Hot Stove Preview: Top MLB Free Agents: Relievers

Lastly, we look at the top free agent relievers, broken down by throwing hand.  The surprisingly deep pool includes five pitchers who recorded more than 20 saves in 2014 and some of the biggest names at the back ends of bullpens like David Robertson, Sergio Romo, Francisco Rodriguez, Andrew Miller, and Rafael Soriano.

Right Handed Relievers

1. David Robertson (Yankees): 4-5, 3.08 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 39 SV, 96 K’s in 64.1 IP. 2015 age: 30.

Robertson is hitting free agency during the prime of his career, right after his first season as closer that puts his value as high as it goes for a reliever. Though last year was the first time his ERA climbed above 3.00 since 2010, he registered 39 saves and put up a 1.06 WHIP. His best season as a reliever came in 2011, when he was 4-0 with a 1.08 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP, striking out 100 batters in 66.2 innings. Unfortunately for him, he has a qualifying offer attached to his name, which means anyone who signs him will have to give up a draft pick to the Yankees. For his career, Robertson is 25-19 with a 2.81 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP, saving 47 games over 402 appearances.

2. Francisco Rodriguez (Brewers): 5-5, 3.04 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 44 SV, 73 K’s in 68 IP. 2015 age: 33.

Despite posting a 3.04 ERA, 2014 was one of Rodriguez’s best years in a while. His 0.99 WHIP was his lowest in over a decade, and his .198 opponents’ average was also his lowest since 2006. His high ERA can be attributed to the 14 home runs he allowed in just 68 innings, eight of which came at his home Miller Park, where balls often carry. If he can keep the ball in the yard, he can be a top level closer anywhere. His best season was 2006, when he went 2-3 with a 1.73 ERA and 47 saves. For his career, he is 46-41 with a 2.73 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and 348 saves over 799 games. His 348 saves are second among active pitchers, behind only Joe Nathan’s 376.

3. Sergio Romo (Giants): 6-4, 3.72 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 23 SV, 59 K’s in 58 IP. 2015 age: 32.

Romo struggled in the first half of 2014, blowing five saves and finishing with a 4.74 ERA, but he turned it around in the second half as San Francisco’s set-up man, posting a 1.80 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP over 24 appearances. He finished the season, the worst of his career, 6-4 with a 3.72 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. He’s an established closer at age 32, and he rarely gives up base-runners. Over his last five seasons, the worst WHIP he’s posted has been 1.08; that’s pretty good. In his best season, 2012, he went 4-2 with a 1.79 ERA, a 0.85 WHIP, and 14 saves before recording the final out of the World Series. For his career, Romo is 31-21 with a 2.51 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and 78 saves in 405 appearances.

4. Luke Gregerson (Athletics): 5-5, 2.12 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 3 SV, 59 K’s in 72.1 IP. 2015 age: 31.

One of the most underrated pitchers in baseball, Gregerson has been a steady workhorse, logging at least 72 games in five of his six major league seasons. He’s never posted an ERA above 3.30, and he’s proven to be extremely consistent. Last year was arguably his best, as he set a career-low with a 2.12 ERA while posting a 1.01 WHIP and registering 22 holds. He routinely keeps his opponents off base and rarely gives up the long ball. For his career, he is 22-27 with a 2.75 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP over 435 appearances.

5. Rafael Soriano (Nationals): 4-1, 3.19 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 32 SV, 59 K’s 62 IP. 2015 age: 35.

Though he left D.C. as arguably the most unpopular player on the Nationals, Soriano is still a closer-caliber reliever for most teams. When he’s on, he can really lock down the back end of a bullpen. Back in 2010, he went 3-2 with a 1.73 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP for the Rays while saving 45 games. He saved 42 games in 2012 while Mariano Rivera was injured, then saved 43 as the Nationals closer in 2013. Last year, he saved 22 games with a 0.97 ERA over 37 games in the first half, but struggled to a 6.48 ERA and just ten saves over 27 games in the second half, losing his job at the end. Soriano is hoping to rebound, which is likely with his track record of success. For his career, he is 22-28 with a 2.85 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 207 saves over 585 games (8 starts).

6. Casey Janssen (Blue Jays): 3-3, 3.94 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 25 SV, 28 K’s in 45.2 IP. 2015 age: 33.

