The role of the bullpen is evolving. Some managers are using their relievers to actually start now, calling them openers. Some managers are not saving their most dominating reliever for the ninth inning, when the game might not be on the line, instead bringing them into the game when it’s win or lose time. Cleveland’s Andrew Miller from 2016 and 2017 comes to mind. As does Milwaukee’s Josh Hader from last year. And some managers are still beholden to the save stat and saving their best guy for the last inning, bringing him in for a cheap three-out save with a three-run lead, which is about as much a dead lock as the extra-point in football.

A Ranger made this list of top ten relievers. Jose Leclerc was such an out of nowhere surprise last season that Topps didn’t even make a baseball card of him. But Leclerc was pretty much lights out in 2018, with his killer changeup.

He was totally dominating. A 1.56 ERA. A minuscule WHIP of 0.850. Eighty-five strikeouts in 57.2 innings. He will most likely be the Rangers lone All-Star representative come July. And just might be their number one trade target at the end of July.  What does a team need a closer for if they are only going to win 65 games?

Here, along with Leclerc are the top ten relievers in baseball.