The Setup Men Nobody's Talking About

Published April 27, 2026

Top 10 Non-Closer Relievers by Effectiveness Rating

Every bullpen conversation starts and ends with closers. Who's converting? Who's blowing saves? Who just got traded? But behind every reliable ninth inning is a group of relievers doing the heavy lifting in the sixth, seventh, and eighth without much fanfare.

This list highlights the ten non-closer relievers who have been the most effective through the first month of the 2026 season, ranked by InsidethePen's proprietary Effectiveness Rating. The rating evaluates pitchers across multiple dimensions of performance, not just ERA, giving a more complete picture of who's actually getting the job done. All pitchers on this list have logged at least ten innings this season and are not designated as their team's closer.

#1Adrian Morejon SD · LHP · Eff: 95.5

12 G · 13.2 IP · 5.93 ERA · 2.53 FIP · 1.46 WHIP · 24.6 K% · 4.9 BB% · .285 xwOBA · 4 HLD

The ERA looks ugly at 5.93, but Morejon's underlying numbers tell a completely different story. His 2.53 FIP and .285 xwOBA suggest a pitcher who has been far better than his run total indicates, and that gap between ERA and FIP is one of the largest on this list. He's walking very few hitters (4.9 BB%) and has racked up four holds while pitching high-leverage innings for San Diego.

#2Jeff Hoffman TOR · RHP · Eff: 94.5

13 G · 11.2 IP · 6.94 ERA · 3.38 FIP · 1.97 WHIP · 41.0 K% · 11.5 BB% · .282 xwOBA · 2 HLD · 3 SV

Hoffman was recently removed temporarily as Toronto's closer, which lands him squarely on this list. His 41.0% strikeout rate is the second-highest of the group, and his 3.38 FIP tells you his stuff is legitimately overpowering. The 6.94 ERA and 1.97 WHIP are inflated, and the walks (11.5 BB%) are an area to watch. But when it comes to missing bats, very few Blue Jays relievers in recent memory have done it this consistently.

#3Keaton Winn SF · RHP · Eff: 94.3

12 G · 10.2 IP · 2.53 ERA · 1.25 FIP · 0.56 WHIP · 34.2 K% · 5.3 BB% · .163 xwOBA · 5 HLD

A .111 batting average against, zero home runs allowed, and a 0.56 WHIP that borders on absurd. If there's a pitcher on this list who deserves more attention, it's Winn. The .163 xwOBA is the lowest on this list by a wide margin, confirming hitters simply cannot square him up. Five holds in twelve appearances tell you San Francisco trusts him in the biggest spots, and the 1.25 FIP is the best of the entire group.

#4Mason Montgomery PIT · LHP · Eff: 94.2

12 G · 11.1 IP · 3.97 ERA · 2.15 FIP · 1.50 WHIP · 41.2 K% · 11.8 BB% · .300 xwOBA · 4 HLD

Montgomery leads this list with a 41.2% strikeout rate, and the 2.15 FIP is outstanding. The walks (11.8 BB%) are something to monitor, but he's getting away with it because the strikeout stuff is so dominant. He also happens to throw 100+ mph from the left side, which puts him in rare company. Four holds in twelve appearances for Pittsburgh.

#5Louis Varland TOR · RHP · Eff: 94.1

14 G · 15.0 IP · 0.60 ERA · 0.85 FIP · 1.07 WHIP · 40.4 K% · 7.0 BB% · .200 xwOBA · 3 HLD · 3 SV

A 0.60 ERA and 0.85 FIP across fifteen innings is remarkable. Varland has not allowed a home run this season, his 40.4% strikeout rate is elite, and his walk rate (7.0 BB%) is manageable. The Blue Jays have been leaning on him heavily with fourteen appearances already, and he's delivered in almost all of them. Three holds and three saves show the versatility in how Toronto is deploying him.

