2019 Fantasy Baseball Rankings - Top 40 Relievers
2019 Fantasy Baseball Rankings - Top 40 Relievers
Closer is changing more than any other position in baseball. As teams have embraced analytics, managers are electing to use their closers in high-leverage situations as opposed to restricting them to ninth inning work. Because of this, the closer position has lost some value in fantasy leagues. I would advise against paying premium prices on elite closers. You can always address the position later in the draft and work the wire to find someone who takes over in the ninth. I would suggest trying to find the next Josh Hader, a high-usage reliever with dominant ratios, rather than pay his inflated price. Every year, one of these types emerges, with Chris Devenski in 2017. These rankings will put an emphasis on the following:
K%, SwStr%: Missing bats is key
BB%: Strong control increases floor
GB%: Better on the ground than in the air
Pitch Values
Top Prospect pedigree
DISCLAIMER: One of the issues I have with some fantasy writers is that they tend to rank players in a similar range in order to take the safer option, particularly players in the upper-to-elite tiers. My rankings are different because some players are ranked much higher than their ADPs. I base them entirely on my own criteria of statistics as well as my personal intuition, which has led me to several years of success in fantasy sports. Here you will find players grouped into tiers along with tidbits of useful information. Hopefully these rankings stimulate discussion and debate. I hope you enjoy them. NOTE: These rankings will not include starting pitchers that are eligible as relievers in Yahoo leagues.
Tier 1 - The Lords of the Ninth
1. Edwin Diaz
2. Blake Treinen
3. Aroldis Chapman
4. Sean Doolittle
Diaz had a monster 2018, with 44.3 K%, 6.1 BB%, and 57 saves. His 1.61 FIP and 1.49 SIERA were lower than his 1.96 ERA. Now he moves to the NL to pitcher for a stronger Mets' team. Treinen got a bit lucky (.230 BABIP, 1.82 FIP compared to 0.78 ERA), but he still had an absolutely dominant season. He is below Diaz due to his lower K-rate (31.8 K%). Chapman posted a 43.9 K%, 3rd behind Diaz and Hader. This keeps him in the elite tier, despite the fact that he has not eclipsed 60 innings since 2015. He is ahead of Jansen because he has not yet shown any decline in stuff. Doolittle has tremendous control (3.7 BB% in 2018) and strikeout stuff (36.8 K%). This nasty combination makes him the best value in drafts, as I firmly believe that he belongs in the elite tier, but he's currently being drafted as the 10th closer off the board.
Tier 2 - The Strong RP1s
5. Kenley Jansen
6. Kirby Yates
7. Brad Hand
8. Josh Hader
Jansen has the best track record of the three, but his K% fell from 42.3% to 28.4%. This is a red-flag and puts him just a notch below the elite of the group. Yates excelled in the closer role, posting a 36.0 K% with a 6.8 BB%. An improved Padres' team should lead to more save opportunities. Hand has a greater track record than Yates, but a low K% (35.2%) and worse control (9.3 BB%). He remains a strong option for 2019. Doolittle put up Hader will do wonders for your ratios, as he put up 2.43 ERA, 0.81 WHIP with an MLB-best 46.7 K%. He'll grab a handful of saves and he's next in line behind Knebel, which keeps him in Tier 2 despite the lack of saves.
Tier 3 - Clear-Cut Closers
9. Roberto Osuna
10. David Robertson
11. Felipe Vazquez
12. Wade Davis
Osuna has the track record, with 116 career saves entering his age-24 season. He pitched well for Houston last year, posting an impressive 2.7 BB%. He's a bit riskier than those in Tier 2 because the Astros have a wealth of options to replace him should he struggle. Robertson returns to ninth-inning duties in Philly after a season and a half with the Yankees. He is still able to miss bats (32.2 K%) and should be able to rack up saves pitching for the a strong Phillies team. Vazquez does not have the same K% as those ranked above him (30.1 K% in 2018), but he's a reliable option with a proven track record. Davis has the track record and he showed that he could still miss bats, posting a 29.9 K% with a 10.0 BB % in 2018. But the Coors factor tempers his upside.
