MLB: Top 5 relievers in the AL and NL Championship Series

Kenley Jansen

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen has been a stud reliever since his MLB debut in 2010. However, he took his game to a new level in 2017. His 1.32 ERA and 1.31 FIP are both personal bests over a full season. He struck out 109 of the 258 batters he faced while walking only 7, leading to an unbelievable 15.57 K/BB ratio. In fact, in the past 25 years only Evan Scribner of the 2015 A’s had a better K/BB ratio among qualified relievers.

Jansen channels Mariano Rivera as well as any current pitcher. Rivera famously became a future Hall of Famer by throwing only one pitch: an unhittable cutter. Jansen has a devastating cutter of his own and he relies on it heavily, throwing it 88% of the time. The results would make even Mariano proud. His 3.5 fWAR was the highest among all relievers in 2017. It’s also the eighth best mark for a reliever in the last 25 years.