Thursday’s 9-game slate featured three wins, six saves, one loss, and two blown saves by relievers. Here are the saves in condensed form:
There have been 1,000 saves this season by 235 different pitchers. For perspective, this season has already set an MLB record for the number of pitchers with at least one save.
Here are the vulture save options:
Vulture Save Options for 8.21.2026
- Luis Gastelum (STL): O’Brien, Stanek, and Soriano have pitched in three of the previous four days.
- Colin Holderman (CLE): Smith, Gaddis, and Sabrowski have all worked in back-to-back games. However, Smith may go three-in-a-row, which he has done twice previously (May and June).
Vulture Save Stashes for 8.22.2026
- Aaron Ashby (MIL): If Megill pitches tonight, it will be back-to-back games.
- Tyler Rogers (TOR): If Varland is used tonight, it will mark consecutive appearances.
- Hunter Gaddis (CLE): If Smith pitches tonight, it’s three straight games for the closer.
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Shutting the door on his 23rd save, Trevor Megill retired the Mariners’ 2-3-4 hitters in order while striking out one, preserving a three-run lead. He threw 13 pitches (11 strikes – 84.6% Strike Rate) and generated three whiffs (23.1 SwStr%). This outing resulted in a combined no-hitter for Megill, who has not given up a hit in his last nine games, spanning 9.2 innings, yielding a walk and striking out seven while converting all six save chances.
He has also converted his last 15 save opportunities since posting a 0.458 WHIP with 21 strikeouts and four walks (20.5 K-BB%) across innings. Through 50 appearances, he has set a career high with 49 innings this season, which remains something fantasy managers must monitor, although Milwaukee has been providing him with rest in recent weeks.
- Aaron Ashby logged two scoreless innings, walking two and striking out four, securing his 12th hold.
- Chad Patrick collected his seventh win, stranding one of two inherited runners, giving up two hits and striking out four across 2.1 scoreless innings.
Help will be on the way. JoJo Romero is slated to begin his minor league rehab outings in the coming days, and Abner Uribe has been throwing with eyes on being activated once he’s eligible on the 26th.
Updated Hierarchy Remains: Trevor Megill | Aaron Ashby | Chad Patrick
Today’s Takeaways
That escalated quickly: Taking over with a one-run lead at the top of the ninth, Brock Burke had a rough outing, though it was fueled by Dane Myers’ error with two outs. All told, Burke allowed two hits, six runs (zero earned), and three walks (one intentional – Iván Herrera) while striking out one in two-thirds of an inning, resulting in his fifth loss and first blown save. Zach Maxwell let two of three inherited runners score on José Fermin’s two-RBI single before an inning-ending strikeout of Masyn Winn.
Hierarchy Remains: Emilio Pagán | Luis Mey | Brock Burke
Should any Nationals reliever be rostered? Clayton Beeter hasn’t done anything wrong, but the team may keep using him in high-leverage moments, just not as a closer:
Leading the team with five saves of its six saves in the second half makes this a bit shortsighted. But his last save was on August 7, and if he’s not recording them, what value does he really provide from a fantasy perspective? Since the All-Star break, he owns a 1.13 WHIP with a 4.8 K-BB percentage and a 4.73 SIERA across 10.2 innings. Yovanny Cruz suffered a blown save on August 15. However, he may get more chances as an audition for a larger leverage role in 2027.
Hierarchy Remains: *Clayton Beeter | *Orlando Ribalta | *Yovanny Cruz
*= closer-by-committee
Here are the remaining leverage events of interest from Thursday.
American League
Cleveland Guardians – Working around two walks at the top of the ninth, Cade Smith finished off a three-run lead against the Giants for his 32nd save. He threw 20 pitches (60% Strike Rate) and produced three whiffs (15 SwStr%) while recording a strikeout. He has been scoreless in 11 of his last 12 appearances, recording a win while converting three of five save chances. However, he has issued multiple walks in four of these games.
- Hunter Gaddis navigated around a hit and a walk for a scoreless eighth and his 25th hold.
- Erik Sabrowski fired a clean seventh, striking out one for his 22nd hold.
- Tim Herrin stranded a runner and retired his only batter in the sixth, securing his 15th hold.
