Top 15 Relief Pitchers in Major League Baseball for 2025

With the 2025 regular season officially in the books, Just Baseball’s editorial team is going position by position and ranking which players were the best during this year’s regular season.

Today, we shift our focus to the most volatile position in the entire sport: relief pitchers.

It’s the most difficult position to rank heading into the season because of the inconsistent nature of relievers. If you look back at our preseason ranking of the top 20 relief pitchers in baseball, many of the players ranked failed to make our end-of-season list.

Moreover, the majority of the top relief pitchers from 2025 weren’t even on our preseason rankings.

It’s the perfect example of just how unpredictable relievers are in MLB. While there are a few steady producers year in and year out at the position, those types of players are few and far between. In reality, this list is one that fluctuates more than any other position in the sport.

Our team of editors each voted on their own personal top 15 relief pitchers from the 2025 season, and the rankings were averaged to determine the final list. In the article below, you will see the individual rankings from each of the editors, along with where the reliever ranked prior to the season.

Let’s dive into who the top relief pitchers were during the 2025 regular season.

The Top 15 Relief Pitchers in MLB for 2025

15. Randy Rodríguez, San Francisco Giants (Preseason: Unranked )

2025 Stats: 50 G, 50.2 IP, 1.78 ERA, 2.40 FIP, 0.89 WHIP, 11.90 K/9, 1.95 BB/9

It was a breakout year for the Giants’ 25-year-old hurler. Across 50.2 innings of work, Rodríguez finished the year with the fifth-lowest ERA among qualified relievers in Major League Baseball (1.78).

He also finished 12th among relievers in FIP (2.40), seventh in SIERA (2.33), and was top 10 in WHIP (0.89).

Not only did he strike out nearly 12 hitters per nine, but he also allowed fewer than two walks per nine. In turn, Rodríguez ended the year tied with the sixth-best strikeout-minus-walk rate (K-BB%) among relievers at an impressive 28.3%.

He may not have the workload as some of the other arms around him on the leaderboards since his season was cut short with a right elbow sprain at the end of August, nor was he the Giants’ primary closer this season, but he dominated in a setup-type role when he was available.

Rodríguez made the All-Star Game for the first time in his young career, and he checked enough boxes to crack the top 15 for Just Baseball.

14. Josh Hader, Houston Astros (Preseason: No. 11)

2025 Stats: 48 G, 52.5 IP, 2,05 ERA, 3.25 FIP, 0.85 WHIP, 12.99 K/9, 2.73 BB/9

Hader’s 2025 campaign ended prematurely after he suffered a shoulder strain at the beginning of August, but he was vintage Hader when he was healthy this season.

Earning the sixth All-Star nod of this career, it was an impressive bounce back for Hader, who struggled in his first year in Houston just a season ago. The southpaw posted the 11th-best ERA among relievers (2.05) to go with a WHIP of 0.85 that was tied for the third-best mark in MLB.

Opponents hit a measly .154 against Hader this season, the third-lowest mark among relievers, and he once again ended the year as one of the premier strikeout artists in baseball with a punchout rate of 36.9% that was the fourth-highest in MLB. He also featured the fifth-best K-BB% in MLB (29.1%).

Hader still finished the year top 10 in saves (28) despite missing over a month and a half of the season. He also demonstrated an improved ability to provide the Astros with more than just three outs in an appearance on several occasions, an area that was a shortcoming of his dating back to his days in Milwaukee.

13. Tyler Rogers, New York Mets (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 81 G, 77.1 IP, 1.98 ERA, 2.88 FIP, 0.94 WHIP, 5.59 K/9, 0.81 BB/9

Rogers has long been one of MLB’s most steady relievers, but he took his game to an entirely new level in 2025. Featuring one of the most unique deliveries in Major League Baseball, Rogers posted a career-best 1.98 ERA that was the ninth-best mark among MLB relievers.

What’s more, he managed that success while being one of baseball’s most utilized relievers, pacing the sport in appearances out of the bullpen (81) and finishing top 10 in innings pitched (77.1).

Rogers led MLB with an incredible walk rate of just 0.81 BB/9. For reference, the next best mark was Bryan King at 1.46. Not only does he live within the strike zone, but hitters hardly did any damage against him either.

Rogers had the best barrel rate in the sport at a measly 2.1%, sat in the 99th percentile in average exit velocity (85.8 mph), and was a premier ground-ball artist with a mark of 61.6% (98th percentile).

