Reliever Rankings, July 20
Welcome to the July 20 edition of (clutch) Reliever Rankings! There has been some shuffling in the team rankings since the last edition. Furthermore, some relievers who had tremendous starts have either come back to Earth or straight up slumped.
A reminder that these are clutch reliever rankings. Mop-up duty or pitching while behind, while important, is not what makes a bullpen earn its keep. Pitching scoreless innings in tie games or with a narrow lead is what does it. Another way to look at this is which back ends of bullpens are most trustworthy.
Reliever Rankings ranks teams by league in the following categories: Goose Egg percentage (GE%), Broken Egg percentage (BE%), and GE per BE (GE/BE). These ranks are averaged to get their overall ranking. The reason we are looking at Goose Eggs — a clutch relief stat invented by Nate Silver — and not saves is that Goose Eggs give a better indication of clutch performance. Plus, they go inning-by-inning instead of game-by-game. (The short version: A Goose Egg is a scoreless inning of relief in the seventh inning or later of either a tie game or one where his team holds a narrow lead. When the pitcher allows an earned run in that situation, it is a Broken Egg. If he allows an unearned run or an inherited run, it is a Meh. In chess terms, that’s akin to a stalemate.)
This week, we will look at the American League first. Statistics are up to and including July 18.
AL Reliever Rankings
| 1 | Seattle Mariners |
| 2 | New York Yankees |
| 3 | Cleveland Indians |
| 4 | Los Angeles Angels |
| 5 | Chicago White Sox |
| 6 (T) | Boston Red Sox |
| 6 (T) | Tampa Bay Rays |
| 8 | Detroit Tigers |
| 9 (T) | Minnesota Twins |
| 9 (T) | Oakland Athletics |
| 11 | Houston Astros |
| 12 | Toronto Blue Jays |
| 13 | Kansas City Royals |
| 14 (T) | Baltimore Orioles |
| 14 (T) | Texas Rangers |
AL Individual Leaders
| Goose Eggs | |||
| 1 | Chad Green | NYY | 23 |
| 2 | Raisel Iglesias | LAA | 22 |
| 3 (T) | Matt Barnes | BOS | 20 |
| James Karinchak | CLE | 20 | |
| Ryan Pressly | HOU | 20 | |
| Taylor Rogers | MIN | 20 |
| Broken Eggs | |||
| 1 | Jake Diekman | OAK | 7 |
| 2 (T) | Ryan Thompson | TB | 6 |
| John King | TEX | 6 | |
| 4 | 11 Tied | 5 |
The 11 are Matt Barnes (BOS), Adam Ottavino (BOS), Liam Hendriks (CHW), Aaron Bummer (CHW), Emmanuel Clase (CLE), Bryan Shaw (CLE), Greg Holland (KCR), Hansel Robles (MIN), Jorge Alcala (MIN), Rafael Montero (SEA), and Diego Castillo (TB).
| GE/BE Ratio (Min. 10 GE) | |||
| 1 | Ian Kennedy | TEX | INF |
| 2 | Ryan Pressly | HOU | 20.0 |
| 3 | Kendall Graveman | SEA | 14.0 |
| 4 | JP Feyereisen | TB | 12.0 |
| 5 (T) | James Karinchak | CLE | 10.0 |
| Tony Watson | LAA | 10.0 |
AL Notable Performers
Here are notable performers from each American League team.
