Scheming For Relief: Updated Middle Reliever Tiers

Finally, the “Updated Middle Reliever Tiers” are complete, for now. Each of the five standard pitching categories — and of course holds — played a role in determining these tiers.

The first two tiers were pretty simple to establish. Horses like Mark Melancon, Jesse Crain and Trevor Rosenthal seem to have separated themselves from the rest of the pack through the first two months of the season and are elite middle relief commodities at this point. But when it came time to find homes for the Aaron Loups and Cody Allens of the world, I felt like I was splitting hairs.

Disclaimer: In developing these rankings I looked for pitchers who appeared in about 17 games or more. One of the downfalls of using such a cutoff is that players who landed on the disabled list early on in the season may not appear in these rankings. Additionally, the relievers appear in tiers and are listed in no particular order within the their respective tier.

Alright RotoGraphers, here they are. Firing Squad: please report directly to the comments section below.

Tier One: Double India Pale Ales

Mark Melancon | Pirates
Jesse Crain | White Sox
Trevor Rosenthal | Cardinals

For me, the Double IPA is the cream of the crop. And that’s exactly what you get with Melancon, Crain and Rosenthal. These guys provide cases full of holds, crisp ratios and elite whiff rates.

Tier Two: India Pale Ales

Jared Burton | Twins
Kenley Jansen | Dodgers
David Hernandez | Diamondbacks
Joel Peralta | Rays
Sean Doolittle | Athletics
Luke Gregerson | Padres
David Robertson | Yankees
Rex Brothers | Rockies

The IPA is elite, but it doesn’t get the job done as consistently or as quickly as the Double does. There are a few closers-in-waiting floating around in the second tier should their respective team’s closer become skunky.

Tier Three: Saisons

Andrew Miller | Red Sox
Joaquin Benoit | Tigers
James Russell | Cubs
Matt Thornton | White Sox
Matt Reynolds | Diamondbacks
Darren O’Day | Orioles
Koji Uehara | Red Sox
Robbie Ross | Rangers
Tanner Scheppers | Rangers
Joe Smith | Indians
Sam LeCure | Reds
Tommy Hunter | Orioles
Junichi Tazawa | Red Sox

Saisons tend to be refreshing, but pack a little less punch than those listed above. You have some dark-horse closing candidates listed in this tier and some that possess elite strikeout skills (see: Miller, Andrew), while guys like Junichi Tazawa will chip in with some scab wins to go along with a decent amount of holds, whiffs and fine ratios. Don’t skip out on the Saison.

Tier Four: Porters

Aaron Loup | Blue Jays
Tim Collins | Royals
Tyler Clippard | Nationals
Matt Belisle | Rockies
Jonathan Broxton | Reds
Jake McGee | Rays
Cody Allen | Indians
Steve Delabar | Blue Jays
Carter Capps | Mariners
Brian Matusz | Orioles
Brian Duensing | Twins
Dale Thayer | Padres
Ryan Cook | Athletics
Antonio Bastardo | Phillies
Travis Blackley | Astros
John Axford | Brewers

I’m not the biggest Porter fan, but there are some variations that get the job done. And I’ll always grab a Porter before reaching for the yellow fizzy stuff when the pickins’ in the cooler are slim. Like I noted above, these tiers were a little tricky, but you still have some fine options such as fireballer Carter Capps. Super-darkhorse closing options Cody Allen and Steve Delabar find homes in the Porter tier as well in case Vinnie Pestano fails to work out in Cleveland with Chris Perez on the shelf or if the Casey Janssen injury rumors become reality.

Tier Five: Yellow Fizzy Beers

Brandon Kintzler | Brewers
Dane de la Rosa | Angels
Luis Avilan | Braves
Paco Rodriguez | Dodgers
Tom Gorzelanny | Brewers
Mike Dunn | Marlins
Justin Wilson | Pirates
Drew Smyly | Tigers
Hector Ambriz | Astros
Brad Ziegler | Diamondbacks
Tony Watson | Pirates
Paul Clemens | Astros
Ronald Belisario | Dodgers
Matt Lindstrom | White Sox
Brandon Lyon | Mets
A.J. Ramos | Marlins
Brett Cecil | Blue Jays
Carlos Marmol | Cubs
Jordan Walden | Braves
Kelvin Herrera | Royals

If the only things left in the cooler are yellow fizzy beers, I’d probably convince a sober driver to take me to the store to grab an extra case of IPAs. But if that fails, the yellow fizzy beer will get the job done. These are your deep league middle reliever options that should be considered in an act of desperation. Kelvin Herrera appears in this tier because he’s currently on the farm — harvesting hops — with the hopes of being in the IPA tier if he can put all of the ingredients together.

