Who has the best bullpen in all of MLB? All 30 ranked

Despite some struggles finalizing their closer, the Giants have the lowest bullpen ERA in baseball by a wide margin as of June 7 (2.38). Camilo Doval reemerged as the closer after Ryan Walker's struggles, and the flamethrower has been dominant again. Remarkably, he's one of four relievers with a sub-2.00 ERA, along with Randy Rodriguez, Tyler Rogers, and Erik Miller. Spencer Bivens has also pitched well in middle relief (3.10 ERA in 29 innings).

The Mets have invested significant resources in their bullpen, led by closer Edwin Diaz, and the results reflect it. Diaz is off to a strong start (2.49 ERA, 13.9 K/9), while Huascar Brazoban, Ryan Stanek, Jose Butto, and Reed Garrett have done an excellent job setting him up. Despite losing free agent acquisition A.J. Minter to injury, the Mets have managed with Max Kranick also becoming a key piece.

Robert Suarez has picked up where he left off last season, with a league-leading 19 saves and 1.98 ERA through June 6. Last year's addition of Jason Adam continues to pay off, with a 1.45 ERA in the setup role, while Jeremiah Estrada and Adrian Morejon have also shown plus arms with sub-3.00 ERAs. Lefties Wandy Peralta and Yuki Matui have also performed well in key situations despite shaky control.

The quartet of Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland, and Cole Sands has no trouble lighting up the radar gun or getting outs. Duran is a proven closer and has started the season with a sub-1.00 ERA in 29 appearances, while Jax's gaudy 7.67 K/BB ratio in 27 innings shows better days ahead for him. Justin Topa and Danny Coulombe have also been highly effective, and the peripherals for several of the team's relievers show likely improvement the rest of the way.

Closer Pete Fairbanks is bouncing back from a down year, keeping the ball down to help him post a 1.88 ERA in 25 appearances. While Edwin Uceta hasn't been able to repeat last season, Manuel Rodriguez and Garrett Cleavinger have made up for it with their effectiveness. The team also has a big upside with hard-throwing Mason Montgomery, though he has had trouble keeping the ball in the park.

Not many teams have more bullpen talent than the Mariners, led by closer Andres Munoz, Carlos Vargas, and Matt Brash. Gabe Speier has also been terrific, with a 2.22 ERA and 7.40 K/BB ratio in 27 appearances. The unexpected lack of stability in the starting rotation has tested Seattle's long relief contributors, inflating the cumulative bullpen ERA to 14th in MLB.

For the second straight season, the Tigers haven't settled on a solo closer, yet they have some good options. Will Vest and Tommy Kahnle have been effective sharing the role, both with sub-2.00 ERAs, while Brant Hurter and Chase Lee have been nearly as effective in middle relief. Brenan Hanifee, Tyler Holton, and Beau Brieske have plus arms, and continue to get outs despite pitching to contact.

Spending big money on Jeff Hoffman and Yimi Garcia in the offseason hasn't gone to plan yet, but Toronto's pen has performed well due to its depth. Brendon Little and Yariel Rodriguez, in particular, have been difference makers, while veteran Chad Green continues to keep his ERA below 4.00 despite long ball issues. Mason Fluharty has also been a strong find, with excellent command and a 3.20 ERA in 26 appearances.

Investing in the bullpen has paid dividends for the Royals, as Carlos Estevez continues to be an effective closer and Lucas Erceg has been a top setup man with elite control since he was acquired last season. Lefty Daniel Lynch has also emerged as a key piece, and Steven Cruz is developing nicely. Veteran sidewinder John Schreiber also continues to get outs.

Not all of the money Houston has spent on their bullpen has returned a profit, but Josh Hader is backing up his big contract. The closer continues his dominance, with a 1.38 ERA and 13.5 K/BB in 24 appearances. Bryan Abreu also gives the team an elite setup man, and Steven Okert's nearly perfect control has helped keep his ERA below 2.00. The team's depth is also strong, including Bennett Sousa and Shawn Dubin getting outs in the lower tier of the pen.

