Five Non-Tendered Relievers Who Could Become 2026 Bounce-Back Players

[Matthew Nethercott]

Image courtesy of © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / © James A. Pittman-Imagn Images

Friday was MLB’s non-tender deadline. Among the flurry of names that were non-tendered based on roster non-factors or lack of roster sports, there were some interesting pitchers – specifically relievers – that were non-tendered that can make an impact on another roster in 2026.

Colin Holderman

Colin Holderman’s 2025 season exposed clear regression under the hood. His K-BB% fell below league average, his xERA ballooned to 5.70 from 4.20 in 2024, and opponents posted an xwOBA 48 points higher than in 2024, suggesting his fastball/slider shape became far more hittable. Yet the underlying traits that once made him a late-inning weapon—such as a 52.8% ground-ball rate, a sinker that still generated above-average arm-side run. With small mechanical clean-ups and improved pitch tunneling, his peripherals suggest he could return to being a reliable high-leverage reliever rather than a reclamation project.

Albert Suárez

Despite flashes of effectiveness, Suárez’s 2025 season was marred by injuries, but a lot of his underlying metrics looked solid. In the small sample size of 11 2/3 innings, his xERA lowered to 2.57 from 4.05 in 2024. Hitters also posted a .250 xwOBA against him, which is well below league average, but there are also not a lot of outings to base this on. Still, his 41.9% ground-ball rate and elite 32.3% hard-hit suppression remained intact, suggesting that with improved command and a stabilized walk rate, there’s a very real path back to league-average — or even above-average — production.

Evan Phillips

Evan Phillips was once closing games for the Dodgers, and now finds himself without a job after an injury-riddled season. His decline was steep, with his xwOBA jumping from .282 in 2024, which is still below league average, to .234 in 2025, and his out-of-zone swing percentage dipped to its lowest mark since 2030 — both signs that his fastball/slider combo lost some of its deception and late life. Phillips’ underlying movement profiles remained close to career norms, and despite diminished results, his hard-hit rate stayed below league average. With mechanical refinement and better pitch sequencing, teams, including the Dodgers,  believe he could rebound into a high-leverage setup role, even if his days as a full-time closer are behind him.

Max Kranick

Max Kranick’s downturn has been tied directly to injuries, including the 2022 Tommy John surgery and recurring shoulder setbacks that disrupted his development and mechanics. His slider whiff rate fell to 15.2% from 29.1%, and he could not stay healthy. Still, underlying metrics like a 36.4% ground-ball rate and above-average induced vertical break on the four-seamer suggest that if he regains his pre-injury velocity and consistency, he could rebound into a serviceable back-end starter or multi-inning relief weapon.

John King

John King’s underlying metrics painted a clear picture of his 2025 regression. His sinker's average exit velocity jumped from 88.5 mph to 91.7 mph, leading to a spike in hard contact. His xERA, sitting at 4.83, far outpaced his actual ERA, suggesting that diminished command and a drop in chase rate, down nearly five points from 2024, made his margin for error razor-thin. However, King’s sinker still generated a +0 run value, and his whiff rate quietly rebounded late in the season, hinting that with improved location and a modest velocity uptick, he could rediscover his role as a dependable ground-ball specialist in 2026.

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[old nurse]

Injured pitchers seem to stay injured pitchers. 

Bargain basement relievers can have a good season. They are all probably worth a minor league contract, with an invite to a spring get together 

[harmony55]

Another option would be 26-year-old right-hander Gregory Santos, who in 2023 posted 1.5 fWAR in 60 appearances. Despite his injury-shortened 2024 and 2025 seasons in Seattle, FanGraph projects Santos with a 2026 ERA of 3.82 over 48 innings.

[Permanently Twins Fan]

A team like the Twins are going to need to fill their bullpen with arms like these. Evan Phillips looks interesting, but I don't know if any of these will be able to turn into a relevant pitching arm in any team's bullpen.