Domestic Opening Day featured a bevy of high-leverage events and chaos, indicating how things may proceed this season. Relievers recorded seven wins, nine saves, seven losses, and six blown saves across the 14-game slate, covered below. But first, some takeaways.
Three Takeaways
Suarez adapts: Protecting a three-run lead, Robert Suarez notched his first save with a scoreless ninth, issuing a walk and striking out two on 24 pitches (13 strikes – 54.2 Strike%) with three whiffs (12.5 SwStr%). He widened his arsenal and threw seven change-ups in this outing, plus an unknown pitch foru times:
Dodgers Match-up-based approach: Adding Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates to an already deep bullpen will benefit Los Angeles throughout the season, but fantasy owners will bear the “brunt” of Dave Roberts’ match-up machinations. For instance, the team has produced three wins, with three different relievers recording a save after Blake Treinen worked a scoreless ninth against Detroit. He did allow a hit and a walk while striking out two on 23 pitches (13 strikes – 56.5 Strike%) with one whiff:
He has a 1.00 WHIP with four strikeouts versus one walk over two appearances.
Scott matched up with a left-handed pocket in the eighth, giving up a triple, an earned run on a sacrifice fly, and striking out one for his first hold. He has a 0.50 WHIP with two strikeouts in two contests. Fantasy managers crave clarity but should be resigned to the fact the Dodgers are more worried about winning than traditional leverage roles.
The Phillies’ “Floating Closer” concept: After missing time this spring, Matt Strahm tossed a scoreless bottom of the tenth and recorded one strikeout, preserving his team’s four-run win. José Alvarado fired a clean ninth, striking out two on 14 pitches (8 strikes – 57.1 Strike%) with two whiffs (14.3 SwStr%), and collected his first win:
Jordan Romano suffered his first blown save, giving up a hit, two earned runs, a hit batter, and a walk while striking out one in the eighth. He threw 29 pitches (15 strikes – 51.7 Strike%) and induced two whiffs. Orion Kerkering navigated around two hits and recorded one strikeout in a scoreless seventh, securing his first hold. Alvarado carried over his strong spring with increased velocity, representing a worthy pickup if he’s available, even if it’s a save-share situation.
Closer CliffsNotes
American League
Boston Red Sox
Save number one for Justin Slaten. He retired the side and recorded one strikeout on 13 pitches (9 strikes – 69.2 Strike%) with four whiffs (30.8 SwStr%) in Texas.
- Aroldis Chapman collected his first win, giving up a hit and striking out one in a scoreless eighth. He threw 11 pitches (63.6 Strike%) and induced one whiff.
- Garrett Whitlock kept the game tied, tossing two scoreless frames, yielding a hit, and striking out one.
This was a situational save with Chapman lined up against Corey Seager in the eighth inning. What is most important, with Liam Hendriks placed on the 15-day injured list, Slaten gets a chance to lock down the highest-leveraged right-handed reliever slot in the leverage ladder.
Updated Hierarchy: Aroldis Chapman | Justin Slaten | Garrett Whitlock
Chicago White Sox
In a non-save outing, Cam Booser allowed a solo home run and recorded three strikeouts at the top of the ninth against the Angels.
- Mike Clevinger stranded two runners despite issuing a walk and recorded a strikeout over one-third of the eighth for his first career hold. He threw 15 pitches (8 strikes – 53.3 Strike%) and induced one whiff.
- Jordan Leasure gave up a hit and a walk while striking out one in two-thirds of the eighth for his first hold.
If the White Sox did not score five runs at the bottom of the eighth, Clevinger may have returned for the save chance in the ninth, but he was not needed with a seven-run lead.
Hierarchy Remains: Mike Clevinger | Jordan Leasure | Fraser Ellard
Cleveland Guardians
Making his team debut, Paul Sewald notched his first save with a clean bottom of the tenth in Kansas City. He recorded one strikeout while throwing 11 pitches (63.6 Strike%) with one whiff.
