The best 10 bullpens for this 2022

It’s time for our annual self-destructive exercise. Bullpens are just as important to a team’s success as the lineups or rotations we ranked this week. But given how erratic this particular area of ​​the game is, we can’t tell you in good conscience that what you’ll read next should be taken seriously.

Instead, we issue a warning: Although our Top 10 relief corps are based on stats, performances over the past few years, projections, and a bit of logic, everything you’ll read here may end up being worth zero in the coming months or even weeks.

And at that point, we’re going to deny that this story was ever published.

Well, now that we’re clear, here are the top 10 relief corps in Major League Baseball.

1) Braves
Closer: RHP Kenley Jansen
Preparers: LHP Will Smith, LHP Tyler Matzek, RHP Collin McHugh, LHP AJ Minter

The bullpen was probably the Braves’ biggest question mark going into October last year. But he ended up becoming one of the team’s strengths, with Matzek’s epic performance against the Dodgers sealing the NLCS and Smith pitching scoreless all month.

Now, with Jansen, one of the most successful closers of his generation, and McHugh, who had a fantastic 2021 for the Rays, the bullpen looks better than ever. That we didn’t include Luke Jackson, who posted a 1.98 ERA in 63 2/3 innings last year, speaks to Atlanta’s depth in this department. The Braves could also eventually get the input from Kirby Yates, who was signed in the offseason but is coming off Tommy John surgery. A healthy Darren O’Day could play a role here, too. So this time the Braves are going to have a good bullpen all year.

2) White Sox
Closer: RHP Liam Hendriks
Preparers: RHP Craig Kimbrel, RHP Kendall Graveman, RHP Aaron Bummer, RHP Joe Kelly

That the White Sox finished 13th in MLB in bullpen ERA (3.97) and tied for 11th in batting average against (.233) was a bit disappointing, considering we put them first in this ranking last year.

But the Palefoots keeping — rather than trading — Kimbrel after acquiring him midway through last season and also signing Graveman and Kelly forces us to put them back near the top. They’re led by two of the best relievers in all of baseball: Hendriks, who has a ridiculous 0.83 WHIP over the past three seasons, and Kimbrel. The latter didn’t pitch anywhere near the same level for the White Sox as he did for the Cubs last year, but we’re going to give him the benefit of the doubt. Graveman and Kelly both had 0.98 WHIPs in 2021, Garrett Crochet has emerged as an important piece and Bummer’s expected ERA (2.58) last season was in the 96th percentile. So the White Sox will have a good relief group.

3) Brewers
Closer: LHP Josh Hader
Preparers: RHP Devin Williams, RHP Brent Suter, RHP Brad Boxberger, RHP Jake Cousins

2021 has probably been Hader’s best season, with personal bests in ERA (1.23) and ERA+ (348), in addition to 34 saves. He didn’t allow a score in the final 20 1/3 innings of the regular season. Williams emerged as Hader’s perfect sidekick, posting a 1.78 ERA and a 42.9% strikeout rate over the past two seasons.

After those two the picture darkens a bit, but manager Craig Counsell is especially adept at putting his relievers in the right situations. It will be interesting to see what role top prospect Aaron Ashby, a southpaw with an explosive arsenal, plays this year because he could end up being a key player here. In any case, with two of the best in the game leading the relief pack, the Brewers will have a good bullpen.

4) Yankees
Closer: LHP Aroldis Chapman
Preparers: RHP Jonathan Loaisiga, RHP Chad Green, RHP Clay Holmes, LHP Wandy Peralta

It hurts the absence of Zack Britton, who had Tommy John surgery, but there’s still a lot of depth and potential here. Chapman, who reached 300 career saves last year, is the bigger name, but it was Loaisiga, who had a 2.17 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP, who was deservedly included in MLB Network’s “Top 10 Right Now” when it came to of relievers. The Yankees might tweak Chapman’s role a bit this season so he doesn’t spend as much time without pitching, and Loaisiga could start to get more save opportunities. Green had a 0.87 WHIP over the past two seasons, while Holmes and Peralta came in trades last year and made their mark. That means the Yankees have a good bullpen.

5) Giants
Closer: LHP Jake McGee
Preparers: RHP Tyler Rogers, RHP Camilo Doval, RHP Zack Littell, RHP Dominic Leone

Manager Gabe Kapler said he plans to use McGee as his closer to start the season, but any of the aforementioned pitchers can close games. The flashiest name of all is Doval, who sported his 102 mph fastball and closed games (including a six-out save against the Dodgers in the postseason) after being called up late in the 2021 season.

For some strange reason, some projections do not favor this group. FanGraphs has the Giants’ bullpen 21st in their projected WAR rankings. But Giants relievers had the best collective ERA (2.99) in MLB last year. And since they’re all back, we think they’re going to have a good bullpen.