And for the heck of it, here are my top 60 relievers sorted by holds:

 

 

Rank	Name	Team	G	W	SV	HLD	ERA	WHIP	K%
1	Mark Melancon	Pirates	28	1	1	18	0.96	0.82	26.20%
2	Jesse Crain	White Sox	26	1	0	15	0.78	1.04	33.00%
3	Trevor Rosenthal	Cardinals	26	0	0	15	2.08	1.15	35.80%
4	Joel Peralta	Rays	28	0	1	14	2.13	0.99	27.30%
5	Jared Burton	Twins	25	0	1	12	2.19	1.22	23.60%
6	Kenley Jansen	Dodgers	25	1	2	11	3.28	1.09	35.40%
7	Matt Thornton	White Sox	23	0	0	11	3.38	1.31	10.30%
9	Luke Gregerson	Padres	23	3	0	10	0.83	0.65	20.00%
8	Sean Doolittle	Athletics	24	3	0	10	1.48	0.62	27.60%
11	Koji Uehara	Red Sox	22	0	1	10	2.14	0.95	34.90%
10	David Robertson	Yankees	23	3	0	10	2.86	0.91	33.00%
12	Tanner Scheppers	Rangers	23	3	0	9	0.71	0.83	16.50%
17	Junichi Tazawa	Red Sox	23	4	0	9	2.82	1.16	31.90%
13	Tyler Clippard	Nationals	23	3	0	9	2.86	1	26.40%
14	Matt Belisle	Rockies	26	2	0	9	3.18	1.06	20.00%
18	Brian Duensing	Twins	24	0	1	9	3.6	1.5	19.30%
15	Jonathan Broxton	Reds	23	2	0	9	4.22	1.13	16.70%
16	Tony Watson	Pirates	23	1	1	9	4.62	1.14	22.90%
19	Hector Ambriz	Astros	26	1	0	9	4.88	1.5	18.10%
20	Jake McGee	Rays	23	2	0	9	6.75	1.55	29.40%
22	Sam LeCure	Reds	19	1	0	8	1.27	0.94	28.90%
21	Brian Matusz	Orioles	24	1	0	8	3.15	0.8	28.00%
24	David Hernandez	Diamondbacks	22	2	1	8	3.18	1.32	24.50%
23	Dale Thayer	Padres	22	0	0	8	3.38	0.94	22.90%
28	Robbie Ross	Rangers	23	2	0	7	0.39	1.07	17.90%
25	James Russell	Cubs	25	1	0	7	0.95	0.79	28.20%
26	Joaquin Benoit	Tigers	22	1	2	7	1.57	0.96	33.00%
29	Darren O’Day	Orioles	25	2	1	7	1.88	1.13	25.50%
34	Antonio Bastardo	Phillies	22	2	0	7	2	1.39	23.10%
30	Ryan Cook	Athletics	22	1	1	7	2.38	1.19	26.80%
27	Brad Ziegler	Diamondbacks	28	2	0	7	2.59	1.07	18.80%
33	Luis Avilan	Braves	24	2	0	7	2.66	1.28	10.60%
35	Travis Blackley	Astros	19	0	0	7	3.66	1.42	21.20%
36	Matt Lindstrom	White Sox	25	2	0	7	3.98	1.52	17.40%
32	Dane de la Rosa	Angels	25	1	0	7	4.21	1.25	20.00%
31	Brandon Kintzler	Brewers	23	2	0	7	4.24	1.24	20.00%
37	John Axford	Brewers	25	1	0	7	6.04	1.75	24.50%
40	Rex Brothers	Rockies	26	1	1	6	0.38	1.23	24.50%
39	Tom Gorzelanny	Brewers	21	1	0	6	2.37	1.11	20.30%
41	Mike Dunn	Marlins	26	1	1	6	2.38	1.41	22.50%
38	Paco Rodriguez	Dodgers	25	1	0	6	3.06	0.79	29.20%
43	Joe Smith	Indians	20	2	1	5	1	0.94	27.50%
44	Matt Reynolds	Diamondbacks	25	0	2	5	1.21	0.99	23.00%
42	Justin Wilson	Pirates	19	4	0	5	1.45	0.9	25.00%
45	Drew Smyly	Tigers	18	2	1	5	2.2	1.01	26.40%
48	Ronald Belisario	Dodgers	26	3	0	5	3.33	1.64	17.10%
46	Tim Collins	Royals	17	1	0	5	3.38	1.13	27.00%
47	Paul Clemens	Astros	17	3	0	5	4.13	1.13	17.80%
49	Aaron Loup	Blue Jays	22	2	1	4	2.51	1.08	17.10%
54	Andrew Miller	Red Sox	24	0	0	4	3.57	1.42	40.30%
50	Brandon Lyon	Mets	23	2	0	4	3.66	1.17	20.70%
53	A.J. Ramos	Marlins	22	0	0	4	3.71	1.35	23.70%
51	Carter Capps	Mariners	22	2	0	4	3.86	1.25	31.10%
52	Kelvin Herrera	Royals	19	2	2	4	4.87	1.33	27.60%
56	Tommy Hunter	Orioles	19	3	1	3	1.8	0.93	19.00%
55	Brett Cecil	Blue Jays	24	1	0	3	1.98	0.91	30.20%
57	Carlos Marmol	Cubs	22	2	2	3	4.05	1.6	21.70%
58	Cody Allen	Indians	22	1	1	2	2.16	0.92	33.00%
59	Steve Delabar	Blue Jays	23	4	0	1	2.33	1.3	26.10%
60	Jordan Walden	Braves	15	1	0	1	4.5	1.43	28.60%