MLB free agency: The 3 best relievers still available
By Scott Henry
The free agent market for MLB relievers took a massive hit very early on when Edwin Díaz, Robert Suarez, and Rafael Montero all took large contracts with their current teams. Díaz’s contract broke a record in both AAV and total money for relievers. Suarez was pitching in Japan two years ago, and locked down $46 million after a stellar season. Lastly, the Houston Astros locked down Montero without even having an active GM.
The MLB reliever market was pretty thin after that, and got even thinner when Taylor Rogers, Kenley Jansen, and Seth Lugo (among others) also received contracts. Almost every team in the league could use more relievers, and they are going to have to go shopping in the discount section to find solutions.
That is not to say that you can’t find solid arms outside of the top available (it’s certainly doable and happens every year). The Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays are two notable teams who seem to pluck guys that nobody wants out of thin air and turn them into sub-2.00 ERA pitchers all the time.
All hope is certainly not lost for competing MLB teams to find impact arms.