26. DANIEL BARD, COLORADO ROCKIES (AGE: 38, PREVIOUS RANK: 92)

One has to wonder where Bard would be ranked on this list if he hadn’t waited until age 37 to have a career year, and if he weren’t pitching for the Colorado Rockies.  Even so, he’s still intriguing.  If there’s a single position in baseball where age has less of a factor, it’s likely relief pitcher.  And I admit that’s anecdotal, there may be a statistic out there about this, but pitching two or three times a week for an inning at a time would have less wear and tear than other positions.  And, while Bard’s splits do favor games played away from Coors Field, it’s not by much.  In 2022, on the road he had a 1.59 ERA, surrendered 0.32 HR/9 and opponents had a .154 batting average.  Back in Coors, the ERA was 1.97, with 0.56 HR/9 and .170 batting average against.  He’s figured something out, mostly that if he can strike batters out and keep the fly ball percentage under 30%, he can be effective at home.  For dynasty purposes, his age, location, and Colorado’s winning percentage make this a risky play, but don’t cross him off completely. (Drew Klein)

27. MATT BRASH, SEATTLE MARINERS (AGE: 25, PREVIOUS RANK: 110 SP)

Matt Brash throws the baseball with great velocity, with his fastball regularly in the high 90s. He strikes out a lot of batters; 27.9% in the majors last year, and over 30% of batters faced throughout his minor league career.  He also walks a lot of batters, 14.9% of batters faced in the majors last year, higher even than his minor league totals.  It’s not clear what role he’ll play in Seattle’s crowded bullpen.  He’s currently projected for middle relief and may get some spot starts.  I think this ranking is still affected by his 2022 Spring Training, when we were all dazzled by his velocity, but I don’t know where he’ll fit in a dynasty roster.  (Drew Klein)

28. BRYAN ABREU, HOUSTON ASTROS (AGE: 26, PREVIOUS RANK: NR)

Bryan Abreu has struggled with control through his minor and major league career.  He may have had a breakthrough in 2022, with a 35.5% strikeout rate, 1.18 WHIP, and a .206 batting average against.  He still walked over 10% of batters faced however, and until he can bring that down, it’s unlikely teams will trust him with the closer role.  There’s a lot to like about his profile, and with Houston he will be in line for holds, but don’t overspend on him thinking you’re getting the closer of the future. (Drew Klein)

29. KENDALL GRAVEMAN, CHICAGO WHITE SOX (AGE: 32, PREVIOUS RANK: 54)

Kendall Graveman will have the first crack at the closer job in Chicago, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to hold on to it.  Among the reasons to question his grasp on the job are eleven blown saves the past two seasons, a 1.40 WHIP last year, and a career strikeout percentage of 17.2%.  Don’t be fooled by a strong 2021 season; you’d be wise to move on from Graveman. (Drew Klein)

30. A.J. MINTER, ATLANTA BRAVES (AGE: 29, PREVIOUS RANK: 82)

Minter has all the tools to be a major league closer, the question is when will he get that opportunity.  In the meanwhile, he’ll continue to be a great source of holds, having posted 34 holds in 2022 and 23 the previous year. This past season saw a big jump in his K% from 25.8% in 2021 to 34.7% last year,  and a drop in BB% from 9.0% to 5.5% in the same time period.  In 2023 he will be setting up for Iglesias, but will have some save opportunities, and should be a closer within the next couple of seasons. (Drew Klein)

31. CARLOS ESTÉVEZ, LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (AGE: 30, PREVIOUS RANK: 56)

After six seasons in Denver, Carlos Estévez is taking his talents to Anaheim. He signed a two-year deal with the Angels and is currently the leading candidate for saves. Mostly pitching in front of Daniel Bard, Estévez tallied 13 holds and pitched to a 3.47 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, while striking out just shy of a batter an inning. He also had two saves. It is easy to point to Estévez’s home/road splits and project a better year (career 5.57 ERA at home and career 3.51 ERA on the road). Savvy owners may realize that Estévez really figured something out last season; he was stellar from June forward, with a 2.72 ERA and 1.02 WHIP, striking out 9.4 batters per nine innings, and batters only hit .172 against him. (The Roto Red)