His combination of availability, run prevention, and effectiveness is what made Rogers such an appealing trade target at the deadline, and it’s also what made him a consensus top-15 reliever for Just Baseball’s voting panel.

12. Robert Suarez, San Diego Padres (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 70 G, 69.2 IP, 2.97 ERA, 2.88 FIP, 0.90 WHIP, 9.69 K/9, 2.07 BB/9

Following his breakout 2024 season, Suarez has established himself as one of the more electric closers in the game with another dominating year on the bump..

Suarez’s 40 saves were the most in the National League and the second most in Major League Baseball this season. He threw to a sub-3.00 ERA across 70 appearances for the Padres, and he ended the year top 10 in fWAR (1.9) and Win Probability Added.

Featuring a four-seam fastball that touches triple digits, Suarez struck out nearly 10 hitters per nine and ended the year just outside the top 10 in WHIP thanks to an opponent batting average of just .187.

In his age-34 season, Suarez took another step forward as San Diego’s closer in 2025. He was one of the most valuable and effective closers in the sport, making him a no-brainer top 15 relief pitcher from 2025.

11. Bryan Abreu, Houston Astros (Preseason: No. 17)

2025 Stats: 70 G, 71.0 IP, 2.28 ERA, 2.39 FIP, 1.15 WHIP, 13.31 K/9, 3.93 BB/9

Abreu has long been considered one of the best setup arms in MLB, and he would likely be a top closing open for many other teams in the league. The Astros have the luxury of deploying him ahead of Hader to close out games, forming one of the most lethal one-two punches in baseball.

It was yet another incredible season for the 28-year-old reliever, tossing to a 2.28 ERA while finishing tied with the third-highest fWAR among MLB relievers at 2.2.

Abreu truly possess some of the game’s most elite strikeout material, as he ended with the fourth-highest K/9 (13.31) and the sixth-highest strikeout rate (35.5%). His 105 punchouts this season were the second-most among relievers only behind Jeremiah Estrada of the Padres (108).

Abreu came into the year ranked No. 17 in Just Baseball’s reliever rankings, but he firmly entrenched himself as a top-15 reliever in the sport this season. Dating back to the beginning of 2022, Abreu has the ninth-lowest ERA in MLB and continues to be a shutdown option at the back of Houston’s bullpen.

10. Abner Uribe, Milwaukee Brewers (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 75 G, 75.1 IP, 1.67 ERA, 2.75 FIP, 1.04 WHIP, 10.75 K/9, 3.23 BB/9

Uribe shined in his first full year in MLB, pitching to the third-lowest ERA among relievers. He thrived as Milwaukee’s setup man, leading the league with 37 holds. He was also a viable closer option for the Brewers when All-Star reliever Trevor Megill hit the shelf for an extended period of time.

Not only was Uribe one of the best at keeping runs off the board, but he was also among the most used relievers in baseball, finishing tied for seventh in appearances (75) and just outside the top 10 in innings pitched (75.1) among relievers.

The flamethrower did a lot of things well on the mound. He was in the 91st percentile in strikeout rate, he had the second-lowest barrel rate in MLB (2.9%), and he generated ground balls at a 54.3% clip.

Between his ability to induce whiff, keep the ball on the ground, and pitch to weak contact, Uribe was a consensus top-10 reliever in the sport at just 25 years old.

9. Garrett Whitlock, Boston Red Sox (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 62 G, 72.0 IP, 2.25 ERA, 2.18 FIP, 1.08 WHIP, 11.38 K/9, 3.00 BB/9

What a year it was for Whitlock, who emerged as the Red Sox’s primary setup option in 2025. It was a career year in terms of strikeout stuff for Whitlock, thanks to his whiff rate of 32.8% (93rd percentile) and a chase rate of 35.1% (97th percentile).

In turn, Whitlock posted a K/9 of 11.38 to go with a 93rd-percentile strikeout rate of 31.1%, both of which were by far the best marks of his career. On top of posting an impressive 2.25 ERA, Whitlock was third among relievers with 2.2 fWAR and a FIP of 2.18.

Boston has attempted to work Whitlock into the rotation in recent years, and several different injuries have forced him to miss time as a result. This year marked the first season since his rookie year back in 2021 where he worked exclusively out of the bullpen, and the uptick in results were glaring.

He was finally healthy for a full season, his stuff was playing noticeably better out of the bullpen, and it’s clear that, when healthy, he has the ability to be one of the game’s most lockdown relievers.

