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Ranking every NL contender by bullpen quality

These NL bullpens will help carry their teams to the postseason and potentially deep into the fall.

By Michael Brakebill

94th MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard
94th MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard / Sam Hodde/GettyImages
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Given that we're just over a month from the playoffs and how essential a team's bullpen can be down the stretch, it's time to rank all National League contenders based on bullpen quality. Ranking a bullpen is not as easy as looking at a team's bullpen ERA and saying, "That's that."

In some cases, sure, but it's important to remember that several teams made additions at the trade deadline, and with that comes an added bonus of strength. It's about the quality of your closer, the balance of lefties and righties, and having specialists who can get tough outs in tight games. Let's jump right into it, starting with the New York Mets.

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8. New York Mets

Key arms:

  • Jose Butto: 2.30 ERA
  • Phil Maton: 2.38 (for the Mets, 4.05 for the season)
  • Drew Young: 3.38 ERA
  • Reed Garrett: 3.56 ERA
  • Edwin Diaz: 3.82 ERA

The Mets have three guys they can depend on right now. Edwin Diaz has been hit or miss, but it ultimately has been a down year. Phil Maton has been good in a Mets uniform so far but still carries a 4.05 ERA on the season overall. Butto and Young have been the dependable arms, but there's not much to rely on after that. Adam Ottovino was brought back in 2024 but has vastly underperformed with a 4.78 ERA, which is significantly higher than his career 3.42 before the season got underway.

The Mets have dealt with many injuries this season, including those to Sean Reid-Foley and Brooks Raley. Still, their bullpen ranks among the worst of teams fighting for a playoff spot, and they will need to find production down the stretch if they wish to make it to the postseason this year. There aren't any reinforcements in sight so it will come down to guys playing their best baseball.

7. Arizona Diamondbacks

Key arms:

  • Justin Martinez: 1.89 ERA
  • Ryan Thompson: 2.22 ERA
  • Kevin Ginkel: 2.98 ERA
  • Joe Mantiply: 3.68 ERA
  • Paul Sewald: 3.82 ERA

Though the Diamondbacks have a slightly higher ERA than the Mets, they currently have a lot more depth of guys playing well. Ryan Thompson, Justin Martinez, and Kevin Ginkel have been great; A.J. Puk is an X-factor for this team, as he's recorded a 1.35 ERA in nine games but still has a 3.91 for the year. Joe Mantiply has been good enough, but Paul Sewald, who lost closing duties, needs to reemerge as the team's main piece to anchor this bullpen down.

The Diamondbacks have enough well-performing depth that they have guys to depend on just about every game, as long as a starter doesn't get pulled early. With the Diamondbacks getting Merrill Kelly back healthy, it should boost the rotation, which will help alleviate more strain on the bullpen as the season marches on.

6. Philadelphia Phillies

Key arms:

  • Carlos Estevez: 0.00 ERA (with Phillies, 2.04 for the season)
  • Jeff Hoffman: 2.02 ERA
  • Matt Strahm: 2.20 ERA
  • Orion Kerkering: 2.42 ERA

After the Phillies made the move to acquire Carlos Esteves at the MLB trade deadline, they got an immediate boost to their lackluster bullpen. This is one of those cases where the bullpen's season-long ERA isn't reflecting the team's current state of things. Esteves was already having a fantastic season and has been unhittable since joining the Phils. Pairing him with the other strong arms the Phillies do have in their bullpen at least takes them to the middle of the pack. Max Lazar and Tanner Banks are also performing well so far and could be X-factors to stabilize this bullpen down the stretch.

When fully rested, if the Phillies can manage a quality start from one of their starters, a combination of Hoffman, Strahm, and Estevez will be more than capable of slamming on the door on most nights. Look for Philly to further trim the fat off their bullpen when September call-ups come around by adding another arm, as well as they have already started to do by optioning Yunior Marte after his recent clunker. If the starting rotation can remain strong, the Phillies should be able to lean heavier on their best bullpen arms down the stretch.

5. Atlanta Braves

Key arms:

  • Raisel Iglesias: 1.58 ERA
  • Dylan Lee: 2.00 ERA
  • Jesse Chavez: 2.45 ERA
  • Joe Jimenez: 2.85 ERA
  • Pierce Johnson: 3.43 ERA

The Atlanta Braves are scuffling lately, and it's not much of a surprise, given the injuries to key players that the team has sustained. The bullpen, however, has four good arms in it with sub 3.00 ERAs, but after Pierce Johnson's 3.43, the team needs more depth so as not to bite them down the stretch.

Atlanta has dropped to just one game up in the Wild Card and has dropped from first overall in terms of Runs Per Game in 2023 down to 17th in 2024. Their rotation is 12th in MLB, but their bullpen needs another strong arm or two before being able to move up this list, and although the overall bullpen ERA ranks them among the best in baseball, they didn't add enough at the deadline to sustain those numbers moving forward.

