Saturday’s slate featured three wins by relievers, six saves, and three losses. Here are the saves in condensed form:
As for the vulture option during today’s slate:
Vulture Save Option for 5.3.2026
- Kyle Finnegan (DET): Jansen’s nursing a groin injury, putting Finnegan at the top of the hierarchy.
- Rico Garcia (BAL): I can be wrong, and it will not be the first time, but Garcia could receive the first save opportunity with Helsley landing on the 15-day injured list. The only thing working against him is that he’s the best reliever in this leverage ladder, which may match him up against Aaron Judge, not reserved for the ninth inning.
- Nick Mears (KC): Erceg and Strahm have pitched in consecutive contests, plus Avila logged two innings during a win over the Royals, leaving Mears with the best matchup in today’s tilt.
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With many relievers struggling, and its saves leader designated for assignment, two Angels stepped up during an extra-inning win over the Mets. Ryan Zeferjahn worked two scoreless frames, including the top of the tenth, walking and striking out one against the Mets. He threw 23 pitches (15 strikes – 57.7 Strike%) and induced one whiff, collecting his second win.
Despite Brett Baty reaching on catcher’s interference leading off the tenth, Zeferjahn bore down, getting a double play groundout by Bo Bichette, intentionally walking Juan Soto, then retiring Francisco Alvarez on an inning-ending flyout.
Sam Bachman took over with the bases loaded and one out at the top of the seventh, and stranded them with a fielder’s choice grounder, followed by a strikeout of Soto. He returned for the eighth, retiring the side and striking out two more. He recorded five outs on 18 pitches (13 strikes – 72.2 Strike%) while generating six whiffs (33.3 SwStr%).
Although both may be unavailable today, help could be on the way soon. Kirby Yates and Ben Joyce turned in scoreless appearances during rehab appearances at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga:
- Yates threw 15 pitches (11 strikes – 73.3 Strike%) and recorded two strikeouts.
- Joyce allowed a hit and a walk while striking out two on 26 pitches (14 strikes – 53.8 Strike%), surpassing 100 miles per hour with his fastball.
Even though it’s been a much-maligned bullpen, with two emerging relievers and two more on their way back, it could be a capable one soon.
Updated Hierarchy: *Ryan Zeferjahn | *Sam Bachman | *Drew Pomeranz
*= closer-by-committee
Three Takeaways
Detroit’s leverage injuries: From this column by Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press, Kenley Jansen has a groin injury, but is considered day-to-day, not a candidate for the injured list (for now):
And:
Before Saturday’s game, an answer to why Will Vest has not pitched since April 26:
Welcome back to fantasy relevance, Kyle Finnegan. Even if Jansen returns soon, he may not be capable of working in consecutive contests until his groin issue improves.
Updated Hierarchy: Kenley Jansen | Kyle Finnegan | Brant Hurter
Astros anarchy: Lined up against two left-handed hitters at the bottom of the ninth, Bryan King notched his second save of the season, retiring the side on only six pitches (66.7 Strike%) without a whiff. This leverage ladder remains fluid as are roles throughout the pitching staff. King last recorded a save on March 29 and has posted a 1.317 WHIP with 13 strikeouts against five walks (13.3 K-BB%) through 13.2 innings. Kai-Wei Teng made his first start on April 28, but has returned to the bullpen in this game. He logged 1.1 scoreless frames and stranded two runners at the bottom of the seventh. He allowed a walk and recorded two strikeouts while securing his third hold. He’s best suited as a reliever; time will tell what his eventual role will be. Bennett Sousa gave up two hits, an earned run, and a walk without recording an out in the seventh. Enyel De Los Santos took over at the bottom of the sixth, yielding a hit and an earned run while striking out one across his 1.2 innings. Not exactly the performance or usage pattern fantasy managers were hoping for. It may be best to avoid this situation as Josh Hader nears a rehab outing at Triple-A on Tuesday:
He could return by the end of May.
Updated Hierarchy: *Bryan King | *Enyel De Los Santos | *Kai-Wei Teng
*= closer-by-committee
Is the Cubs’ leverage ladder stabilizing? Taking the baton from Shota Imanaga after seven scoreless frames, Ben Brown completed the combined shutout, retiring all six batters, one via strikeout, for his first save of the season, second of his career. He threw 24 pitches (15 strikes – 62.5 Strike%) and produced four whiffs (16.7 SwStr%).
