Preseason practice sessions have commenced, signaling the opportune moment to assess the current condition of baseball. Within the framework of our 2026 Major League Baseball season forecast, Buster Olney of ESPN consulted with individuals across the league to aid in compiling his yearly positional rankings, identifying the premier 10 athletes for each role.
This installment focuses on an appraisal of the elite relief pitchers.
The primary goal of this endeavor is to pinpoint the finest players for the forthcoming 2026 season, rather than prognosticating their performance half a decade from now or throughout their entire professional journey. A distinct position will be unveiled each day over the ensuing fortnight. The following timetable outlines the releases: commencing pitchers (Monday), backstops (Wednesday), initial basemen (Thursday), secondary basemen (Friday), tertiary basemen (Feb. 23), shortfielders (Feb. 24), flank outfielders (Feb. 25), central outfielders (Feb. 26), and designated sluggers (Feb. 27).
Inquiries regarding Mason Miller’s availability were made by the Padres to the Athletics during the 2024 season, with a follow-up in June of that year. According to a recent discussion with Padres general manager A.J. Preller, it appeared that a potential transaction lacked momentum. However, roughly seven days prior to the trade cutoff, as A’s GM David Forst engaged in discussions with several clubs concerning Miller, Preller signaled his willingness to involve the 19-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries, who is widely regarded as among baseball’s premier prospects.
Ordinarily, club executives show reluctance in relinquishing top-tier position prospects in exchange for relief pitchers. This situation, Preller perceived, was an exception. He stated, “When discussing an individual of Mason Miller’s caliber, no one should be deemed untouchable.”
Forst’s primary attention had been on devising a prospective Miller exchange centered on pitching assets, yet that priority instantly transformed. “Leo served as a pivotal factor,” he recollected.
Once the foundational elements of a prospective agreement were established, both parties finalized the arrangements and concluded the transaction. Over the concluding two months of the season, Miller unequivocally surpassed all expectations for the Padres, tallying 45 strikeouts against the 83 batters he encountered during regular play. Subsequent to his affiliation with the Padres, opposing players maintained a batting average of just .096 when facing him. During San Diego’s postseason contention versus the Cubs, he fanned eight out of nine batters, hitting the sole individual he didn’t strike out. His average fastball speed, recorded at 101.2 mph, stood as the swiftest among all relief pitchers in the preceding season.
Significant discussion exists regarding the premier starting pitcher in professional baseball. However, concerning relief specialists, scarcely any uncertainty surrounds the identity of the top-ranked individual.
Foremost 10 Relief Pitchers
1. Mason Miller, San Diego Padres
Preller encountered Miller during the pitcher’s collegiate years, preceding his third-round selection by the Athletics in 2021. Beyond Miller’s athletic prowess, his commanding demeanor—specifically, the leadership attributes Preller observed—was particularly striking. Preller conceded that such characteristics are uncommon among relief pitchers; nonetheless, the Padres possess a heritage in this regard, boasting Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman, and subsequently, Craig Stammen, whom Preller recently appointed as his manager. Preller noted that the Padres began to witness aspects of these traits from Miller towards the conclusion of the previous year.
2. Edwin Diaz, Los Angeles Dodgers
A dozen relief specialists collectively secured the 46 saves documented by the Dodgers in the previous season, as both ailments and fluctuating performance compelled manager Dave Roberts to rotate a multitude of relievers through the closing position. The Dodgers’ countermeasure: to surpass all other competitors in the industry for the most proficient available reliever during the recent offseason. The preceding year marked the second most successful period of Diaz’s career; he surrendered merely 37 hits and notched 98 strikeouts across 66⅓ innings, simultaneously limiting rival batters to a .502 OPS.
3. Jhoan Duran, Philadelphia Phillies
Duran’s striking, sinuous arrival in contests and his potent arsenal (his average fastball, at 100.6 mph, ranks as the second swiftest in the major leagues) tends to overshadow the challenge batters face in inflicting any significant harm against him. He recorded 80 strikeouts over 70 innings and issued only a single walk across his 20 innings with the Phillies; furthermore, he achieved an extraordinary groundball rate of 65%, which was unparalleled among relief pitchers. His principal weakness lies in base stealing: He permitted 13 stolen bases across 14 innings during the preceding year.
4. Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox
Unprecedentedly in his professional tenure, Chapman successfully commanded his fastball with greater regularity along the inner portion of the plate, thereby re-establishing the level of superiority he exhibited in the initial segment of his career. Even at the age of 37, Chapman registered the most minimal walk rate of his career (6.6%), culminating in an astonishing OPS+ of 351. The Red Sox finalized a $13.3 million contract extension with him towards the conclusion of the regular season, a deal that might prove to be among the most advantageous acquisitions of the forthcoming season.
