The All-Star break has arrived, and the relief-pitcher picture is starting to come into focus. A handful of arms have separated themselves from the pack, and the top end of the bullpen market is loaded with closers who have already changed games all season long.
At the top of the list sits Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres. He has been the most electric relief pitcher in MLB and has been the best reliever since the first week of the season. If San Diego ends up as a seller at the trade deadline, Miller would command a king’s ransom.
Right behind him is Josh Hader of the Houston Astros, who has been fantastic since making his long-awaited season debut. He has been perfect in save chances and will be vital to the team’s success after the All-Star Game.
Louis Varland has also been a major force for the Toronto Blue Jays. He keeps locking down games and is putting together a fantastic season. If Toronto becomes a seller, Varland would be a hot trade commodity.
Jacob Latz has taken over the closer role in Texas and run with it. The Rangers right-hander has been sensational, and a strong second half could put him in the top five in saves by season’s end.
Cade Smith has been just as sharp for the Cleveland Guardians. He currently leads MLB in saves and has brought plenty of electricity to the closer role.
Jhoan Duran has thrived with the Philadelphia Phillies, where the team is winning and he has been nearly perfect in save opportunities. By the end of the year, he could wind up leading the league in saves.
Bryan Baker’s 2026 season has been strong enough to earn him an All-Star selection with the Tampa Bay Rays. He is close to the top of the saves leaderboard and has been exceptional all year.
Tanner Scott has made the most of limited save chances with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Even with an offense that doesn’t always create many closing opportunities, he has been one of the best closers in MLB.
Trevor Megill has been one of the bright spots for the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. He is on track for another 30-plus save season, and his career keeps aging like fine wine.
Rounding out the top 10 is Aroldis Chapman of the Boston Red Sox. The veteran has had a few hiccups, but he remains as good as any Major League closer and should be closing games for a contending team by the trade deadline.
In Other News...
Blue Jays May Have Just Caught A Huge Deadline Break
Milwaukees decision to land Lance McCullers Jr. and Colton Gordon from Houston for prospect Jadyn Fielder added another wrinkle to an already fluid deadline market, and its the kind of move that can ripple well beyond the two teams involved. McCullers has battled inconsistency and injuries this season, but his postseason track record still carries weight, which is exactly why a deal like this can reset how front offices think about pitching depth and what they are willing to pay for it.
For Toronto, the bigger question is whether a sellers market is starting to tilt in its favor if the club decides to move pieces before the deadline. A trade built around a pitcher with McCullers name value, despite the uneven year, can only help the Blue Jays case if they choose to listen on veterans, because it suggests clubs are still willing to chase proven upside even when the current numbers are messy. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Finally Get A Crucial Injury Picture Before Second Half
The Blue Jays head into the second half still buried in the American League East, but the injury picture around the club is starting to come into focus in a way that could matter just as much for the stretch run. Toronto has spent much of the first half juggling absences from Yimi Garca, Max Scherzer, Joe Mantiply, Addison Barger, Jess Snchez, Lenyn Sosa and Anthony Santander, while the organization has also already had to absorb season-ending surgeries for Cody Ponce, Bowden Francis and Jos Berros.
For a team still hanging around the wild-card race, the difference between surviving and fading may come down to which of those names can actually rejoin the mix in time to help. Garca is moving back toward a bullpen role, Barger and Snchez are working through their own paths back, and Santanders shoulder situation remains one of the more important questions on the roster as Toronto tries to piece together enough healthy innings and at-bats to stay relevant into August. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Just Got Surprising Draft Praise Despite Their Disadvantage
For a team working with limited draft capital in 2026, the Blue Jays still managed to come out of the MLB draft with some real intrigue. Keith Law singled out Toronto for landing two top-50 prospects in Cole Carlon and Will Brick, a notable haul for a club that did not have the kind of draft flexibility many rivals enjoyed. The added context matters here: Toronto was able to turn a constrained board into a class that drew praise from one of the sports more respected evaluators.
Carlon, the Arizona State left-hander, was viewed as a potential mid-rotation starter thanks to two bat-missing pitches and some room to keep growing through his changeup. Brick, a high school catcher, gives the Blue Jays another high-upside name to track as the organization continues to build depth behind the plate and on the mound. Toronto also added several undrafted free agent pitchers after the draft, which suggests the front office kept working to squeeze value out of the process even after the headline picks were in. [Read more 🡒]