Monday’s 8-game slate featured two wins, three saves, three losses, and five blown saves by relievers. Here are the saves in condensed form:
There have been 692 saves this season by 191 different pitchers.
Here are the vulture save options:
Vulture Save Options for 7.7.2026
- Milwaukee: Doubleheader – Preferred Option: Abner Uribe; YOLO – Craig Yoho
- A.J. Minter (NYM): Williams, Weaver, and Raley have all pitched in back-to-back games.
- St. Louis: Doubleheader – Preferred Option: George Soriano; YOLO – Gordon Graceffo
Vulture Save Stashes for 7.7.2026
- Luke Weaver (NYM): Williams has also worked the two previous games, but his elevated pitch count (52) may necessitate an extra day of rest.
- Fernando Cruz (NYY): If Bednar pitches today, it will be consecutive contests.
- Tyler Kinley (ATL): If Iglesias is used for a save tonight, he will have worked in back-to-back games.
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Although his 23-game scoreless streak was snapped, Luke Weaver secured his first save of the season. He took over at the bottom of the tenth with a two-run lead and allowed an RBI double by Michael Harris II with one out, scoring the “courtesy runner.” After striking out Ozzie Albies, he intentionally walked Matt Olson and Jorge Mateo, then induced a game-ending groundout from Mauricio Dubón. Weaver threw 19 pitches (11 strikes – 57.9% Strike Rate) and produced four whiffs (21.1 SwStr%), allowing a hit, an unearned run, two walks, and striking out one.
- Brooks Raley stranded two runners and struck out Mike Yastrzemski at the bottom of the ninth, earning his third win.
- Devin Williams suffered his second blown save, giving up three hits, including a game-tying two-run home run by Matt Olson, and a walk in two-thirds of the ninth. He has thrown 52 pitches in the past two days.
Watching this game, Williams prefers working at the upper rail of the strike zone with his four-seam fastball and at or below it with the changeup, but Atlanta’s left-handed batters were looking for elevated fastballs away:
He could not get his four-seam up and in on left-handed hitters, inducing only one foul ball in this outing against Ozzie Albies. His illustrator denotes the location of the opposite field home run by Olson and a single by Baldwin on elevated fastballs, and the double by Albies on a change-up below the zone:
Atlanta’s left-handed hitters were prepared for his arsenal, seeking elevated fastballs away and low-and-away change-ups. It makes sense when viewing his heatmaps from Fangraphs. First, his change-ups to left-handed batters this year:
And, his four-seam fastballs to left-handed hitters in 2026:
There will be better days for Williams, but unless he adjusts his attack patterns, his struggles with left-handed hitters will persist. It also makes trading Weaver more difficult for David Stearns.
Hierarchy Remains: Devin Williams | Luke Weaver | Brooks Raley
Here are the pertinent leverage events of interest from Monday.
American League
New York Yankees – Closing out a four-run lead in Tampa Bay, David Bednar fired a clean bottom of the ninth, striking out one on 11 pitches (63.6% Strike Rate) and inducing two whiffs (18.2 SwStr%).
This extends his scoreless streak to 14 games, during which he’s posted a 0.563 WHIP with 19 strikeouts and three walks (28.6 K-BB%) across 16 innings. He has converted 17 of 19 save opportunities this season and has whittled down his WHIP to 1.162 with 44 strikeouts and 12 walks (20.8 K-BB%) through 37 innings.
Hierarchy Remains: David Bednar | Fernando Cruz | Camilo Doval
National League
Atlanta Braves – Tasked with the top of the tenth in his major league debut, rookie Owen Murphy retired his first two batters, hit Jared Young with a pitch, then gave up Luis Torrens’ two-out, two-RBI double, resulting in his first loss. He finished with a hit, two runs (one earned), and a strikeout.
Raisel Iglesias had his save streak snapped at 35, suffering his first blown save since July 26, 2025. He allowed three hits, including a go-ahead three-run home run by Juan Soto, and recorded a strikeout. When he reached a 3-1 count to Soto, I thought an intentional walk was coming, instead, he challenged with an inside four-seam fastball:
Great hitters hit mistakes, and Iglesias’s location was not bad; Soto was better in this at-bat.
- Tyler Kinley notched his tenth hold, walking and striking out one in the eighth.
- Dylan Lee navigated around two walks for a scoreless seventh and his 18th hold.
- Didier Fuentes allowed four hits and an earned run while striking out one in the sixth for his ninth hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Raisel Iglesias | Didier Fuentes | Dylan Lee
Colorado Rockies – Forced into action at the bottom of the tenth, Jimmy Herget stranded two runners with an inning-ending lineout from Teoscar Hernández, keeping the game tied. Returning for the 11th, he intentionally walked Max Muncy, recorded an out on Tommy Edman’s sacrifice bunt, then gave up Dalton Rushing’s walk-off RBI single, resulting in his third loss.
- Brennan Bernardino was tagged with his third blown save, letting the “courtesy runner” score on a fielder’s choice, and was removed after Kyle Tucker’s single.
- Antonio Senzatela allowed a hit and a walk while striking out two in a scoreless bottom of the ninth.
- Zach Agnos logged three scoreless frames, yielding a hit and striking out one.
Hierarchy Remains: *Jordan Romano | *Victor Vodnik | *Jimmy Herget
*= closer-by-committee
Los Angeles Dodgers – After letting the “courtesy runner” score at the top of the tenth, Edgardo Henriquez stranded him in the 11th and collected his third win on his team’s walkoff rally. He allowed only an unearned run and two walks over his two innings.
Tanner Scott took over at the top of the ninth with a three-run lead against the Rockies’ 8-9-1 pocket, but things went awry. He issued a one-out walk to Ezequiel Tovar, followed by a single by Willi Castro and an RBI double by Kyle Karros. With a base open, Scott intentionally walked Hunter Goodman and struck out TJ Rumfield. With two outs, Cole Carrigg doubled, scoring two runs, and the third out was recorded on a throw to home, resulting in his second blown save and snapping his eight-game scoreless streak.
- Alex Vesia notched his 15th hold despite issuing two walks in the eighth.
- Brock Stewart fired a clean seventh, striking out two for his third hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Tanner Scott | Alex Vesia | Will Klein
Milwaukee Brewers – Capping his team’s come-from-behind rally, Trevor Megill notched his 14th save despite allowing a leadoff single to Masyn Winn, then retired the next three batters, including consecutive game-ending strikeouts, preserving a one-run lead. He threw 15 pitches (11 strikes – 73.3% Strike%) and produced three whiffs (20 SwStr%). This extended his scoreless streak to 13 games, during which he has a 0.692 WHIP, 17 strikeouts, and 3 walks (29.2 K-BB%) over 13 innings.
- Chad Patrick fired two clean frames and recorded two strikeouts, securing his third hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Trevor Megill | Abner Uribe | Aaron Ashby
Washington Nationals – Forced into action at the top of the eighth with two outs, Clayton Beeter induced an inning-ending groundout against Jose Altuve, then shut the door on his seventh save by retiring the side in the ninth, striking out one (Yordan Alvarez). He threw 12 pitches (66.7% Strike Rate) without a whiff. It’s his first save since June 22, and he extended his modest scoreless streak to six games. However, he has only converted two of his last four save opportunities.
- Cole Henry allowed three hits, four earned runs, and a walk while striking out two over 1.2 innings.
Hierarchy Remains: *Clayton Beeter | *PJ Poulin | *Orlando Ribalta
*= closer-by-committee
Quick Hits
- San Francisco Giants: Making his season debut, Spencer Bivens retired the side and recorded two strikeouts against Toronto’s 4-5-6 hitters, finishing off a nine-run margin.
- St. Louis Cardinals: Taking over at the top of the seventh, Ryan Fernandez allowed two hits and had a batter reach on an error. He let his only inherited runner score and had three runs (two earned) on his line without recording an out, resulting in his second loss. Ryne Stanek allowed both inherited runners to score, giving up a hit and striking out one in the seventh, and was tagged with his third blown save.
Holds Tally
Here are the holds from Monday’s slate:
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Statistical Credits: