Each week during the season, I take a look at the reliever landscape to aid with waiver wire and trade decisions. Let’s dive into what’s new in the league’s bullpens.
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Saves + Holds Leaders
Here are the top 14 healthy relievers in saves plus holds (SV+H) through August 12.
| Player | Team | SV+H |
| Robert Suarez | SDP | 33 |
| Abner Uribe | MIL | 33 |
| Carlos Estevez | KCR | 30 |
| Andres Munoz | SEA | 28 |
| Trevor Megill | MIL | 28 |
| Tony Santillan | CIN | 28 |
| Jeremiah Estrada | SDP | 28 |
| Jason Adam | SDP | 27 |
| Emilio Pagan | CIN | 27 |
| Jeff Hoffman | TOR | 26 |
| Bryan Abreu | HOU | 25 |
| Aroldis Chapman | BOS | 25 |
| Alex Vesia | LAD | 25 |
| Hunter Gaddis | CLE | 25 |
Takeaways
- Abner Uribe has been one of the best relievers in all of baseball all year long. His season line sits at a 1.92 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, two wins, and an 11 K/9. In his 101.1 career innings, his ERA is 2.58 with a 3.17 FIP and 10.8 K/9.
- Aroldis Chapman continues to defy Father Time with his play this year. At 37 years old, he has career bests in ERA (1.18), WHIP (0.74) and walk rate (7.6%). His 38% strikeout rate and league-best strikeout-minus-walk rate (K-BB%) support the surface-level stats.
- Jeff Hoffman has looked great the past month. In his last 10 appearances, he has a 1.86 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, one win, four saves and 12.1 K/9. He’s 13th on the season among relievers in K-BB%, showcasing plenty of skill.
Saves + Holds Reliever Rankings
| Rank | Player | Team | Change |
| 1 | Robert Suarez | SDP | +1 |
| 2 | Edwin Diaz | NYM | +1 |
| 3 | Andres Munoz | SEA | +1 |
| 4 | Abner Uribe | MIL | +2 |
| 5 | Bryan Abreu | HOU | +3 |
| 6 | Cade Smith | CLE | -1 |
| 7 | Jhoan Duran | PHI | – |
| 8 | Aroldis Chapman | BOS | +2 |
| 9 | Mason Miller | SDP | +2 |
| 10 | Daniel Palencia | CHC | +2 |
| 11 | Jeff Hoffman | TOR | +4 |
| 12 | Trevor Megill | MIL | +6 |
| 13 | Griffin Jax | TBR | +1 |
| 14 | Carlos Estevez | KCR | -1 |
| 15 | Jason Adam | SDP | +1 |
| 16 | Emilio Pagan | CIN | +4 |
| 17 | Alex Vesia | LAD | -8 |
| 18 | Luke Weaver | NYY | +1 |
| 19 | Phil Maton | TEX | +2 |
| 20 | Kyle Finnegan | DET | +3 |
| 21 | Randy Rodriguez | SFG | +1 |
| 22 | David Bednar | NYY | +4 |
| 23 | Tony Santillan | CIN | +2 |
| 24 | Hunter Gaddis | CLE | – |
| 25 | Jeremiah Estrada | SDP | +3 |
| 26 | Lucas Erceg | KCR | +3 |
| 27 | Bryan King | HOU | +6 |
| 28 | JoJo Romero | STL | +3 |
| 29 | Matt Strahm | PHI | +5 |
| 30 | Matt Brash | SEA | +4 |
| 31 | Camilo Doval | NYY | +1 |
| 32 | Will Vest | DET | +3 |
| 33 | Robert Garcia | TEX | -3 |
| 34 | Tyler Rogers | NYM | UN |
| 35 | Ryan Helsley | NYM | -8 |
| 36 | Devin Williams | NYY | -19 |
| 37 | Ben Casparius | LAD | UN |
| 38 | Brendon Little | TOR | – |
| 39 | Dennis Santana | PIT | – |
| 40 | Ronny Henriquez | MIA | UN |
Biggest Risers
Bryan Abreu (RP – HOU) | +3
Bryan Abreu steps into the closer’s role with Josh Hader being placed on the injured list (IL). It sounds pretty serious and Hader may be out for an extended period.
Abreu instantly becomes the main target in saves-only leagues. Through 55 innings this year, he has a 1.64 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 13.1 K/9. Abreu has a 2.18 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 12.5 K/9 since the 2022 season.
Ben Casparius (RP – LAD) | Unranked
The Dodgers are once again struggling at the backend of their bullpen. Alex Vesia has taken two losses and two blown saves in his last three appearances, and newly acquired Brock Stewart recently joined the plethora of pitchers on the IL.
Ben Casparius has been pretty solid lately, picking up three holds and a save in his last five appearances. The Dodgers are really needing someone to step up in the bullpen and Casparius may get his shot.
Biggest Fallers
Devin Williams (RP – NYY) | -19
Devin Williams is a faller once again, who would’ve guessed? Over a five-appearance stretch, Williams pitched 4.2 innings, allowed eight earned runs and struck out only three batters.
His strikeout rate is still elite, and his walk rate is much better than it was at his best in Milwaukee. However, he’s doing a much worse job at limiting barrels. David Bednar seems to be the closer for now, with Luke Weaver and Camilo Doval potentially mixing in.
Ryan Helsley (RP – NYM) | -8
Ryan Helsley has struggled mightily since joining the Mets at the trade deadline. He’s allowed five runs (three earned), two walks and a homer in four innings while picking up six strikeouts. He has yet to record a single save or hold for his new team.
Overall, he has a 2.93 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 10.5 K/9. Helsley’s strikeout rate is the lowest it’s been since 2021, and his WHIP is by far the highest of any pitcher in the top 40.
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