2020 Rankings: Updated Top 15 Relief Pitchers: Questions Arise For Many Of The Top 15 (Chapman Drops & More)

With the 2020 season seemingly set to get underway we need to revisit our rankings, as things have dramatically changed since March.  The addition of the DH in the National League, players opting out and others getting diagnosed with COVID-19 (and the unknown about their status) are just some of the obstacles fantasy owners are facing.  Let’s take a look at how things currently look, but keep in mind that things can change quickly:

1. Josh Hader – Milwaukee Brewers
2. Kirby Yates – San Diego Padres
3. Roberto Osuna – Houston Astros
4. Edwin Diaz – New York Mets
5. Brad Hand – Cleveland Indians
6. Liam Hendriks – Oakland A’s
7. Taylor Rogers – Minnesota Twins
8. Kenley Jansen – Los Angeles Dodgers
9. Raisel Iglesias – Cincinnati Reds
10. Sean Doolittle – Washington Nationals
11. Joe Jimenez – Detroit Tigers
12. Ken Giles – Toronto Blue Jays
13. Keone Kela – Pittsburgh Pirates
14. Alex Colome – Chicago White Sox
15. Ian Kennedy – Kansas City Royals

Notes:

• The most glaring name missing from this list is Aroldis Chapman, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 and reports are that he’s been showing symptoms.  He’s going to miss the start of the season and it’s unknown how long it will take for him to return.  Zack Britton is going to step into the closers role while Chapman is sidelined and he could be a good short-term option (and one we’ll take a closer look at shortly).
• There’s been some speculation that Sean Doolittle could opt out of the 2020 season, though for now he’s on record as saying “I think I’m planning on playing, but if at any point I feel unsafe … then I’ll opt out. But for now, I’m prepared to play.”  That quote came courtesy of Mark Zuckerman, via Twitter, and we’ll have to wait and see if things change.
• Josh Hader remains on top of these rankings, but the gap between him and the rest of the field isn’t as great in the shortened season due to the way he’s utilized.  We looked at how his value could be capped this season, so check it out by clicking here.
• Will Keone Kela be ready for the start of the season?  According to Stephen Nesbitt (via Twitter), “Keone Kela has not worked out on the field with the Pirates yet. Derek Shelton did not provide an explanation.”  For now he hasn’t been downgraded, but if this continues we’ll have to start moving him down (Hansel Robles is currently #16 on the rankings, so he’d be the man to likely jump in).

Sources – Fangraphs, MLB.com

Make sure to check out all of our Updated 2020 preseason rankings: