Rising value of relief market ‘here to stay’

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The value of relief pitching is on the rise, not only on the mound, but also at the bank.

And this is not likely to be a temporary bout of inflation. It is early in the postseason, but all signs are pointing toward a sustained increase in bullpen worth.

One early example was the contract awarded to free agent closer Mark Melancon by the San Francisco Giants — four years for $62 million — which had an average annual value of $15.5 million. The largest contract for a reliever before that signing was the four-year, $50 million deal the Philadelphia Phillies gave Jonathan Papelbon before the 2012 season.

On the trade front, the Brewers dealt reliever Tyler Thornburg to the Red Sox and received a healthy return. Thornburg inherited the closer’s role in Milwaukee during the second half of the 2016 season, and had pitched very well.

The Red Sox see Thornburg as an eighth-inning setup man. In return for his services, the Brewers received Travis Shaw, who projects to be their primary third baseman, and two prospects. One of them, Mauricio Dubon, 22, is a speedy, athletic shortstop who makes persistent contact. MLBPipeline.com installed Dubon as the Brewers’ No. 9 prospect. The other prospect is right-hander Josh Pennington, 21, who has an upper-90s fastball.

The Royals traded closer Wade Davis to the Cubs for Jorge Soler, an outfielder with substantial potential, who did not appear to have a regular role in the Cubs outfield for 2017. Davis was one of the premier closers in the game when the Royals won the World Series in 2015, but he was on the disabled list twice last …

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