regaining his 2017 form (1.43 ERA, 9.0 K/BB), but if he can bounce back to even "average closer" status, the Cubs bullpen should be OK. Wick had a bit of a breakout 2019 campaign, and Ryan was more than adequate while making 73 appearances as Chicago's lefty reliever. And between Chatwood, Jeffress and Ryan Tepera, there's a solid stable of veterans.
19. St. Louis Cardinals
Key Contributors: Giovanny Gallegos, John Gant, John Brebbia, Ryan Helsley, Andrew Miller/Jordan Hicks/Carlos Martinez
If Miller and Hicks were healthy, St. Louis would be an easy choice for the top 10. The former has averaged at least 11.3 K/9 in each of the last eight seasons, and the latter throws about a billion miles an hour. However, Miller hasn't been feeling right since last season, and Hicks isn't expected back until at least July following Tommy John surgery.
It's also unclear whether Martinez will remain in the bullpen or return to the starting rotation. He had 24 saves last season, but the fifth spot in the rotation is up for grabs.
Even with all those uncertainties, though, St. Louis should be in decent shape. Gallegos was outstanding last year and could lock down the closer job. Helsley had a 2.95 ERA in 36.2 innings as a rookie in 2019. And Brebbia has a career ERA of 3.14 in 175 innings of work.
18. Los Angeles Angels
Key Contributors: Hansel Robles, Cam Bedrosian, Ty Buttrey, Keynan Middleton
Cody Allen was supposed to be L.A.'s closer last year, but after he fell apart in a hurry, Robles admirably filled that vacancy with a 2.48 ERA. Walks had been a major problem for him in his previous four seasons in the majors, but he got down to a manageable 1.98 BB/9 and thrived as a result. He could be a borderline top-10 closer if that continues.
What are the Angels bringing to the table behind him, though?
Buttrey was serviceable in the setup role last year, but his 3.98 ERA and 3.90 xFIP weren't anything special. Bedrosian was awesome in 2016 (1.12 ERA); however, he has been just OK on the whole in his six years with the franchise. And while Middleton's ERA over the past two seasons (1.78) looks great, it was in only 25.1 innings, during which he also walked 16 batters.
17. Cincinnati Reds
Key Contributors: Raisel Iglesias, Pedro Strop, Michael Lorenzen, Amir Garrett, Robert Stephenson
Will Iglesias and/or Strop bounce back from disappointing 2019 campaigns?
From 2016-18, Iglesias was rock solid with a 2.32 ERA and 64 saves. He still saved 34 games last year, but his ERA ballooned to 4.16. Similar story for Strop, who had a sub-3.00 ERA in each of the previous six seasons with the Cubs before a messy 4.97 ERA in 2019.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Lorenzen and Garrett are each coming off the best season of their respective careers. But if Iglesias and Strop have 2020 performances similar to their 2019 output, it would put Cincinnati's bullpen in the bottom 25 percent of the league. We're assuming they'll each bounce back a bit, but probably not to peak form.
Nos. 16-13
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16. Cleveland Indians
Key Contributors: Brad Hand, Nick Wittgren, Oliver Perez, Adam Cimber, James Hoyt
Dating back to the start of 2016, Hand has been the sixth-most valuable reliever in the majors, per FanGraphs. Between his time in San Diego and Cleveland, he had a 2.75 ERA with 88 saves and has averaged better than 12 K/9. Even though last year was a bit worse than normal for him, he should still be a top-10 closer in 2020.
As was the case with the Angels at No. 18, though, we have to wonder how well the Indians will be able to minimize damage in the seventh and eighth innings to put Hand in a position to succeed.
Perez had a late-career renaissance in 2018, but he has struggled in four of the past five seasons. Cimber had an ERA north of 4.00 in each of his two seasons with Cleveland. Wittgren had a sub-3.00 ERA last year, but he also gave up nine home runs over his final 33.1 innings of work.
Hoyt is the wild card. He was fantastic in Triple-A with the Houston Astros in 2016-18, but he has struggled to bring that production up to the majors. He had a 2.16 ERA in 8.1 innings last year, though, so maybe he can provide the boost this Indians bullpen needs.