Tier 4 - High Upside Relievers
13. Jordan Hicks
14. Trevor May
15. Jose Alvarado
16. Raisel Iglesias
This is my favourite tier to target in drafts this year. It's filled with high-upside relievers who do not have the ninth inning to themselves just yet. I prefer to target relievers like these than volatile options that already have the closer role. Hicks has electric stuff, routinely hitting 101+ MPH on the radar gun. His 20.7 K% should easily rise as he gets more comfortable in his 2nd full season in the bigs. He will either take over the closer role or you'll have yourself a cheaper version of Josh Hader. Twins' manager Rocco Baldelli has not announced a closer yet, but May looked dominant in 2018, posting a 35.0 K% and 4.9 BB%. Alvarado took over closing duties once the Rays traded Colome. He posted a 2.39 ERA, 1.11 WHIP with a 30.4 K% and 11.0 BB%. The Rays won't use a conventional closer, but Alvarado has tremendous upside. Iglesias is sometimes used in high-leverage situations, which limits his save opportunities; but he's a solid option. He posted a 27.5 K% and 8.6 BB%, but he needs to cut down on his HRs. His HR/FB rose from 8.3% to 18.8% in 2018, so there could be some bad luck here.
Tier 5 - The Best of the Rest
17. Ken Giles
18. Jose Leclerc
19. Alex Colome
20. Corey Knebel
21. Cody Allen
22. Will Smith
Giles is one year removed from a season where he posted a 33.6 K% and 8.5 BB%. He has a proven track record and should be able to keep the job until the trade deadline. He is lower on this list because he's likely to be shipped to a contending team in July, where he would probably work as a setup reliever. Leclerc posted a highly impressive 38.1 K%, but it came with an 11.2 BB%, which makes him a bit risky. He did a great job with the Rangers' closing role when he took over in August. Colome is one year removed from a season where he saved 47 games. His K rate rose from 20.6% to 25.5%, which is an encouraging sign. Knebel had a tumultuous 2018 where he lost the closer job and got sent to the minors. But once he was recalled, he was dominant. He's only one year removed from dominant season where he posted a 40.8 K%, but the Brewers have a ton of options which limits his upside. Allen is a risky option because it's pretty clear that he's on the decline. His K% fell from 32.6% to 27.7 K% and his BB% rose from 7.5% to 11.4%, which is concerning. His proven track record keeps him in this tier. Smith is the favourite for saves in San Francisco. He did a solid job closing for them towards the end of 2018, posting a solid 33.8 K% and 7.1 BB%. He's a bit lower since he pitches for the lowly Giants.
Tier 6 - Questionable Options
23. Archie Bradley
24. Arodys Viscaino
25. Mychal Givens
26. Andrew Miller
27. Pedro Strop
Bradley has prospect pedigree and posted a solid 25.3 K% with 6.8 BB%. He needs to cut down on the homers, but I think if he can grab this closer job he could be a solid option. Vizcaino has to contend with Minter for saves, but right now he is the leader for that role. He pitches for a contending team, but that 25.3 K% is subpar for a closer. Givens will be the closer for the rebuilding Orioles, which tempers his upside. He'll also be at risk for a trade at the deadline. Still, this is a guy with decent stuff and control (24.9 K% and 9.5 BB%). He should be able to hold onto the closer role for most of the season. Miller has started to show signs of decline, with his K% falling from 38.9% to 29.2% and BB% rising from 8.6% to 10.4%. I don't expect him to beat out Hicks for the closer role, but he's worth a flyer given his track record. Strop did a great job closing in 2018, but Morrow is expected to return in May. He's also currently nursing a hamstring injury. I have a feeling that neither Strop nor Morrow will be closing for the Cubs in 2019, but right now Strop is the best option.