32. GIOVANNY GALLEGOS, ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (AGE: 31, PREVIOUS RANK: 9)

Relief-pitcher value is fickle and Giovanny Gallegos is an example of that. Despite putting up similar numbers in 2022 (over 21.1 fewer innings), he dropped 23 spots in our rankings. Gallegos still produced, picking up 14 saves and 12 holds, striking out more than a batter an inning, and limiting free passes. He was above the 90^th percentile in strikeout percentage, whiff percentage, and chase percentage. However, opportunity rules all and Ryan Helsley’s emergence as a lights-out closer relegated Gallegos to setup duty. Moving forward, Gallegos is an elite handcuff who will rack up holds and can step into the closer’s role with ease. (The Roto Red)

33. KYLE FINNEGAN, WASHINGTON NATIONALS (AGE: 31, PREVIOUS RANK: 39)

Kyle Finnegan’s ranking remained fairly stable after his second consecutive 11-save season. Finnegan started the 2022 season as the primary setup man and then took over the closer’s role when Tanner Rainey suffered a season-ending elbow injury, necessitating Tommy John surgery. Finnegan showed positive improvements in 2022. He trimmed his walk rate from 4.64 BB/9 to 2.97 BB/9. He increased his average fastball velocity from 95.7 MPH to 97.0 MPH. He also significantly decreased his xERA, FIP, and xFIP. Finnegan stands as the favorite for saves in 2022 and should be rostered in all leagues. (The Roto Red)

34. TREVOR MAY, OAKLAND ATHLETICS (AGE: 33, PREVIOUS RANK: 83)

Since becoming a full-time reliever in 2016, Trevor May has pitched 242.1 innings with a 3.71 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, with underlying numbers that support those statistics (3.63 FIP and 3.57 xFIP). May has also ranked 21^st among all relievers with a 12.11 K/9. After playing a secondary role to Edwin Diaz in the Mets bullpen for the last two seasons, May signed a one-year with the Athletics. 2022 was a down year for May, but his underlying stats show that he pitched better than his 5.04 ERA would suggest. May now has a chance to take the lead role in Oakland and his rise in our rankings reflects May’s higher probability to earn saves for dynasty owners. (The Roto Red)

35. ERIK SWANSON, TORONTO BLUE JAYS (AGE: 29, PREVIOUS RANK: NR)

Erik Swanson had his breakout party in 2022. He pitched 62 innings and among qualified relievers, ranked 12^th in WAR (1.7), 9^th in ERA (1.74), 14^th in WHIP (0.95), and 2^nd in FIP (1.84). Swanson’s best pitch is his split-finger fastball, which he used 25.9% of the time. Batters only hit .127 off the splitter and slugged a meager .226. Swanson also showed no righty/lefty platoon issues. Oddly, Swanson only made a single appearance during Seattle’s 2022 postseason run.  Then, this offseason, he was traded to the Blue Jays where he will now set up for Jordan Romano. Swanson should rack up holds for one of the top teams in the American League and if he retains his 2022 gains, he will provide a ton of value for dynasty owners. (The Roto Red)

36. DYLAN FLORO, MIAMI MARLINS (AGE: 32, PREVIOUS RANK: 25)

After earning his first save on July 3 for the Marlins, Dylan Floro earned nine more over the course of the 2022 season. From July 3 on, Floro pitched to a 1.77 ERA and 1.09 WHIP, with a 10.3 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9. Unfortunately for Floro, Miami’s bullpen hierarchy is a bit of a mystery going into 2023, with Floro, Tanner Scott (Miami’s 2022 saves leader), Matt Barnes (tied for Boston’s 2022 saves leader), and newcomer AJ Puk (4 saves for Oakland) all in tow. Floro’s ranking more so reflects the uncertainty surrounding his 2023 role than his individual performance. We are confident that Floro will have some role in the backend of Miami’s bullpen, but whether he earns saves or holds will determine just how much value he will bring to dynasty owners. (The Roto Red)