Baltimore Orioles
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Paul Fry | 11 | 2 | 4 | 64.7% | 11.8% | 5.5 |
| Cesar Valdez | 8 | 4 | 2 | 57.1% | 28.6% | 2.0 |
| Tanner Scott | 8 | 3 | 5 | 50.0% | 18.8% | 2.7 |
| Adam Plutko | 5 | 3 | 6 | 35.7% | 21.4% | 1.7 |
| Travis Lakins | 4 | 3 | 1 | 50.0% | 37.5% | 1.3 |
Boston Red Sox
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Matt Barnes | 20 | 5 | 1 | 76.9% | 19.2% | 4.0 |
| Adam Ottavino | 17 | 5 | 2 | 70.8% | 20.8% | 3.4 |
| Josh Taylor | 8 | 0 | 1 | 88.9% | 0.0% | INF |
| Garrett Whitlock | 7 | 3 | 0 | 70.0% | 30.0% | 2.3 |
| Darwinzon Hernandez | 6 | 2 | 5 | 46.2% | 15.4% | 3.0 |
| Matt Andriese | 4 | 4 | 1 | 44.4% | 44.4% | 1.0 |
Chicago White Sox
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Liam Hendriks | 14 | 5 | 4 | 60.9% | 21.7% | 2.8 |
| Codi Heuer | 12 | 3 | 5 | 60.0% | 15.0% | 4.0 |
| Garrett Crochet | 9 | 2 | 3 | 64.3% | 14.3% | 4.5 |
| Evan Marshall | 8 | 1 | 3 | 66.7% | 8.3% | 8.0 |
| Aaron Bummer | 8 | 5 | 5 | 44.4% | 27.8% | 1.6 |
| Michael Kopech | 5 | 1 | 3 | 55.6% | 11.1% | 5.0 |
Cleveland Indians
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| James Karinchak | 20 | 2 | 2 | 83.3% | 8.3% | 10.0 |
| Emmanuel Clase | 16 | 5 | 3 | 66.7% | 20.8% | 3.2 |
| Bryan Shaw | 11 | 5 | 0 | 68.8% | 31.3% | 2.2 |
| Nick Wittgren | 8 | 2 | 0 | 80.0% | 20.0% | 4.0 |
| Cal Quantrill | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.0% | 25.0% | 3.0 |
Detroit Tigers
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Jose Cisnero | 16 | 3 | 5 | 66.7% | 12.5% | 5.3 |
| Gregory Soto | 15 | 3 | 2 | 75.0% | 15.0% | 5.0 |
| Michael Fulmer | 9 | 3 | 2 | 64.3% | 21.4% | 3.0 |
| Kyle Funkhouser | 8 | 0 | 2 | 80.0% | 0.0% | INF |
Houston Astros
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Ryan Pressly | 20 | 1 | 4 | 80.0% | 4.0% | 20.0 |
| Ryne Stanek | 11 | 3 | 4 | 61.1% | 16.7% | 3.7 |
| Brooks Raley | 6 | 2 | 3 | 54.5% | 18.2% | 3.0 |
| Bryan Abreu | 5 | 2 | 0 | 71.4% | 28.6% | 2.5 |
| Cristian Javier | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.0% | 25.0% | 3.0 |
| Blake Taylor | 2 | 3 | 1 | 33.3% | 50.0% | 0.7 |
Kansas City Royals
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Scott Barlow | 15 | 4 | 3 | 68.2% | 18.2% | 3.8 |
| Greg Holland | 11 | 5 | 0 | 68.8% | 31.3% | 2.2 |
| Jake Brentz | 8 | 4 | 2 | 57.1% | 28.6% | 2.0 |
| Josh Staumont | 7 | 1 | 1 | 77.8% | 11.1% | 7.0 |
Los Angeles Angels
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Raisel Iglesias | 22 | 4 | 2 | 78.6% | 14.3% | 5.5 |
| Mike Mayers | 14 | 4 | 7 | 56.0% | 16.0% | 3.5 |
| Tony Watson | 10 | 1 | 2 | 76.9% | 7.7% | 10.0 |
| Steve Cishek | 6 | 0 | 5 | 54.5% | 0.0% | INF |
Minnesota Twins
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Taylor Rogers | 20 | 4 | 3 | 74.1% | 14.8% | 5.0 |
| Hansel Robles | 14 | 5 | 4 | 60.9% | 21.7% | 2.8 |
| Tyler Duffey | 12 | 4 | 3 | 63.2% | 21.1% | 3.0 |
| Alex Colome | 9 | 4 | 2 | 60.0% | 26.7% | 2.3 |
New York Yankees
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Chad Green | 23 | 3 | 4 | 76.7% | 10.0% | 7.7 |
| Aroldis Chapman | 19 | 4 | 2 | 76.0% | 16.0% | 4.8 |
