Midseason Rankings – Relief Pitchers
We made it to the finish line! Our final position in the midseason rankings hits on the most volatile aspect of our beloved game: the relievers. There’s only one save that can be awarded in any single game so opportunity is obviously extremely important, but damn-near impossible to predict. Manager whim and supporting cast (hitters, defense, and starting pitchers) are two variables that greatly impact said opportunity and while we can foster our best guesses, it’s still difficult to ever know. There’s a reason that the “draft skills, not roles” adage coined by Ron Shandler has become so popular with relievers specifically.
Once again, the Bullpen Report crew has joined the party to rank the relievers with Dan & myself both adding ours in, too. Alan, Darren, Colin, and Ben round out the group for six sets of rankings. Want to see how guys have shifted since the June update? Find those ranks here.
For this update, Paul ranked 55 arms, Alan, Colin, and Ben did 50 apiece, Darren did 48, and Dan had 53. Guys +1 of those figures constitute an “unranked”.
Other positions:
Rank | Player | Team | LG | Paul | Alan | Darren | Colin | Benjamin | Dan | AVG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Aroldis Chapman | Reds | NL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1.2 |
2 | Kenley Jansen | Dodgers | NL | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2.2 |
3 | Craig Kimbrel | Padres | NL | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3.2 |
4 | Zach Britton | Orioles | AL | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4.7 |
5 | Andrew Miller | Yankees | AL | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 5.3 |
6 | Drew Storen | Nationals | NL | 7 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7.0 |
7 | Cody Allen | Indians | AL | 6 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 11 | 7.7 |
8 | David Robertson | White Sox | AL | 13 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 8.7 |
9 | Mark Melancon | Pirates | NL | 14 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 10.7 |
10 | Trevor Rosenthal | Cardinals | NL | 9 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 7 | 11.0 |
11 | A.J. Ramos | Marlins | NL | 8 | 12 | 15 | 11 | 9 | 15 | 11.7 |
12 | Glen Perkins | Twins | AL | 15 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12.3 |
13 | Greg Holland | Royals | AL | 17 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 12.7 |
14 | Jeurys Familia | Mets | NL | 12 | 11 | 9 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 13.0 |
15 | Dellin Betances | Yankees | AL | 10 | 15 | 11 | 19 | 20 | 5 | 13.3 |
16 | Wade Davis | Royals | AL | 11 | 17 | 17 | 26 | 23 | 10 | 17.3 |
17 | Jonathan Papelbon | Phillies | NL | 18 | 16 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 17.5 |
18 | Huston Street | Angels | AL | 19 | 20 | 19 | 14 | 14 | 22 | 18.0 |
19 | Francisco Rodriguez | Brewers | NL | 22 | 19 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 17 | 19.3 |
20 | Shawn Tolleson | Rangers | AL | 23 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21.3 |
21 | Brad Boxberger | Rays | AL | 20 | 21 | 18 | 23 | 26 | 21 | 21.5 |
22 | Joakim Soria | Tigers | AL | 24 | 22 | 26 | 18 | 18 | 23 | 21.8 |
23 | Luke Gregerson | Astros | AL | 26 | 24 | 21 | 24 | 22 | 18 | 22.5 |
24 | Carson Smith | Mariners | AL | 16 | 25 | 24 | 35 | 25 | 24 | 24.8 |
25 | Koji Uehara | Red Sox | AL | 25 | 18 | 22 | 13 | 17 | 54 | 24.8 |
26 | Tyler Clippard | Athletics | AL | 21 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25.8 |
27 | Roberto Osuna | Blue Jays | AL | 30 | 27 | 33 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 28.8 |
28 | Santiago Casilla | Giants | NL | 31 | 28 | 48 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 29.7 |
29 | Brad Ziegler | Diamondbacks | NL | 34 | 32 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30.3 |
