Thursday’s 13-game slate featured five wins, six saves, four losses, and two blown saves by relievers. Here are the saves in condensed form:
There have been 711 saves this season by 191 different pitchers.
Here are the vulture save options:
Vulture Save Options for 7.10.2026
- Shawn Armstrong (CLE): Smith and Gaddis have pitched in back-to-back games.
- Tyler Alexander (TEX): Latz logged 41 pitches last night and will be unavailable tonight.
Vulture Save Stashes for 7.11.2026
- Luke Weaver (NYM): If Williams works in tonight’s game, he will have appeared on consecutive days.
- Sean Newcomb (CHW): If Taylor pitches today, it will be two straight games.
- Keider Montero (DET): If Jansen is used tonight, it will be back-to-back appearances.
- Orion Kerkering (PHI): If Duran pitches tonight, it will be consecutive games and three in the previous four.
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Shutting the door on his MLB-leading 27th save, Cade Smith fired a clean bottom of the ninth, striking out two on 17 pitches (13 strikes – 76.5% Strike Rate) and producing four whiffs (23.5 SwStr%).
Despite being scoreless through four games in July, this marked his first save of the month. For the season, he owns a 1.11 WHIP with 61 strikeouts and 11 walks (28.9 K-BB%) across 42.1 innings.
- Hunter Gaddis notched his 16th hold, tossing a clean eighth and striking out one.
Hierarchy Remains: Cade Smith | Hunter Gaddis | Erik Sabrowski
Three Takeaways
Latz’s workload: Forced into action with two runners on and two outs at the top of the ninth, Cole Winn induced an inning-ending lineout by Jo Adell and collected his fourth win on a walk-off rally at the bottom of the inning. Jacob Latz logged 1.2 innings, giving up a hit and a walk while striking out three, keeping the game tied. However, he threw a season-high 41 pitches in a relief appearance, putting his availability in question for at least two days.
This leaves Winn, Tyler Alexander, and Peyton Gray to carry the leverage ladder over the next two days. Bullpen management matters.
Updated Hierarchy: Jacob Latz | Peyton Gray | Tyler Alexander
Another Angels’ loss: In his previous ten appearances, Kirby Yates had allowed an unearned run and two hits while recording 15 strikeouts against two walks across 9.1 innings. Taking over a tied game in Texas at the bottom of the ninth, he gave up Alejandro Osuna’s seeing-eye single up the middle, a sacrifice bunt, and a walk-off RBI single by Wyatt Langford, resulting in his fourth loss and snapping a six-game scoreless streak. Sam Bachman fired a clean eighth, striking out one. Ryan Zeferjahn worked a clean seventh, striking out one.
Updated Hierarchy: Kirby Yates | Sam Bachman | Ryan Zeferjahn
Cubs B-Side Falters: Summoned with two runners on and one out, Ryan Rolison allowed Jeremiah Jackson’s go-ahead two-RBI double and issued a walk before recording the last two outs of the inning, resulting in his second blown save. Tyler Ferguson struck out Tyler Ward, then hit Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso with pitches, prompting his removal. Both earned runs go on his line, and it’s his first loss, while he gets credit for his third hold. Caleb Thielbar retired both batters in the seventh, one via strikeout.
Hierarchy Remains: *Jacob Webb | *Trent Thornton | Caleb Thielbar
*= closer-by-committee
Here are the remaining leverage events of interest from Thursday.
American League
Baltimore Orioles – Sealing a one-run lead and his second save, Andrew Kittredge worked around Gunnar Henderson’s fielding error with a caught stealing and Ian Happ’s single with a fielder’s choice groundout, followed by a game-ending lineout. He threw 13 pitches (10 strikes – 76.9% Strike Rate) without a whiff.
- Tyler Wells took over a tied game at the top of the eighth, allowing Pete Crow-Armstrong’s leadoff double on a shallow ball Tyler O’Neill could not complete the catch on; a flyout moved him to third, and an RBI double by Seiya Suzuki against a drawn-in infield scored an earned run. Wells finished with two hits, an earned run, and one strikeout, but collected his second win on his team’s rally at the bottom of the inning.
- Yennier Cano gave up a hit during a scoreless seventh.
Hierarchy Remains: Tyler Wells | Andrew Kittredge | Yennier Cano
Boston Red Sox – Nailing down his 19th save, Aroldis Chapman retired the White Sox 6-7-8 hitters in order on nine pitches (88.9% Strike Rate) with one whiff (11.1 SwStr%). He has been scoreless in two of three appearances in July, recording a save in each, but this was his first clean outing since May 18 against the Royals.
- Justin Slaten secured his 11th hold, tossing a clean eighth and striking out one.
- Garrett Whitlock fired a clean seventh and recorded two strikeouts for his 15th hold.
- Tyron Guerrero earned his first win, logging 1.2 scoreless frames, scattering two hits and striking out one.
Winners of six straight, will Boston be a buyer, seller, or both before the trade deadline?
Hierarchy Remains: Aroldis Chapman | Garrett Whitlock | Justin Slaten
Detroit Tigers – Working into and then out of trouble, Kenley Jansen issued a leadoff walk to Shea Langeliers, retired Jonah Heim on a strikeout, allowed Jacob Wilson’s single, putting runners on the corners, then bore down to induce consecutive lineouts, preserving a three-run lead for his 11th save. He threw 19 pitches (11 strikes – 57.9% Strike Rate) and produced one whiff. He has been scoreless in his last three appearances and secured a save in his last two.
- Kyle Finnegan gave up a hit and struck out one in a scoreless eighth, notching his 11th hold.
Updated Hierarchy: *Kenley Jansen | *Keider Montero | Kyle Finnegan
*= closer-by-committee
Quick Hits
- Minnesota Twins: As the first reliever in, Kendry Rojas suffered his first loss, giving up two hits, three earned runs, and three walks over the sixth and seventh innings.
- New York Yankees: Taking over at the bottom of the third, Ryan Yarbrough allowed his only inherited runner to score but earned his first win, retiring three of five batters faced and yielding two hits. Camilo Doval stranded a runner and issued a walk during his two-thirds of an inning.
- The Athletics: It was another lackluster game for this bullpen. Mark Leiter Jr. allowed a hit and hit a batter while striking out two in a scoreless bottom of the eighth. Hogan Harris gave up two hits, including a solo home run, walked a batter, and recorded two strikeouts in the seventh. Luis Medina worked 1.2 scoreless innings, yielding a hit and striking out one. The team’s last save was on June 25.
National League
Arizona Diamondbacks – Locking down his 21st save, Paul Sewald fired a clean bottom of the ninth, striking out two on 10 pitches (90% Strike Rate) with three whiffs against the Padres’ top of the lineup. He had allowed at least a run in four of his previous six appearances. This season, he has a 0.909 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and 8 walks (22.3 K-BB%) across 33 innings.
- Kevin Ginkel secured his seventh hold, retiring the side and striking out one in the eighth.
Hierarchy Remains: Paul Sewald | Kevin Ginkel | Brandyn Garcia
Philadelphia Phillies – Completing a combined 1-0 contest in Cincinnati, Jhoan Duran navigated around JJ Bleday’s leadoff single and a steal, then hit Spencer Steer with a pitch before recording consecutive strikeouts and a game-ending groundout by Noelvi Marte for his 23rd save. He threw 21 pitches (66.7% Strike Rate) and produced three whiffs (14.3 SwStr%). He has converted his last seven save opportunities and has been scoreless over his last ten games, posting a 0.90 WHIP with 17 strikeouts and one walk (41 K-BB%) across ten innings.
- Jonathan Bowlan secured his fourth hold, retiring the side and striking out one in the bottom of the eighth.
Updated Hierarchy: Jhoan Duran | Brad Keller | Orion Kerkering
San Francisco Giants – Deployed in a non-save situation, Caleb Kilian allowed two hits and struck out two at the top of the ninth, finishing off a six-run win over the Rockies. He threw 18 pitches (11 strikes – 61.1% Strike Rate) and produced two whiffs (11.1 SwStr%). He has been scoreless in two of his last three, recording multiple strikeouts in each.
- Erik Miller fired a clean eighth, stirking out two for his tenth hold.
- JT Brubaker logged 1.1 clean frames, striking out one for his third hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Caleb Kilian | Dylan Smith | Erik Miller
Quick Hits
- Atlanta Braves: After working a clean bottom of the fifth, Dylan Dodd collected his second win.
- New York Mets: Finishing a four-run lead against the Royals, Devin Williams allowed a two-out single and recorded a strikeout in a scoreless top of the ninth. He threw 17 pitches (11 strikes – 64.7% Strike Rate) and induced one whiff. Huascar Brazobán fired a clean eighth, striking out two.
- San Diego Padres: In an eventual loss, Adrian Morejon tossed a clean top of the ninth, striking out two. Wandy Peralta worked a clean eighth, striking out one. Bradgely Rodriguez stranded a runner while retiring all four batters, two via strikeout.
Holds Tally
Here are the holds from Thursday’s slate:
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Statistical Credits: