Tuesday’s full slate resulted in chaos. Relievers recorded eight wins and six losses by relievers, while converting 10 saves. Here are the saves in condensed form:
As for the vulture options across today’s slate:
Vulture Save Options for 4.15.2026
Saves
- Abner Uribe (MIL)
- Shawn Armstrong (CLE)
- Anthony Bender (MIA)
- Louis Varland (TOR)
Holds
- Anthony Nunez (BAL)
- Connor Brogdon (CLE)
- Aaron Ashby (MIL)
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It has been an inauspicious start to the season for Trevor Megill. He suffered his first blown save, allowing three hits, three earned runs, and a walk during the top of the ninth against Toronto. He threw 20 pitches (70 Strike%) and only induced one whiff. He has allowed seven earned runs across his last two appearances and eight in his last five, spiking his WHIP to 2.40 with five strikeouts versus four walks through five innings this season. After the game, his manager said the team will reassess the ninth inning.
Grant Anderson was saddled with his first loss, giving up two hits, three runs (two earned), and a walk during the tenth.
Abner Uribe gave up two hits and an earned run while striking out one in the eighth for his fourth hold. He has not been stellar, but his finish last year, combined with his 21.4 K-BB% and 2.95 SIERA, should give him the inside track for more save opportunities. If he was dropped and you have room to stash or add him, it’s advised. His contact rates are up, and his swinging strike percentage is down, but a slight uptick in his slider use should correct this. Last season, he used his slider 46 percent of his pitches, and he’s at 41.6 percent early this year.
Ángel Zerpa notched his second hold, yielding a hit and striking out one in a scoreless seventh. He will also be in the equation for saves if the team takes a matchup-based approach.
Updated Hierarchy: *Abner Uribe | *Ángel Zerpa | Trevor Megill
*= closer-by-committee
This was only the tip of the iceberg from Tuesday’s chaotic slate.
Toronto Blue Jays
Jeff Hoffman struggled with his command, throwing only 14 of 32 pitches for strikes (43.8 Strike%) while giving up two hits, two earned runs, and three walks (one intentional), with one strikeout during two-thirds of the ninth.
He does not fare well without count leverage. Here were his results from this outing:
He was tagged with his third blown save and owns a 1.80 WHIP with 18 strikeouts versus five walks (31.7 K-BB%) through 8.1 innings. Beneath his 4.32 ERA is a 1.96 SIERA and a 1.78 xERA. Of his 18 batted ball events, he has only allowed one barrel (5.6 percent) and six hard-hits (33.3 percent). From the game recap by Rob Longley for the Toronto Sun:
And:
Change may not be imminent, but it’s tough ignoring how well Louis Varland pitched while collecting his first win. He was summoned with the bases loaded and two outs at the bottom of the ninth and struck out Joey Ortiz on three pitches, finishing with two hits and an unearned run while striking out two over his 1.1 innings. He threw 19 pitches (14 strikes – 73.6 Strike%) and induced two whiffs (10.5 SwStr%). He represents a sneaky stash play for future save chances. However, some patience may be required.
Hierarchy Remains: Jeff Hoffman | Tyler Rogers | Louis Varland
Cincinnati Reds
Locking down his fifth save while preserving a one-run lead, Emilio Pagán retired the side and recorded a strikeout against the Giants’ 6-7-8 lineup pocket, throwing seven pitches (85.7 Strike%) with two whiffs (28.6 SwStr%). He has been scoreless in his last six appearances. This season, he has posted a 1.286 WHIP with nine strikeouts versus six walks (7.5 K-BB%) through 9.1 innings. However, while recording the final out, he grabbed at his hamstring, covered by Mark Sheldon for MLB.com:
If the injury requires a stint on the IL, Tony Santillan will be a popular pickup if he has not already been stashed. He recorded five saves last season when Pagán was unavailable, and Terry Francona prefers a stable leverage ladder. There are some concerns about Santillan’s early results under the hood, but based on Tito’s tendencies, he’s the preferred pivot if needed. Graham Ashcraft has been lights out lately, and should ascend into the primary setup spot in the eighth with Brock Burke earning a larger leverage share if Pagán misses time. Monitor this closely. For now:
Hierarchy Remains: Emilio Pagán | Tony Santillan | Graham Ashcraft
If he lands on the IL:
Projected Hierarchy: Tony Santillan | Graham Ashcraft | Brock Burke
Detroit Tigers
A hearty congratulations to Kenley Jansen. He secured his third save and took over third place on the all-time saves list, recording his 479th. Navigating around a lead-off single by Lane Thomas, followed by a stolen base, the runner reached third on a groundout, but Jansen bore down, inducing a groundout and a game-ending flyout, capping his team’s comeback. He threw 15 pitches (66.7 Strike%) and produced two whiffs (13.3 SwStr%).
