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Kansas City Royals fans already had reason for beef with MLB Network’s “The Shredder” after it disrespectfully omitted Maikel Garcia from the Top 10 third baseman rankings<\/a> last week.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And this week, Royals fans have every reason to be confused all over again after MLB Network released The Shredder’s Top 10 rankings for relief pitchers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For context, as per Jason Foster of MLB.com<\/a>, The Shredder is “the MLB Network research team’s collective system of research and analysis that uses traditional and advanced metrics and takes into account previous player performance to determine who makes the lists.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One name Royals fans probably had earmarked for a list like this was Carlos Est\u00e9vez, their closer extraordinaire who led all of Major League Baseball in saves last season.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, when all was said and done and the list was revealed on Tuesday evening<\/a>, Est\u00e9vez was nowhere to be found.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here are the best relievers right now, according to The Shredder! #Top10RightNow<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/88jl1RLZXT<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 11, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now, I want to preface, Royals fans can’t be entirely upset as they didn’t go without representation entriely on this list. Their “newcomer” Matt Strahm took up the No.7 ranking on this list, making their trade to re-unite with him look like even more of a steal<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, that joy will qucikly disipate when the realization set back in that their closer was left off this list.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There were plenty of puzzling decisions here that went beyond the Royals grievances, such as veteran Aroldis Chapman leading the list over names like Cade Smith, Edwin D\u00edaz, Andr\u00e9s Mu\u00f1oz <\/p>\n And, as someone that prides themselves in being a believer in analytics, I’m not advocating for Est\u00e9vez to rank higher than those names, except maybe Chapman due to his questionable recent past if prior performances are truly a factor The Shredder considers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But even if Est\u00e9vez isn’t a data-darling like a Smith or a Mu\u00f1oz, his stats are still respectable and he’s shown he can come in when the pressure is at it’s highest for a reliever in the ninth inning and shut the door far more often than not.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Last season, on top of Est\u00e9vez converting 42 saves, he posted a very respectable 2.45 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and .198 BAA. And this was after posting an identical 2.45 season the year prior split between the Angels and the Phillies with a 0.91 WHIP and .191 BAA.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Is he the strikeout artist that most of the names on this list are? No. Has he caused some uneasy moments for Royals fans while converting saves? Yes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, if we’re just basing this list off strikeout artists, than there’s a series of great pitchers who can generate outs in other ways from consideration all together.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Est\u00e9vez may’ve only struck out hitters at a 30th percentile rate of 20.1% in 2025, but he was an above-average arm when it came to limiting hard contact<\/a> and his overall pitching run value sat in the 89th percentile thanks to 76th percentile rankings or better for all his offerings.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Was it pretty? No, but it got the job done and has consistently now for back-to-backs seasons.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And some fans are already posing their displeasure.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Just gonna throw this out there\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/Hu4XsGUbHj<\/a><\/p>\n\n
“The Shredder” leaves Royals’ closer and 2025 MLB saves leader, Carlos Est\u00e9vez off Top 10 relief pitcher rankings<\/h2>\n
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or Mason Miller after just one bounce-back season following five consecutive seasons from 2020-2024 where he posted ERAs over 3.00.<\/p>\n\n