If you’re still looking at a baseball roster and expecting to see a neat, tidy list of roles—starter, middle man, setup, closer—honestly, you’re living in 2015. The modern game has basically nuked that concept. Checking MLB bullpen depth charts in 2026 feels more like reading a weather map than a static document. It’s fluid. It’s chaotic. And if you’re trying to gain an edge in fantasy or betting, understanding the "why" behind the chaos is way more important than just knowing who the closer is.
Actually, "closer" is barely the right word for half the league anymore. Teams like the Rays and even the World Series-winning Dodgers have turned the ninth inning into a match-up game.
The Myth of the Fixed Hierarchy
We love order. We want to know that if the game is close in the 7th, Pitcher A comes in. If it's the 8th, it's Pitcher B. But managers like Dave Roberts or Kevin Cash don't care about your comfort. They care about leverage.
Leverage is basically a fancy way of saying "how much does this specific moment matter?" Sometimes the 7th inning is the most dangerous part of the game because the heart of the order is up. That’s when you see the "closer" nowadays. You’ve probably noticed guys like Mason Miller—who is now absolutely shoving for the San Diego Padres—coming in to face the 2-3-4 hitters in the 8th because that’s where the game is won or lost.
If you're looking at MLB bullpen depth charts and seeing a single name at the top, you're only getting half the story. Most charts are just a best guess.
Take the Sacramento Athletics right now. Since they traded Miller to San Diego, their "closer" situation is a total committee. You’ve got Justin Sterner, Elvis Alvarado, and even Mark Leiter all sniffing around save opportunities. One day it’s a lefty match-up, the next it’s whoever has the freshest arm. It’s a headache for fans, but it’s efficient baseball.
Why Teams are Moving Away from "The Guy"
- Injury Risk: High-leverage arms are fragile. Ask the Orioles. They lost Felix Bautista to another major arm injury for the 2026 season. Putting all your "save" eggs in one basket is a recipe for a collapsed season.
- The Three-Batter Minimum: This rule changed everything a few years back. You can’t just bring in a lefty to face one guy. Relievers have to be versatile.
- Analytics: Front offices have realized that a lead is just as likely to be blown in the 6th as it is in the 9th.
Reading Between the Lines of MLB Bullpen Depth Charts
When you're scanning a site like RotoWire or Fangraphs for depth charts, don't just look for the bolded names. Look for the "Next in Line."
In Philly, Jhoan Duran is the undisputed king of the hill. The trade from Minnesota was a godsend for his value because the Phillies actually use him like a traditional hammer. But behind him? That’s where it gets interesting. Brad Keller and Jose Alvarado aren't just backups; they are high-leverage weapons that the Phillies use to bridge the gap.
Then you have the New York Yankees. They went out and got David Bednar from Pittsburgh, and he’s been electric. But even with a guy that good, Aaron Boone is quick to pivot. If Bednar has thrown 25 pitches on a Tuesday, he’s not touching the mound on Wednesday. That’s when the depth chart shifts. You see Camilo Doval or Fernando Cruz suddenly in the spotlight.
It’s all about the "Save Share."
In 2025, Raisel Iglesias had one of the highest save shares in the league for Atlanta—about 85%. That’s rare. Most teams are lucky to have one guy take 60% of the opportunities. If you see a depth chart where the save share is split, that’s a "committee," and it’s usually a sign of a manager playing the analytics game.
The Relievers Who Actually Matter in 2026
If you want to sound like an expert, stop talking about saves and start talking about K-BB% (Strikeout minus Walk percentage). That’s the pulse of a bullpen.
The Elite Tier
Right now, Edwin Diaz (now in Dodger Blue) and Mason Miller are in a different stratosphere. Miller’s move to San Diego has been fascinating. There was talk about him moving to the rotation, but the Padres realized his 103-mph heater is a literal cheat code in the 9th. His strikeout rate is hovering around 54%—that’s not even a video game number; it’s broken.
The "Matchup" Specialists
Keep an eye on the Tampa Bay Rays. They don't have a closer; they have a "situation room." Griffin Jax, Pete Fairbanks (who actually moved to Miami recently), and Edwin Uceta are all used based on the batter’s swing plane and exit velocity data. It makes their depth chart look like a chaotic mess, but they consistently have one of the lowest bullpen ERAs in the league.
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The Bounce-Back Candidates
Devin Williams had a rough 2025 with an ERA over 4.00, but his underlying metrics—like xFIP—suggest he was just unlucky. Now closing for the Mets, he’s a prime example of why you shouldn't give up on a "fallen" closer too early.
How to Use This Data for an Edge
Stop betting on "Closers." Start betting on "Bullpen Strength."
If a team has a shallow depth chart, their starter is under massive pressure to go 7 innings. If that starter gets chased in the 4th, the game is over. Conversely, a team like the Mariners, with Andrés Muñoz and Matt Brash, can survive a short start because their depth chart is four or five layers deep with elite talent.
- Check the "Recent Usage" tables: If the top two guys on the depth chart have pitched two days in a row, they are likely "down" for the third day.
- Look for high-velocity "Sleepers": Guys like Jordan Leasure in Chicago or Cade Smith in Cleveland were nobodies on the depth chart a year ago. Now they are anchors.
- Factor in the Ballpark: Muñoz is great, but playing in T-Mobile Park (the most pitcher-friendly environment in the league) makes him look like a God.
The reality of MLB bullpen depth charts is that they are a snapshot of a moment. By the time you finish reading this, a trade, a "twinge" in an elbow, or a blown save could rearrange the whole thing.
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To stay ahead, you need to monitor the "Next in Line" rankings daily. Look for relievers with a K-BB% above 20% who are currently sitting in middle-relief roles; those are the guys who will be closing games by July. Focus on teams with "unstable" hierarchies like the Athletics or the Rockies, where a single good week can vault a middle-reliever into the closer role. Finally, always cross-reference depth charts with recent pitch counts to identify which high-leverage arms are actually available for tonight's game.