On the season, he owns a 0.817 WHIP with six strikeouts against one walk (35.7 K-BB%) through 3.2 innings.
- Will Vest collected his first win, firing a clean eighth and striking out the side, ahead of his team’s two-run rally at the bottom of the inning.
Hierarchy Remains: Kenley Jansen | Will Vest | Kyle Finnegan
Washington Nationals
Working into and then out of trouble, Gus Varland recorded his second save, finishing a one-run lead in Pittsburgh. With one out, he allowed Konnor Griffin’s double and walked Joey Bart, then bore down, striking out Oneil Cruz and inducing a game-ending pop-out by Nick Yorke. Varland threw 19 pitches (12 strikes – 63.2 Strike%) and produced four whiffs (21.1 SwStr%).
After zero saves in his first 46 MLB outings, he’s recorded one in consecutive appearances.
Clayton Beeter stranded a runner, retiring Marcell Ozuna and Nick Gonzales in the eighth for his second hold. This is not troubling, except for the fact that he’s being used as the highest-leveraged reliever, not as the preferred save share fantasy managers invested in during draft season.
- Cionel Pérez stranded all three runners in the seventh and issued a walk during a scoreless combined inning.
- Mitchell Parker was awarded his first win, logging two scoreless frames, scattering two hits, and striking out five.
Hierarchy Remains: *Clayton Beeter | *Gus Varland | *PJ Poulin
*= closer-by-committee
The Athletics
During a podcast appearance on Benched with Bubba, the A’s bullpen was described as messy, with the feeling that fantasy players will be chasing saves from the scoring period prior, and that Mark Kotsay will shift roles based on matchups after they are picked up. As an example, Joel Kuhnel recorded two saves last scoring period, and on Tuesday night, it was Mark Leiter Jr. called upon with a one-run lead in the ninth.
He fired a clean top of the ninth versus the Rangers’ 5-6-7 lineup pocket and recorded two strikeouts on 13 pitches (9 strikes – 69.2 Strike%) and generated four whiffs (30.8 SwStr%). Since his previous save on March 31, he was charged with consecutive blown saves while appearing in the eighth inning, pitched in the fifth inning on April 10, and in the eighth inning during a non-save outing on the 11th. Tread lightly if mining saves in this bullpen; usage patterns have been very unpredictable.
- Elvis Alvarado stranded two runners while retiring his only batter, Jake Burger, on a lineout with one pitch in the eighth for his third hold.
- Hogan Harris issued two walks during two-thirds scoreless in the eighth for his fourth hold.
- Justin Sterner gave up a hit and recorded a strikeout for his fifth hold during two-thirds scoreless in the seventh.
Updated Hierarchy: *Mark Leiter Jr. | *Joel Kuhnel | *Hogan Harris
*= closer-by-committee
Houston Astros
Entering with two runners on and two outs, Enyel De Los Santos notched his first save of the season, recording a game-ending strikeout against Jordan Beck, preserving a one-run lead against the Rockies.
Bryan King navigated around three hits while striking out two over 1.1 scoreless innings. He threw 28 pitches (71.4 Strike%) and induced two whiffs. He could have been in line for the save chance, but with an elevated pitch count, removing him made sense. For now, fantasy players must treat this as a shared save situation with De Los Santos and King in play until Bryan Abreu improves.
- Kai-Wei Teng gave up an earned run on two walks and struck out two during his first hold, spanning 1.1 innings.
- Steven Okert worked a scoreless sixth, walking and striking out one for his first hold.
- A.J. Blubaugh was awarded his second win, giving up a solo home run and a walk while striking out one over his 1.1 innings.
Updated Hierarchy: *Bryan Abreu | *Bryan King | *Enyel De Los Santos
*= closer-by-committee
Miami Marlins
Admitting fantasy managers were warned by preseason comments by Clayton McCullough, when he suggested Pete Fairbanks would not work exclusively as a closer, so last night was not a total shock. However, he suffered his first loss and a first blown save in his first outing in nine days. He gave up three hits, a hit batter, and three earned runs while striking out one. He has allowed three earned runs in each of his last two games, spiking his WHIP to 1.60 through his first five innings. For now, chalking this up to rust, but the concern is about the eighth inning more than the outcome. Focus on his 7:1 K:BB (25 K-BB%) more than his 1.60 WHIP and a 10.80 ERA that is accompanied by a 3.40 xERA and a 3.59 SIERA. Better days lie ahead.
Hierarchy Remains: Pete Fairbanks | Anthony Bender | Calvin Faucher
Los Angeles Dodgers
With the score tied entering the bottom of the eighth, Alex Vesia was warming up:
After his team took the lead, he fired a clean top of the ninth, striking out the side for his second save, closing out a one-run lead against the Mets’ 3-4-5 hitters. He threw 10 pitches (90 Strike%) and generated seven whiffs (70 SwStr%) in a dominant performance. Across his first 7.1 innings, he’s posted a 0.682 WHIP with nine strikeouts versus three walks (22.2 K-BB%).
