Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Rankings for 2020

It’s never too early to start thinking about Relief pitchers for your 2020 fantasy baseball team Here are our rankings of the top relief pitchers to help you get started.

Introduction

Relief pitchers are a key part of any fantasy Baseball Team They are often the difference between winning and losing. In order to have a successful season it is important to know who the best relief pitchers are.

The following is a list of the top 10 relief pitchers for the 2020 fantasy baseball season This list was compiled using data from FantasyPros.com.

1. Josh Hader (MIL)
2. Edwin Diaz (NYM)
3. Aroldis Chapman (NYY)
4. Kirby Yates (SD)
5. Blake Treinen (OAK)
6. Kenley Jansen (LAD)
7. Felipe Vazquez (PIT)
8. Sean Doolittle (WSH)
9. Roberto Osuna (HOU)
10. Hector Neris (PHI)

2020 fantasy baseball relief pitcher Rankings

The 2020 fantasy baseball relief pitcher rankings are out and there are a few changes from last year. Aroldis Chapman is still the number one guy, but Kenley Jansen and Josh Hader have both moved up a spot. Craig Kimbrel slides in at number four after signing with the Chicago Cubs while Kirby Yates rounds out the top five.

Here are the rest of the fantasy baseball relief pitcher rankings for 2020:

6. Edwin Diaz (Mets)
7. Hector Neris (Phillips)
8. Sean Doolittle ( Nationals)
9. Brad Hand (Indians)
10. Roberto Osuna (Astros)
11. Will Smith (Braves)
12. Ken Giles (Blue Jays)
13. Raisel Iglesias (Reds)
14. Alex Colome (White Sox)
15 Shane Greene (Tigers)

Top 10 Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitchers for 2020

The following are the top 10 Fantasy baseball relief pitchers for the 2020 season. These rankings are based on a standard 5x5 league format.

1. Aroldis Chapman (New York Yankees)
2. Josh Hader (Milwaukee Brewers)
3. Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles Dodgers)
4. Edwin Diaz (New York Mets)
5. Roberto Osuna (Houston Astros)
6. Liam Hendriks (Oakland Athletics)
7. Brad Hand (Cleveland Indians)
8. Alex Colome (Chicago White Sox)
9. Sean Doolittle (Washington Nationals)
10. Kirby Yates (San Diego Padres)

Closers to Target in 2020 fantasy baseball Drafts

While most leagues only require one reliever, many fantasy baseball team owners like to draft multiple relief pitchers (RP) to try and secure as many “saves” as possible. A save is awarded to a relief pitcher who finishes the game while protecting a lead of no more than three runs. In order for a pitcher to be eligible for a save, he must meet certain criteria set by Major League Baseball (MLB).

The saves stat is arguably the most difficult category to predict from year to year. Because of this, it is important to do your homework before drafts and target closers that are on good teams with strong bullpens. Here are some RPs to target in 2020 Fantasy Baseball drafts:

Aroldis Chapman (NYY): One of the best closers in baseball, Chapman has had at least 30 saves in each of the last five seasons. He also has a career strikeout rate of 16.7 K/9, which is elite.
Kenley Jansen (LAD): Another elite closer, Jansen has had at least 27 saves in each of the last seven seasons. He also owns a career 2.20 ERA and 0.86 WHIP.
Brad Hand (CLE): Hand had 34 saves for the Indians last season while posting a 2.75 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. He should be in line for another solid season in 2020.

Handcuffing Strategy for Fantasy Baseball Closers in 2020

In baseball, “handcuffing” refers to the practice of drafting a relief pitcher in fantasy baseball who is the primary backup to the team’s closer. The theory behind handcuffing is that if the team’s closer goes down with an injury or loses his job, the handcuff will be next in line for saves.

There are a few things to consider when deciding whether or not to handcuff your closer. First, you need to make sure that the relievers you are considering are actually the primary backups for their respective teams. Next, you need to decide how important saves are to your fantasy baseball team If you are in a points league where each save is worth a lot of points, then handcuffing your closer may be a good idea. However, if you are in a league where saves are not as important, then you may want to avoid handcuffing your closer and instead focus on other areas of your team.