4. St. Louis Cardinals

Key arms:

  • Jojo Romero: 2.44 ERA
  • John King: 2.84 ERA
  • Andrew Kittredge: 3.02 ERA
  • Ryan Fernandez: 3.38 ERA
  • Ryan Helsley: 2.66 ERA
  • Kyle Leahy: 3.69 ERA

The St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen has been a core strength for the majority of the season. Backed by elite closer Ryan Helsley, the team has had key contributions from JoJo Romero and John King. Ryan Fernandez has been good, and Andrew Kittredge has been great in his own right. Having three arms in your bullpen at this juncture of the season with ERA's below 3.00 automatically can help propel you towards contention.

That is true for the Cardinals, whose bullpen is ranked ninth in MLB. Given that their starting rotation is just 23rd in the league, and their offensive runs per game sits at 22nd, it's impressive that the bullpen has been able to keep the Cardinals in the running for a Wild Card spot this long. They deserve a lot of credit. Without them, this team is likely towards the bottom of the standings. They slide in one spot higher with a bit more reliable depth than Atlanta.

3. Milwaukee Brewers

Key arms:

  • Devin Williams: 2.25 ERA
  • Trevor Megill: 2.41 ERA
  • Jared Koenig: 2.01 ERA
  • Bryan Hudson: 1.70 ERA
  • Elvis Peguero: 3.15 ERA
  • Joel Payamps: 3.83 ERA

The Milwaukee Brewers are again leading the NL Central and have a stellar bullpen to show for it. Adding to the strength has been the return of Devin Williams, who has been one of the best closers in baseball for a while. The top four on the list are performing at the highest level, and Elvia Peguero is not far behind with his 3.15. Joel Payamps makes the cut not because of his current mark but because he's been turning it around lately, allowing just one run in over a month since July 12.

Milwaukee will likely reach the postseason via the Division title without much competition to get there. Losing Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff for 2024 was a critical blow to the team's chances this year, but they have rebounded because of their bullpen, which is currently second in ERA in MLB. They may not be a World Series contender due to not having as much of a high-octane starting rotation, 15th in the league, but if they get solid pitching in the postseason, their bullpen is as solid of a force to reckon with as any team.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers

Key arms:

  • Alex Vesia: 1.79 ERA
  • Daniel Hudson: 2.02 ERA
  • Anthony Banda: 2.48 ERA
  • Blake Treinen: 2.67 ERA
  • Brent Honeywell: 2.20 ERA (with the Dodgers, 2.29 on the season)
  • Michael Kopech: 0.00 ERA (with the Dodgers, 4.14 on the season)

The Los Angeles Dodgers are so stacked in every facet of their team that it's hard to find something to knock them on. Alex Vesia and Daniel Hudson lead the way here, but all of Anthony Banda, Blake Treinen, and newcomers Brent Honeywell and Michael Kopech have been exceptional in Dodgers uniforms. A clear indication that this team's bullpen is currently better than their season reflects, they have six incredible arms they can turn to when needed.

With Clayton Kershaw back from the IL and getting back to form, Walker Buehler coming back later this week, as well as Yoshinobu Yamamoto coming back before long, the team's rotation is very stacked and capable of getting deep in ballgames night after night. Assuming that will be the case for one of the best rotations in baseball, the bullpen will be strong heading into the postseason, which will go a long way in the playoffs. The Dodgers are set up for a deep playoff run this year.

1. San Diego Padres

Key arms:

  • Bryan Hoeing: 0.00 ERA (with Padres, 2.17 on the season)
  • Jason Adam: 0.00 ERA (with Padres, 2.21 on the season)
  • Robert Suarez: 1.71 ERA
  • Adrian Morejon: 2.79 ERA
  • Tanner Scott: 3.18 ERA (with Padres,1.40 on the season)
  • Sean Reynolds: 3.38 ERA (very small sample)
  • Jeremiah Estrada: 3.38 ERA

After the trade deadline came and went, the San Diego Padres nabbed the top spot in terms of bullpens among contenders. They added Tanner Scott, Bryan Hoeing, and Jason Adam to their ranks and were already solid with Adrian Morejon, Michael King, Jeremiah Estrada, and Robert Suarez as their closer. Taking a quick glance, the Padres have seven arms with a sub-3.50 and an overwhelming five hurlers with a sub-3.00 if you look at Tanner Scott over the course of the entire season.

The Padres are poised for a deep run, assuming they get there. They are currently 4.0 games up in the Wild Card, and as time goes on, their chances will only increase that they get here. Yuki Matsui is the team's worst bullpen arm right now, and he's only at a 3.53. This pitching staff is built to last and will be a nightmare for any team dealing with them in the postseason.

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