| Jonathan Loaisiga | 17 | 3 | 4 | 70.8% | 12.5% | 5.7 |
| Darren O’Day | 4 | 1 | 1 | 66.7% | 16.7% | 4.0 |
| Justin Wilson | 4 | 1 | 1 | 66.7% | 16.7% | 4.0 |
| Wandy Peralta | 4 | 1 | 1 | 66.7% | 16.7% | 4.0 |
| Lucas Luetge | 3 | 2 | 1 | 50.0% | 33.3% | 1.5 |
Oakland Athletics
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Lou Trivino | 17 | 3 | 2 | 77.3% | 13.6% | 5.7 |
| Yusmeiro Petit | 14 | 2 | 5 | 66.7% | 9.5% | 7.0 |
| Jake Diekman | 12 | 7 | 0 | 63.2% | 36.8% | 1.7 |
| Sergio Romo | 4 | 1 | 2 | 57.1% | 14.3% | 4.0 |
Seattle Mariners
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Kendall Graveman | 14 | 1 | 1 | 87.5% | 6.3% | 14.0 |
| Rafael Montero | 12 | 5 | 1 | 66.7% | 27.8% | 2.4 |
| Anthony Misiewicz | 11 | 4 | 2 | 64.7% | 23.5% | 2.8 |
| Paul Sewald | 8 | 1 | 1 | 80.0% | 10.0% | 8.0 |
| Drew Steckenrider | 6 | 1 | 0 | 85.7% | 14.3% | 6.0 |
| Keynan Middleton | 5 | 0 | 2 | 71.4% | 0.0% | INF |
| Erik Swanson | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% | 0.0% | INF |
| JT Chargois | 4 | 0 | 3 | 57.1% | 0.0% | INF |
Tampa Bay Rays
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Diego Castillo | 17 | 5 | 1 | 73.9% | 21.7% | 3.4 |
| Ryan Thompson | 14 | 6 | 5 | 56.0% | 24.0% | 2.3 |
| Andrew Kittredge | 13 | 2 | 1 | 81.3% | 12.5% | 6.5 |
| JP Feyereisen | 12 | 1 | 2 | 80.0% | 6.7% | 12.0 |
| Pete Fairbanks | 12 | 3 | 2 | 70.6% | 17.6% | 4.0 |
| Matt Wisler | 8 | 1 | 1 | 80.0% | 10.0% | 8.0 |
| Jeffrey Springs | 7 | 4 | 6 | 41.2% | 23.5% | 1.8 |
Texas Rangers
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Ian Kennedy | 14 | 0 | 1 | 93.3% | 0.0% | INF |
| Joely Rodriguez | 10 | 4 | 2 | 62.5% | 25.0% | 2.5 |
| Josh Sborz | 6 | 3 | 2 | 54.5% | 27.3% | 2.0 |
| Taylor Hearn | 4 | 2 | 2 | 50.0% | 25.0% | 2.0 |
| Brett Martin | 4 | 0 | 6 | 40.0% | 0.0% | INF |
| John King | 4 | 6 | 0 | 40.0% | 60.0% | 0.7 |
Toronto Blue Jays
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Jordan Romano | 13 | 3 | 1 | 76.5% | 17.6% | 4.3 |
| Tyler Chatwood | 9 | 3 | 0 | 75.0% | 25.0% | 3.0 |
| Rafael Dolis | 7 | 3 | 2 | 58.3% | 25.0% | 2.3 |
| Tim Mayza | 6 | 2 | 1 | 66.7% | 22.2% | 3.0 |
| David Phelps | 5 | 0 | 2 | 71.4% | 0.0% | INF |
| Julian Merryweather | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% | 0.0% | INF |
| Anthony Castro | 4 | 3 | 1 | 50.0% | 37.5% | 1.3 |
Top Three
Ryan Pressly (HOU), James Karinchak (CLE), Ian Kennedy (TEX)
NL Reliever Rankings
NL Individual Leaders
| Goose Eggs | |||
| 1 (T) | Josh Hader | MIL | 24 |
| Mark Melancon | SD | 24 | |
| 3 (T) | Tyler Rogers | SF | 23 |
| Giovanny Gallegos | STL | 23 | |
| 5 | Three Tied | 21 |
The three are Will Smith (ATL), Craig Kimbrel (CHC), and Jake McGee (SF).
| Broken Eggs | |||
| 1 | AJ Minter | ATL | 10 |
| 2 | Daniel Bard | COL | 8 |
| 3 | Yimi Garcia | MIA | 7 |
| 4 (T) | Will Smith | ATL | 6 |
| Hector Neris | PHL | 6 |
| GE/BE Ratio (Min. 10 GE) | |||
| 1 | Andrew Chafin | CHC | 16.0 |
| 2 | Tejay Antone | CIN | 14.0 |
| 3 | Craig Kimbrel | CHC | 10.5 |
| 4 | Josh Hader | MIL | 8.0 |
| 5 | Tyler Rogers | SF | 7.7 |
NL Notable Performers
Here are notable performers from each National League team.