Finally, you need to consider the cost of drafting a relief pitcher. Closers tend to be drafted early in fantasy baseball drafts, so they can be expensive. If you are going to draft a reliever who is not likely to see many save opportunities, then you may want to wait until later in the draft when they will be cheaper.

Here are some relief pitchers who could be worth considering as handcuffs for your fantasy baseball closer in 2020:

-Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles Dodgers): Jansen is the primary backup to Dodgers’ closer Kenley Jansen and would likely see save opportunities if Jansen were to go down with an injury or lose his job.
-Brandon Kintzler (Miami Marlins): Kintzler is the primary backup to Marlins’ closer Brandon Kintzler and would likely see save opportunities if Kintzler were to go down with an injury or lose his job.

Holds Candidates for fantasy baseball in 2020

Relief pitcher holds are a relatively new stat, first appearing in Baseball Box scores in the early 2000s. But they’ve quickly become an important part of fantasy baseball as they provide a way to measure the performance of relief pitchers beyond just saves and ERA.

There are a few different ways to qualify for a hold in fantasy baseball First, the reliever must enter the game in a save situation, meaning that he comes in with the tying or go-ahead run on base, or at the plate, with less than two outs. Second, he must finish the game without surrendering the lead. Finally, he must pitch at least one inning without allowing a run.

Relief pitchers who rack up a lot of holds can be valuable fantasy assets, as they often see time in high-leverage situations and can help your team’s ERA and WHIP while also providing some upside for saves. Here are some relief pitchers who could be in line for a lot of holds in 2020:

Ryan Pressly, Houston Astros Pressly was one of the best relievers in baseball last season, posting a 1.42 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 12.6 K/9 over 58 innings pitched He also had 13 holds and should see plenty of save chances this season as well.

Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers Jansen had an up-and-down 2019 season but still finished with 26 holds and 19 saves while posting a 3.71 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over 60 innings pitched. He should see plenty of save chances again this season as well.

Taylor Rogers, Minnesota Twins Rogers was one of the best left-handed relievers in baseball last season, posting a 2.61 ERA and 0.92 WHIP over 74 innings pitched while picking up 22 holds. He should be in line for another busy season out of the Twins’ bullpen in 2020.

Josh Hader, Milwaukee Brewers Hader is one of the best relief pitchers in baseball and should see plenty of save chances once again this season after picking up 34 last year (to go along with 26 holds). He had a 2.62 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over 76 innings pitched last season while striking out 138 batters (16 K/9).

2020 fantasy baseball Sleeper Relief Pitchers

The following are 2020 Fantasy baseball Sleeper Relief Pitchers. These are pitchers that could have a breakout season and be a key contributor to your fantasy Baseball Team

--Drew Smyly Texas Rangers Smyly is coming off a season in which he only pitched in 3 games due to injury. He is healthy now and ready to return to form. He has the potential to be a top fantasy baseball relief pitcher this season.
-Brad Hand, Cleveland Indians Hand struggled last season, but he is primed for a Bounce Back year. He has the stuff to be one of the best relief pitchers in baseball and should be a key contributor on any fantasy Baseball team
-Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers Jansen had an off year last season, but he is still one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. He should rebound with a strong 2020 campaign and be a key contributor on any fantasy baseball team

2020 fantasy baseball Bust Relief Pitchers

The following relief pitchers are ranked as busts for the 2020 fantasy baseball season These rankings are based on a standard 5x5 roto format with fantasy baseball ADP data from February 2020. Relief pitchers included in this article have an ADP of 120 or higher.

Players are listed in order of descending ADP.

Bryan Shaw, Colorado Rockies (ADP: 120)
Shaw had a disappointing 2019 season, posting a 4.57 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 58 innings pitched. He only struck out 47 batters while walking 24, and he gave up 10 home runs He also had trouble pitching in Coors Field, giving up a 9.82 ERA in 23 innings pitched at home. Shaw is 31 years old and is entering his 8th MLB season It’s possible he’s entering his decline phase, and it’s not worth taking a chance on him with such a high ADP.