15. New York Mets
Key Contributors: Edwin Diaz, Dellin Betances, Seth Lugo, Justin Wilson
Aside from Lugo and July/August Wilson—he allowed just two runs in 20.2 innings during the doldrums of the summer—the Mets bullpen was atrocious last year. Diaz saved 26 games, but he couldn't keep balls in the yard and ended up with a 5.59 ERA and seven blown saves. Former closer Jeurys Familia was even more of a disaster, walking 42 batters in 60 innings with a 5.70 ERA.
But signing Betances should at least get this bullpen from moribund to mediocre. He missed most of last season with a shoulder injury and then tore his Achilles when he finally made his debut in September, but he was lights-out from 2014-18 for the Yankees. In fact, only Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman had a higher FanGraphs WAR among relievers during those five seasons, and just barely at that.
If he's healthy, he and Lugo should be the best seventh- and eighth-inning combo in the majors. And if Diaz can keep racking up strikeouts (15.4 K/9 last year) and post an ERA that looks more like his 2019 xFIP (3.07), the Mets will be in business. If they hadn't been so bad last year, it'd be much more tempting to put them in the top 10.
14. Boston Red Sox
Key Contributors: Brandon Workman, Matt Barnes, Marcus Walden, Ryan Brasier, Josh Taylor
Workman had a phenomenal breakout year in 2019. After two consecutive seasons providing minimal value and averaging less than one strikeout per inning, he suddenly became a punch-out king with a 13.1 K/9 rate. The Red Sox employed a closer by committee for the first half of the season, but Workman was the clear choice for saves in August and September.
Now we wait to see if the other shoe drops in 2020.
While his strikeout rate went through the roof, so did his walk rate (5.65 per nine innings). His BABIP (.209) was the lowest among the 204 pitchers who logged at least 70 innings last season and was 50 points lower than his previous career best. His home run rate (0.13 per nine innings) was also the lowest—by far—in that same group of 204 pitchers. Combine all that data, and major regression seems inevitable.
If and when that happens, though, at least Barnes, Brasier, Walden and Heath Hembree all got some ninth-inning experience last year and didn't completely melt down in the role.
13. Arizona Diamondbacks
Key Contributors: Archie Bradley, Junior Guerra, Andrew Chafin, Hector Rondon, Kevin Ginkel
Bradley had a few implosions as a middle reliever in the first half of last season, entering the final week of June with a 5.66 ERA. But he was almost untouchable after that, posting a 1.47 ERA over his last 34 appearances. And after the Diamondbacks decided in late July that Greg Holland wasn't getting the job done, they turned to Bradley, and he converted 18 of 19 save chances the rest of the way.
Combine that with his 1.73 ERA in 73 innings in 2017 and you've got a guy who—though he only has two months of experience as a closer—might be one of the seven best closers in 2020.
Arizona has a bunch of good-not-great options behind Bradley, too. Guerra, Chafin and Rondon all had sub-4.00 ERAs last season and boast career sub-4.00 ERAs with more than 250 innings pitched. And while Ginkel only has 24.1 IP in the majors, he has a 1.53 ERA and a 13.3 K/9 in 129.2 innings of work since the beginning of 2018. He's still a bit unproven, but he might be a bullpen phenom, in which case we're way too low on Arizona at No. 13.
Nos. 12-10
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12. Toronto Blue Jays
Key Contributors: Ken Giles, Anthony Bass, Rafael Dolis, Shun Yamaguchi
Giles struggled in 2018, but he was excellent in 2015, 2017 and especially 2019. Toronto didn't give him many save opportunities, yet he went 23-of-24 with a 1.87 ERA and a 14.09 K/9 rate. If you want to put him in the conversation as a top-five closer, I certainly won't argue with you.
But the rest of Toronto's bullpen is a mixed bag of guys who have been ineffective for most of their career and guys who are coming over from Japan.
Bass is the best of the former bucket. He has career marks of 4.38 ERA and 1.35 WHIP, but at least he had a respectable 2019 season in Seattle (3.56 and 0.98). He might be the main setup guy.
Dolis and Yamaguchi are the imports from Japan. Dolis was a Chicago Cub back in 2013, but he has been with the Hanshin Tigers for the past four seasons, posting a sub-3.00 ERA all four years. Yamaguchi went 16-4 with a 2.78 ERA in 28 starts for the Yomiuri Giants in 2019, though it's unclear whether he'll be a starter or a reliever in Toronto. The latter would be a boost for a bullpen riddled with unknowns.