8. Adrián Morejón, San Diego Padres (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 75 G, 73.2 IP, 2.08 ERA, 2.28 FIP, 0.90 WHIP, 8.55 K/9, 2.08 BB/9

What a season it was for Morejón, as the 26-year-old southpaw set career highs in both usage and overall production out of San Diego’s bullpen.

Morejón was top 10 in appearances (75) and FIP (2.28) while throwing to a career-low 2.08 ERA. He kept hitters off balance with a diverse five-pitch mix, headlined by a sinker that sat in the upper 90s and a slider that had an opponent batting average below .130.

He was one of the game’s best at limiting hard contact against him, sitting in the 97th percentile in barrel rate (4.0%), 98th percentile in average exit velocity (85.9 mph), and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate (30.7%).

Most of that weak contact came on the ground, as he induced ground balls at a whopping 54.3% clip, and opponents hit just .182 against him to go with a WHIP of 0.90.

After coming into the year unranked on this list, each of the members on Just Baseball’s voting panel had Morejón as a top 10 reliever for 2025.

7. David Bednar, New York Yankees (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 64 G, 62.2 IP, 2.30 ERA, 2.18 FIP, 1.04 WHIP, 12.35 K/9, 2.73 BB/9

It was a rough start to the season for Bednar, who was actually optioned to Double-A after the first series of the year, but he ended up with a mighty fine year come season’s end.

Across 64 outings split between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Yankees, Bednar pitched to the tune of a 2.30 ERA, marking the fourth time in the last five years where he ended the season with a sub-3.00 ERA.

Moreover, his peripherals were some of the most impressive in the sport. His 12.35 K/9 and 34.3% strikeout rate each ranked 10th among relievers. His FIP of 2.18 was tied with Garrett Whitlock for the third-best mark among relievers, and he was also top 10 in K-BB% (26.7%).

With the exception of an uncharacteristically brutal 2024 campaign, Bednar has been one of the most steady relief pitchers in baseball for the past half decade. He returned to being a top-10 reliever in the sport in 2025, and the 30-year-old will head into the 2026 season with a firm grasp on the Yankees’ closer role.

6. Mason Miller, San Diego Padres (Preseason: No. 2)

2025 Stats: 60 G, 61.2 IP, 2.63 ERA, 2.23 FIP, 0.91 WHIP, 15.18 K/9, 4.09 BB/9

Miller continued his ascension as one of the game’s top closers in 2025, checking in at No. 6 on this list after another solid year on the mound.

Miller’s strikeout material remains unmatched by any in the sport. He was the runaway leader in baseball with a K/9 of 15.18, which was over one and a half strikeouts higher than the next closest arm.

Likewise, his strikeout rate of 44.4% was the highest by over six percent. His K-BB% of 32.5% was the best in baseball, and opponents hit a measly .137 against him, which was the second-best mark in MLB.

Miller’s ERA of 2.63 was respectable, but he also ended with the sixth-best FIP (2.23) and the second-best SIERA (2.12) thanks to his ability to rack up punchouts.

Sitting over 101 mph on his fastball, Miller’s stuff is box office, and there’s a reason why he was traded for one of the top prospects in the game at this year’s trade deadline. His talent is second to none, and he should be set up for even more success in his first full season in San Diego heading into 2026.

5. Cade Smith, Cleveland Guardians (Preseason: No. 6)

2025 Stats: 76 G, 73.2 IP, 2.93 ERA, 1.95 FIP, 1.00 WHIP, 12.71 K/9, 2.32 BB/9

After his full-fledged breakout last season, Smith cracks the top five on this list after another terrific year on the bump.

His ERA might not fly off the page as anything outstanding, but no reliever in MLB had a higher fWAR than Smith this season (2.7). His peripherals were impressive, as his FIP was nearly a whole run better than his ERA at 1.95, which was the second-best in baseball. He also ranked sixth with a SIERA of 2.32.

He racked up the third-most strikeouts among relievers (104), and he ended the year within the top 10 in K/9 (12.71), strikeout percentage (34.7%), and K-BB% (28.3%).

Whatever role Smith was forced into, he thrived. He came into the year as arguably the top setup man in all of MLB, and he experienced a seamless transition into the closer role following Emmanuel Clase’s administrative leave.

The 26-year-old racked up 19 holds and 16 saves on the year, and just two years into his MLB career, he has already established himself as a top reliever in the game.

4. Andrés Muñoz, Seattle Mariners (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 64 G, 62.1 IP, 1.73 ERA, 2.43 FIP, 1.03 WHIP, 11.98 K/9, 4.04 BB/9

Muñoz has long been one of the more underrated relievers in the sport, and he really put himself on the radar as one of the top closers in all of baseball in 2025.

