Relief Pitchers to Target in 2018

Closers are frustrating to say the least. After Kenley Jansen and Craig Kimbrel the red flags and question marks are abundant. Will Aroldis Chapman bounce back? Can Corey Knebel do it again? What the heck happened to Ken Giles in the postseason? Here are a few targets to get saves on draft day.

Raisel Iglesias

Current Rank: 96
Expect Consensus Rank: 118

Give Iglesias just two more saves in 2017 and he would have been a top 10 relief pitcher. The ratios were awesome. A 2.49 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with a 10.9 K/9. Plus, 18 of his 63 appearances were more than one inning. This is a highly underrated statistic. Even if Iglesias is getting less saves, he’s usually getting more outs each time he pitches. He has next to no competition behind him, so the job is his barring something extreme. He is RP No. 6 for me.

Archie Bradley

Current Rank: 189
Expect Consensus Rank: 218

Bradley posted a 1.73 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 9.7 K/9 over 73 innings last season. This made him the No. 41 relief pitcher in roto last season. Give him just 26 saves, which is what Kelvin Herrera and Hector Neris had, and Bradley finishes the No. 11 relief pitcher. Top 10 upside is there, we just need the Diamondbacks to make it so.

Brad Brach

Current Rank: 190
Expect Consensus Rank: 219

Brach is the closer for the Orioles to begin 2018. Zach Britton might come back, but it looks like late May will be the soonest that happens. Britton will most likely be eased into the ninth inning role upon his return. Brach provides two months of a 2.62 ERA and 10 K/9 (his three-year average stat line). He might end up getting more work as Britton recovers. Britton could also get re-injured. Brach is a solid relief pitcher option currently going outside the top 200 overall.

In addition to these players, here are a few other options who are currently ranked outside the Top 300 of the FantasyPros Expert Consensus Rankings:

Addison Reed
My Rank: 296 Expert Consensus Rank: 313
Fernando Rodney is all that stands in the way.

Nate Jones
My Rank: 350 Expert Consensus Rank: 352
Sleeper last year before his injury. Might be the White Sox closer.