6) Angels
Closer: LD Raisel Iglesias
Preparers: LHP Aaron Loup, Ryan Tepera, RHP Archie Bradley, RHP Mike Mayers

It’s still hard to be swayed by the Angels’ rotation, but the bullpen looks solid. The Angels did what they had to do by re-signing Iglesias, who has posted an ERA below 3.00 in five of his six relief seasons and struck out a career-high 37.7% of the batters he faced last year. They also made some important additions in light of the unfortunate loss of Chris Rodriguez, who had surgery on his right shoulder.

Veterans Loup, Bradley and Tepera all signed as free agents. Loup only allowed six extra-base hits in the 218 batters he faced last year. Tepera had a WHIP of 1.01 and a strikeout rate of 31.9% over the last two seasons. Bradley has a 3.09 ERA and a .234 ERA since he became a full-time reliever in 2017, so the Angels will have a bullpen.

7) rays
Closer: RHP Andrew Kittredge
Preparers: RHP JT Chargois, RHP JP Feyereisen, RHP Matt Wisler, LHP Brooks Raley

In two of the past three seasons, the Rays have almost completely changed the bullpen roster by midseason. However, success has been constant. Last year, Tampa Bay’s bullpen finished first in the American League with a 3.23 ERA and first in the majors with a 3.62 FIP, despite the team finishing with the most innings in relief ( 703). That speaks to this club’s ability to maximize the potential of arms that are often misused elsewhere and put them in the right situations to succeed.

We can’t guarantee that any of the names mentioned will still have a key role in the Rays’ bullpen when the season is over. (They already have to make up for the injury to setup man Pete Fairbanks, whose absence affects his ranking on this list.) But we can guarantee the Rays will have a good bullpen.

8) Dodgers
Closer: RHP Blake Treinen
Preparers: RHP Daniel Hudson, RHP Phil Bickford, RHP Alex Vesia, RHP Brusdar Graterol

Even with the departure of franchise saves leader Jansen, the Dodgers appear to have made up for his absence. Perhaps there is a “Trust me, bro” in that analysis, but the Dodgers’ bullpen didn’t have the second-best ERA in MLB over the last five seasons (behind only the Brewers) only because of Jansen. Like the Rays, the Blues know how to identify and maximize talent.

There is also, of course, plenty of pedigree, with the veteran Treinen coming off a fantastic 2021 (1.99 ERA, 0.98 WHIP) and the signing of Hudson (3.31 ERA, 1.08 WHIP with the Nationals and Padres last year). Graterol was a key player in the pennant race in 2020 and is working on his pitching mix, and Vesia and Bickford surprised with good performances last year. With veteran David Price, Evan Phillips, ailing Danny Duffy and other arms in the mix, the Dodgers, now without Jansen, will still have a good bullpen.

9) Tiles
Closer: RHP Jordan Romano
Preparers: RHP Adam Cimber, RHP Tim Mayza, RHP Yimi Garcia, RHP Trevor Richards

A vote of confidence here, because the bullpen is basically the reason the Blue Jays missed the postseason last year. His reliever corps had a 4.08 ERA and the fewest holds (60) in MLB.

But that only included partial season contributions from Cimber and Richards, both of whom were acquired via midseason trades and posted sub-1.00 WHIPs at Toronto. Now, the full season will be available to set the table for Romano, who is one of the best relievers in the game (1.97 ERA in 77.2 innings in 2020-21). Garcia, who has a 120 ERA+ and 1.00 WHIP the past three seasons, is an impact acquisition this winter. Former top pitching prospect Nate Pearson could be the X-factor, depending on what his role ends up being. Veteran David Phelps is also healthy and an option. So, even though the bullpen was down last year, the Blue Jays will have a solid relief corps this year.

10) Sailors
Closer: LD Paul Sewald
Preparers: RHP Drew Steckenrider, RHP Diego Castillo, RHP Sergio Romo, RHP Ken Giles

Did you know that the Mariners’ bullpen had the fourth-best WAR according to FanGraphs of any relief corps in baseball last season? Indeed, Graveman’s extraordinary performance, leading up to his surprising trade to the Astros, was partially responsible for that. But while the law of averages might catch up with a Mariners team that was very effective in close games, there’s enough here on paper to make us think this group can continue to be successful.

Sewald, who was a revelation last year (3.06 ERA, 1.02 WHIP) appears as the closer on this list, but the focus really is by committee. Steckenrider (2.00, 1.02) and Castillo (2.78, 0.98) are also options, as is the newly signed and recovered Giles, who posted a 1.87 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP in his last full season in 2019 before injuring his elbow. throwing elbow. The Mexican Romo and his slider are still capable of getting important outs. The name to watch here is Mexican Andres Munoz, a 23-year-old prospect who averages 100 mph on his fastball. Thus, the Mariners have the pieces to have another good bullpen.