- Emmanuel Clase suffered his first blown save but collected his first win because his team scored four at the top of the tenth. Clase’s outing began with a lead-off double by Vinnie Pasquantino, followed by a single and a game-tying sacrifice fly. He gave up three hits and an earned run while striking out one on 18 pitches (14 strikes – 77.8 Strike%) with five whiffs (27.8 SwStr%):
Hierarchy Remains: Emmanuel Clase | Cade Smith | Paul Sewald
Detroit Tigers
Appearing in a one-run loss, Beau Brieske retired the side and recorded a strikeout at the bottom of the eighth while facing the Dodgers’ 3-4-5 lineup pocket. He threw 12 pitches (66.7 Strike%) and produced three whiffs (25 SwStr%):
Hierarchy Remains: *Beau Brieske | *Will Vest | *Tyler Holton
*= closer-by-committee
Houston Astros
Surviving a traffic-infused outing, Josh Hader recorded his first save despite allowing two hits, an earned run, and two walks while striking out two. He threw 35 pitches (60 Strike%) and produced four whiffs (11.4 SwStr%) against the Mets. After getting to a 3-0 count with two outs facing Juan Soto, the veteran closer battled back for a game-ending strikeout.
- Bryan Abreu navigated around three walks and struck out one in a scoreless eighth for his first hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Josh Hader | Bryan Abreu | Tayler Scott
Kansas City Royals
Summoned at the top of the tenth, Sam Long suffered his first loss, giving up two hits, three runs (two earned, and a walk.
- Carlos Estévez retired the side and recorded a strikeout, keeping the game tied in the ninth. He threw 14 pitches (8 strikes – 57.1 Strike%) and induced one whiff. His velocity rose slightly:
- Hunter Harvey tossed a clean eighth, striking out one on seven pitches (71.4 Strike%) without a whiff.
- Lucas Erceg recorded two outs at the top of the seventh.
Hierarchy Remains: Carlos Estévez | Lucas Erceg | Hunter Harvey
New York Yankees
Hanging on for his first save of the season, Devin Williams gave up two hits, an earned run, and a walk while striking out two. His outing began with a lead-off single followed by a double and a walk, loading the bases. After giving up a sacrifice fly, Williams settled in, striking out his last two batters, preserving a two-run win. He threw 36 pitches (21 strikes – 58.3 Strike%) and induced four whiffs (11.1 SwStr%).
- Luke Weaver notched his first hold, walking one and striking out two in a scoreless eighth.
- Mark Leiter Jr. fired a clean seventh, striking out two.
Hierarchy Remains: Devin Williams | Luke Weaver | Mark Leiter Jr.
Seattle Mariners
Navigating around a lead-off walk, culminating his team’s eighth-inning rally, Andrés Muñoz recorded a strikeout followed by a game-ending double play groundout for his first save. He threw 12 pitches (50 Strike%) and induced two whiffs (16.7 SwStr%) against the top of the A’s lineup.
- Although he gave up a go-ahead home run at the top of the eighth, Trent Thornton collected his first win thanks to a three-run rally in the bottom of the frame.
Hierarchy Remains: Andrés Muñoz | Gregory Santos | Collin Snider
Texas Rangers
Suffering his first loss, Luke Jackson gave up two hits, including a go-ahead three-run home run by Wilyer Abreu, and a walk while striking out one in two-thirds of the ninth. He entered a tied game, how a closer would be deployed, and struggled with command, throwing 21 pitches (11 strikes – 52.4 Strike%).
- Chris Martin logged 1.1 scoreless frames, giving up a hit and striking out two. He also stranded two runners in the seventh.
- Robert Garcia issued two walks over two-thirds scoreless in the seventh.
Hierarchy Remains (for now): Luke Jackson | Chris Martin | Robert Garcia
National League
Atlanta Braves
Grant Holmes fired a clean bottom of the eighth, saving his teammates, and recorded two strikeouts.
- Aaron Bummer allowed a hit, an earned run, a hit batter, and a walk at the bottom of the seventh.