He owns a 0.973 WHIP with 23 strikeouts against seven walks (16.7 K-BB%) across 24.2 innings. There is no specificity, but Daniel Palencia will be back soon as well:
For now:
Updated Hierarchy: *Phil Maton | *Ben Brown | *Jacob Webb
*= closer-by-committee
Here are the remaining leverage events of interest from Saturday’s slate.
American League
Chicago White Sox
Summoned with one out and the bases loaded, Seranthony Domínguez induced a shallow flyout by Miguel Andujar and a game-ending strikeout of Luis Campusano, shutting the door on his eighth save. He threw six pitches (83.3 Strike%) and produced one whiff (16.7 SwStr%). He’s posted a 1.244 WHIP with 17 strikeouts versus nine walks (13.3 K-BB%) through 13.2 innings.
- Grant Taylor created the save situation, allowing a single and issuing two walks at the bottom of the ninth. He finished with 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks while striking out two, throwing 30 pitches (53.3 Strike%) without a whiff.
- Bryan Hudson extended his scoreless streak to 14 games, spanning 12.2 innings, retiring the side in the seventh.
Updated Hierarchy: Seranthony Domínguez | Grant Taylor | Bryan Hudson
Kansas City Royals
Capping his team’s rally and a one-run lead at the bottom of the tenth, Lucas Erceg locked down his ninth save with a clean outing, striking out two. He threw 17 pitches (10 strikes – 58.3 Strike%) and produced four whiffs (23.5 SwStr%).
He’s been scoreless in five of his last six appearances, recording two wins and four saves with a 0.833 WHIP and eight strikeouts against four walks (18.2 K-BB%) across six innings.
- Matt Strahm collected his first win, retiring the side in the ninth.
- Luinder Avila fired two clean frames and recorded one strikeout on 23 pitches (17 strikes – 73.9 Strike%) with four whiffs (17.4 SwStr%).
As for Carlos Estévez, it feels like the team changes the goal line on his status daily:
The update on May 1 suggested he would begin his rehab assignment on Saturday. Stay tuned.
Hierarchy Remains: Lucas Erceg | Matt Straham | Daniel Lynch IV
Minnesota Twins
Trusting anyone in this bullpen requires a leap of faith, though John Klein made his MLB debut, retiring Toronto’s 4-5-6 lineup pocket on 12 pitches (66.7 Strike%) without a whiff.
Time will tell if Klein can forge a leverage role, but this was an encouraging debut.
- Anthony Banda let both inherited runners score, giving up two hits, four runs (three earned), and a walk during his portion of the eighth inning.
- Luis García began the inning with his team ahead by one and allowed three hits, four earned runs, and a walk without retiring a batter, resulting in his first loss, along with his first blown save.
- Kody Funderburk logged 1.1 scoreless frames while issuing a walk for his fifth hold.
- Justin Topa served up a solo home run (Kazuma Okamoto) and recorded a strikeout during his two-thirds of the sixth, getting credited with his third hold.
Plus, before this game, Cole Sands was placed on the 15-day injured list with forearm tightness.
Updated Hierarchy: *Justin Topa | *Kody Funderburk | *Eric Orze
*= closer-by-committee
Seattle Mariners
Taking over at the top of the tenth, Cooper Criswell suffered his first loss. The “courtesy runner” advanced on a failed bunt attempt when Mitch Garver threw behind him, putting him on third with no outs. After a strikeout, Criswell allowed a go-ahead sacrifice fly by Maikel Garcia and retired Bobby Witt Jr. on a groundout.
Andrés Muñoz allowed a leadoff single by Salvador Perez, balked the pinch runner to second, recorded a strikeout, followed by Jac Caglianone’s game-tying RBI single, then retired the next two batters, resulting in his second blown save. He threw 10 pitches (80 Strike%) while allowing two hits and an unearned run. Another victim of an inflated BABIP, currently .357 versus a career .273 rate, Muñoz has an inflated 1.38 WHIP despite a 26.3 K-BB percentage. However, his 4.85 xERA is driven by more quality contact this season. Through his first 30 batted ball events, he’s given up four barrels (13.3 barrel percentage) and 14 hard hits (46.7 percent hard hit rate). Can he migrate his May results toward his 2.44 SIERA? Time will tell.
- Eduard Bazardo notched his fourth hold, firing a clean eighth and striking out one.
Hierarchy Remains: Andrés Muñoz | Eduard Bazardo | Jose A. Ferrer
Tampa Bay Rays
Finishing a four-run lead against the Giants, Casey Legumina fired a clean top of the ninth and recorded a strikeout on 12 pitches (66.7 Strike%) with one whiff.
