Updated Relief Pitcher Rankings - 5x5 Roto (Mixed Leagues)

March 27, 2019

Updated relief pitcher fantasy baseball rankings for 5x5 roto mixed leagues. Our staff's RP rankings feature the #1 most accurate industry expert, Nick Mariano.

We're back up on the bump for this edition of our mixed rankings analysis, and not a moment too soon. The 2019 baseball season is already here! RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, JB Branson, Bill Dubiel, Pierre Camus, and Scott Engel want to make sure you are prepared for last-minute drafts, so they have given their preseason rankings a final update. Check out our fantasy baseball rankings dashboard for a current list any time.

Relief pitching may not be one of your first priorities on draft day, as there can be a pretty significant drop-off after the first few true studs. That doesn't mean there aren't great values to be found in later rounds--in fact, if you decide to wait on relief pitcher there are enough mid-tier options to round out a pretty competitive staff.

To check out our starting pitcher rankings, click here. Now, without any more delay, let's break down the 2019 relief pitcher rankings for March.

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Relief Pitcher Tiered Ranks - 5x5 Mixed Leagues (March)

In case you missed it, our very own "Big Pick Nick" Mariano was recently named the #1 overall most accurate industry expert ranker for the 2018 season. You can see his secret sauce below! Additionally, industry legend Scott Engel recently joined the RotoBaller team and provides his insights as well. Scott is an FSWA Hall Of Famer and award winner.

Rankings Analysis - Top Tiers

Tier One

Edwin Diaz burst onto the scene last year with one of the more eye-popping seasons that a closer has ever had. Diaz slammed the door a league-leading 57 times while striking out an ungodly 124 hitters in just 73.1 IP, and he tacked on a shiny 1.96 ERA to boot. Diaz is still the top dog and it's not particularly close for me, even if he does regress a bit to the mean (which is all but guaranteed). He likely won't have the same amount of save opportunities given that he's now on the Mets instead of the Mariners, but there's a decent chance that the Mets middling offense has a healthy number of close games. His strikeout ratio shouldn't go anywhere even if he gets touched up a bit more, making him one of the highest-floor and ceiling RPs you'll find on draft day.

Sure the saves are impressive, but Blake "The Witch" Treinen looks upon Diaz's ERA and scoffs. A mainstay on Pitching Ninja's gif-heavy Twitter account, Treinen's 100MPH+ sinker is one of the nastiest single pitches of all-time, and due to that he was (and is) nigh-unhittable. He allowed just two homers all year, and while he likely won't finish as the top RP due to a lack of save opportunities, Treinen is perhaps the safest bet you can make at the position in 2019.

Tier Two

If anyone can challenge Diaz for the saves crown, it might be Brad Hand. The former Padre should have plenty of save opportunities closing games out for one of the AL's juggernauts, and Hand has been one of the most underrated relievers in baseball for two years now. We've got him ranked inside the top 100, and I think that's appropriate given his potential for saves and strikeouts--he's posted a K% of 30.0 or better in each of the last three seasons.

Tier Three

Speaking of underrated relievers, did you know that Kirby Yates had a 2.14 ERA last season and a microscopic 0.921 WHIP across 63 innings? I sure didn't. The unsung hero of the Padres bullpen should be afforded the opportunity to close with Brad Hand no longer in the mix and nobody else in the 'pen that approaches his level of dominance. We've got him just inside our second tier, and I think there's a chance that he jumps into the top tier if and ONLY IF the Padres are able to win more than 75 games this year.

Jose LeClerc was quietly unreal last year. While the Rangers reliever only notched 12 saves in 2018, he was an animal all season--he allowed just 10 earned runs across 57.2 innings of work, and backed it up with a 0.850 WHIP and 85 strikeouts. I'm lowest among our group on him, but not by a large margin. My thinking is that he has to regress at least a little bit, but now that he's been anointed the Rangers closer, a top-10 finish is within his grasp.

Rankings Analysis - Middle Tiers

Tier Four

I really want Seranthony Dominguez to be given a full shot at the closer's role, but with David Robertson making his way to Philly, I fear Dominguez may once again be relegated to a hybrid setup/sometimes closer role. He was excellent in his 54 innings last year, mowing down 74 hitters and posting a 0.931 WHIP along with a solid-yet-unspectacular 2.95 ERA. He certainly had his meltdown moments, but all-told he was remarkable for a true rookie. I have him at the very end of my top 150, but I fear I might be overly optimistic given Robertson's presence. If you're in a saves+holds league, Dominguez is a great cheap option.

Mychal Givens should be given the first crack at the Orioles closer job with Brad Brach now a Chicago Cub, but I'm not sure how much value comes with that position. Givens is coming off of a sub-par 2018 in which he posted the highest ERA of his career, due largely to a depressed strikeout rate. Assuming he keeps the job now that he's got it, we're looking at what--25 saves on a really bad Orioles team? The risk outweighs the potential reward here; I won't be owning Givens anywhere this year.

Tier Five

I had A.J. Minter on my watch list for the spring, as he could quickly turn into a high-value closer should he win the closer job. Unfortunately, he suffered a minor injury setback, and he'll open the season rehabbing in AAA Gwinnett. In the meantime, Arodys Vizcaino will hold down the closer job, and he quietly had a solid 2018 when he was healthy (16 saves, 2.11 ERA across 38.1 IP). Minter was holding it down in his absence though, notching 15 saves of his own and flashing decent ratios despite being hittable at times. I think we could be in for a similar save split this season, meaning it'll be tough to trust Minter right away--but he makes for a great IL stash right now if you've got room.

Rankings Analysis - Lower Tiers

Tier Six

Matt Strahm has some upside this late in most drafts thanks to his dual eligibility--he's going to open the season in the Padres starting rotation, and he's got some talent to flash. A plus fastball combined with a terrific curveball as a put-away pitch helped Strahm to an impressive first run with the Padres last year. He tossed a 2.05 ERA across 61.1 innings, including five starts, and in that time frame, he boasted an impressive 28.2 K%. Strahm is one of those late-round fliers that you should not hesitate to take on draft day, and if you've drafted already keep a very close eye on the waiver wire for him.

Tier Seven

With the league's aforementioned top closer now on the Mets, it's unlikely Jeurys Familia sees any save opportunities outside of when Diaz needs a breather or if he gets injured. Still, at just 28 years of age, there is plenty left in the tank for a reliever who led the MLB in saves in 2016 (51). He's coming off a season in which he posted the highest strikeout rate of his career, although his 3.13 ERA was average for a closer. Familia likely won't be of much use if you're not in any saves+holds leagues, but he'd be an immediate add should Edwin Diaz experience any kind of injury. You can keep Familia around in the meantime to help out your ratios.

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