There was some nervousness on the backend of Boston's rotation entering the year after the team replaced Kenley Jansen with Aroldis Chapman, but the veteran lefty has been everything the team could have hoped and more. While not overpowering, Greg Weissert and Brennan Bernadino have been strong middle relief options, and Justin Slaten was effective before going on the IL. Garrett Whitlock still shows a plus arm when healthy, and Liam Hendriks has started to right the ship after early-season injury and ineffectiveness.

In spite of some early struggles, there isn't a more reliable closer in baseball than Emmanuel Clase. He got on track in May, looking like his old self. Developing in-house arms has been key for the Guardians, with Cade Smith, Hunter Gattis, and Tim Herrin continuing to pitch well behind Clase. Joey Cantillo has also found a home in the bullpen after some starting opportunities last season, while veteran swingman Jakob Junis has been a valuable addition.

The Yankees had high expectations for former All-Star closer Devin Williams, but a terrible first month set him back. He's started to get right just in time, as fill-in closer Luke Weaver went down due to injury. Tim Hill, Mark Leiter Jr., and Fernando Cruz each bring unique looks that have been effective, and the return of Jonathan Loaisiga from injury has been a boost.

The Braves are having another disappointing year in 2025, and closer Raisel Iglesias is at the center of the downfall with a 6.75 ERA in 25 appearances. The remainder of the bullpen has been excellent to make up for his struggles, as Dylan Lee, Enyel De Los Santos, Daysbel Hernandez, Pierce Johnson, and Aaron Bummer have each sported ERAs near 3.00 or better. Unfortunately, Iglesias' inability to keep the ball down has doomed the team far too often.

Manager Craig Counsell grew a reputation for managing bullpen pieces in Milwaukee, and his expertise has been on display this season with the Cubs. Veteran Ryan Pressly struggled in the closer role and Porter Hodge is on the mend, but Danny Palencia has emerged as a reliable closing option. The team has also found huge surprises with veterans Brad Keller, Caleb Thielbar, and Drew Pomeranz. Chicago could do well to add depth via trade, but they've made the most of their roster thus far.

It was head-scratching to see the Rangers' veteran roster enter the season without a proven closer, and the team has yet to settle on an arm. Luke Jackson, Robert Garcia, and Chris Martin have had trials, though we can't help but assume the Rangers will add another high-leverage arm if they remain in the playoff race. Veteran lefty Hoby Milner has been a key addition, and Shawn Armstrong has also been a strong middle relief contributor.

The Dodgers entered the year expected to be elite in every area, but the bullpen has been far from it so far. Big free agent addition Tanner Scott had a 4.40 ERA through 30 appearances in spite of greatly improved control. Kirby Yates, Blake Treinen, and Michael Kopech have missed time to injuries, and the team lost key cog Evan Phillips for the season. Anthony Banda and Luis Garcia have also struggled with their control. The Dodgers are thankful for the emergence for Ben Casparius, who had a 2.54 ERA and 6.29 K/BB ratio over his first 39 innings.

The Brewers have made do without Devin Williams, with Trevor Megill filling in nicely as the closer. Abner Uribe, Grant Anderson, and Nicks Mears have also shown dominance with big velocity. Struggles in long relief have inflated the pen's cumulative ERA, particularly with Tyler Alexander and Joel Payamps having trouble getting outs.

The Cardinals' pen has been very good despite few moves in the offseason, with the notable exception of Phil Maton. He's helped set up closer Ryan Helsley, while Kyle Leahy is also having a breakout season. Lefties JoJo Romero and John King have been good while failing to miss many bats, and veteran starter Steven Matz has shown value as a swingman.

The return of Felix Bautista from injury made the O's pen look great on paper, but the unit hasn't performed to their standards. Bautista's control has been erratic, while former high-leverage relievers Seranthony Dominguez, Yennier Cano, and Gregory Soto are off to rough starts. Baltimore has received excellent contributions from Bryan Baker and Keegan Akin, and the return of Andrew Kittredge from a knee injury gives them another late-inning option.

