Handcuff Rankings
Trevor Megill
Trevor Megill returned from the IL over last weekend to a bullpen with a lot of turbulence. Uribe appeared like he’d run away with the job but is clearly in lower leverage work right now. Payamps is currently the guy but his stuff has not shown much stability in the closer role. He’s started to settle in but I believe Megill clearly has the best stuff in this bullpen until Devin Williams returns.
Orion Kerkering
Orion Kerkering is the closer of the future for the Phillies and while the team is in win now mode right now, Kerkering may still be their best option for the job. Right now his competition is stiff with Jose Alvarado and Jeff Hoffman as other back of the bullpen arms but Kerkering seems like the guy they may end up having at the end of the game soon enough. Both Alvarado and Hoffman are great out getters earlier, especially Alvarado against harder lefties. In just 4.1 innings during his rehab stint Kerkering struck out 10 batters and only allowed 2 baserunners.
Hunter Harvey
Not to beat a dead horse but Hunter Harvey is better than Kyle Finnegan. He has been for a few years and probably always will be. Finnegan has been doing fine in the closer role so they may continue to prefer Harvey in a fireman role since his stuff is better anyways. If Finnegan does begin to falter Harvey could be a higher upside fill in at closer for mid to late in the season.
Mark Leiter
Now that Adbert Azolay has been demoted from the closer role Hector Neris will likely take over the role but there is some fluidity to the role. Mark Leiter may have slightly better stuff than Neris at this point but Neris is also flush with closing experience. If Neris struggles at all (which does happen occasionally since he is dependent on his splitter) then Leiter may jump in and take over the role for the contending Cubbies.
Matt Moore
I just don’t trust that Carlos Estevez will continue to pitch as well as he has to this point. He is not that talented and if last year is a tell, he will eventually start to struggle. Matt Moore is likely the next best arm in the bullpen now that Robert Stephenson is out for the season. The fact that Matt Moore is a lefty probably hurts his chances at taking the role but I think if Estevez does struggle, Moore is the best option hands down.
Fernando Cruz
One of the best relief pitchers in baseball this year is Fernando Cruz. He has absolutely elite strikeout stuff with 19 k’s in just 9.2 innings and being in the 100th percentile for whiff %. With an xBA of just .152 he has been limiting other players contact and if Alexis Diaz gets hurt or struggles Cruz could be a top 10 closing option for the Reds who have been proving to be a solid team.
