Inclement weather postponed St. Louis at Boston, making Saturday a 14-game slate. Relievers recorded five wins and two losses while converting five saves. Luke Jackson secured his MLB-leading fifth save, which segues nicely into today’s three takeaways.
Three Takeaways
(1) Jackson converts his fifth save: The fantasy community was apprehensive about taking a chance on him based on past results with Atlanta in 2024. However, after securing his fifth save on Saturday, he leads all MLB relievers by two in the category. He worked around an infield single for a scoreless ninth, throwing eight pitches (87.5 Strike%) with one whiff (12.5 SwStr%).
He lowered his WHIP to 1.32 and has five strikeouts against two walks (13 K-BB percentage) across 5.1 innings. In this limited sample, he’s posted an 11.7 swinging strike percentage with a 78.9 percent contact rate allowed and an 83.3 Z-Contact percentage. He’s trending toward using fewer four-seam fastballs, which makes sense.
Hierarchy Remains: Luke Jackson | Chris Martin | Robert Garcia
(2) Cincinnati’s closer conundrum: There is no closer controversy amid a losing streak, but the team’s saves leader from the previous two seasons can be activated early this week. He logged his first Triple-A appearance on Friday, working around two walks and recording two strikeouts for a scoreless inning.
He threw 19 pitches (11 strikes – 57.9 Strike%):
As Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports, the team may ease Díaz into leverage situations once he’s activated:
The pitching coach backed up this sentiment, Derek Johnson:
Sunday’s outing by Díaz may provide the most evident answer about his readiness for leverage situations this week. Stay tuned. On Saturday, Emilio Pagán closed out a four-run win at Milwaukee with a scoreless ninth, working around a one-out walk and a bloop single, recording one strikeout. He threw 24 pitches (50 Strike%) and induced three whiffs (12.5 SwStr%). He has a 0.50 WHIP with three strikeouts versus one walk (14.3 K-BB%) in four innings. Tony Santillan let two of three inherited runners score in the seventh, allowing Oliver Dunn’s two-RBI double and recording three strikeouts across 1.1 scoreless frames for his third hold.
Hierarchy Remains: *Emilio Pagán | *Tony Santillan | Graham Ashcraft
*= closer-by-committee
(3) Edwin wins via walk-off: Bending but not breaking at the top of the ninth, Edwin Díaz worked around two hits and a wild pitch with three strikeouts. He collected his first win on a walk-off rally at the bottom of the frame. He threw 24 pitches (62.5 Strike%) and generated six whiffs (25 SwStr%).
After three appearances, he has a 1.00 WHIP with five strikeouts (45.5 K-BB%) through three innings. He has not allowed an earned run, and his 0.55 SIERA backs this up. He’s had bad luck with contact, illustrated by his .500 batting average on balls in play (BAbip) despite a 66.7 percent contact rate allowed. Hopefully, his 86.7 percent Z-Contact rate will regress toward the mean since it’s 12.5 percentage points above last year. The good news is he’s produced an 18.2 swinging strike percentage and a 65.4 strike percentage.
Hierarchy Remains: Edwin Díaz | A.J. Minter | Ryne Stanek
Here are the remaining leverage events of interest from Saturday.
Closer CliffsNotes
Los Angeles Dodgers
Matched up against the Phillies’ 3-4-5 lineup pocket, Tanner Scott worked around a lead-off infield single by Bryce Harper by inducing a double play groundout and a game-ending flyout. He only needed three pitches, all strikes, while converting his third save. He lowered his WHIP to one and has four strikeouts (18.2 K-BB%) through six innings.
- Alex Vesia notched his third hold, hitting a batter and striking out three in a scoreless eighth.
- Ben Casparius logged two clean frames and recorded one strikeout for his third hold.
- Anthony Banda was awarded his third win, retiring the side at the bottom of the fifth and stranding both inherited runners.
Hierarchy Remains: *Tanner Scott | *Blake Treinen | Kirby Yates
*= match-up-based approach
Miami Marlins
Finishing a combined shutout, Anthony Bender worked around a lead-off walk (Matt Olson) by retiring the next three batters, one via strikeout. He threw 16 pitches (11 strikes – 68.8 Strike%) and produced three whiffs (18.8 SwStr%). He has a 0.67 WHIP with one strikeout and two walks through three innings.
- Calvin Faucher stranded a runner while retiring both batters in the eighth, throwing seven pitches (57.1 Strike%) with one whiff.
- Anthony Veneziano stranded a runner in the seventh and gave up two hits while striking out two over two-thirds scoreless combined innings.
Hierarchy Remains: Anthony Bender | Calvin Faucher | Anthony Veneziano
Minnesota Twins
In order of appearance, Louis Varland navigated around two hits and recorded two strikeouts in a scoreless fifth.
- Cole Sands collected his first win, retiring the side and striking out one in the sixth on 11 pitches (81.8 Strike%) with three whiffs (27.3 SwStr%).
- Jorge Alcala allowed two hits and struck out one in a scoreless seventh.
- Justin Topa worked a scoreless eighth, yielding a hit and striking out two.
- Jhoan Durán closed the five-run win with a scoreless ninth, giving up a hit and striking out one. He threw eight pitches (75 Strike%) and induced one whiff.
Hierarchy Remains: Jhoan Durán | Griffin Jax | Cole Sands
New York Yankees
Called into action at the bottom of the fifth, Tim Hill worked around a hit and a walk for a scoreless outing. Mark Leiter Jr. retired the side in the sixth and collected his first win. He threw five pitches (60 Strike%) without a whiff. He has a 0.92 WHIP with seven strikeouts against two walks (31.3 K-BB%) over 4.1 innings.
Hierarchy Remains: Devin Williams | Luke Weaver | Mark Leiter Jr.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Appearing in a loss, Dennis Santana faced the Yankees’ 3-4-5 pocket at the top of the ninth. He allowed an Aaron Judge lead-off single, a one-out double by Anthony Volpe, and an Austin Wells sacrifice fly. Santana threw 16 pitches (11 strikes – 68.8 Strike%) and induced two whiffs (12.5 SwStr%). He has a 1.62 WHIP with three strikeouts against three walks across 4.1 innings.
- Ryan Borucki gave up two hits and an earned run at the top of the eighth.
- Justin Lawrence navigated around a hit and a walk for a scoreless seventh. (His leverage role may be growing; stay tuned.)
- Caleb Ferguson tossed a scoreless sixth, yielding a hit.
- Colin Holderman allowed a hit and an earned run while striking out two in the fifth.
Hierarchy Remains: Dennis Santana | Colin Holderman | Ryan Borucki
San Francisco Giants
Handed a three-run lead at the top of the ninth, Ryan Walker secured his third save with a scoreless ninth, allowing a one-out single and striking out one. He threw 17 pitches (12 strikes – 70.6 Strike%) and induced one whiff.
He has a 0.80 WHIP with four strikeouts against one walk (15 K-BB%) over five innings.
- Hayden Birdsong notched his second hold, giving up two hits and a walk while striking out two in two scoreless frames.
Hierarchy Remains: Ryan Walker | Camilo Doval | Tyler Rogers
Tampa Bay Rays
Taking over at the bottom of the sixth, Edwin Uceta issued an intentional walk and struck out one on 10 pitches (80 Strike%) with two whiffs (20 SwStr%).
- Mason Montgomery suffered his first loss, giving up two hits, including Wyatt Langford’s go-ahead two-run home run, and recorded three strikeouts.
- Kevin Kelly tossed a scoreless bottom of the eighth, walking and striking out one.
Hierarchy Remains: Pete Fairbanks | Edwin Uceta | Garrett Cleavinger
The Athletics
Although he allowed a one-out infield single, Mason Miller secured his third save with a scoreless ninth in Colorado while recording two strikeouts. He threw 13 pitches (69.2 Strike%) and produced four whiffs (30.8 SwStr%).
He’s posted a 0.75 WHIP with eight strikeouts versus one walk (50 K-BB%) across four innings.
- Tyler Ferguson allowed two hits, including a solo home run by Ryan McMahon and a walk in the eighth.
- Justin Sterner stranded two runners and retired both batters in the seventh, one via strikeout.
Hierarchy Remains: Mason Miller | Tyler Ferguson | José Leclerc
Toronto Blue Jays
A confounding usage pattern saw Jeff Hoffman summoned with runners at the corners and one out at the bottom of the ninth. He allowed a walk-off Francisco Lindor sacrifice fly on his first pitch.
- Nick Sandlin suffered his first loss, giving up a hit, an earned run, and a walk while striking out one in two-thirds combined innings.
- Brendon Little was tagged with his first blown save, giving up two hits, including Jesse Winker’s two-RBI triple, and a walk while striking out one in two-thirds of the eighth.
- Yimi García stranded a runner despite allowing a hit and a walk during his one-third of the seventh for his second hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Jeff Hoffman | Yimi García | Chad Green
Washington Nationals
With a two-run lead at the top of the ninth, Kyle Finnegan took over against the Diamondbacks’ 6-7-8 hitters. He issued Eugenio Suárez a lead-off walk and uncorked a wild pitch, moving the pinch-runner to second. After a flyout, he allowed an RBI infield single by Alek Thomas, induced another flyout, and secured his second save on a game-ending caught stealing. He finished with a hit against, an earned run, and a walk while throwing 13 pitches (6 strikes – 46.2 Strike%) without a whiff.
- Eduardo Salazar tossed a clean eighth for his first hold.
- Jose A. Ferrer stranded two runners while retiring his only batter in the seventh, securing his first hold.
- Jorge López gave up two hits, an earned run, and a walk during two-thirds of the seventh, getting credit for his first hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Kyle Finnegan | Jorge López | Jose A. Ferrer
Vulture Save Options for April 6
- Camilo Doval (SF): Walker has pitched on consecutive days.
- Jacob Webb (TEX): The Rangers’ leverage triumvirate (Jackson, Martin, Garcia) have all appeared on back-to-back days.
- José Leclerc (ATH): Miller has recorded saves on consecutive days in Coors, leaving Leclerc in line for one today. Those streaming him hope his underlying data wins out (4.77 SIERA, 18.3 SwStr%).
- Justin Slaten (BOS): If playing for a Red Sox sweep of today’s doubleheader.
- Phil Maton (STL): For those hedging on a Cardinals sweep.
Vulture Save Stashes for April 7
- Blake Treinen (LAD): If Tanner Scott pitches today, it will be consecutive outings.
- Yennier Cano (BAL): If Félix Bautista appears today, he will be off Monday.
- Yimi García (TOR): If Jeff Hoffman pitches today, it will be back-to-back games.
- Griffin Jax (MIN): If Durán pitches today, it will be consecutive appearances.
- Ryne Stanek (NYM): If the Mets use Díaz again today, he will be off tomorrow.
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