August Reliever Rankings
Candelario's Cubs debut shows fantasy potential
D.J. Short and Eric Samulski touch on a few players who are trending in the right direction after the trade deadline and could be valuable fantasy pickups.
Welcome to the post-trade deadline edition of the rankings. As always, players are ranked for the rest of the season based on how I see them performing for the rest of the season.
Click to see other August rankings:
Top 300 | SP | RP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C
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Relief pitcher rankings
Aug | Relievers | Team | 2023 | July |
1 | Orioles | 11 | 3 | |
2 | Padres | 2 | 1 | |
3 | Giants | 3 | 2 | |
4 | Guardians | 1 | 4 | |
5 | Brewers | 4 | 5 | |
6 | 6 | 8 | ||
7 | Braves | 9 | 12 | |
8 | Reds | 19 | 9 | |
9 | Twins | 15 | 7 | |
10 | Pirates | 13 | 10 | |
11 | David Robertson | Marlins | 16 | 13 |
12 | 8 | 15 | ||
13 | Mariners | 10 | 30 | |
14 | Angels | 42 | 14 | |
15 | Astros | 12 | 11 | |
16 | Cubs | 41 | 19 | |
17 | Rays | 14 | 16 | |
18 | Blue Jays | 7 | 6 | |
19 | Diamondbacks | 26 | 20 | |
20 | Phillies | 22 | 17 | |
21 | Nationals | 27 | 31 | |
22 | 18 | 18 | ||
23 | Rangers | 75 | 22 | |
24 | NR | NR | ||
25 | Tigers | 97 | 40 | |
26 | Cardinals | 5 | 28 | |
27 | Rockies | NR | 35 | |
28 | Tigers | 20 | 25 | |
29 | Mets | 55 | 48 | |
30 | Mariners | 83 | 51 | |
31 | Rangers | 38 | 33 | |
32 | Royals | 183 SP | NR | |
33 | Phillies | 37 | 73 | |
34 | Blue Jays | NR | 26 | |
35 | Cardinals | 40 | 38 | |
36 | Rays | 23 | 29 | |
37 | Athletics | 28 | 45 | |
38 | Twins | 45 | 39 | |
39 | Yankees | 44 | 32 | |
40 | Astros | 43 | 43 | |
41 | Mets | 98 | NR | |
42 | Dodgers | 36 | 50 | |
43 | Nationals | 95 | 36 | |
44 | White Sox | 68 | NR | |
45 | Astros | 60 | 52 | |
46 | Brewers | NR | NR | |
47 | Braves | 29 | 42 | |
48 | Reds | 93 | 55 | |
49 | Phillies | NR | NR | |
50 | Marlins | NR | 78 | |
51 | Rays | 88 | 56 | |
52 | Mark Leiter | Cubs | NR | 47 |
53 | Blue Jays | 51 | 49 | |
54 | Red Sox | 111 | 65 | |
55 | Guardians | NR | NR | |
56 | Dodgers | NR | 63 | |
57 | Angels | 35 | NR | |
58 | Pirates | NR | 76 | |
59 | Diamondbacks | 71 | NR | |
60 | Orioles | NR | 58 | |
61 | Guardians | 46 | 53 | |
62 | Cardinals | 139 SP | NR | |
63 | Royals | NR | NR | |
64 | Giants | NR | 69 | |
65 | Padres | 21 | 23 | |
66 | Giants | 53 | 70 | |
67 | Athletics | NR | 72 | |
68 | Mets | NR | NR | |
69 | Phillies | 81 | 41 | |
70 | Padres | 61 | NR | |
71 | Pirates | NR | NR | |
72 | Padres | 112 | 62 | |
73 | Pirates | NR | NR | |
74 | Tigers | 72 | NR | |
75 | Rockies | 25 | 74 |
Dropping off: Scott McGough (21st), A.J. Puk (24th), Liam Hendricks (27th), Daniel Hudson (34th), Kendall Graveman (37th), Andrew Chafin (44th), Dylan Floro (46th), Josh Sborz (54th), Miguel Castro (57th), Michael Fulmer (59th), Jorge López (60th)
Like almost always, the reliever rankings are the ones most altered by the trade deadline. Still, there weren’t any big surprises this time around and nothing as consequential as last year’s trade Braves-Angels trade, when Atlanta, already possessing Kenley Jansen , acquired Raisel Iglesias to serve as a setup man. This year was a letdown in comparison, with Josh Hader , Emmanuel Clase and David Bednar all staying put.
Arguably the best reliever to move was David Robertson , and he’s a bit better of a bet for saves in Miami than he was while occasionally being used in the eighth inning in New York. That move would seem to leave Adam Ottavino as the favorite for saves on the Mets, though Brooks Raley will probably get a few chances, too.
The Paul Sewald trade cleared the deck for Andrés Muñoz in Seattle, and it was tempting to slide Muñoz into the top 10. Still, durability is an issue there, and he might not get all of the Mariners’ save opportunities. I’ve moved Matt Brash up to 30th.
Gregory Santos and Carlos Hernández are the last men standing in the White Sox and Royals’ respective bullpens. I feel a bit more confident in Santos, though Aaron Bummer could sneak in and get a few chances there. I was looking at Jonathan Heasley as a sleeper in Kansas City, but the big velocity spike he experienced immediately after moving to the pen hasn’t held up. Dylan Coleman is the second Royals reliever on the list.
The Tigers should have swapped in Jason Foley for Alex Lange in June, and there’s still ample reason for them to make the switch now. They haven’t done so, but I’m ranking Foley a little ahead of Lange anyway.