- Blake Treinen was awarded his first win. He stranded two runners and retired his only batter on an inning-ending strikeout of Luis Robert Jr. during the top of the eighth.
For the information all fantasy players are awaiting, an Edwin Díaz update on why he was not used:
This is fun, right?
Hierarchy Remains: Edwin Díaz | Tanner Scott | Alex Vesia
Here are the remaining leverage events of interest from Tuesday’s slate.
American League
Cleveland Guardians
Tasked with a tied game at the bottom of the tenth, Tim Herrin suffered his first loss while throwing a wild pitch, followed by a walk-off, sacrifice fly. Cade Smith was tagged with his second blown save. He retired the first two batters in the ninth, then Masyn Winn reached on an error by Juan Brito, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored the game-tying run on Yohel Pozo’s RBI single. Smith finished his outing with a strikeout, allowing a hit and an unearned run on 18 pitches (66.7 Strike%) with three whiffs (16.7 SwStr%). Across nine games, he owns a 1.33 WHIP with 11 strikeouts against three walks (20 K-BB%) in nine innings.
Hierarchy Remains: Cade Smith | Shawn Armstrong | Erik Sabrowski
Tampa Bay Rays
Pressed into action with a runner on and two outs at the bottom of the ninth, Bryan Baker picked up a fantasy favorite, one-out save, inducing a game-ending flyout against Edgar Quero. He only threw six pitches (50 Strike%) without a whiff. Baker leads the Rays with three saves after this appearance and has a 0.948 WHIP with seven strikeouts against one walk (24 K-BB%) across 6.1 innings.
Hierarchy Remains: *Bryan Baker | *Griffin Jax | *Ian Seymour
*= closer-by-committee
National League
Arizona Diamondbacks
Sealing a one-run margin and his sixth save, Paul Sewald retired the side while striking out one at the bottom of the ninth in Baltimore, facing the 9-1-2 lineup pocket. He threw 11 pitches (7 strikes – 63.6 Strike%) and produced three whiffs (27.3 SwStr%).
It’s been a story of resurgence for the veteran closer; he’s posted a 0.546 WHIP with 10 strikeouts and no walks (38.5 K-BB%) across 8.1 innings.
- Ryan Thompson earned his fourth hold, stranding a bases-loaded situation by retiring his only batter faced on an inning-ending groundout.
- Juan Morillo struggled, giving up two hits, an earned run, and two walks during two-thirds scoreless in the eighth, credited with his sixth hold.
- Taylor Clarke logged 1.2 scoreless frames and recorded a strikeout for his fifth hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Paul Sewald | Juan Morillo | Jonathan Loáisiga
Atlanta Braves
Shutting the door on his third save of the season and his 100th with the Braves, Raisel Iglesias protected a one-run lead with a clean ninth while recording two strikeouts. He threw 10 pitches (70 Strike%) and induced two whiffs.
Through his first six outings, he’s posted a 0.45 WHIP with seven strikeouts and zero walks (31.8 K-BB%) across 6.2 innings.
- Robert Suarez collected his second win, despite giving up three hits and an earned run with one strikeout in the eighth.
- Tyler Kinley allowed a hit during a scoreless seventh.
- Dylan Lee fired a clean sixth, striking out two.
Hierarchy Remains: Raisel Iglesias | Robert Suarez | Dylan Lee
San Diego Padres
Shutting the door on his fifth save, Mason Miller retired the side and recorded a strikeout, preserving a three-run lead against Seattle. He threw 15 pitches (60 Strike%) and produced four whiffs (26.7 SwStr%). Through eight games, he owns a 0.24 WHIP with 20 strikeouts against one walk (70.4 K-BB%) and a ridiculous -0.49 SIERA in his 8.1 innings.
- Jason Adam allowed a walk during a scoreless eighth for his first hold.
- Adrian Morejon worked a clean seventh, striking out one while securing his second hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Mason Miller | Jason Adam | Adrian Morejon
St. Louis Cardinals
After retiring the side and striking out one at the top of the tenth, Riley O’Brien collected his second on a walk-off rally at the bottom of the frame. He threw 15 pitches (60 Strike%) and induced one whiff. He’s stuffing the stat sheet with two wins, four saves, and a hold with a 0.429 WHIP while recording nine strikeouts versus zero walks (29.1 K-BB%) across 9.1 innings.
- Matt Svanson worked a clean ninth, striking out two.
- Ryne Stanek allowed four hits and three earned runs in the eighth.
- JoJo Romero gave up a hit and a walk during 1.1 scoreless innings.
Hierarchy Remains: Riley O’Brien | JoJo Romero | Ryne Stanek
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