Checking in at No. 4 on this list, Muñoz ended the season with the fourth-lowest ERA in MLB this season at a 1.73.

He was essentially untouchable through the first month-plus of the MLB season, as Muñoz didn’t surrender a single earned run across his first 24 appearances of the season. He carried a 0.00 ERA nearly into the month of June, a testament to just how outstanding he was out of the gate this season.

Muñoz generated a whiff 36.5% of the time (98th percentile), which led to him punching out nearly 12 hitters per nine and a strikeout rate of 32.7% that was in the 96th percentile. On top of his immense swing-and-miss material, opponents hit just .163 against him this season, and he generated ground balls at a 51.4% clip.

Ending the year third in MLB in saves (38), it was truly a career year for the 26-year-old.

3. Jhoan Duran, Philadelphia Phillies (Preseason: No. 8)

2025 Stats: 72 G, 70.0 IP, 2.06 ERA, 2.35 FIP, 1.10 WHIP, 10.29 K/9, 2.44 BB/9

Duran has been one of the nastiest closers in MLB for a few years now. Featuring one of the most diabolical splitters in the game that is paired with a four-seam that sits triple digits, his pure stuff may be some of the best on this entire list.

Duran was traded from the Minnesota Twins to the Philadelphia Phillies at this year’s trade deadline, and he thrived with his new ball club.

After racking up 16 saves in his 49 appearances with Minnesota this season, Duran notched an incredible 16 saves in just 23 appearances after joining the Phillies. That was tied for the most in baseball post-trade deadline.

Among all pitchers in MLB, Duran had the second-highest ground-ball rate at 65.4%. His aforementioned splitter, which has an average launch angle against of -11 degrees, makes it extraordinarily difficult for opposing hitters to make solid contact against him.

Pair that ground-ball prowess with his swing-and-miss stuff, and he’s one of the more well-rounded relievers the game has to offer. He was a consensus top-five reliever for Just Baseball.

2. Edwin Díaz, New York Mets (Preseason: No. 14)

2025 Stats: 62 G, 66.1 IP, 1.63 ERA, 2.28 FIP, 0.87 WHIP, 13.30 K/9, 2.85 BB/9

After a slight step back in 2024, Díaz returned to being one of the best closers in all of MLB this season. Each member of the Just Baseball voting panel had Díaz as the No. 2 reliever in MLB for 2025, and it’s easy to see why.

Díaz ended the season with the second-lowest ERA among relievers to go with the second-highest punchout rate in the game (38.0%). He was lights out to close out games, going an impressive 28-for-31 in save opportunities.

His whiff rate of 41.5% was the fourth-highest mark in all of MLB, and even when hitters made contact with his pitches it was often hit weakly and on the ground.

Díaz posted the highest ground-ball rate of his career at 48.1%, and both his xBA and xwOBA, which takes into account quality of contact against, were some of the best in the sport.

This season was a reminder that, when Díaz is healthy and feeling right on the mound, he’s one of the more untouchable arms the game has to offer. It was good to see him recapture his old form in 2025 and return to being a top closer in baseball.

1. Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 67 G, 61.1 IP, 1.17 ERA, 1.73 FIP, 0.70 WHIP, 12.47 K/9, 2.20 BB/9

The consensus No. 1 reliever in all of baseball this season was 37-year-old Aroldis Chapman. He earned a clean sweep from the Just Baseball panelists for the top spot, and rightfully so.

Chapman turned back the clock in 2025, putting up one of the best seasons of his 16-year career. Across 67 appearances, Chapman threw to a jaw-dropping 1.17 ERA, which easily led MLB and was the lowest mark of his career. Not only that, but he also finished with the lowest FIP and SIERA in the game.

Chapman walked a career-low 6.6% of batters this season. He led MLB in opponent batting average at a measly .131, and he had a dazzling WHIP of just 0.70, both of which were the best marks of his career.

Chapman went through a stretch of 17 appearances between July 26 and September 7 where he did not allow a single hit. Not only did he live within the strike zone like he never has before, but opponents could hardly do anything with his pitches despite seeing more strikes from him.

Chapman ended the year with an opponent wOBA of just .177 to go with an xWOBA of .233. Those ranked first and second among all MLB arms, respectively.

Simply put, it was a near flawless season for the veteran southpaw, and there is no one more deserving of the top spot in these rankings than Chapman.