Tier 7 - Ticking Time Bombs
27. Drew Steckenrider
28. Hunter Strickland
29. Shane Greene
30. Matt Barnes
31. Wily Peralta
Steckenrider pitches for a terrible Marlins' team, but his 27.2 K% and 9.9 BB% is decent. What's concerning is his decline in K%, which fell from 35.8% in 2017. Strickland is expected to share saves with Swarzak. He's an unappealing option due to a low K% of 18.4%. Greene is always a threat to blow up in the 9th. He will likely be traded from the rebuilding Tigers at some point. Barnes is expected to share closing duties with other options in a shaky Boston bullpen. Peralta pitches for a poor team and has a concerning 15.4 BB%.
Tier 8 - Ratio Relief
32. Dellin Betances
33. Adam Ottavino
34. Chad Green
35. Chris Devenski
Wow that Yankee bullpen is going to be spectacular. All three of these relievers should be able to rack up the Ks and stabilize your ratios in their 60+ innings of work. I like Betances most due to his longer track record, but Ottavino was phenomenal last year, as he increased his K% from 25.9% to 36.3. Green has great control (5.0 BB%) with strikeout stuff (31.5 K%). Devenski is one year removed from a season where he pitched 80.2 innings and racked up 100 Ks with a 2.68 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. He can be a value pick with the potential to return to that form.
Tier 9 - Next in Line
36. Trevor Rosenthal
37. AJ Minter
38. Greg Holland
39. Mark Melancon
40. Brad Boxberger
This tier includes a group of players who have closed in the past. Their value would increase substantially should they take over the closer role. Rosenthal and Minter have the most upside. Holland, Melancon, and Boxberger are three veterans that should be monitored because they have been successful in the 9th in the past. Leave these guys on the wire and keep a close eye on them.
Honourable Mentions
Joe Jimenez
Steve Cishek
Ryan Pressly
Seranthony Dominguez
Brandon Morrow
This list includes the next-best of the next-in-line options. Monitor their work as the season goes along.
Closer is changing more than any other position in baseball. As teams have embraced analytics, managers are electing to use their closers in high-leverage situations as opposed to restricting them to ninth inning work. Because of this, the closer position has lost some value in fantasy leagues. I would advise against paying premium prices on elite closers. You can always address the position later in the draft and work the wire to find someone who takes over in the ninth. I would suggest trying to find the next Josh Hader, a high-usage reliever with dominant ratios, rather than pay his inflated price. Every year, one of these types emerges, with Chris Devenski in 2017. These rankings will put an emphasis on the following:
K%, SwStr%: Missing bats is key
BB%: Strong control increases floor
GB%: Better on the ground than in the air
Pitch Values
Top Prospect pedigree
DISCLAIMER: One of the issues I have with some fantasy writers is that they tend to rank players in a similar range in order to take the safer option, particularly players in the upper-to-elite tiers. My rankings are different because some players are ranked much higher than their ADPs. I base them entirely on my own criteria of statistics as well as my personal intuition, which has led me to several years of success in fantasy sports. Here you will find players grouped into tiers along with tidbits of useful information. Hopefully these rankings stimulate discussion and debate. I hope you enjoy them. NOTE: These rankings will not include starting pitchers that are eligible as relievers in Yahoo leagues.
Tier 1 - The Lords of the Ninth
1. Edwin Diaz
2. Blake Treinen
3. Aroldis Chapman
4. Sean Doolittle
Diaz had a monster 2018, with 44.3 K%, 6.1 BB%, and 57 saves. His 1.61 FIP and 1.49 SIERA were lower than his 1.96 ERA. Now he moves to the NL to pitcher for a stronger Mets' team. Treinen got a bit lucky (.230 BABIP, 1.82 FIP compared to 0.78 ERA), but he still had an absolutely dominant season. He is below Diaz due to his lower K-rate (31.8 K%). Chapman posted a 43.9 K%, 3rd behind Diaz and Hader. This keeps him in the elite tier, despite the fact that he has not eclipsed 60 innings since 2015. He is ahead of Jansen because he has not yet shown any decline in stuff. Doolittle has tremendous control (3.7 BB% in 2018) and strikeout stuff (36.8 K%). This nasty combination makes him the best value in drafts, as I firmly believe that he belongs in the elite tier, but he's currently being drafted as the 10th closer off the board.
