Ranking 10 best relief pitchers in National League East for 2023

The National League East saw bullpens that improved as the 2022 season strung along, including the New York Mets. The bullpens will play a big role in how the standings will shake up for the 2023 season with every game mattering through a course of 162. With complete games from starting pitchers now coming at a premium, having a series of great relievers will be ever so relevant in this division, so here are the 10 best relievers for the 2023 season.

10. Collin McHugh, Atlanta Braves

The reliever that isn’t discussed much around baseball with the Braves as it should have is Collin McHugh, who was excellent last year with the Braves. The former Mets draft pick had a 2.60 ERA in 69.1 innings pitched and proved to be a great free agent pickup from the Tampa Bay Rays last year. He utilized both his cutter and his slider well to get opposing hitters into unfavorable counts last year and he put hitters away using his slider. He is the savvy veteran in the back end of the Atlanta bullpen going into this season.

9. Gregory Soto, Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies pulled off an excellent trade this offseason bringing in Soto to Philadelphia to lengthen the bullpen even further. Soto notched 30 saves last year with the Detroit Tigers with a 3.28 ERA and was named an All-Star each of the past two seasons. Soto has electrifying stuff, with an average fastball velocity of 98 mph, but he will need to work on his command with new pitching coach Caleb Cotham, as he averaged more than five walks per nine innings in each of his first four seasons in the majors. If his command and control improve, Soto will become front and center in Rob Thomson’s bullpen plans this season.

8. Brooks Raley, New York Mets

The Mets really needed an effective left-handed reliever this offseason after Joely Rodriguez didn’t work out as they had hoped last year. Enter Brooks Raley, who was terrific for the Tampa Bay Rays last year and was probably their second-best reliever. Raley had a 2.68 ERA last year, and had a strikeout-to-walk rate of 4.07. He cut down on the hard contact thanks to adjustments on his out pitch, the slider. He also brings a nasty changeup and sinker to Queens, and will be used in big spots against powerful lefty hitters.

7. Dylan Floro, Miami Marlins

Floro was Miami’s best reliever last year and figures to open the season as their closer after taking over that role in September, even after Miami acquired Matt Barnes from Boston this week. He started last season on the injured list with a shoulder issue, but he gradually worked his way back up the depth chart to be the closer. The 32-year-old righty has been effective since the Dodgers traded him to the Marlins two years ago, as he has a 2.91 ERA in 117.2 innings as a Marlin. He has executed his best pitch, his sinker, very well, as he has given up jus six home runs in that time span.

6. David Robertson, New York Mets

Robertson spent all of 2020 and most of 2021 recovering from Tommy John surgery before signing a prove-it deal with the Cubs last year and returned to vintage form between the Cubs and Phillies last year, going 4-3 with a 2.40 ERA in 58 games and 63.2 innings pitched between the two teams. The Mets rewarded him with a one-year, $10 million deal to be one of the team’s late-inning relievers. Robertson has been to the postseason eight times in his 14-year career, including a World Series trip with the Phillies last year.

5. Adam Ottavino, New York Mets

There were people that doubted Ottavino’s ability to return to vintage form last year, but those takes turned cold as he was reliable through much of the season for the Mets. He returns to Queens as one of their late inning relievers on a new deal that saw him earn a pay raise of over $3 million for this season. His slider was off the charts effective at age-36 and induces one of the lowest average exit velocities in baseball. Look for him to have another strong season in 2023.

4. Jose Alvarado, Philadelphia Phillies

There are no clearly defined roles for the Phillies’ relievers going into spring training, but among their core relievers, Alvarado has been the best in high-leverage situations, as Rob Thomson called upon him to get lots of big outs last year. As a lefty reliever, his numbers were better against righties (.188 average against) than lefties (.237). However, he is remembered for serving up the World Series winning home run to Yordan Alvarez last fall in what was a terrible managerial decision by Rob Thomson.