The top compliment you could ever give to a late-inning reliever is that he makes the game boring. Called upon in situations where there’s a slim margin for error, the best in the business consistently deny their opponents any opportunities to score.
Fans want boring from their teams. Above all else, they want results, but getting work done without putting the lead in jeopardy is a plus.
Right-hander Kyle Barraclough got off to a boring start to the 2018 season, which put pressure on the Marlins to promote him into the closer’s role.