Tier 2 - The Strong RP1s
5. Kenley Jansen
6. Kirby Yates
7. Brad Hand
8. Josh Hader
Jansen has the best track record of the three, but his K% fell from 42.3% to 28.4%. This is a red-flag and puts him just a notch below the elite of the group. Yates excelled in the closer role, posting a 36.0 K% with a 6.8 BB%. An improved Padres' team should lead to more save opportunities. Hand has a greater track record than Yates, but a low K% (35.2%) and worse control (9.3 BB%). He remains a strong option for 2019. Doolittle put up Hader will do wonders for your ratios, as he put up 2.43 ERA, 0.81 WHIP with an MLB-best 46.7 K%. He'll grab a handful of saves and he's next in line behind Knebel, which keeps him in Tier 2 despite the lack of saves.
Tier 3 - Clear-Cut Closers
9. Roberto Osuna
10. David Robertson
11. Felipe Vazquez
12. Wade Davis
Osuna has the track record, with 116 career saves entering his age-24 season. He pitched well for Houston last year, posting an impressive 2.7 BB%. He's a bit riskier than those in Tier 2 because the Astros have a wealth of options to replace him should he struggle. Robertson returns to ninth-inning duties in Philly after a season and a half with the Yankees. He is still able to miss bats (32.2 K%) and should be able to rack up saves pitching for the a strong Phillies team. Vazquez does not have the same K% as those ranked above him (30.1 K% in 2018), but he's a reliable option with a proven track record. Davis has the track record and he showed that he could still miss bats, posting a 29.9 K% with a 10.0 BB % in 2018. But the Coors factor tempers his upside.
Tier 4 - High Upside Relievers
13. Jordan Hicks
14. Trevor May
15. Jose Alvarado
16. Raisel Iglesias
This is my favourite tier to target in drafts this year. It's filled with high-upside relievers who do not have the ninth inning to themselves just yet. I prefer to target relievers like these than volatile options that already have the closer role. Hicks has electric stuff, routinely hitting 101+ MPH on the radar gun. His 20.7 K% should easily rise as he gets more comfortable in his 2nd full season in the bigs. He will either take over the closer role or you'll have yourself a cheaper version of Josh Hader. Twins' manager Rocco Baldelli has not announced a closer yet, but May looked dominant in 2018, posting a 35.0 K% and 4.9 BB%. Alvarado took over closing duties once the Rays traded Colome. He posted a 2.39 ERA, 1.11 WHIP with a 30.4 K% and 11.0 BB%. The Rays won't use a conventional closer, but Alvarado has tremendous upside. Iglesias is sometimes used in high-leverage situations, which limits his save opportunities; but he's a solid option. He posted a 27.5 K% and 8.6 BB%, but he needs to cut down on his HRs. His HR/FB rose from 8.3% to 18.8% in 2018, so there could be some bad luck here.