Arizona Diamondbacks
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Noe Ramirez | 6 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% | 0.0% | INF |
| Kevin Ginkel | 5 | 2 | 1 | 62.5% | 25.0% | 2.5 |
| Taylor Clarke | 5 | 3 | 0 | 62.5% | 37.5% | 1.7 |
| Stefan Crichton | 5 | 3 | 2 | 50.0% | 30.0% | 1.7 |
| Joakim Soria | 4 | 3 | 1 | 50.0% | 37.5% | 1.3 |
| Caleb Smith | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.7% | 33.3% | 2.0 |
| Alex Young | 2 | 5 | 3 | 20.0% | 50.0% | 0.4 |
Atlanta Braves
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Will Smith | 21 | 6 | 2 | 72.4% | 20.7% | 3.5 |
| AJ Minter | 14 | 10 | 2 | 53.8% | 38.5% | 1.4 |
| Chris Martin | 12 | 4 | 0 | 75.0% | 25.0% | 3.0 |
| Luke Jackson | 8 | 4 | 2 | 57.1% | 28.6% | 2.0 |
| Tyler Matzek | 6 | 2 | 2 | 60.0% | 20.0% | 3.0 |
Chicago Cubs
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Craig Kimbrel | 21 | 2 | 2 | 84.0% | 8.0% | 10.5 |
| Ryan Tepera | 19 | 3 | 2 | 79.2% | 12.5% | 6.3 |
| Andrew Chafin | 16 | 1 | 3 | 80.0% | 5.0% | 16.0 |
| Dan Winkler | 5 | 1 | 1 | 71.4% | 14.3% | 5.0 |
Cincinnati Reds
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Tejay Antone | 14 | 1 | 2 | 82.4% | 5.9% | 14.0 |
| Lucas Sims | 13 | 3 | 4 | 65.0% | 15.0% | 4.3 |
| Heath Hembree | 9 | 4 | 3 | 56.3% | 25.0% | 2.3 |
| Brad Brach | 7 | 2 | 3 | 58.3% | 16.7% | 3.5 |
| Ryan Hendrix | 6 | 1 | 2 | 66.7% | 11.1% | 6.0 |
| Amir Garrett | 5 | 3 | 3 | 45.5% | 27.3% | 1.7 |
| Sean Doolittle | 4 | 3 | 3 | 40.0% | 30.0% | 1.3 |
| Josh Osich | 2 | 0 | 4 | 33.3% | 0.0% | INF |
Colorado Rockies
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Daniel Bard | 13 | 8 | 3 | 54.2% | 33.3% | 1.6 |
| Mychal Givens | 10 | 3 | 3 | 62.5% | 18.8% | 3.3 |
| Carlos Estevez | 9 | 4 | 1 | 64.3% | 28.6% | 2.3 |
| Jhoulys Chacin | 7 | 1 | 0 | 87.5% | 12.5% | 7.0 |
| Tyler Kinley | 5 | 2 | 1 | 62.5% | 25.0% | 2.5 |
Los Angeles Dodgers
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Kenley Jansen | 20 | 5 | 3 | 71.4% | 17.9% | 4.0 |
| Blake Treinen | 20 | 4 | 7 | 64.5% | 12.9% | 5.0 |
| Victor Gonzalez | 8 | 5 | 1 | 57.1% | 35.7% | 1.6 |
| Jimmy Nelson | 5 | 2 | 1 | 62.5% | 25.0% | 2.5 |
| Dennis Santana | 4 | 0 | 1 | 80.0% | 0.0% | INF |
| Corey Knebel | 4 | 1 | 1 | 66.7% | 16.7% | 4.0 |
| Phil Bickford | 4 | 1 | 2 | 57.1% | 14.3% | 4.0 |
Miami Marlins
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Dylan Floro | 18 | 5 | 0 | 78.3% | 21.7% | 3.6 |
| Yimi Garcia | 18 | 7 | 2 | 66.7% | 25.9% | 2.6 |
| Anthony Bass | 10 | 5 | 2 | 58.8% | 29.4% | 2.0 |
| Richard Bleier | 8 | 4 | 2 | 57.1% | 28.6% | 2.0 |
| Anthony Bender | 4 | 1 | 1 | 66.7% | 16.7% | 4.0 |
| John Curtiss | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.0% | 25.0% | 3.0 |
Milwaukee Brewers
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Josh Hader | 24 | 3 | 2 | 82.8% | 10.3% | 8.0 |
| Devin Williams | 19 | 5 | 2 | 73.1% | 19.2% | 3.8 |
| Brad Boxberger | 15 | 5 | 1 | 71.4% | 23.8% | 3.0 |
| Brent Suter | 9 | 3 | 2 | 64.3% | 21.4% | 3.0 |
| JP Feyereisen | 7 | 2 | 1 | 70.0% | 20.0% | 3.5 |
New York Mets