- Garrett Cleavinger returned from the injured list with a scoreless eighth, giving up a hit and striking out one for his third hold.
- Kevin Kelly notched his fifth hold, yielding a hit and striking out one across 1.1 scoreless innings.
- Jesse Scholtens collected his third win as the “bulk follower,” allowing four hits and an earned run while striking out three.
Updated Hierarchy: Bryan Baker | Cole Sulser | Garrett Cleavinger
Quick Hits
- Baltimore Orioles: A less-than-stellar outing by Anthony Nunez. He gave up two hits, resulting in three earned runs, and two walks without retiring a batter at the bottom of the seventh.
- Cleveland Guardians: Pressed into action with the bases loaded and one out at the bottom of the eighth, Colin Holderman stranded two runners, but let one score in a Nick Kurtz RBI single. He finished the win with 1.2 scoreless frames. Hunter Gaddis struggled once again, allowing two hits, an earned run, and a walk while striking out one in the eighth. He has been removed from the bullpen hierarchy as a result.
National League
Milwaukee Brewers
Forced into an extended outing, Abner Uribe navigated around a lead-off single and an error on a shallow pop fly in left field with a strikeout, a pop-out, and a game-ending groundout, securing his third save. He threw 24 pitches (17 strikes – 70.8 Strike%) and induced one whiff. It’s his first save since April 18 and his first appearance in five days, but he displayed no signs of rust.
- Trevor Megill notched his fourth hold, retiring the side at the top of the eighth. He’s been scoreless over his last five outings.
- DL Hall stranded a runner and retired his only batter in the seventh for his third hold.
- Grant Anderson gave up a hit during two-thirds of the seventh, resulting in his fifth hold.
Updated Hierarchy: Abner Uribe | Trevor Megill | Aaron Ashby
New York Mets
Tasked with a tied score at the bottom of the tenth, Austin Warren walked Jorge Soler and allowed Jo Adell’s single, retired the next two hitters, then gave up a walk-off RBI single by Oswald Peraza, resulting in his first loss.
- Craig Kimbrel worked a scoreless ninth, giving up a hit and a walk (intentional – Mike Trout), while striking out one.
- Huascar Brazobán retired all four batters, one via strikeout. Tobias Myers logged 2.2 scoreless frames, despite allowing three hits and a walk.
Hierarchy Remains: Devin Williams | Luke Weaver | Brooks Raley
St. Louis Cardinals
Narrowly walking the high-leverage tightrope, Riley O’Brien secured his ninth save, closing out an eventual one-run win over the Dodgers. However, he allowed four consecutive two-out singles, plating two earned runs, before producing a game-ending strikeout against pinch-hitter Dalton Rushing. O’Brien threw 26 pitches (16 strikes – 61.5 Strike%) and induced four whiffs (15.4 SwStr%).
The four hits tied a season-high, and have happened in two of his last three contests. As a result, his WHIP has risen to 0.98, and he’s recorded 19 strikeouts against one walk (27.7 K-BB%) through 16.1 innings.
- JoJo Romero fired a clean eighth, striking out two for his ninth hold.
- Ryne Stanek worked a scoreless seventh, navigating around a hit and a walk while striking out one for his fifth hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Riley O’Brien | JoJo Romero | George Soriano
Quick Hits
- Miami Marlins: In a non-save capacity, Andrew Nardi preserved the combined shutout with a clean top of the ninth while striking out one against the Phillies’ 8-9-1 lineup pocket, throwing 10 pitches (80 Strike%) with two whiffs. Anthony Bender racked up two strikeouts and retired the side in the eighth on 18 pitches (14 strikes – 77.8 Strike%) without a whiff.
- Pittsburgh Pirates: Closing out a lopsided win over the Reds, Gregory Soto fired a clean top of the ninth and recorded a strikeout against the 2-3-4 lineup pocket. He threw seven pitches (85.7 Strike%) without a whiff.
- San Diego Padres: Returning from the injured list, Jeremiah Estrada fired a clean top of the ninth, striking out the side on 13 pitches (9 strikes – 69.2 Strike%) with three whiffs (23.1 SwStr%).
- San Francisco Giants: Making his first appearance since April 15, 2025, Gregory Santos logged 1.2 innings, giving up a hit, an unearned run, and two walks while striking out one, throwing 26 pitches (50 Strike%) without a whiff. Some things do not change.
- Washington Nationals: Appearing during an eventual loss, Orlando Ribalta fired a clean bottom of the eighth and recorded a strikeout facing the Brewers’ 3-4-5 lineup pocket.
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