11. Chicago White Sox
Key Contributors: Alex Colome, Aaron Bummer, Steve Cishek, Evan Marshall, Jimmy Cordero, Kelvin Herrera
Who knows whether it'll actually carry over into 2020, but aside from Herrera, all five White Sox relievers listed above had a sub-3.00 ERA last season. (Cishek did so for the Cubs, but the other four were all with the White Sox.) And while Herrera had a dreadful first year in Chicago (6.14 ERA), he had a career ERA of 2.82 from 2011-18.
Unless Herrera rebounds spectacularly, there's not a lights-out reliever in the bunch. Taken as a whole, though, this should be an above-average bullpen.
Colome has racked up 126 saves over the past four seasons, quietly becoming one of the most reliable relievers. He averages less than one strikeout per inning and only whiffs about three batters for every walk he issues, but he gets the job done far more often than not. Cishek has also been consistently solid with a 2.52 ERA since the beginning of 2016. The former Cub should quickly become a key fixture for the South Siders.
10. Washington Nationals
Key Contributors: Sean Doolittle, Daniel Hudson, Will Harris, Tanner Rainey, Roenis Elias
For the first few months of last season, Washington's bullpen was a catastrophe. Doolittle was the only somewhat reliable guy, and by the time they traded for Hudson, Elias and Hunter Strickland to get him some help, he was running on fumes from overuse and completely melted down in mid-August. To make matters worse, Elias only pitched 3.0 innings for the Nationals due to a hamstring injury suffered in his first appearance with the new club.
But this year, the bullpen should be a strength for the Nats.
Not only do they still have Doolittle, Hudson and Elias, but they also added Harris this offseason after he posted a 1.50 ERA in 60 innings for the 2019 Houston Astros. That quartet saved a combined 55 games last year, even though not one of them is much of a strikeout artist. (Rainey will pick up some of that slack, though.)
Doolittle will presumably be the primary ninth-inning guy, even though Hudson recorded four saves and a win during the postseason. But whichever direction they go, the Nationals should be in good hands.
Nos. 9-7
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9. Atlanta Braves
Key Contributors: Mark Melancon, Will Smith, Shane Greene, Darren O'Day, Luke Jackson
Atlanta's bullpen feels like a greatest hits album of former closers.
Melancon is probably going to be the ninth-inning guy, at least initially, even though he's maybe the 20th-best closer in the league at this point. But aside from O'Day, everyone listed above had at least a dozen saves in 2019—and even O'Day has 21 saves in his career. Thus, if Melancon doesn't pan out, Atlanta is flush with options.
This is the rare case where a true closer-by-committee approach doesn't seem like a bad idea. Because while the Braves don't have a top-10 relief pitcher, they arguably have five of the top 50 bullpen arms in the league. And that is going to make Atlanta a terror in the late innings.
Getting Smith from San Francisco was a huge boost for the Braves. Not only was he one of the better relievers in the league in 2019, but he's a lefty. As far as playing matchups is concerned, he'll be a big step up from using Jerry Blevins and Sean Newcomb last year.
8. Los Angeles Dodgers
Key Contributors: Kenley Jansen, Blake Treinen, Pedro Baez, Joe Kelly
While Jansen hasn't been as dominant over the past two seasons as he was from 2010-17, you almost have to still consider him among the top 25 percent of closers, since he has at least 25 saves in each of the last eight years.
Baez has also been a reliable reliever for the Dodgers for quite some time now. In each of the past five seasons, he logged at least 50 innings with an ERA between 2.88-3.35. That certainly isn't All-Star-level production, but one can also do a whole lot worse than penciling in that type of stat line from a middle reliever year after year.
The big variable here is Treinen.
While with Oakland, he was a fringe AL Cy Young candidate in 2018 with a 0.78 ERA, but he couldn't find the strike zone last year and lost his job to Liam Hendriks. His previous career-worst xFIP was 3.62 in 2014. In 2019, it was 5.01.
If he can bounce back and thrive in the eighth-inning role, that Baez-Treinen-Jansen trio could be the best in the majors. If he struggles and the Dodgers have to give high-leverage innings to the likes of Kelly and Caleb Ferguson, things could get messy.