37. JAMES KARINCHAK, CLEVELAND GUARDIANS (AGE: 27, PREVIOUS RANK: 17)

Strictly a two-pitch pitcher, James Karinchak collects all of the strikeouts (14.31 K/9) and all of the walks (4.85 BB/9). He also does not give up many hits (.159 batting average against) and does not allow a lot of barrels (would have been in the 81^st percentile in barrel percentage if he qualified). Karinchak will help in every standard category, with his weakest being WHIP where his 1.10 would have ranked 57^th among qualified relievers. Setting up Emmanuel Clase does limit Karinchak’s ceiling for fantasy owners, but he will get his holds and strikeouts and be ready to step into the closer’s role if needed. (The Roto Red)

38. RAFAEL MONTERO, HOUSTON ASTROS (AGE: 32, PREVIOUS RANK: NR)

After a two-year slide in 2020 and 2021, Rafael Montero turned in his best season in 2022. He threw his fastball harder than he ever had (96.5 MPH). He induced a lot of ground balls (52.9% ground ball percentage). He got his fair share of strikeouts (9.61 K/9). And he avoided the long ball (only three home runs over 68.1 innings). Montero was a Statcast monster, finding himself in the 90^th percentile or higher in a number of metrics including barrel percentage, xSLG, average exit velocity, and xERA. Over the 2022 season, Montero earned 14 saves and 23 holds for the World Champion Astros. It is difficult to project that many saves for Montero again; it took a Ryan Pressley injury in 2022. For 2023, the back of the Astros bullpen is crowded with Pressley, Montero, Hector Neris, and postseason hero, Bryan Abreu. Montero should be a valuable contributor for dynasty owners, but his ceiling is capped when he is not earning saves. (The Roto Red)

39. JASON ADAM, TAMPA BAY RAYS (AGE: 31, PREVIOUS RANK: NR)

The Rays did it again with Jason Adam—over 63.1 innings, he spun a 1.56 ERA with a 0.76 WHIP. Even though he still struck out batters in the 92^nd percentile, the key to Adam’s gains appears to be inviting more contact. He lowered both his K/9 and his BB/9. He allowed about 4.5% more batted ball events in 2022 than he did in 2021. In his batted ball events, not only did he increase his groundball percentage from 36.4% to 45.7%, the quality of contact was poor (greater than the 97^th percentile in both average exit velocity and hard-hit percentage). What kept Adam this low in our rankings is that he only tallied 8 saves and 21 holds, and an increase to his counting stats in 2023 is no certainty in the Rays bullpen. (The Roto Red)

40. ROBERT SUÁREZ, SAN DIEGO PADRES (AGE: 32, PREVIOUS RANK: 108)

Robert Suárez’s transition to MLB was about as smooth as you can ask for. While he did not close for Padres in 2022, he did pitch 47.2 innings with a 2.27 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 61 strikeouts. Suárez peaked when it mattered most for the Padres—in September and October, he gave up no earned runs and he struck out 42% of the batters he faced. He was also effective in seven appearances in the postseason. Suárez and his 97.9 MPH heater really impressed the Padres brass; they rewarded him with a five-year contract this past November. For 2022 and 2023, dynasty owners can count on Suárez earning holds in front of Josh Hader. It remains to be seen whether the Padres will hand the reins to Suárez to close in 2024 and beyond. (The Roto Red)

41. DANIEL HUDSON, LOS ANGELES DODGERS(AGE: 36, PREVIOUS RANK: 79)

Hudson is working his way back from an ACL injury last June. All indications are that he is on track for a relatively normal Spring Training and the Opening Day roster. Most pundits have anointed Evan Phillips as the 2023 closer for the Dodgers, and others are still holding out hope for perpetual closer-in-waiting Brusdar Graterol. However, when last season’s team leader in saves, Craig Kimbrel, needed a break, neither Phillips nor Graterol earned their first save until after Hudson’s injury.

In the last three full seasons, Hudson has been one of the best relievers in baseball. Before his injury last year, he was enjoying perhaps his best season yet. He was sporting career bests with a 2.22 ERA and 0.90 WHIP, while maintaining a 30.9% strikeout rate. If he can retain that level of play, he should be the 2023 saves leader for the Dodgers. 36-year-old relievers don’t hold much long term value in our game, but relievers in general aren’t stable assets, so he should easily outearn this ranking. (Aaron Cumming)

42. CRAIG KIMBREL, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (AGE: 34, PREVIOUS RANK: 14)

Kimbrel currently sits in 7th place on the all-time saves leaderboard, with a decent chance of finishing his career in 3rd place. He currently has the highest career strikeout rate (40.0%) of any pitcher ever with at least 650 innings thrown. When he entered free agency after a great 2018 season, he was one of the best relievers in the game and well on his way to the Hall of Fame. But nobody wanted him. Missing half of 2019 while teams waited for his qualifying offer to expire before signing him absolutely derailed his career.

Kimbrel seemed to have reclaimed his prowess in 2021, but last season saw him slide right back towards inconsistency. The Dodgers decided they couldn’t rely on him any longer, but he still represents a worthwhile shot for a struggling Phillies bullpen. At his best, he could be a stellar closer for a club that made the World Series last year and got better in the offseason. Or he could plummet all the way to mop-up duty and be completely irrelevant. This lottery ticket might cost too much to be worth the risk of not seeing any pay out. (Aaron Cumming)

43. JOSÉ ALVARADO, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (AGE: 27, PREVIOUS RANK: 86)

Speaking of not having any idea what’s going to happen with the Phillies bullpen, we have another pitcher with potentially devastating stuff, but an unreliable track record. Alvarado has a nearly unhittable sinker/cutter combination, and nearly no clue where it’s going. His Statcast page is deep red all over, with one glaring deficiency sticking out: he is in the 11th percentile in walk rate. Still, without a clear favorite for the 9th inning, Alvarado could see a fair share of save opportunities and is sure to provide ample strikeouts compared to other relievers. (Aaron Cumming)

44. TAYLOR ROGERS, SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (AGE: 32, PREVIOUS RANK: 16)

Taylor Rogers, one of the two best pitchers named Rogers on the Giants, isn’t going to blow anybody away with his stuff. He throws a solid 94 MPH fastball, and his slider sits at 81 MPH. He does have excellent command and a locked-in 3-year deal, though. And those are two things that cannot be said about the incumbent closer in San Francisco, Camilo Doval. Rogers ran into some bad luck last year but was still relied upon by two different teams to frequently close out games. He should be a steady source of holds and would be first in line for saves if Doval struggles at all. (Aaron Cumming)

45. TANNER HOUCK, BOSTON RED SOX (AGE: 26, PREVIOUS RANK: 74 as SP)

Tanner Houck has bounced back and forth between the rotation and bullpen the last two years for the Red Sox. His recent track record of starting would be generously described as lackluster. He has four pitches, three of which he throws regularly, and two of which might be decent. With the additions of Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin, it’s safe to say he’s pretty far down in the pecking order for saves this season. And with Chris Sale and James Paxton currently healthy, the addition of Corey Kulber, and a bevy of young pitchers ready to test their mettle at the major league level, the team is hoping to not have to rely on Houck to start. The team is stretching him out as a starter this offseason anyway, but that likely means he will be in long relief if all goes well. To see that play out in reality means that Houck will be pitching in low-leverage situations without elite stuff. He may blossom into a better pitcher and wind up in a bigger role, but his current role in No Man’s land leaves him nearly unrosterable for any contending fantasy teams. (Aaron Cumming)

