Our top 15 middle relievers are listed below. These players are ranked on the likelihood that they will get saves this season, not necessarily on how good they are. To cite an example, Kelvin Herrera is a great reliever who is unlikely to get any save chances since he’s stuck behind studs Greg Holland and Wade Davis. So even though Herrera is a much better pitcher than a number of pitchers list below, he is not in our rankings.
1. Ken Giles, Philadelphia Phillies – Ken Giles has electric stuff and is coming off a rookie season in which he finished fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting as a middle reliever. Giles can hit triple-digits with his fastball and struck out an incredible 64 batters in just 45.2 innings last season. The Phillies would like to trade closer Jonathan Papelbon and if they do, Giles could step in and immediately be a top 10 fantasy closer.
2. Aaron Sanchez, Toronto Blue Jays – Aaron Sanchez spent some time as closer for the Blue Jays at the end of 2014 and could be an option to do it again in 2015. However, he is also competing for a spot in the starting rotation. He will be somebody to track up until the start of the season because if he ends up in the Blue Jays bullpen, he should have a good chance to close for them.
3. Tyler Clippard, Oakland A’s – Sean Doolittle will start the season on the DL and Clippard should get the first shot at closing. Clippard has been one of the best relievers in baseball over the past four season, and saved 32 games in 2012 for the Nationals so he’s proven he can handle the job.
4. Grant Balfour, Tampa Bay Rays – Balfour really struggled last season in his first year with the Rays but it was only two years ago that he saved 38 games for A’s. Balfour could start the season as closer with Jake McGee injured, and if he can get off to a good start, he could keep the job and be the guy that the Rays thought they were getting when they signed him last off-season.
5. Joakim Soria, Detroit Tigers – Soria is slotted to start the season as the set-up man for closer Joe Nathan. However, the 40-year-old Nathan is coming off a miserable season and with Soria’s closing experience, including 17 saves last season before being traded, he could take over as closer if Nathan doesn’t bounce back this year.
6. Joel Peralta, Los Angeles Dodgers – Closer Kenley Jansen is expected to miss at least the first month of the season and Joel Peralta should get the chance to close while he is out. Peralta made his spring debut yesterday and his shoulder felt good. Peralta is unlikely to keep the job when Jansen comes back but he could still rack up a solid number of saves, especially if Jansen has any setbacks.
7. Brad Ziegler, Arizona Diamondbacks – Manager Chip Hale has said that Ziegler would close if Addison Reed needs a day off or was to get injured. Reed has been battling shoulder soreness, and although he is expected to be ready for the start of the season, Ziegler could get save chances if Reed’s shoulder acts up at all during the regular season.
8. Bobby Parnell, New York Mets – Bobby Parnell expects to be the Mets’ closer when he returns from injury. Unfortunately, there isn’t a good timeframe on when Parnell will be ready as he still doesn’t even know when he will pitch for the first time this spring. The longer Parnell is out, the better chance Jenrry Mejia has to solidify himself as the Mets’ closer. We still expect Parnell to get a chance to save some games for the Mets this season so he is somebody to keep an eye on if you need saves.
9. Andrew Miller, New York Yankees – The Yankees brought in Andrew Miller this season and he is expected to be a big part of the back-end of their bullpen. He is battling Dellin Betances for the role of closer, and even if he doesn’t win the job, he could still see some save chances based on match-ups.
10. Brad Boxberger, Tampa Bay Rays – Boxberger, the second member of the Rays bullpen to make the list, had a fantastic season in 2014. He struck out a Rays’ team record 104 batters as a reliever last year. He has a shot at closing to start the season, and could thrive in the role, but we think he is behind Balfour at this point.
11. John Axford, Colorado Rockies – LaTroy Hawkins is 42 years old and even though he had a good season last year, you never know what to expect from a pitcher at that age. Axford seems likely to get the first shot at closing if something happens to Hawkins.
12. Jonathan Broxton, Milwaukee Brewers – Broxton was in line to close for the Brewers this year until they re-signed Francisco Rodriguez. If anything happens to K-Rod, Broxton should be able to step in and handle the job.
13. Wade Davis, Kansas City Royals – Wade Davis is one of the best relievers in baseball, and if he wasn’t behind a top-3 closer in Greg Holland, he would be much higher on this list. There is little doubt that Wade Davis could handle the job, but unfortunately it will take an injury to Greg Holland for him to get a chance.
14. Kevin Quackenbush, San Diego Padres – Kevin Quackenbush picked up 6 saves at the end of last year while Benoit was hurt. Benoit is back as closer for 2015 but manager Bud Black has said that other relievers could see save chances, so Quackenbush could be a source of saves for teams in 2015.
15. Brandon League, Los Angeles Dodgers – Brandon League is another option to close for the Dodgers while Jansen is out. Manager Don Mattingly has said that League has been working really hard. If League can turn that hard work into good results, he could be a cheap source of saves in 2015.
