Thursday’s nine-game slate yielded four reliever wins and six saves with only two losses. Of the six saves, three required four or more outs; here they are in condensed form:
Vulture Save Options for August 22
- Riley O’Brien (STL) – He was warming in case he was needed last night, and with JoJo Romero working two innings, he will be in line for the save chance in today’s contest.
- Shinnosuke Ogasawara (WSH): Jose A. Ferrer, Cole Henry, and Clayton Beeter have all pitched in back-to-back games, leaving a save chance for the former left-handed starter against the Phillies’ heart of the order. It’s a long shot.
News, Notes, and Observations
IIt appears that the fantasy community and Ian Browne of MLB.com were too aggressive in setting an activation timeline for Justin Slaten. But, he could be back next week, barring any setbacks:
Seeking another leverage option, Cincinnati will promote Zach Maxwell ahead of this weekend’s series in Arizona. He features triple-digit velocity with his fastball and has been scoreless in nine of his last ten appearances at Triple-A. However, while posting a 1.12 WHIP in these 10.2 innings, he produced a 60.8 strike percentage and a 10.8 percent swinging strike rate.
It only took one rehab appearance and an upcoming series in San Diego to get Tanner Scott back on the active roster:
Updated Hierarchy: *Tanner Scott | *Blake Treinen | Alex Vesia
*= closer-by-committee
If healthy and effective, Scott will reclaim his primary save share.
Here are Thursday’s high-leverage events of interest.
Leverage Ledger
Boston Red Sox – Handed a three-run lead at the bottom of the ninth, Aroldis Chapman slammed the door on his 23rd save, retiring the Yankees’ 2-3-4 lineup pocket in order, throwing 14 pitches (50% strike rate) with one whiff.
This extended his scoreless streak to 11 games, during which he has posted a 0.46 WHIP with nine strikeouts against four walks while converting all six save opportunities.
- Garrett Whitlock notched his 18th hold, retiring the side at the bottom of the eighth.
- Steven Matz allowed a hit and recorded a strikeout over two-thirds scoreless in the seventh, recording his ninth hold.
- Greg Weissert was awarded his fifth win, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings, yielding a hit.
Hierarchy Remains: Aroldis Chapman | Garrett Whitlock | Jordan Hicks
Kansas City Royals – Locking down his 33rd save, Carlos Estévez retired the side and recorded against Texas, preserving a two-run lead. He threw 13 pitches (61.5% strike rate) and induced one whiff.
He has been scoreless in his last four appearances and converted all five save chances in August, along with suffering two losses, posting a 0.928 WHIP with 10 strikeouts against four walks (16.2 K-BB%) through 9.2 innings.
- Taylor Clarke fired a clean eighth, striking out two for his third hold.
- John Schreiber stranded two runners while retiring both batters, one via strikeout, securing his 17th hold.
- Daniel Lynch IV gave up a hit and hit a batter while striking out one in one-third of the seventh, getting credit for his sixth hold.
- Angel Zerpa collected his fifth win, stranding two runners at the top of the fifth, and logging 1.2 clean frames while striking out one.
Hierarchy Remains: Carlos Estévez | Lucas Erceg | John Schreiber
Milwaukee Brewers – Shutting the door on his 30th save, Trevor Megill navigated around Carson Kelly’s lead-off single by retiring the next three batters, and striking out one, finishing a three-run win in Chicago. He threw 19 pitches (68.4% strike rate) and induced two whiffs (10.5 SwStr%).
Through seven appearances in August, he has recorded a win and converted six of seven save chances with a 1.00 WHIP and nine strikeouts versus one walk across nine innings.
- Abner Uribe notched his MLB-leading 34th hold despite issuing two walks and striking out one. He extended his scoreless streak to 13 games, during which he has posted a 0.769 WHIP with 15 strikeouts against five walks.
- Jared Koenig secured his 24th hold, walking and striking out one in a scoreless seventh.
- Grant Anderson tossed a scoreless sixth, yielding a hit and striking out one for his sixth hold.
- Nick Mears collected his fifth win, stranding two of three runners while retiring both batters at the bottom of the fifth.
Hierarchy Remains: Trevor Megill | Abner Uribe | Jared Koenig
New York Yankees – In order of appearance, Camilo Doval took over at the top of the sixth, but suffered his sixth blown save, allowing a one-out single, moving the runner to second on a disengagement violation, then issued a walk, and allowed a game-tying RBI single by Roman Anthony, prompting his removal. He finished with two hits, an earned run, and a walk during his one-third of an inning. Mark Leiter Jr. stranded both inherited runners, retiring both batters in the sixth.
Luke Weaver entered a tied contest at the top of the seventh, giving up a lead-off single by Trevor Story and Nathaniel Lowe’s go-ahead RBI double, handing him his fourth loss. He finished with two hits, an earned run, and two walks while striking out one over two-thirds of the inning.
- Tim Hill stranded the bases loaded in the seventh, and worked around a hit and a walk while striking out one during a scoreless combined inning.
Hierarchy Remains: David Bednar | Luke Weaver | Devin Williams
St. Louis Cardinals – Taking over at the bottom of the eighth, JoJo Romero retired the side, then returned for the ninth and worked around Junior Caminero’s two-out single with a game-ending strikeout of Josh Lowe, securing his fourth save. He threw 26 pitches (69.2% strike rate) and produced six whiffs (21.4 SwStr%).
Three of his four saves this month have required four or more outs, and this marks his first two-inning save since August 23, 2023.
- Matt Svanson stranded one of two inherited runners, entering with no outs at the bottom of the seventh. He allowed two walks and a run on a comebacker fielder’s choice groundout while striking out one, with no runs on his ledger, resulting in his second hold.
- Kyle Leahy gets credit for his 15th hold, allowing three hits, an earned run, and two walks during his combined inning of relief.
Hierarchy Remains: *JoJo Romero | *Riley O’Brien | Matt Svanson
*= closer-by-committee
The Athletics – Recording his first career save, Osvaldo Bido allowed one earned run on two hits while striking out four over three innings, closing out a five-run win in Minnesota. His team has four saves in August, by four different relievers (LINK). He threw 44 pitches (75% strike rate) and induced six whiffs (13.6 SwStr%).
- Ben Bowden retired the side and struck out two at the bottom of the sixth.
Hierarchy Remains: *Tyler Ferguson | *Hogan Harris | *Sean Newcomb
*= closer-by-committee
Washington Nationals – Pressed into action at the top of the eighth with a runner on and two outs, protecting a two-run lead, Jose A. Ferrer produced an inning-ending strikeout of Jeff McNeil. Despite his team tacking on four runs at the bottom of the eighth, Ferrer returned for the ninth, navigating around Francisco Lindor’s two-out single with a game-ending strikeout of Juan Soto, securing his fourth save. He threw 28 pitches (64.3% strike rate) and generated six whiffs (21.4 SwStr%) while recording three strikeouts over his 1.1 scoreless frames.
- Cole Henry allowed a walk and recorded a strikeout during two-thirds scoreless in the eighth for his seventh hold.
- PJ Poulin retired the side, striking out one while notching his second hold.
- Clayton Beeter worked a clean sixth for his second hold.
- Jackson Rutledge stranded two runners and retired both batters, one via strikeout while collecting his second win at the top of the fifth.
Hierarchy Remains: Jose A. Ferrer | Clayton Beeter | Shinnosuke Ogasawara
Quick Hits
- Los Angeles Dodgers: Finishing a four-run win in Coors, Alex Vesia allowed a hit and recorded two strikeouts during a scoreless bottom of the ninth.
- San Diego Padres: Closing out a four-run win over the Giants, Robert Suarez retired the side at the top of the ninth and recorded two strikeouts. He threw 13 pitches (76.9% strike rate) and produced five whiffs (38.5 SwStr%). Mason Miller stranded a runner while retiring both batters at the bottom of the eighth, striking out one while throwing five pitches, all strikes, and inducing two whiffs (40 SwStr%).
- Texas Rangers: Entering at the bottom of the fourth, Jacob Webb stranded a runner but gave up Vinnie Pasquantino’s solo home run in the fifth, resulting in his fourth loss. He worked 1.1 innings, allowing a hit, an earned run, and a walk.
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