Tier 5 - The Best of the Rest
17. Ken Giles
18. Jose Leclerc
19. Alex Colome
20. Corey Knebel
21. Cody Allen
22. Will Smith
Giles is one year removed from a season where he posted a 33.6 K% and 8.5 BB%. He has a proven track record and should be able to keep the job until the trade deadline. He is lower on this list because he's likely to be shipped to a contending team in July, where he would probably work as a setup reliever. Leclerc posted a highly impressive 38.1 K%, but it came with an 11.2 BB%, which makes him a bit risky. He did a great job with the Rangers' closing role when he took over in August. Colome is one year removed from a season where he saved 47 games. His K rate rose from 20.6% to 25.5%, which is an encouraging sign. Knebel had a tumultuous 2018 where he lost the closer job and got sent to the minors. But once he was recalled, he was dominant. He's only one year removed from dominant season where he posted a 40.8 K%, but the Brewers have a ton of options which limits his upside. Allen is a risky option because it's pretty clear that he's on the decline. His K% fell from 32.6% to 27.7 K% and his BB% rose from 7.5% to 11.4%, which is concerning. His proven track record keeps him in this tier. Smith is the favourite for saves in San Francisco. He did a solid job closing for them towards the end of 2018, posting a solid 33.8 K% and 7.1 BB%. He's a bit lower since he pitches for the lowly Giants.
Tier 6 - Questionable Options
23. Archie Bradley
24. Arodys Viscaino
25. Mychal Givens
26. Andrew Miller
27. Pedro Strop
Bradley has prospect pedigree and posted a solid 25.3 K% with 6.8 BB%. He needs to cut down on the homers, but I think if he can grab this closer job he could be a solid option. Vizcaino has to contend with Minter for saves, but right now he is the leader for that role. He pitches for a contending team, but that 25.3 K% is subpar for a closer. Givens will be the closer for the rebuilding Orioles, which tempers his upside. He'll also be at risk for a trade at the deadline. Still, this is a guy with decent stuff and control (24.9 K% and 9.5 BB%). He should be able to hold onto the closer role for most of the season. Miller has started to show signs of decline, with his K% falling from 38.9% to 29.2% and BB% rising from 8.6% to 10.4%. I don't expect him to beat out Hicks for the closer role, but he's worth a flyer given his track record. Strop did a great job closing in 2018, but Morrow is expected to return in May. He's also currently nursing a hamstring injury. I have a feeling that neither Strop nor Morrow will be closing for the Cubs in 2019, but right now Strop is the best option.
Tier 7 - Ticking Time Bombs
27. Drew Steckenrider
28. Hunter Strickland
29. Shane Greene
30. Matt Barnes
31. Wily Peralta
Steckenrider pitches for a terrible Marlins' team, but his 27.2 K% and 9.9 BB% is decent. What's concerning is his decline in K%, which fell from 35.8% in 2017. Strickland is expected to share saves with Swarzak. He's an unappealing option due to a low K% of 18.4%. Greene is always a threat to blow up in the 9th. He will likely be traded from the rebuilding Tigers at some point. Barnes is expected to share closing duties with other options in a shaky Boston bullpen. Peralta pitches for a poor team and has a concerning 15.4 BB%.
Tier 8 - Ratio Relief
32. Dellin Betances
33. Adam Ottavino
34. Chad Green
35. Chris Devenski
Wow that Yankee bullpen is going to be spectacular. All three of these relievers should be able to rack up the Ks and stabilize your ratios in their 60+ innings of work. I like Betances most due to his longer track record, but Ottavino was phenomenal last year, as he increased his K% from 25.9% to 36.3. Green has great control (5.0 BB%) with strikeout stuff (31.5 K%). Devenski is one year removed from a season where he pitched 80.2 innings and racked up 100 Ks with a 2.68 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. He can be a value pick with the potential to return to that form.
Tier 9 - Next in Line
36. Trevor Rosenthal
37. AJ Minter
38. Greg Holland
39. Mark Melancon
40. Brad Boxberger
This tier includes a group of players who have closed in the past. Their value would increase substantially should they take over the closer role. Rosenthal and Minter have the most upside. Holland, Melancon, and Boxberger are three veterans that should be monitored because they have been successful in the 9th in the past. Leave these guys on the wire and keep a close eye on them.
Honourable Mentions
Joe Jimenez
Steve Cishek
Ryan Pressly
Seranthony Dominguez
Brandon Morrow
This list includes the next-best of the next-in-line options. Monitor their work as the season goes along.
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