#6Grant Taylor CWS · RHP · Eff: 93.9

11 G · 14.0 IP · 3.21 ERA · 0.98 FIP · 1.14 WHIP · 36.2 K% · 6.9 BB% · .236 xwOBA · 1 HLD

Taylor's 0.98 FIP is the lowest on this list, and he hasn't allowed a single home run through fourteen innings. Those are legitimately elite peripherals, and the White Sox are using him for more than just quick outs, regularly stretching him past an inning per appearance. He also appeared on our Top 25 Hardest Throwers list at 101.9 mph peak velocity. The stuff and the results are both there.

#7Rico Garcia BAL · RHP · Eff: 93.4

13 G · 13.0 IP · 0.69 ERA · 2.89 FIP · 0.38 WHIP · 31.8 K% · 9.1 BB% · .217 xwOBA · 4 HLD · 1 SV

A .025 batting average against. That is not a typo. Garcia has allowed just one hit in thirteen innings of work for Baltimore, which gives him the lowest WHIP (0.38) on this entire list by a significant margin. The 0.69 ERA matches the dominance. The FIP (2.89) is higher than the ERA, which suggests some regression may be coming, but the contact quality against him (.217 xwOBA) supports the idea that hitters genuinely cannot touch him right now.

#8Gregory Soto PIT · LHP · Eff: 92.0

14 G · 13.2 IP · 1.98 ERA · 2.68 FIP · 0.80 WHIP · 37.7 K% · 11.3 BB% · .216 xwOBA · 5 HLD · 1 SV

The second Pirate on this list (alongside Montgomery at #4), Soto has been outstanding in the setup role. A .109 batting average against and five holds tell the story: Pittsburgh trusts him in the biggest spots, and he's delivering. The 37.7% strikeout rate is strong, and his 0.80 WHIP keeps runners off base consistently. The walk rate (11.3 BB%) is the one area that could use tightening.

#9Dylan Lee ATL · LHP · Eff: 90.9

14 G · 13.0 IP · 1.38 ERA · 1.58 FIP · 0.62 WHIP · 27.7 K% · 4.3 BB% · .230 xwOBA · 4 HLD

Lee brings one of the best combinations of ERA (1.38) and FIP (1.58) you'll find anywhere, and the two numbers being close together means this isn't a mirage. A .136 batting average against, zero home runs allowed, and a walk rate of just 4.3% (the lowest on this entire list) make him one of the most quietly consistent arms in Atlanta's bullpen. Fourteen appearances and four holds in the first month, with almost no damage allowed.

#10Abner Uribe MIL · RHP · Eff: 90.0

13 G · 11.1 IP · 3.97 ERA · 2.77 FIP · 1.06 WHIP · 28.9 K% · 6.7 BB% · .293 xwOBA · 4 HLD · 2 SV

Uribe rounds out the list as Milwaukee's most trusted high-leverage arm. His 2.77 FIP is significantly better than his 3.97 ERA, and the 1.06 WHIP is strong. Four holds and two saves across thirteen appearances show the Brewers are deploying him in the biggest moments regardless of inning. He's taken a loss and a blown save, but the overall body of work has been very good.

Just Off the List

A few names that narrowly missed the top ten and are worth keeping an eye on:

• Robert Suarez (ATL, RHP) at 89.4 Eff. A 0.71 ERA and 1.54 FIP through 12.2 innings. Three saves and four holds for the Braves, who are getting elite work from both Suarez and Lee.
• Juan Morillo (AZ, RHP) at 89.3 Eff. Seven holds (most on this extended list) and a 1.98 ERA through 13.2 innings. The Diamondbacks' most trusted setup arm.
• Aaron Ashby (MIL, LHP) at 88.9 Eff. A 37.5% strikeout rate across 18.1 innings with a 2.45 ERA and 2.36 FIP. The walks (13.8 BB%) are high, but the swing-and-miss ability keeps him effective.

Note: Bryan Baker (TB, 95.0 Eff) would have ranked second on this list but was excluded as he has become Tampa Bay's de facto closer, converting six saves already this season.

-- InsidethePen Staff