The Reds have tried to make the most of a makeshift bullpen, with former closer Alexis Diaz getting demoted to Triple-A and then traded. Emilio Pagan has been a viable alternative even with his continued home run woes, while Tony Santillan, Scott Barlow, Taylor Rogers, and Graham Ashcraft have also been effective with sub-4.00 ERAs and varying looks. Bringing back the rubber-armed Brent Suter has also helped in long relief.

The bullpen has been a problem for the Phils once again, with Jordan Romano struggling in high-leverage situations and dominant lefty Jose Alvarado now suspended for PEDs. The team has been able to lean on Matt Strahm, Tanner Banks, Orion Kerkering, and Joe Ross for innings, but the bullpen depth has been lacking otherwise. It's an area the team will need to address if they wish to advance in October.

For all the ailments of the Rockies' roster, the bullpen has been a strength. Jake Bird has been the best reliever overall, with a 1.53 ERA in 26 appearances with a K/9 near 11.0. Zach Agnos has done well in high-leverage situations pitching to contact, and hard-throwing Seth Halvorsen has also picked up where he left off late last season. Jimmy Herget has also been a reliable middle reliever. A lack of depth and the difficulty pitching at Coors Field has also produced some inflated ERAs, like those of Tyler Kinley, Angel Chivilli, and Scott Alexander.

The Pirates haven't had many leads to hold, and their lack of spending in the bullpen has bit them. Closer David Bednar has emerged after a poor start, and Dennis Santana (2.19 ERA) has been outstanding in high-leverage innings. Caleb Ferguson and Chase Shugart have also pitched well, though their command has left much to be desired. Before getting injured, former Rockies closer Justin Lawrence was also a bright spot.

Arizona avoided the temptation to add a proven closer in the offseason, and that inaction has backfired after Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk went down with arm injuries. Veteran Shelby Miller has been a great find while filling in, while late signing Jalen Beeks has also been effective. Ryan Thompson's ERA is inflated above 5.00 due to his home run issues, while veterans Kevin Ginkel and Joe Mantiply have disappointed.

The White Sox bullpen is lacking big names or a set closer, and control has been a big issue for multiple relievers. Even their most effective relievers early, Mike Vasil and Steven Wilson, have struggled with walks. Brandon Eisert has been the most impressive even with an ERA above 5.00, with a 5.67 K/BB ratio in 27.1 innings. Jordan Leasure and Cam Booser also bring big velocity, but have struggled early in the season.

Miami has yet to find a reliever they can rely on late in games, though Ronny Henriquez is developing into that arm with a K/9 better than 12.0. Calvin Faucher and Jesus Tinoco are more experienced late in games, though they've struggled. Anthony Bender is showing flashes with a sub-2.00 ERA, but his command has been mediocre. Tyler Phillips has been a workhorse while pitching to contact.

The addition of proven closer Kenley Jansen is one of the few positives for what has been a rough first two months in Anaheim. A season-ending injury to hard-throwing Ben Joyce was a brutal blow, as the team hasn't been able to find reliable innings from the likes of Reid Detmers, Brock Burke, Ryan Johnson, or Ryan Zeferjahn. The return of Robert Stephenson brought some optimism before he suffered another arm injury.

Nothing has gone right for the A's bullpen, not even talented closer Mason Miller. Miller has started the year with an ERA above 5.00 in 21 appearances, though his peripherals show a better future ahead. Justin Sterner, Tyler Ferguson, and Grant Holman have sported ERAs near 4.00 but struggled with control, and supposed setup man Jose Leclerc has been absent due to injury.

Kyle Finnegan has been his old reliable self as the closer for Washington, but holding leads until the ninth inning has been an issue. The team had four different relievers with 20-plus appearances ERAs above 5.00. The in-season addition of Andrew Chafin did give the team someone to rely on in the setup role, but there doesn't look to be much relief coming for the Nats late in games.