Thursday’s eight-game slate yielded five reliever wins and five saves, while suffering six losses. There was also a three-inning save during a major league debut. Here are the saves in condensed form.
Vulture Save Option for August 29
- Kaleb Ort (HOU): Bryan Abreu and Bryan King have appeared in back-to-back contests.
Under the Hood
With the score tied at the bottom of the ninth, Daniel Palencia allowed three consecutive one-out singles, including Jung Hoo Lee’s RBI walk-off, resulting in his fourth loss. He threw 13 pitches (69.2% strike rate) and induced one whiff in this outing. First, his illustrator:
And, the results in this outing:
He has now allowed a run in five of his ten appearances in August, posting a 1.828 WHIP with 12 strikeouts against four walks over 9.2 innings. The good news is that he has converted six of seven save opportunities; however, the rising contact rates must be monitored going forward. This chart does not include Thursday’s outing, but there are trends we must track closely through the end of the season:
Since the All-Star break, he has posted a 1.533 WHIP over 13.2 innings. It’s fueled by a .410 batting average on balls in play (BAbip), which will not be sustainable, but when his walk rate approaches his swinging strike percentage, it narrows the window for success during save situations.
Here are the remaining leverage events of interest from Thursday.
Leverage Ledger
Arizona Diamondbacks – In a herculean effort, Taylor Rashi recorded a save during his major league debut, logging three scoreless frames, scattering two hits, and issuing walks while striking out three. He wriggled out of two runners on and two outs at the bottom of the ninth by inducing a game-ending groundout by pinch-hitter Christian Yelich. Rashi threw a season high 62 pitches (he threw 54 two times at Triple-A) and 31 strikes while producing seven whiffs (11.3 SwStr%).
He worked more than two innings nine times before his promotion and became the 16th reliever with a save for the franchise this year.
- Jalen Beeks retired his only batter while stranding a runner at the bottom of the sixth for his 12th hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Andrew Saalfrank | John Curtiss | Kyle Backhus
Boston Red Sox – Despite allowing a lead-off double by Dylan Carlson, Steven Matz recorded his second save, first with Boston, inducing a fielder’s choice grounder, retiring Carlson at third, followed by consecutive flyouts, preserving the one-run lead. He threw 12 pitches (58.3% strike rate) without a whiff. This also represents the second save of his career, and the first not requiring more than three outs.
- Garrett Whitlock notched his 21st hold, giving up a hit and a walk while striking out one in a scoreless eighth.
- Jordan Hicks navigated around a hit and a walk for a scoreless seventh, then collected his second win courtesy of a go-ahead rally at the top of the eighth.
Hierarchy Remains: Aroldis Chapman | Garrett Whitlock | Jordan Hicks
Houston Astros – Sealing his team’s one-run lead, Bryan Abreu worked around Mickey Moniak’s one-out single with a flyout and a game-ending strikeout, locking down his fourth save. He threw 11 pitches (90.9% strike rate) and produced two whiffs (18.2 SwStr%).
Through 12 games in August, he has posted a 0.615 WHIP with 16 strikeouts against three walks (27 K-BB%) across 12 scoreless frames while converting all four save chances.
- Bryan King collected his fourth win, tossing a scoreless eighth, walking and striking out one.
- Kaleb Ort stranded two runners and retired both batters faced via strikeout in the seventh.
- Steven Okert issued two walks and recorded one out in the seventh.
Updated Hierarchy: Bryan Abreu | Bryan King | Kaleb Ort
Miami Marlins – Shutting the door on his 13th save, Calvin Faucher retired the side and recorded a strikeout while closing out a three-run lead against the Mets’ 9-1-2 hitters. He threw seven pitches (85.7% strike rate) with one whiff (14.3 SwStr%).
He has converted a save in his last two appearances and three in August across ten appearances.
- Ronny Henriquez stranded a runner at the bottom of the seventh and logged 1.1 scoreless frames, yielding a hit and striking out two for his 20th hold.
- Cade Gibson collected his third win, working 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out three.
Hierarchy Remains: *Calvin Faucher | *Ronny Henriquez | *Tyler Phillips
*= closer-by-committee
St. Louis Cardinals – Facing the 7-8-9 lineup pocket, JoJo Romero erased a lead-off single by Jared Triolo by inducing a double play groundout and preserved a three-run margin with a game-ending pop-out for his fifth save. He threw 12 pitches (66.7% strike rate) and recorded one whiff.
It’s been a busy August for the southpaw; he has logged 12 appearances with a 1-2 record while converting five of six save chances, posting a 1.575 WHIP across 12.2 innings.
- Riley O’Brien retired the side in the eighth, securing his sixth hold against the 4-5-6 hitters.
- Kyle Leahy logged two scoreless frames, walking two and striking out four, collecting his fourth win.
Hierarchy Remains: *JoJo Romero | *Riley O’Brien | Matt Svanson
*= closer-by-committee
Quick Hits
- Baltimore Orioles: Rico Garcia allowed a hit, an earned run, and a walk while striking out one at the top of the eighth, resulting in his first loss.
- Chicago White Sox: White Sox: Although he stranded a runner at the top of the fourth, Tyler Alexander was tagged with his 12th loss, giving up four hits and two earned runs while striking out two across 2.1 innings.
- Colorado Rockies: Taking over a tied game at the bottom of the eighth against Houston’s 4-5-6 lineup pocket, Luis Peralta allowed Christian Walker’s lead-off home run, walked Yordan Alvarez, induced a double play groundout against Cam Smith, and an inning-ending groundout, but the damage had been done, resulting in his second loss.
- New York Mets: During a tied game at the top of the seventh, Gregory Soto allowed Jacob Marsee’s lead-off single, had a batter reach on an error, then gave up an Agustín Ramírez single, with another error by Brandon Nimmo. Soto finished with three hits and three unearned runs while recording a strikeout in one-third of an inning, suffering his fifth loss.
- New York Yankees: Devin Williams fired a clean bottom of the eighth, striking out the side on 13 pitches (69.2% strike rate) and generating five whiffs (38.5 SwStr%). He has been scoreless in seven of his last eight games and registered multiple strikeouts in his last four (10 strikeouts of 14 batters faced). Luke Weaver notched his 16th hold, tossing a clean seventh and striking out two. He threw 10 pitches (80% strike rate) and induced two whiffs.
- Pittsburgh Pirates: Called upon at the bottom of the sixth with a runner on, Yohan Ramírez stranded him. However, things did not go as well in the seventh when he allowed Jordan Walker’s go-ahead two-run home run, resulting in his second loss. He finished with two hits, three earned runs, and a walk during two-thirds combined innings.
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