7. Houston Astros
Key Contributors: Roberto Osuna, Ryan Pressly, Joe Smith, Chris Devenski, Bryan Abreu/Josh James/Brad Peacock
Houston had one of the best bullpens in the league last year, and that should remain the case in 2020.
Osuna has saved at least 20 games in five consecutive seasons, posting a sub-2.70 ERA in four of those years. Pressly has been outstanding in the setup role since arriving in Houston at the 2018 trade deadline. And while Smith is getting up there in age (36), he had a 1.80 ERA last year. Much like the Dodgers, this primary trio could be a force of nature.
But after losing Will Harris (1.50 ERA in 60 IP), Hector Rondon (2.85 ERA in 60 IP) and Collin McHugh (2.67 ERA in 33.2 IP), there's a lot of uncertainty as far as bullpen depth is concerned.
Abreu, James and Peacock are all battling for the fifth spot in the starting rotation, but the two who don't get it should become key members of the bullpen—similar to McHugh after he lost his starting job. Whether they'll fare that well in a relief capacity remains to be seen, but Abreu in particular could be dominant in relief. He certainly was in his seven appearances last year (8.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 13 K).
Nos. 6-4
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6. Tampa Bay Rays
Key Contributors: Nick Anderson, Diego Castillo, Jose Alvarado, Chaz Roe, Colin Poche
Tampa Bay does not have a single pitcher with more than 15 career saves, but that hasn't stopped people from projecting Anderson as one of the top closers in 2020.
He had 110 strikeouts in 65 innings last season as a rookie, averaging better than six strikeouts per walk. That dominance was relatively expected, as it was his fifth consecutive season posting an xFIP below 2.60. And though he only has one MLB save, he had 32 saves in the minors and is no stranger to pitching in the ninth inning.
Poche is also dripping with potential. Between 2017 and 2018 in the minors, he had a 1.01 ERA and a 14.8 K/9 rate in 116.1 IP. His ERA was much higher (4.70) in 51.2 innings in the big leagues last year, but the strikeout stuff was still there. He's a 2020 bullpen breakout candidate for sure.
The Rays have a nice crop of more established talent beyond those rising stars, too. Castillo has a 3.30 ERA and 10.5 K/9 rate in his MLB career. Alvarado's numbers (3.27 and 10.7) are almost identical, except he does it as a lefty. And Roe has a 3.60 ERA in 141 appearances with Tampa Bay.
5. Minnesota Twins
Key Contributors: Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Trevor May, Tyler Clippard, Sergio Romo
It took four years for the Twins to finally give Rogers a legitimate audition for the closer gig, but he thrived in it. The lefty had a 2.61 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 11.7 K/9 while racking up 30 saves.
While he was busy locking down that job, former starters Duffey and May were enjoying breakout years of their own. The former was woeful from 2016-18, but he suddenly started striking out guys left and right en route to a 2.50 ERA. The latter missed all of 2017 following Tommy John surgery and was solid for 25.1 innings in 2018, but he was just as good for 64.1 innings last year with a 2.94 ERA.
Along with that younger trio, the Twins also have a pair of cagey veterans in Clippard and Romo.
After imploding in 2017, Clipp had back-to-back bounce-back seasons, giving the Indians 62 innings with a 2.90 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 2019. Getting him on a one-year, $2.75 million deal may end up looking like a gigantic steal. And while Romo isn't as sharp as he was in 2010-13, the 37-year-old is still plenty good enough to be the fifth-best option out of a strong bullpen.
4. Oakland Athletics
Key Contributors: Liam Hendriks, Yusmeiro Petit, Joakim Soria, Jake Diekman
Per FanGraphs, Hendriks was the most valuable relief pitcher in the league last year, posting a 3.8 WAR. San Diego's Kirby Yates (3.4) was the only other player to exceed 2.3, so it was quite the impressive showing from the first-time closer.
Quickly establishing himself as one of the five best closers in the league, Hendriks alone put Oakland into the top 10.
But also having one of the better setup men in the league pushed the A's into the top five.
Petit has a 2.87 ERA and 0.93 WHIP since the beginning of 2017, the latter of which ranks third among the 368 relievers with at least 50 innings pitched during those three seasons. He was particularly unhittable last year with a 0.81 WHIP and 7.1 K/BB.
