2019 MLB Season: Six Relievers to Believe in
By TC Zencka
Not all relievers can get the saves, the titles, the fame. In the 2019 MLB season, these six relievers don’t get those – they get outs.
I can forgive you for not knowing Nick Anderson when he was pitching the 7th and 8th innings for a Miami Marlins team stuck in the mud. The Twins plucked him from the Independent League and stuck him in A-ball as a 25-year-old back in 2015. The Marlins snagged him prior to the 2019 MLB season in a one-for-one swap of minor leaguers.
The Marlins did well to net Jesus Sanchez, a top-50 prospect for Anderson and Trevor Richards. With most top prospects held behind lock and key, the move definitely prompted some rubbernecking within the industry, but this was no wreck.
Turning a minor-league non-prospect into a Top-50 guy in less than nine months is borderline magical. To fully understand how well the Rays did on their end of this deal, read Ben Clemens’ piece on Fangraphs. This deal was an easy win for both organizations.
Richards started twenty games for the Fish, but they bumped him to the pen just before the deadline. The overall line’s not great (3-12, 4.50 ERA/4.74 FIP), but the 26-year-old showed well in three scoreless relief outings. Since moving down the street to Tampa, Richards has moved back into the rotation….for the Durham Bulls.
The prize of the deal was definitely Anderson, who has been nothing short of brilliant since joining the Rays. Combined, he has a chance for a 2.0+ fWAR 2019 MLB season, which qualifies as pretty freakin’ good for a reliever who doesn’t even pitch the ninth inning.
His 15.04 K/9 should make your eyes bulge visibly from your face – it’s the third-highest number in the majors. Add to that just 2.9 BB/9 and Anderson is firmly in the Josh Hader range. There aren’t many relievers who boast Anderson’s numbers, and now he is employed by the Rays. They treat relievers right in Tampa.
The trade was a perfect one, and Anderson has more than played the part the Rays expected of him. He is as much of a lock to pitch in the wild card game as anyone on the Rays roster, and he comes with two more seasons of control before he even hits arbitration.
The Marlins ended up with a better prospect for Anderson than the Mets got for Marcus Stroman. Sanchez might be the best prospect that changed teams at the deadline. And it wasn’t an overpay. The Rays are hiding their elation, but the book is out on Anderson. It’s not long, but it’s damn good.
I know you’ve been burned before, but there are other relievers out there like Anderson. They’re not collecting saves, and they haven’t been designated Fireman, but they’re good, and you can trust them. Open your heart and learn to love again. Start with Anderson, then move on to these next 5 relievers.