5. Cade Smith, Cleveland Guardians
Subsequent to Emmanuel Clase’s sabbatical last year, the Guardians could not have discovered a more effective contingency than Smith, who conceivably stands as the contemporary most akin to embodying Mariano Rivera’s imperturbable disposition. Whether met with triumph or infrequent setback, rival batters observe an identical composure in his reaction. Should his baseball career ever cease to be viable, Smith could readily serve as a Buckingham Palace guard. He has accumulated 207 strikeouts within the initial 149 innings of his professional journey.
6. Andres Munoz, Seattle Mariners
Munoz has consistently maintained an ERA+ of no less than 135 for four consecutive years, with the previous season marking his peak performance: He registered 83 strikeouts across 62⅓ innings and restricted rival batters to a .493 OPS. His save opportunities frequently induce anxiety due to his 11% walk rate; however, he yielded only two home runs over 64 regular-season outings.
7. Abner Uribe, Milwaukee Brewers
had an ERA+ of 249 during his inaugural complete year in the major leagues. The right-handed hurler’s distinctive pitching motion and formidable breaking pitches render him a formidable challenge for opposing batters. In the previous season, right-handed hitters managed a .211 batting average and a .268 on-base rate when facing him. Nevertheless, left-handed batters struggled even more profoundly, as he conceded merely a solitary home run and a meager .171 average across 132 opportunities at the plate.
8. Robert Suarez, Atlanta Braves
Suarez’s entry into the major leagues occurred only after he had reached his 31st birthday. Across his initial four complete seasons, he solidified his reputation as one of baseball’s most dependable relief pitchers. Consequently, Atlanta, in dire need of bullpen reinforcement, committed to a three-year, $45 million contract for the right-handed pitcher.
9. Devin Williams, New York Mets
Williams transitions to the Mets, moving across town, and reunites with David Stearns, who oversaw baseball operations in Milwaukee during the period when Williams’ changeup achieved legendary status. His sporadic performance during his single season with the Yankees led Aaron Boone to reassign him from the closer’s position — a decision that was reversed and then reinstated — yet Williams surrendered earned runs in just two of his final 19 regular-season outings.
10. Josh Hader, Houston Astros
Hader’s ranking on this compilation slipped somewhat after the recent announcement that he is experiencing a slight delay in his pitching regimen due to biceps inflammation, leaving his return to the Houston bullpen uncertain. It’s worth noting that his final outing of 2025 occurred on Aug. 8. Hader, at 31 years old, is compiling a compelling argument for induction into the Hall of Fame, considering his exceptional level of performance — he has registered two career seasons where his Adjusted OPS exceeded 300, and he has permitted 282 hits across 512⅓ innings throughout his initial nine seasons.
Notable mentions
Garrett Whitlock, Red Sox: From his initial discussion with journalists this spring, it became evident that Whitlock is heavily self-critical regarding his postseason showing; however, Boston likely would not have progressed as far as it did in his absence.
Adrian Morejon, Padres: He surrendered merely 49 base hits and a pair of home runs across 73⅔ innings pitched. He is slated to become a free agent following the forthcoming season.
David Bednar, New York Yankees: Bednar may not possess the most impressive repertoire of pitches among relievers, yet his demeanor appears ideally suited for New York.
Bryan Abreu, Astros: Houston could potentially require Abreu to assume the closer’s responsibilities at the commencement of the forthcoming season.
Tyler Rogers, Toronto Blue Jays: Rogers’ precision is extraordinary: He topped all major league pitchers with 81 outings last season, issuing merely seven walks. Right-handed hitters had 155 opportunities at the plate against him, managing to draw a single walk (and hitting one home run).
Ronny Henriquez, Miami Marlins: Miami acquired Henriquez via waivers from the Twins in February of last year, and he subsequently enjoyed a phenomenal season with the Marlins, achieving an ERA+ of 199.
Brad Keller, Phillies: Keller’s impressive performance with the Cubs during the previous year motivated the Phillies to finalize a two-year, $22 million agreement with the right-handed pitcher.
Gabe Speier, Mariners: Seattle brought in Jose Ferrer through an offseason transaction, an acquisition anticipated to alleviate some burden from Speier, who participated in 76 regular-season contests and an additional seven during the postseason.
Jeremiah Estrada, Padres: While Suarez departed San Diego as an unattached player, Estrada represents the third Padre featured on this compilation. Stammen’s bullpen, in his inaugural season as manager, is expected to perform superbly.
Griffin Jax, Tampa Bay Rays: Although he didn’t exhibit the same dominance last year as he did in 2024, he still maintained an average of 13.50 strikeouts per nine innings and showed betterment after Tampa Bay obtained him during the middle of the season.
Randy Rodriguez, San Francisco Giants: He is anticipated to miss the entirety of the ’26 season following an elbow reconstruction procedure; however, his display last year secured him a spot on this ranking.