Kansas City, MO - Right-handers Greg Holland of the Kansas City Royals and Craig Kimbrel of the Atlanta Braves were named Wednesday as the top relief pitchers in Major League Baseball.

Holland won the American League award named for New York Yankees great Mariano Rivera after earning 46 saves in 48 opportunities with a 1.44 ERA in 65 games, helping the AL-champion Royals make the postseason for the first time in 29 years.

Kimbrel had 47 saves in 51 chances with a 1.61 ERA in 63 games to earn the National League award named for longtime San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman.

The new awards replaced the former Delivery Man of the Year Award given to the top reliever in baseball from 2005-13. Holland and Kimbrel were announced as the winners prior to Game 2 of the World Series.

They were chosen by a panel of nine great relievers, including Rivera and Hoffman, who rank first and second on MLB's all-time saves list.

The other voters were Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage and Bruce Sutter -- each a Hall of Famer -- and Lee Smith, John Franco and Billy Wagner.

Dellin Betances of Yankees and Baltimore's Zach Britton were runners-up in the AL.

The NL runners-up were Cincinnati's Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen of the Los Angeles Dodgers.