And while Soria turns 36 next month and just had the worst season of his career in terms of both ERA (4.30) and xFIP (3.91), he's still better than most seventh-inning options.
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3. Milwaukee Brewers
Key Contributors: Josh Hader, Brent Suter, David Phelps, Alex Claudio, Corey Knebel
Good luck finding a more dominant reliever in 2020 than Hader. The lethal lefty had a 0.81 WHIP and a K/9 north of 15.8 in each of the last two seasons. Per Baseball Reference, here's the full list of pitchers in MLB history with a WHIP below 0.82, a K/9 above 15.8 and at least 50 innings pitched: Craig Kimbrel in 2012 and 2017 and Hader in 2018 and 2019.
Then there's Suter, who came back from Tommy John surgery last September and had a 0.49 ERA and 0.60 WHIP in 18.1 innings. Small sample size for a guy who was a starter in 2017-18, but he could be a dominant multiple-inning reliever again if he remains in that role.
The Brewers are also awaiting Knebel's return from TJ surgery. Before Hader, he was Milwaukee's strikeout-proficient closer. Knebel was an All-Star in 2017, finishing that season with 39 saves and a 1.78 ERA. He had the surgery last April and was going to open this year on the IL. However, the delayed start should make him available on Opening Day, whenever that may be.
Phelps is also a former Tommy John surgery recipient, missing all of 2018 because of it. But he has been solid as a reliever dating back to 2016.
If Knebel can regain his pre-surgery form, this might be the best 'pen in the majors.
2. San Diego Padres
Key Contributors: Kirby Yates, Emilio Pagan, Craig Stammen, Drew Pomeranz
No one could have guessed in 2015-16 that Yates would become one of the best relievers in the league a few years later. He had a 7.97 ERA in 2015 and wasn't that much better the following season (5.23). Even the start of 2017 offered little promise, as he began the year in the minors and made just a one-inning appearance with the Angels before getting waived.
Since landing in San Diego, though, he has gone from serviceable to good to elite in three years. Yates had a 2.14 ERA in 2018 and a league-best 41 saves with a 1.19 ERA last year. He also averaged 15.0 K/9 last year and finished top 10 in the NL Cy Young race.
As if that wasn't enough, the Padres acquired Pagan, who had a 2.31 ERA and 20 saves in Tampa Bay last season. From April 21-May 31, he pitched 17.2 scoreless innings with 27 strikeouts, primarily as a middle reliever. Even a fraction of that as the setup guy in San Diego would be a huge boost for a bullpen that didn't have much beyond Yates last year.
Stammen was the exception to that rule with a 3.29 ERA in 82 innings of work. It was his third consecutive year in San Diego with a sub-3.30 ERA.
And during his two-month run primarily as a reliever with the Brewers last year, Pomeranz had a 2.39 ERA. If he can reprise that role as the left-handed specialist out of the bullpen, hard to find a weakness in this group.
1. New York Yankees
Key Contributors: Aroldis Chapman, Zack Britton, Adam Ottavino, Tommy Kahnle, Chad Green
There are several competent challengers to the throne, but the Yankees remain the bullpen to beat.
Chapman had a sub-2.60 ERA and at least 32 saves for the seventh time in eight seasons. And while the Yankees were hoping to have Dellin Betances as his second fiddle once again, the combination of Britton, Kahnle and Ottavino did a great job collectively holding down the setup job while Betances was only able to pitch 0.2 innings due to injuries.
Each member of that trio had at least 27 holds, and both Britton and Ottavino did so with a sub-2.00 ERA. Kahnle had the worst ERA of the bunch (3.67), but he also pitched in eight of New York's nine postseason games with a 2.25 ERA. For him to be the fourth-best relief option speaks volumes to how strong the first three are.
Hard to argue with Green as the fifth-best reliever, either. He struggled a bit last season, but he had an ERA of 1.83 in 2017 and 2.50 in 2018 and averaged at least 11 K/9 and 5.1 K/BB in each of the past three seasons.
There are other trios that can contend with New York's "Big Three," but there aren't any quintets quite like this one.
Here are the rest of our rankings in this series. Come back soon, baseball:
