Monday’s six-game slate featured two wins and losses by relievers, while securing four saves. Here are the saves in condensed form:
As for the vulture options during today’s slate:
Vulture Save Options for 5.12.2026
- Cole Sulser (TB): Baker has worked in consecutive contests.
- Andrew Kittredge (BAL): He has allowed a run in four consecutive outings, but has been used during high-leverage events, putting him in line for a potential save opportunity with Garcia and Nunez unavailable after appearing in back-to-back games.
- Joel Peguero (SF): It’s him or Caleb Kilian if the team’s leading tonight, with Winn having pitched the previous two games.
- Bryan Abreu (HOU): He could be in line for the next save chance for the Astros.
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Protecting a two-run margin, Andrés Muñoz recorded his eighth save, working around Jose Altuve’s two-out single with a game-ending strikeout of Yordan Alvarez on a 93 miles per hour changeup. He threw 14 pitches (11 strikes – 78.6 Strike%) and induced two whiffs (14.3 SwStr%).
He had allowed at least a run in two of his three appearances this month. It’s unknown if he will carry his new pitch mix going forward, but this outcome was encouraging. The seven four-seams represent a season-high during an appearance:
Muñoz also acknowledged that throwing more change-ups could be beneficial as the season progresses in this game recap by Daniel Kramer for MLB.com:
He’s been an enigma this season. His 5.63 ERA is accompanied by a 2.29 SIERA, with 26 strikeouts versus seven walks (27.1 K-BB%), an 18.5 percent swinging-strike rate, and a 59.8 percent contact rate allowed. However, when he’s allowing contact, it has resulted in more quality than poor induced. Of his 37 batted ball events, he’s given up five barrels (13.5%) and 20 hard-hits (54.1 percent).
If he’s going to migrate his rest-of-the-season outcomes toward his SIERA, he must command his four-seam fastball better. He’s allowed a .551 weighted on-base average (wOBA) with the pitch, contributing to his elevated 1.375 WHIP through 16 innings:
Last, but not least, his leverage ladder will be a pitcher short once the team activates Bryce Miller as a tandem starter with Luis Castillo. It’s paramount Muñoz remains a force during save situations for a team reliant on its pitching.
Hierarchy Remains: Andrés Muñoz | Eduard Bazardo | Jose A. Ferrer
Because of Monday’s limited schedule, the remaining high-leverage events of interest are covered next, with the team’s takeaways included.
American League
Baltimore Orioles
Presented a one-run lead at the top of the ninth, Anthony Nunez secured his second save with a little help from his friends. After striking out Jazz Chisolm Jr., he allowed a deep fly ball to right against Ryan McMahon, caught against the wall by Tyler O’Neill, and gave up Paul Goldschmidt’s two-out single. José Caballero replaced him as the pinch runner, but was cut down stealing second, ending the game. Nunez threw 11 pitches (63.6 Strike%) and produced three whiffs (27.3 SwStr%) in a scoreless appearance.
Rico Garcia was deployed as the highest-leveraged reliever, facing the Yankees’ 2-3-4 hitters at the top of the eighth. He retired the side, allowing Aaron Judge’s flyout sandwiched between two strikeouts on only nine pitches, while generating four whiffs (44.4 SwStr%), notching his seventh hold.
How this game played out is the exact reason why Garcia was identified as the HLR (highest-leveraged reliever) with Ryan Helsley on the injured list. If Judge was going to hit at the top of the ninth, it would have been a save instead of a hold. What should not be ignored, Garcia ranks third among all qualified relievers in Win Probability Added, behind only Mason Miller and Gregory Soto.
Dietrich Enns logged 1.2 scoreless frames, yielding a hit and striking out one, collecting his first win courtesy of a rally at the bottom of the seventh. As of yesterday, Helsley’s making progress but has not started throwing yet:
Hierarchy Remains: Rico Garcia | Anthony Nunez | Andrew Kittredge
Los Angeles Angels
Things did not go well for Kirby Yates. He took over with the bases loaded and one out at the bottom of the third. He walked in a run, followed by a two-RBI single by Daniel Schneeman, and a two-RBI double by Travis Bazzana, before retiring the last two batters of the inning. He finished with two hits, two earned runs, and a walk while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning, throwing 22 pitches (13 strikes – 59.1 Strike%) with three whiffs (13.6 SwStr%). His velocity remains down, which has not gone well for the veteran:
It’s a limited sample, but he owns a 2.395 WHIP with two strikeouts and one walk across 1.2 innings. Meanwhile, 2024 gets further in the rearview mirror:
As for his teammate currently on rehab assignment, this was the latest update regarding Ben Joyce, courtesy of Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register:
Even if he returns, his workload will be closely monitored, which will cap projections for his saves this season.