Updated Hierarchy: Cade Smith | Hunter Gaddis | Erik Sabrowski
New York Yankees – Taking the baton from Gerrit Cole at the bottom of the seventh, Ryan Yarbrough provided much-needed rest for his teammates in the bullpen, logging three scoreless frames and striking out four, recording his third save. He threw 46 pitches (32 strikes – 69.6% Strike Rate) and produced seven whiffs (15.2 SwStr%).
Entering this game, four relievers had appeared in the previous two games:
There have been 59 different pitchers to record a save that required at least two innings this year, and only four have at least three: Jacob Latz has recorded seven while Sean Newcomb, Louis Varland, and Yarbrough have three.
Hierarchy Remains: David Bednar | Paul Blackburn | Brent Headrick
Texas Rangers – Preserving a combined shutout, Jacob Latz issued a one-out walk to Harry Ford and recorded all three outs via strikeout while facing the Nationals at the top of the ninth for his 25th save. He threw 16 pitches (11 strikes – 68.8% Strike Rate) and produced four whiffs (25 SwStr%). This was only his fifth appearance in August and his fourth straight scoreless one while securing a save.
- Chase Silseth notched his 12th hold, retiring the side and striking out two at the top of the eighth.
- Jakob Junis navigated around two walks in the seventh for his 16th hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Jacob Latz | Jakob Junis | Chase Silseth
Quick Hits
- Kansas City Royals: Wrapping up a four-run lead against the A’s, Nate Pearson retired the side at the top of the ninth. John Schreiber worked a clean eighth. Craig Kimbrel tossed a clean seventh. Connor Thomas was awarded his first win, logging 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and striking out two.
- Los Angeles Angels: Wrapping up a lopsided win in Houston, Blake Weiman allowed three hits and an earned run while striking out three during his two innings.
National League
Atlanta Braves – Completing a combined shutout and carving up the 2-3-4 hitters for the White Sox, including back-to-back game-ending strikeouts, Raisel Iglesias locked down his 26th save. He threw 12 pitches (75% Strike Rate) and induced two whiffs (16.7 SwStr%). This snapped a two-game streak of allowing at least a run for the veteran closer, but he owns a 1.396 WHIP while converting seven of nine save chances over 14.1 innings in the second half.
- Dylan Lee fired a clean eighth, striking out two for his MLB-leading 29th hold.
- Didier Fuentes struck out the side in the seventh, securing his 14th hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Raisel Iglesias | Didier Fuentes | Dylan Lee
St. Louis Cardinals – Forced into action with three runners on and two outs, Riley O’Brien struggled, allowing Sal Stewart’s two-RBI single, and issued two walks, forcing in a third inherited runner, but induced a game-ending lineout by Matt McLain, preserving a one-run victory for his 33rd save. He threw 15 pitches (33.3% Strike Rate) and did not produce a whiff during his one-third of an inning. He remains scoreless through his last 12 appearances, but has issued seven walks over his last 11.1 innings (16.3 BB%).
- George Soriano allowed a hit, four earned runs, and three walks while striking out two during two-thirds of the ninth, creating the save chance.
- Peter Strzelecki collected his first win, logging two scoreless innings while walking and striking out one.
- Ryne Stanek gave up two hits, including McLain’s go-ahead grand slam, scoring two inherited runners, resulting in his fourth blown save during two-thirds of the sixth.
Hierarchy Remains: Riley O’Brien | Ryne Stanek | George Soriano
Quick Hits
- San Francisco Giants: In an eventual loss, Sam Hentges let one of two inherited runners score, allowing a hit and striking out one during two-thirds of the sixth. Carson Seymour gave up a hit and struck out two in a scoreless seventh. JT Brubaker yielded an unearned run on two hits and recorded a strikeout in the eighth.
- Washington Nationals: Appearing during a shutout loss, Tom Cosgrove allowed a hit and an earned run at the bottom of the eighth. Clayton Beeter tossed a scoreless seventh, walking and striking out one. Orlando Ribalta gave up a hit and struck out two in a scoreless sixth.
Holds Tally
Here are the holds from Thursday’s slate:
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