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MLB 2017: Top 10 relievers

By Joshua Sadlock

Jul 9, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Zach Britton (53) reacts after the game ending throw by second baseman Jonathan Schoop (not pictured) in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Baltimore Orioles defeated Los Angeles Angels 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 9, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Zach Britton (53) reacts after the game ending throw by second baseman Jonathan Schoop (not pictured) in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Baltimore Orioles defeated Los Angeles Angels 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2016 postseason saw a massive shift in the way relief pitchers are used in Major League Baseball. Who are the top ten relievers in the game today?

The past five seasons have seen a huge rise in the importance of the bullpen. In years gone by, having a staff with at least three frontline starters was a prerequisite for sustained winning and postseason success. Teams like the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, and Cleveland Indians have flipped that notion on its head.

The O’s have been to the playoffs three times since 2012 despite never having a pitcher who would qualify as an ace. The Royals went to back-to-back World Series and won a title riding their bullpen, and the Indians came within a game of the crown last year despite losing two of their best starters.

It is not uncommon for teams to deploy two or three elite relievers with dominant fastballs and breaking balls that are almost impossible to hit. With the type of stuff that relievers are running up there today, platoon splits mean very little. The playoffs also showed that managers are becoming more willing to abandon the typical “closer” tag and use their best reliever at the most important moment (although Buck Showalter would say otherwise). So, let’s dive into the top 10 firemen in the game of baseball today.

10. Ken Giles, Houston Astros

As a general rule of thumb, it is difficult to judge relief pitchers on a single season due to wild fluctuations in their standard counting statistics due to the nature of their work. Ken Giles of the Houston Astros is a prime example. In his first season with the Astros, Giles saw his ERA spike all the way to 4.11, an unsightly number for a pitcher the ‘Stros paid a king’s ransom to acquire. If you peel back the numbers, however, Giles is clearly still one of the most dominant relievers in baseball.

Giles struck out 14 batters per nine innings in 2016, bettering the rate from his first two seasons in the big leagues by over two strikeouts. But, after allowing only three home runs in the first 115.2 innings of his career, Giles allowed eight in only 65.2 innings in 2016. The right-hander had also typically been very strong against same-side hitters, but allowed a .823 OPS to righties last season.

Matt Wojciak of Baseball Essential provided a very thorough breakdown of the ups and downs in 2016 for Giles. Location matters very much for a hard-thrower like Giles. His fastball averaged 98 mph last season, but has very little natural movement. Giles is also a two-pitch pitcher, so he has to be very aware of not becoming too repetitive and predictable with his offerings.

Ken Giles is still a young, relatively raw reliever with tremendous upside as a power pitcher. He was able to wrangle to closer’s job in Houston away from Luke Gregerson by the end of last season, and will start 2017 in that role.

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