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Edwin Diaz | 20 | 5 | 2 | 74.1% | 18.5% | 4.0 |
| Miguel Castro | 10 | 4 | 1 | 66.7% | 26.7% | 2.5 |
| Seth Lugo | 9 | 2 | 0 | 81.8% | 18.2% | 4.5 |
| Aaron Loup | 8 | 2 | 7 | 47.1% | 11.8% | 4.0 |
| Trevor May | 7 | 2 | 2 | 63.6% | 18.2% | 3.5 |
| Jeurys Familia | 5 | 1 | 2 | 62.5% | 12.5% | 5.0 |
Philadelphia Phillies
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Jose Alvarado | 16 | 3 | 3 | 72.7% | 13.6% | 5.3 |
| Hector Neris | 15 | 6 | 2 | 65.2% | 26.1% | 2.5 |
| Connor Brogdon | 7 | 2 | 3 | 58.3% | 16.7% | 3.5 |
| Archie Bradley | 5 | 1 | 1 | 71.4% | 14.3% | 5.0 |
| Ranger Suarez | 5 | 3 | 3 | 45.5% | 27.3% | 1.7 |
| Sam Coonrod | 5 | 4 | 3 | 41.7% | 33.3% | 1.3 |
| Bailey Falter | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.0% | 25.0% | 3.0 |
Pittsburgh Pirates
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Richard Rodriguez | 19 | 3 | 0 | 86.4% | 13.6% | 6.3 |
| David Bednar | 5 | 1 | 0 | 83.3% | 16.7% | 5.0 |
| Kyle Crick | 5 | 1 | 1 | 71.4% | 14.3% | 5.0 |
| Chris Stratton | 4 | 1 | 0 | 80.0% | 20.0% | 4.0 |
San Diego Padres
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Mark Melancon | 24 | 4 | 5 | 72.7% | 12.1% | 6.0 |
| Emilio Pagan | 16 | 4 | 1 | 76.2% | 19.0% | 4.0 |
| Tim Hill | 11 | 3 | 1 | 73.3% | 20.0% | 3.7 |
| Pierce Johnson | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% | 0.0% | INF |
| Drew Pomeranz | 5 | 2 | 0 | 71.4% | 28.6% | 2.5 |
| Austin Adams | 5 | 1 | 3 | 55.6% | 11.1% | 5.0 |
San Francisco Giants
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Tyler Rogers | 23 | 3 | 4 | 76.7% | 10.0% | 7.7 |
| Jake McGee | 21 | 4 | 2 | 77.8% | 14.8% | 5.3 |
| Zack Littell | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% | 0.0% | INF |
| Camilo Doval | 4 | 2 | 2 | 50.0% | 25.0% | 2.0 |
| Dominic Leone | 3 | 0 | 2 | 60.0% | 0.0% | INF |
| Matt Wisler | 3 | 2 | 0 | 60.0% | 40.0% | 1.5 |
St. Louis Cardinals
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Giovanny Gallegos | 23 | 5 | 1 | 79.3% | 17.2% | 4.6 |
| Alex Reyes | 20 | 3 | 1 | 83.3% | 12.5% | 6.7 |
| Genesis Cabrera | 10 | 2 | 4 | 62.5% | 12.5% | 5.0 |
| Ryan Helsley | 5 | 2 | 0 | 71.4% | 28.6% | 2.5 |
Washington Nationals
| Name | GE | BE | M | GE% | BE% | GE/BE |
| Brad Hand | 16 | 5 | 4 | 64.0% | 20.0% | 3.2 |
| Daniel Hudson | 13 | 2 | 2 | 76.5% | 11.8% | 6.5 |
| Kyle Finnegan | 7 | 4 | 1 | 58.3% | 33.3% | 1.8 |
| Austin Voth | 6 | 2 | 0 | 75.0% | 25.0% | 3.0 |
| Tanner Rainey | 6 | 4 | 2 | 50.0% | 33.3% | 1.5 |
Top Three
Craig Kimbrel (CHC), Josh Hader (MIL), Tyler Rogers (SF)
Glossary
A Goose Egg is a scoreless inning of clutch relief (seventh inning or later; tie game, a lead of no more than two runs, or entering the game with the tying run on base or at bat). A Broken Egg is a failed Goose Egg situation — one where the pitcher allows an earned run. A Meh is a Goose Egg situation that did not result in a GE or BE. GE/BE is the ratio of GE to BE; the historical average is around 3-to-1. For a full explanation of the statistic, see this article by its inventor, Nate Silver.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