30 | Jake McGee | Rays | AL | 35 | 33 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 29 | 31.2 |
31 | Carter Capps | Marlins | NL | 27 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 35 | 32 | 31.3 |
32 | Ken Giles | Phillies | NL | 28 | 29 | 35 | 28 | 32 | 45 | 32.8 |
33 | Jason Motte | Cubs | NL | 29 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 54 | 34.3 |
34 | Jim Johnson | Braves | NL | 32 | 36 | 25 | 34 | 33 | 54 | 35.7 |
35 | John Axford | Rockies | NL | 48 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 34 | 31 | 35.7 |
36 | Hector Rondon | Cubs | NL | 50 | 37 | 43 | 37 | 38 | 27 | 38.7 |
37 | Junichi Tazawa | Red Sox | AL | 37 | 46 | 49 | 40 | 42 | 39 | 42.2 |
38 | Hunter Strickland | Giants | NL | 42 | 35 | 37 | 45 | 45 | 54 | 43.0 |
39 | Jeremy Jeffress | Brewers | NL | 51 | 39 | 39 | 36 | 39 | 54 | 43.0 |
40 | Darren O’Day | Orioles | AL | 52 | 44 | 47 | 44 | 40 | 33 | 43.3 |
41 | Sergio Romo | Giants | NL | 56 | 41 | 45 | 39 | 36 | 43 | 43.3 |
42 | Tony Watson | Pirates | NL | 39 | 48 | 49 | 47 | 46 | 36 | 44.2 |
43 | Joaquin Benoit | Padres | NL | 45 | 51 | 42 | 51 | 41 | 38 | 44.7 |
44 | Brandon Maurer | Padres | NL | 47 | 43 | 49 | 50 | 49 | 35 | 45.5 |
45 | Keone Kela | Rangers | AL | 44 | 42 | 44 | 43 | 51 | 50 | 45.7 |
46 | Zach McAllister | Indians | AL | 53 | 40 | 49 | 38 | 42 | 54 | 46.0 |
47 | Edward Mujica | Athletics | AL | 40 | 49 | 36 | 51 | 51 | 54 | 46.8 |
48 | J.J. Hoover | Reds | NL | 38 | 47 | 41 | 51 | 51 | 54 | 47.0 |
49 | Arodys Vizcaino | Braves | NL | 33 | 45 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 54 | 47.2 |
50 | Zach Putnam | White Sox | AL | 56 | 51 | 49 | 49 | 48 | 34 | 47.8 |
51 | David Aardsma | Braves | NL | 36 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 54 | 48.7 |
52 | Brett Cecil | Blue Jays | AL | 56 | 50 | 46 | 48 | 51 | 41 | 48.7 |
53 | Sean Doolittle | Athletics | AL | 43 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 50 | 49 | 48.8 |
54 | Kelvin Herrera | Royals | AL | 56 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 37 | 49.2 |
55 | Aaron Barrett | Nationals | NL | 41 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 53 | 49.3 |
56 | Mark Lowe | Mariners | AL | 54 | 51 | 49 | 42 | 47 | 54 | 49.5 |
57 | Pedro Strop | Cubs | NL | 56 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 40 | 49.7 |
58 | Bryan Shaw | Indians | AL | 56 | 51 | 49 | 46 | 44 | 54 | 50.0 |
59 | Steve Cishek | Marlins | NL | 46 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 54 | 50.3 |
60 | Aaron Sanchez | Blue Jays | AL | 55 | 51 | 40 | 51 | 51 | 54 | 50.3 |
61 | Addison Reed | Diamondbacks | NL | 56 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 44 | 50.3 |
62 | Chad Qualls | Astros | AL | 56 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 46 | 50.7 |
63 | LaTroy Hawkins | Rockies | NL | 49 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 54 | 50.8 |
64 | Yimi Garcia | Dodgers | NL | 56 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 47 | 50.8 |
65 | Evan Scribner | Athletics | AL | 56 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 48 | 51.0 |
66 | Pat Neshek | Astros | AL | 56 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51.5 |
67 | Pedro Baez | Dodgers | NL | 56 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 52 | 51.7 |
68 | Fernando Rodney | Mariners | AL | 1285 | 38 | 38 | 41 | 37 | 42 | 246.8 |
Can my fellow Miller/Betances owners please join me in a razzball style prayer circle that Cashman doesn’t bring in a Proven Closer (TM) to ruin our stretch runs/H2H playoffs?
I agree. Don’t think it’s necessary. But man, imagine if they kept Robertson with the current duo.
It’s possible if they don’t get a decent starter at the deadline. When you have mediocre SPs behind Tanaka and Pineda, you might as well shorten the game with lights out RPs 7, 8, 9. A formula KC has been using effectively.