- Héctor Neris did not retire a batter, giving up three hits and three earned runs, resulting in his first loss and a blown save.
- Dylan Lee secured his first hold with a clean sixth before the bullpen faltered.
Chicago Cubs
After warming up for a save chance, Ryan Pressly entered with a five-run lead at the bottom of the ninth in Arizona. He allowed a one-out single, followed by an RBI Corbin Carroll double before inducing consecutive groundouts.. He threw 12 pitches (7 strikes – 58.3 Strike%) without a whiff.
- Porter Hodge secured his first hold with a scoreless eighth, yielding a hit and striking out two.
Hierarchy Remains: Ryan Pressly | Porter Hodge | Ryan Brasier
Cincinnati Reds
There were no indications Ian Gibaut would receive the Reds’ first save chance, but he took over with a one-run lead at the top of the ninth. It did not go well. He issued a one-out walk, followed by a single, and with two outs, gave up a game-tying RBI single before a go-ahead three-run home run (Wilmer Flores), resulting in his first loss and a blown save.
- Tony Santillan notched his first hold, firing a clean eighth and striking out two.
- Emilio Pagán also retired the side, posting two strikeouts for his first hold.
- Scott Barlow worked a clean sixth, striking out two and securing his first hold.
Hierarchy Remains (for now): *Graham Ashcraft | *Tony Santillan | *Taylor Rogers
Miami Marlins
Navigating around a one-out double, followed by a walk, Jesús Tinoco bore down, inducing a lineout to center and an inning-ending strikeout of Joey Bart for a scoreless top of the ninth. Tinoco collected his first win after his team’s walk-off rally at the bottom of the frame. He threw 26 pitches (12 strikes – 46.2 Strike%) and only induced one whiff.
Pittsburgh Pirates
A recipe for disaster begins with a bad route by an outfielder, resulting in a triple, followed by an intentional walk and a walk-off hit. This will read in a box score as a loss for David Bednar and an ERA of infinity, but he may have deserved a bit better. He threw eight pitches (75 Strike%) and induced two whiffs (25 SwStr%) at the bottom of the ninth.
- Colin Holderman suffered his first blown save, giving up two hits, two earned runs, and two walks while striking out one in the eighth.
- Caleb Ferguson fired a scoreless seventh, hitting a batter and striking out one for his first hold.
- Ryan Borucki stranded all three inherited runners while retiring his only batter in the sixth, securing his first hold.
- Dennis Santana issued two walks and struck out one in one-third of the sixth for his first hold.
Hierarchy Remains: David Bednar | Dennis Santana | Colin Holderman
San Francisco Giants
Handed a three-run lead at the bottom of the eighth, Ryan Walker secured his first save despite allowing an earned run. After recording two quick outs, he hit a batter who moved up on defensive indifference, then scored on a single by TJ Friedl. Walker threw 14 pitches (9 strikes – 64.3 Strike%) and induced one whiff.
- Tyler Rogers garnered his first win courtesy of a four-run rally in the ninth. He tossed a scoreless bottom of the eighth and issued a walk.
Hierarchy Remains: Ryan Walker | Camilo Doval | Tyler Rogers
St. Louis Cardinals
Picking up where he left off, Ryan Helsley shut the door on his first save. He allowed a two-out double and recorded all three outs via strikeout on 19 pitches (14 strikes – 73.7 Strike%) with four whiffs (21.2 SwStr%).
- Phil Maton notched his first hold with a scoreless eighth, yielding a hit and striking out one.
Hierarchy Remains: Ryan Helsley | Phil Maton | JoJo Romero
Washington Nationals
Entering at the top of the tenth, Colin Poche gave up a hit, four runs, two walks, and struck out one, resulting in his first loss during his team debut.
- Kyle Finnegan worked a scoreless ninth, allowing a hit and two walks while striking out one. He threw 23 pitches (11 strikes – 47.8 Strike%) and induced two whiffs.
Hierarchy Remains: Kyle Finnegan | Jorge López | Jose A. Ferrer
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