Following our saves and holds preview articles, today we combine the two to get the top relief pitchers for SV+HD leagues. While opportunity is certainly taken into consideration, it’s typically hard to gauge because bullpen usage is so fluid throughout the season for most teams. The bulk of the rankings are derived from swing-and-miss ability, expected outcome stats (FIP, SIERA, xwOBA, etc.), and a little bit of HOTEL mixed in. Also, keep in mind that holds are much more volatile and harder to predict. We’ve only seen eight seasons from a pitcher with more than 30 holds since 2016, while 38 closers have gone over 30 saves in that same time frame.

The Rankings

Notes

The top 80 have been covered, so let’s jump right into No. 80 and Brandon Morrow. Easily a top-40 talent, health has always been his downfall, and he is now rehabbing from arthroscopic elbow surgery. He will miss at least a month, probably closer to two, and will have to contend with Pedro Strop among other capable relievers in that bullpen once he returns. I’m not an advocate of holding onto relievers with long-term injuries unless they are guaranteed their jobs back and/or are truly special talents. He’s only worth a draft pick if you have injured list spots, and even still, it could very well end up a wasted pick.

Tanner Scott and Justin Anderson are both intriguing because of their incredible ability to get swings and misses. Scott posted a 16.7% swinging-strike rate, good for 10th among relievers, while Anderson had a 37.19 whiff rate, good for ninth. Why are they so low, then, you ask? Both had tendencies to walk the yard, with Scott holding a 4.73 BB/9 with Anderson at a dismal 6.51%. If they can shore up some of the command issues, both have the stuff to move quickly way up the rankings.

It’s unfortunate for fantasy purposes Ryne Stanek made 29 “starts” this past year as his stuff plays great as a prototypical late-inning reliever. It’ll be interesting to see how the Rays attack the whole “opener” role this season, but keep on eye on Stanek if he winds up in a more conventional role this year.

The 20-player gap between 94 and 113 features plenty of names who were at the top of these lists not all that long ago. Despite an ERA of 6.00 this past year and lodged in a deep Philly bullpen, Juan Nicasio could still be a big contributor this season. A ridiculously high .402 BABIP explains a lot as to why things went wrong last year as he still had an impressive 26.2% K/BB rate.

Although I’m not sure exactly where he fits into the Angels 25-man roster, keep an eye on Taylor Cole. A 34.48% whiff rate and 20% K/BB over his first 36 MLB innings have me intrigued. He’s already 29 and missed all of 2017 recovering from injury, but there’s some ability here if he can earn a consistent role at the end of games.

(Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire)