As usual, relievers crucial to team success

Bullpens in baseball can either make or break a team’s season. Almost through this campaign’s midpoint, we’re seeing that axiom being proved true.

Of the 10 teams that boost the majors’ best bullpen ERAs this season, eight have winning records and three lead division races entering Thursday.

The top 10 includes the Indians (2.59 ERA), Dodgers (2.95), Red Sox (3.03), Cubs (3.27), Diamondbacks (3.33), Yankees (3.42), White Sox (3.50), Angels (3.64), Blue Jays (3.84) and Astros (4.01).

Surprisingly, two contenders – the Twins (5.06) and Nationals (4.95) -- sport two of the four worst team bullpen ERAs. The Tigers have the worst mark at 5.32, the Phillies are third-worst (4.97) and the Mets are fifth-worst (4.92).

The Rockies’ Greg Holland leads the majors in saves with 25, but only the Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen and the Cubs’ Wade Davis haven’t blown a save chance this season at 17-for-17 and 15-for-15, respectively.

The next best closers after that pair are Holland (25-for-26), the Red Sox’s Craig Kimbrel (20-for21) and Cody Allen (15-for-16), whose Indians have blown an MLB-low three saves.

The Tigers have blown an MLB worst 15 saves and pace the majors with seven losses when leading after eight innings. Much of that damage was attributed to Francisco Rodriguez, who coughed up six leads before his release last week. The Rangers and Nationals are next with six losses with leads entering the ninth.

A tidy bullpen equals a better chance for a winning record, and a superlative pen equals a chance to make the playoffs.

(Watertown Daily Times/TNS)