Bullpens are a luxury for rebuilding MLB teams, but for clubs at the top of the mountain, they can oftentimes affect their chances of making a serious run at a title.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that the top bullpens in MLB heading into the 2023 season reside on teams that should be chasing playoff spots, or perhaps an even greater goal. Let’s rank them.
Ranking the five best bullpens in MLB heading into the 2023 season
5. Philadelphia Phillies
Coming off a season in which they appeared in the World Series, the Phillies made upgrades to a bullpen that should be a team strength in 2023 after many years of futility in this area.
Seranthony Dominguez is the closer and he’s got filthy stuff. So do lefties Jose Alvarado and trade acquisition Gregory Soto. Philadelphia also acquired longtime closer Craig Kimbrel to supplement their setup relief corps.
The middle of their pen, consisting of names like Andrew Bellatti, Connor Brogdon, Matt Strahm, Nick Nelson and Yunior Marte should make manager Rob Thomson’s job easy after he pulls his starters out of the game.