Blake Treinen, Los Angeles Dodgers (ADP: 122)
Treinen was one of the best relief pitchers in baseball from 2014-2018, but he took a Step Back last year with the Oakland Athletics He posted a 4.91 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 68 innings pitched while striking out 75 batters and walking 24. He also blew 7 save opportunities. Treinen is 31 years old and is entering his 8th MLB season He’s going to be pitching for a better team this year, but he’s still not worth taking with such a high ADP.

Matt Barnes, Boston Red Sox (ADP: 124)
Barnes had a solid 2019 season, posting a 4 15 ERA and 1 32 WHIP in 71 innings pitched while striking out 95 batters and walking 22 However he did blow 6 save opportunities Barnes is 29 years old and is entering his 6th MLB season It’s possible he puts it all together and has a breakout season but there are too many risks associated with him to take him with such a high ADP

Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers (ADP: 125)
Jansen had a down year in 2019, posting career worsts in ERA (3 34) and WHIP (1 30) while blowing 8 save opportunities In 58 2 innings pitched he struck out 77 batters while walking 20 Jansen is 31 years old and is entering his 10th MLB season There’s a chance he bounces back this year but given his age and recent struggles it’s not worth taking him with such a high ADP

Julio Teheran Atlanta Braves (ADP: 126)
Teheran had an up-and-down 2019 season, finishing with an ERA of 3 81 and 1 19 WHIP in 173 1 innings pitched He struck out 166 batters while walking 46 but he also gave up 31 home runs Teheran is 28 years old and is entering his 9th MLB season He’s no longer worth taking with such a high ADP given his recent struggles keeping the ball in the park

2020 fantasy baseball Relief Pitcher Rankings Notes

Here are some quick notes on a few 2020 Fantasy Baseball relief pitchers that may be of interest on draft day.

– Aroldis Chapman is the top rated relief pitcher in our 2020 Fantasy Baseball Rankings He had an incredible 2019 season, leading the league in saves with 37 while posting a 2.21 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. He’s a great option at the end of your draft.
– Kenley Jansen is another top relief pitcher to target in 2020 fantasy baseball drafts. He had 34 saves last season while posting a 3.01 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. He’s a bit riskier than Chapman, but still worth drafting in the later rounds.
– Josh Hader is one of the most dominant relief pitchers in baseball and should be drafted accordingly in all fantasy leagues. He had 36 saves last season while striking out 143 batters in 75 innings pitched. He’s worth a mid-round pick in 2020 drafts.

Conclusion

Relief pitchers are an important part of any fantasy baseball team but they are often underrated. The 2020 season is shaping up to be a great one for relief pitchers, with many new faces emerging as top prospects Here is a look at the top 10 relief pitchers in the Game Today based on their performance so far this season.

1. Aroldis Chapman, New York Yankees Chapman has been lights out so far this season, posting a 0.73 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 19 appearances. He has struck out 28 batters in 24.2 innings pitched, and has converted all eight of his save opportunities.

2. Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles Dodgers Jansen has been nearly as good as Chapman this season, posting a 1.04 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in 17 appearances. He has struck out 23 batters in 17 innings pitched, and has converted all seven of his save opportunities.

3. Brad Hand, Cleveland Indians Hand has been one of the most reliable relief pitchers in baseball over the past few seasons, and he has been excellent once again in 2020. He has a 1.96 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 18 appearances, and has struck out 27 batters in 23 innings pitched. He has converted all nine of his save opportunities so far this season.

4. Josh Hader, Milwaukee Brewers Hader is perhaps the most dominant left-handed relief pitcher in baseball, and he has been once again been excellent in 2020. He has a 1.13 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 16 appearances, and has struck out 32 batters in 24 innings pitched. He has converted eight of his nine save opportunities so far this season.

5 Liam Hendriks, Oakland Athletics Hendriks had a breakout season in 2019, and he has picked up right where he left off this year