Hierarchy Remains: Ryan Zeferjahn | Sam Bachman | Kirby Yates
Tampa Bay Rays
Slamming the door on his 11th save, Bryan Baker fired a clean bottom of the ninth while recording two strikeouts, facing Toronto’s 6-7-8 hitters. He threw 11 pitches (81.8 Strike%) and induced two whiffs (18.2 SwStr%).
This extended his scoreless streak to nine games, during which he’s converted seven saves and one hold with a 0.48 WHIP while registering 10 strikeouts versus one walk (31 K-BB%) across 8.1 innings.
- Hunter Bigge secured his fifth hold, stranding a runner and retiring all five batters, one via strikeout.
- Ian Seymour allowed two hits, including a two-run home run (Andrés Giménez), and a walk with one strikeout over one-third of the seventh.
Hierarchy Remains: Bryan Baker | Cole Sulser | Garrett Cleavinger
Quick Hits
- Houston Astros: Appearing in a loss, Bryan King gave up a hit during a scoreless top of the ninth. Steven Okert retired the side and struck out one in the eighth.
- New York Yankees: Called upon with two runners on and one out at the bottom of the seventh, Brent Headrick served up Coby Mayo’s go-ahead three-run home run, resulting in an earned run on his ledger, plus a loss and his first blown save. Camilo Doval fired a clean bottom of the eighth, striking out one on 17 pitches (47.1 Strike%) with two whiffs.
- Texas Rangers: Summoned with the bases loaded and one out at the top of the eighth, Tyler Alexander stranded all three while working 1.2 clean frames, striking out two. Cole Winn allowed two hits and a walk while striking out one across a scoreless combined inning. Peyton Gray logged 2.2 scoreless innings, yielding a hit and striking out two.
- Toronto Blue Jays: Making his season debut, Yariel Rodríguez issued a walk and recorded two strikeouts during a scoreless top of the ninth. He will fill the multi-inning role going forward.
National League
Arizona Diamondbacks
Closing out a combined shutout while working a two-out hit batter (Corey Seager), Paul Sewald converted his ninth save with a game-ending flyout. He threw 15 pitches (11 strikes – 73.3 Strike%) and produced three whiffs (20 SwStr%).
His revival tour continues, resulting in a 0.682 WHIP with 18 strikeouts against four walks (25.5 K-BB%) through 14.2 innings.
- Taylor Clarke notched his eighth hold, giving up a hit and benefiting from a pickoff of a pinch runner at first, for a scoreless eighth.
- Brandyn Garcia retired both batters in the seventh, one via strikeout for his first hold.
As for the injured co-closers from last year:
- A.J. Puk remains in line for a return later this month or early June, but has not started a minor league rehab assignment.
- Justin Martinez was between 96 and 99 miles per hour in his first bullpen session, but he has always been targeted for a return after the All-Star break.
Hierarchy Remains: Paul Sewald | Juan Morillo | Taylor Clarke
San Francisco Giants
Taking over with a runner on and one out at the bottom of the sixth, Matt Gage stranded him and retired all five batters faced, striking out one. He collected his third win courtesy of a three-run rally by his teammates at the top of the seventh. Keaton Winn notched his ninth hold, giving up a hit and striking out one during a scoreless eighth. JT Brubaker preserved the six-run lead with a clean bottom of the ninth while recording one strikeout.
The leverage ladder has been busy over the last four days:
Who gets the next save chance remains an ongoing debate, though Tony Vitello may not name a closer this season. Stay tuned.
Hierarchy Remains: *Joel Peguero | *Caleb Kilian | Keaton Winn
*= closer-by-committee
Quick Hit
- Los Angeles Dodgers: Entering at the top of the sixth, Blake Treinen retired the side. Alex Vesia suffered his first loss, allowing three hits, three earned runs, and a walk while striking out one over one-third of the seventh. He walked in a run against Rafael Devers, then was lifted for Will Klein, who allowed two of three inherited runners to score, and charged to Vesia.
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