Blue Jays all-time best bullpen based on WAR

Bullpen construction and usage have changed over the years. While some teams now opt to close by committee, and others employ their best high-leverage reliever as a "fireman," teams with high-end talent at the back of their bullpen still use a traditional closer in tight games.

What hasn't changed is the need for a solidly built relief corps with a unit of dependable pitchers who thrive and succeed in high-leverage situations.

The Blue Jays have had a number of top closers and high-leverage relievers over the years, but who has been the best hurler to come out of the bullpen since the team's inception in 1977?

Wins Above Replacement (WAR) is the go-to formula for deciphering a player's overall value. Using FanGraphs' WAR data, we have put together the all-time best bullpen the Blue Jays franchise has ever assembled.

If you missed it, we also compiled the Blue Jays all-time best starting lineup and all-time best starting rotation based on WAR.

Honorable Mentions

Before we get into the list of top relievers in franchise history, let's give some honorable mentions to pitchers that made an impact while in Toronto but didn't crack the top eight.

Current closer Jordan Romano deserves an honorable mention. He recently secured his major league-leading 23rd save of the season and 84th of his career, which puts him sixth all-time among Blue Jays relievers.

He has accumulated a 3.9 fWAR in only 189 2/3 innings and is the only player in the top eleven in fWAR and top six in saves who has thrown fewer than 200 innings. Despite some early-season hand-wringing over his ability to close out games, the Markham product is undoubtedly one of the Jays' best and a top-tier MLB closer.

Also just missing the list with a 4.3 fWAR is Scott Downs, who pitched in Toronto for six seasons from 2005 to 2010. The lefty jumped into a starter's role partway through his first season with the Jays but found a home in the bullpen for the remainder of his tenure.

Downs wasn't a closer, only securing 16 saves in a Blue Jays uniform, while his 90 holds remain the team record. His value lay in his dependability and durability. He led the American League with 81 appearances in 2007, and of the top 25 Blue Jays relievers by fWAR, his 2.59 ERA over 323 1/3 innings ranks third.

A few of the other well-known names who just missed the cut include Brett Cecil (4.0 fWAR), Dan Plesac (3.7 fWAR), Aaron Loup (3.0 fWAR) and David Wells (3.0 fWAR). Plus, don't forget fireballers Billy Koch (100 saves, 3.0 fWAR) and B.J. Ryan (75 saves, 2.8 fWAR).

Next: The first name on the list ranks fifth all-time in saves for the Blue Jays

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Casey Janssen, 4.8 fWAR

Drafted by Toronto in 2004, Casey Janssen spent eight seasons pitching for the Blue Jays, accumulating a 4.8 fWAR over that time.

He began his career in the rotation, starting 17 games in 2006, but didn't find much success and finished the season with a 6-10 record and 5.07 ERA. He found his niche when the team transitioned him to a relief role.

The righty made 70 appearances in 2007, pitching to a 2.35 ERA and recording six saves in 72-2/3 innings. He was effective early in his career despite not having a big swing-and-miss arsenal. He finished his first season in the bullpen with a 4.83 K/9 and 13.1 percent strikeout rate. These days, you'd have a hard time finding a job in a major league bullpen with those numbers.

Janssen had success with weak ground balls. He ran a 50.8 percent ground ball rate and 27.2 percent hard-hit rate in the first three years of his career.

The fourth-round draft pick came into his own in the back half of his Jays tenure. From 2010 to 2014, he developed more strikeout ability to the tune of 8.20 K/9. He took over the closer's role in his last three seasons with the team, recording 83 saves.

His 94.4 percent save percentage (34 saves in 36 chances) in 2013 ranks as the fourth-highest single-season save percentage in club history. He even has the second-most consecutive save opportunities converted, with 24 straight across 2013 and 2014.

Janssen finished his Blue Jays career with 90 saves, fifth all-time, and a 2.92 ERA in 375 2/3 innings before leaving in free agency following the 2014 season. He played one more year in the big leagues with the Washington Nationals. He signed with the San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox in 2016 but never made it back to the majors.

Next: This Blue Jays reliever leads all pitchers in appearances in franchise history

Jason Frasor, 5.1 fWAR

Jason Frasor made his major league debut in 2004 and worked out of the bullpen for his entire career. He spent most of his career with the Blue Jays, accumulating a 5.1 fWAR over 504 2/3 innings, the third-most relief innings in team history. His 505 appearances are the most by any Jays pitcher.

The former 33rd-round pick made an impact in his first season in Toronto, emerging as a go-to saves option in an otherwise forgettable bullpen on a 67-94 Jays team. He secured 17 saves in 19 opportunities.

Frasor learned to throw a split-finger fastball in his rookie year because he had trouble spinning the ball after three elbow surgeries, including two Tommy John procedures, per David Laurila of FanGraphs.

Frasor's splitter, which he called a changeup, became his secondary pitch for the rest of his career. Whatever it was, it worked for him, and his 83 holds still stand as the second-most in franchise history.

The Illinois native had his most valuable season with the Blue Jays and his career in 2009. He made 61 appearances, striking out 56 batters in 57 2/3 innings, with a 2.50 ERA. He recorded 11 saves and four holds and earned a 1.4 fWAR for his efforts.

After seven seasons plying his trade out of the Toronto bullpen, the team traded him to the Chicago White Sox during the 2011 season. The White Sox promptly returned him in the offseason, and he spent one more season in a Blue Jays uniform in 2012. He finished his Blue Jays career with a 3.73 ERA, a 25-29 record, 36 saves and 479 strikeouts, the third-most among Toronto relievers.

Frasor pitched for three more years, splitting time between the Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves. He even helped the Royals make it to the World Series in 2014.

Next: This reliever's only postseason save is the biggest in team history

Mike Timlin, 5.3 fWAR

Mike Timlin broke into the big leagues with the Blue Jays in 1991 and pitched in Toronto until the 1997 season. He made 302 appearances out of the bullpen in his Jays career, won back-to-back World Series and amassed a 5.3 fWAR.

The Jays' fifth-round pick in the 1987 draft, Timlin joined a bullpen led by the two-headed monster of Tom Henke and Duane Ward, so save opportunities were few and far between. In his rookie year, Timlin appeared in 60 games and threw 93 2/3 innings, the second-most in the relief corps that season. He managed to snag three saves and even garnered some Rookie of the Year votes, finishing sixth.

While Timlin didn't get a chance to be "the closer" until 1996, when he had a career-high 31 saves, he owns the most important save in franchise history. In 46 career postseason appearances, Timlin only had one save, and it came at the best possible time for the Blue Jays.

You've seen it before. You know the one. From 1992, against the Atlanta Braves. It's a singular play, a moment in time, but one that forever cements Timlin's place in Blue Jays lore.

Timlin finished his time in Toronto with 52 saves, good for ninth all-time with the franchise, and a 3.68 ERA in 378 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. His 321 strikeouts rank fifth among all Blue Jays relievers, while his 53.9 Runs Above Replacement ranks sixth.

The feisty right-hander was traded to Seattle in 1997 and pitched for the Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and the Boston Red Sox. He won two more World Series with Boston in 2004 and 2007 before retiring in 2009 at 43.

Timlin returned to Toronto in 2022 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1992 World Series championship. He reminded the fans of his place in team history when he and Joe Carter recreated their historic final out.

Next: This Blue Jays reliever holds the record for the most MLB appearances by a Canadian pitcher

Paul Quantrill, 6.3 fWAR

Canadian Paul Quantrill comes in fifth all-time among Blue Jays relievers with a 6.3 fWAR which he amassed over 416 innings during his six seasons in Toronto from 1996 to 2001.

The London, Ontario native came to the Jays in a trade from the Phillies, having already pitched four seasons in the big leagues. After being a starter in his lone season in Philadelphia, the Jays gave him a shot at the rotation in his first season.

He started 20 games and made 18 relief appearances in 1996, but with a 7.02 ERA as a starter, and a 2.79 ERA as a reliever, the full-time move to the bullpen was the right decision.

Known for his rubber arm, Quantrill came out of the bullpen 348 times for Toronto between 1997 and 2001, a year in which he led the American League with 80 appearances and was named to the only All-Star team of his career.

He also owns the franchise record for the longest streak to start a season without surrendering a walk, a feat he accomplished to begin his All-Star 2001 season when he faced 90 batters before issuing a free pass.

Quantrill's time in Toronto concluded when the team traded him to the Dodgers after the 2001 season. He finished his Blue Jays bullpen career with a 26-24 record, a 3.03 ERA and 15 saves.

He ended his 14-year career after pitching four more seasons with Los Angeles, the Yankees, Padres and Marlins. He holds the record for the most MLB appearances by a Canadian pitcher with 841 and was rightfully inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010.

The Blue Jays brought Quantrill back into the fold this preseason as a special assistant to baseball operations, and he had a prominent role with the players during Spring Training.

Next: This closer has the third-most saves in Blue Jays' history

Roberto Osuna, 6.5 fWAR

Signed as a 16-year-old free agent out of Mexico in 2011, Roberto Osuna compiled an impressive 6.5 fWAR through three-plus seasons in Toronto.

He burst onto the scene in 2015 as a 20-year-old after throwing only 120 1/3 innings across three seasons in the minor leagues. He racked up 75 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings and finished the year with 20 saves, seven holds and a 2.58 ERA. Voters even considered him for the Rookie of the Year, and he finished fourth in the voting.

Osuna saved 36 games the following year and another 39 in 2017, the year he made his lone All-Star appearance.

He helped the Jays get to the playoffs in 2015 and 2016 and pitched to a 1-1 record with two saves and a 1.17 ERA over 14 postseason games.

The youngster appeared in 221 games for Toronto, throwing 223 innings and saving 104 games, the third-most in team history. He finished with a 2.87 ERA as a Blue Jay, and his 0.92 WHIP still stands as the best among qualified Jays relievers.

As quickly as he appeared on the scene, and as bright as his future appeared, Osuna's career in Toronto came to a crashing halt after he was arrested and charged with assault in May of 2018 in relation to a domestic violence incident.

He was suspended for 75 games under the league's domestic violence policy (the case never made it to court, as he agreed to a peace bond) and never pitched another inning for the Blue Jays, who traded him to the Houston Astros two months later.

He was with the Astros until 2020 and has bounced around ever since, playing with various teams in Mexico and Japan.

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Mark Eichhorn, 7.2 fWAR

A second-round draft pick by the Blue Jays in 1979, Mark Eichhorn struggled as a starter but emerged as a bulk-inning arm in the late 1980s. He earned a 7.2fWAR, the third-highest for Toronto relievers, through five seasons out of the bullpen.

Eichhorn debuted as a starter in 1982 as a 21-year-old. It wasn't pretty. He made seven starts, pitched to an 0-3 record with a 5.45 ERA and worked in the minor leagues for the next three seasons.

When he returned to Toronto in 1986, the team put him in the bullpen, where he not only thrived in a multi-inning relief role, he dominated. The rookie sidearmer led the majors in relief innings pitched (157) and strikeouts out of the bullpen (166) over 69 appearances. He accumulated the highest fWAR among all relievers, with a 4.9 score.

The 25-year-old finished the season with a 14-6 record, 10 saves, a 1.72 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. He was so good that he earned votes for both the Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young awards, finishing third and sixth, respectively.

For any younger readers that never had the chance to see him pitch, here's Eichhorn and his funky delivery in action:

Eichhorn led the majors in relief innings again in 1987 with 127 2/3 and led the American League with 89 appearances. He pitched to a 10-6 record and got four saves with a 3.17 ERA.

Unfortunately for Eichhorn, he missed out on the two playoff years in the 1980s (1985 and 1989) as he was sent to Atlanta after the 1988 season. He finished his three seasons pitching out of the Blue Jays bullpen with a 2.72 ERA in 351 1/3 innings. Fittingly, the Jays reacquired him before the trade deadline in 1992.

Eichhorn pitched in 77 games for the Blue Jays over the 1992 and 1993 seasons and helped to secure the back-to-back World Series titles, tossing 4 1/3 shutout innings in the two playoff runs.

He played two more seasons in the majors, with the Orioles and Angels and ended up back in the Blue Jays' system in 2000 at age 39, but never made it above Triple-A. His career 14.9fWAR ranks him 27th among relievers in MLB history.

Next: Known as the ultimate set-up man, this Blue Jays reliever still has the second-most saves in team history

Duane Ward, 14.9 fWAR

Duane Ward was a first-round, ninth-overall draft pick by the Atlanta Braves in 1982. The Blue Jays acquired him in trade for Doyle Alexander in 1986, a move that would solidify the back end of the Toronto bullpen through the most important years in franchise history.

With only two Toronto relievers above a 14 fWAR, Ward is in elite company with his 14.9fWAR. He holds the team record for relief innings pitched (648 1/3) and strikeouts (670), while he's second in appearances (450).

Ward came into his own in 1988 with a 9-3 record, 15 saves and led the relief corps with 91 strikeouts. The dominant righty led the Toronto bullpen in strikeouts in every season from 1988 to 1993 and helped the team reach the postseason in 1989, 1992 and 1993.

In 1991, Ward led the majors in appearances and picked up 23 saves while pitching to a 2.77 ERA in 81 games. He was so good that season that he earned Cy Young votes.

Then he got even better as the team built up to their two World Series runs.

His 1.95 ERA in 1992 was the best by a Jays reliever and 14th in the majors. He got 12 saves but was primarily the set-up man in one of the most feared 1-2 punches at the backend of a bullpen as there was in the big leagues. In the World Series that year, he held the Braves scoreless through 3 1/3 innings, only giving up one hit and striking out six.

But the best was yet to come.

In 1993, Ward took over the full-time closing duties and nailed down an AL-best 45 saves in 70 games. With 97 strikeouts and a 2.13 ERA, the Blue Jays closer earned his one and only All-Star invitation, finished fifth in Cy Young voting and received MVP votes.

To top off his incredible season, Ward went out and dominated through the World Series run with 15 strikeouts through 9 1/3 innings, picking up four saves and holding the Phillies at bay to earn the series-clinching win after Joe Carter's walk-off heroics.

While the debate about whether "clutch" is a real thing in sports, there's no denying that Ward showed up when it mattered most and saved his best postseason pitching for his eight World Series appearances. Between 1992 and 1993, he had a 1.13 ERA, three wins, two saves and 13 strikeouts in eight innings.

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