46. BRANDON HUGHES, CHICAGO CUBS (AGE: 27, PREVIOUS RANK: NR)

Brandon Hughes, my hometown hero from Sterling Heights, MI, made his major league debut on May 17th last year, and earned his first save three months later on August 18th. He went on to earn 7 more saves in the final month and half, having a firm grasp on the closer’s role to end the season. That grasp came loose, though, as the club brought in Brad Boxberger, Julian Merryweather, and Michael Fulmer, all of whom could be considered better 9th inning options than Hughes. Not to mention the presence of Adbert Alzolay and Rowan Wick who have exciting arms that warrant extended auditions. Hughes is a nondescript relief pitcher in a nondescript bullpen, and for a non-competitive team, the decision of who gets the 9th may have nothing to do with performance. Expect a share of saves to start, and hold out for the veterans to get traded. (Aaron Cumming)

47. BRUSDAR GRATEROL, LOS ANGELES DODGERS (AGE: 24, PREVIOUS RANK: 34)

Brusdar Graterol is 47th on this list, ahead of several potential-to-likely closers; ahead of some of the best late innings relievers in the game. A year ago, he was ranked 34th on this list. A year before that, he was 26th. Graterol has been the Dodgers’ closer of the future for 3 years. My friends, we are in the future, but he is still probably third in line for the 9th inning. He is still just 24-years-old, still sporting a wicked 100 MPH sinker, and goes back and forth between a big slider and an improving cutter to keep batters guessing. Despite that, in 116 major league innings, he has a strikeout rate below 20% and just 4 career saves. He is as exciting to watch as just about any pitcher in baseball, but I don’t plan to trust him until the Dodgers do. (Aaron Cumming)

48. JIMMY HERGET, LOS ANGELES ANGELS (AGE: 29, PREVIOUS RANK: NR)

“The Human Glitch” has perhaps the most unique delivery in the big leagues right now. He somehow throws from an incredibly upright stance (1st percentile extension) while having the motion of a submariner, and it honestly makes no sense. I love it. He seems to live off deception, as his stuff is far from elite. Of the 40 pitchers that recorded at least the 9 saves that Hegert did last season, only 5 had a lower strikeout rate. He can easily make a career out of fooling batters with his repertoire, but he is barely in contention for saves. The club brought in Carlos Estévez this offseason and it’s clear that they should continue to add to their bullpen. Herget benefited from an impossibly low BABIP and an impossibly high LOB%. His magic act could continue to outperform expectations, but reaching for ratios with a pitcher who doesn’t get strikeouts and resides in an unstable Angels bullpen means flying a little too close to the sun. (Aaron Cumming)

49. TREVOR STEPHAN, CLEVELAND GUARDIANS (AGE: 27, PREVIOUS RANK: NR)

Former Rule-5 draft pick Stephan was struggling as a starter in the minors before heading to Cleveland from the Yankees. In 2021, he pitched admirably, but unspectacularly. In 2022, he added 2 MPH to his slider and made his splitter one of the most devastating pitches in baseball. He finished the year with a 2.69 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, both excellent marks and surprisingly the result of *bad* luck, with his FIP half a run lower and an elevated BABIP. Barring injury, Emmanuel Clase is in no danger of being displaced, but all Stephan needs to do is exactly what he did last year to be a league leader in holds and a valuable contributor in the other categories. (Aaron Cumming)

50. AARON BUMMER, CHICAGO WHITE SOX (AGE: 29, PREVIOUS RANK: 74)

Aaron Bummer is a holds machine, ranking 5th in the majors in that stat since the start of 2019, even with missing parts of those seasons due to injury. With the news about Liam Hendriks’ non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma diagnosis, a previously settled bullpen became very unsettled. With Bummer, Graveman, Kelley, and López, how the roles shake out is anyone’s guess, but truthfully, all of them are viable options for the White Sox and for your fantasy roster. If there were any differentiating characteristic, it has to be Bummer’s first name. Absolute stud. (Aaron Cumming)