Janssen didn’t have his best season in 2014, but from 2011-2013, he was lights out. His best season was 2012, when he went 1-1 with a 2.54 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP, followed by a 2.56 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and 34 saves in 2013. He may not be the workhorse that Gregerson and Rodriguez are, but he is certainly a capable closer. For his career, he is 29-24 with a 3.52 ERA, a 1.22 WHIP, and 90 saves over 389 games (22 starts).

7. Burke Badenhop (Red Sox): 0-3, 2.29 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 1 SV, 40 K’s in 70.2 IP. 2015 age: 32.

Non-closer relievers are some of the most underrated players in baseball, and like Gregerson, Badenhop is no exception. He’s put up three straight seasons of more than 60 appearances and an ERA below 3.50, culminating in the best year of his career last year. In 2012, he put up the first big year of his career, going 3-2 with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP for the Rays. Last year, he broke out with a 2.29 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP in a career high 70 appearances. He got both lefties and righties out, and he allowed just one home run all season, a solo shot from the Yankees’ Kelly Johnson in April. In fact, he has seldom allowed a long ball in his career: just 31 in 446 innings of work. He also allowed only one home run in 63.2 innings with the Marlins in 2011, that one coming off the bat of no other than Albert Pujols. For his career, Badenhop is 18-23 with a 3.71 ERA, and a 1.30 WHIP over 350 games (10 starts).

8. Pat Neshek (Cardinals), 9. Jason Frasor (Royals), 10. Matt Albers (Astros), 11. Jim Johnson (Tigers), 12. Luke Hochevar (Royals).

Left Handed Relievers

1. Andrew Miller (Orioles): 5-5, 2.02 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 1 SV, 103 K’s in 62.1 IP. 2015 age: 30.

Few players came into their own in 2014 like Andrew Miller did, and he timed it perfectly in a free agent season. He was already pitching like a closer in the first half, when he was 3-5 with a 2.23 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP over 43 appearances, but in the second half, he was un-touchable. Over 30 appearances, he allowed just nine hits as opponents held a minuscule .106 average against him, and combined with just five walks, is WHIP sat at 0.54, not to mention he struck out 45 batters in 26 innings. And he’s no left handed specialist. While many teams are wary of left handed closers (Billy Wagner, Aroldis Chapman, and Jake McGee being the only three I can think of), Miller could easily fill that role as he was just as lethal against righties (.145 average, 0.83 WHIP) as he was against lefties (.163 average, 0.77 WHIP). For his career, the 6’7” former UNC Tarheel (who actually grew up in the University of Florida town of Gainesville) is 30-38 with a 4.91 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP over 259 games (66 starts).

2. Zach Duke (Brewers): 5-1, 2.45 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 0 SV, 74 K’s in 58.2 IP. 2015 age: 32.

Duke, who struggled as a mediocre starter from 2006-2011 after a magnificent rookie 2005 season (8-2, 1.81 ERA over 14 starts), transitioned to the bullpen midway through 2011 and he hasn’t looked back. Last year, everything came together as he went 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA, limiting lefties to a meager .198 average and striking out 37 of them in 26.1 innings. His durability as a starter allowed him to make 74 appearances on the year, the seventh most in the National League. For his career, Duke is 55-77 with a 4.46 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP over 289 games (169 starts).

3. Tom Gorzelanny (Brewers): 0-0, 0.86 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 23 K’s in 21 IP. 2015 age: 32-33.

Gorzelanny is one of the more dynamic pitchers in baseball. He can work as a starter (32 starts in 2007) a long reliever (one and a half innings per appearance in 2012), or a lefty set-up man. Last year, while battling through injuries, he made just 23 appearances but still finished with a 0.86 ERA. His best season was 2012 with the Nationals, when he went 4-2 with a 2.88 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP over 45 games (1 start), limiting lefties to a .237 average. He was excellent as a starter in 2007, going 14-10 with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP over 32 starts with the Pirates. For his career, Gorzelanny is 47-51 with a 4.27 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP over 259 games (121 starts).

4. Joe Thatcher (Angels), 5. Phil Coke (Tigers).

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ERA: earned run average. WHIP: walks/hits per innings pitched. K’s: strikeouts. SV: Saves

Zack Silverman