Monday’s full slate resulted in relievers recording three wins and losses while securing nine saves. Our three takeaways feature: Texas, Milwaukee, and Tampa Bay after a mini-deep dive.
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It’s flown below the radar, but Cade Smith has been struggling with his four-seam fastball. Closing out a win over the Dodgers, in a non-save capacity, he allowed Kyle Tucker’s lead-off single, threw a wild pitch moving him to third, gave up Mookie Betts’ RBI double, uncorked another wild pitch with one out, moving him to third, and he scored on a Freddie Freeman groundout. In this outing, Smith threw 29 pitches (19 strikes – 65.5 Strike%) without a whiff, giving up two hits and two earned runs. His illustrator:
And, his results:
He’s posted a 1.67 WHIP with three strikeouts across his first three innings. Location matters, even for a reliever who has recorded at least 100 strikeouts in his first two seasons. Noting the charts above, Smith has a .291 expected batting average with his four-seam fastball this season, but an expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA) of .277 versus his .339 wOBA with the pitch.
In 2025, he threw his four-seam high and inside versus right-handed hitters, and up and away while facing left-handed hitters:
It may be a mechanical issue, or some rust, but he will provide better results going forward. Here are his splits by pitch from his first two seasons:
Smith can be streaky, so some patience by his fantasy teams will be required. Also from this outing:
- Erik Sabrowski secured his second hold, retiring all four batters, one via strikeout.
- Shawn Armstrong gave up two hits during two-thirds scoreless in the seventh.
Three Takeaways
Alexander leads Texas in saves, wait, what? Predicting saves in this leverage ladder remains challenging. Add in a new manager with a rebuilt bullpen, and the difficulty level rises. Understanding that Robert Garcia and Chris Martin were likely unavailable, having pitched the two previous games, the oft-injured veteran was warming just in case:
Tyler Alexander did not need help, retiring the side and recording two strikeouts en route to his second save. He threw 10 pitches (70 Strike%) and produced three whiffs while facing the 6-7-8 lineup pocket.
Through his early outings with the Rangers, it appears he’s changing his pitch usage patterns:
Holding these early gains is not assured, but he’s been entrusted with two save opportunities in the team’s first four contests, placing him on fantasy radars. How save chances are dispersed for the remainder of this week may determine the hierarchy going forward. Stay tuned.
Can we trust Pat Murphy? In multiple preseason interviews, he remained adamant that he would not overwork his high-leverage relievers like previous seasons. However, during the fourth game of the year, he called upon Trevor Megill during a tied game at the top of the ninth on zero days rest. He did not pitch poorly, but was “slow-played” this spring without an appearance on consecutive days. Megill retired the first two batters on a groundout and a strikeout, then issued Jonny DeLuca a two-out walk, followed by Nick Fortes’ two-out RBI double, resulting in his first loss. He threw 20 pitches (60 Strike%) and generated five whiffs (25 SwStr%) while recording one strikeout in his outing.
On the surface, no issues, but fatigue definitely was a factor as his pitch count rose:
Abner Uribe was rested, but not used in this situation, and perhaps was being reserved for extra innings, but pushing relievers too hard, too soon, coming off an injury, goes against everything the two-time manager of the year espoused this spring. Monitor this moving forward.
Reliever roulette with Kevin Cash: Rays reliever roulette landed on Kevin Kelly. He was summoned with a runner on and two outs at the bottom of the ninth. Kelly induced a game-ending fielder’s choice groundout for his first save, and first since 2024. Ian Seymour hit a batter (Sal Frelick) and recorded a strikeout during two-thirds scoreless in the ninth for his first hold. Garrett Cleavinger worked around two walks and struck out two in a scoreless eighth, then collected his first win courtesy of a rally at the top of the ninth. Griffin Jax fired a clean seventh, striking out one on 15 pitches (60 Strike%) with one whiff. Patterns may take shape once Edwin Uceta returns, but for now, there are no assured roles in this bullpen. Plan accordingly, especially if he’s trending towards his shared save tendencies from 2022:
Vulture Save Options for 3.31.2026
- Abner Uribe (MIL): Megill has pitched in consecutive contests.
- Scott Barlow (ATH): Hedging that he gets the save chance if provided in tonight’s game.
- Erik Sabrowski (CLE): Smith has thrown 58 pitches in his two outings over the previous three days. Facing the Dodgers, it’s probable that a left-handed reliever will be required in the ninth, if the team has a lead.
- Caleb Kilian (SF): Walker has pitched in three of the prior four days. If it’s a left-handed pocket, Erik Miller would get the call.
Here are the remaining results of interest from Monday’s slate.
American League
Kansas City Royals
There are no style points necessary for a “vulture” save, and John Schreiber fit the bill, closing out a two-run lead against the Twins. He worked around Ryan Jeffers’ two-out single with a game-ending groundout by Matt Wallner for his first save of the season. Schreiber threw 15 pitches (60 Strike%) without a whiff.
- Nick Mears notched his first hold, allowing a hit and striking out one in a scoreless eighth.
- Daniel Lynch IV fired a clean seventh, striking out one for his first hold.
Seattle Mariners
With the score tied at the top of the ninth, Matt Brash worked around Giancarlo Stanton’s one-out double with a groundout and an inning-ending strikeout, then collected his first win on a walk-off rally at the bottom of the frame. He threw 17 pitches (10 strikes – 58.8 Strike%) and produced four whiffs (23.5 SwStr%).
- Gabe Speier allowed a hit and recorded two strikeouts in a scoreless eighth.
- Eduard Bazardo was charged with his first blown save after letting his only inherited runner score on a sacrifice fly while retiring both batters faced.
- Jose A. Ferrer gave up Ben Rice’s single, threw a wild pitch, moving him to second, followed by Stanton reaching on an error, then was removed after retiring Jazz Chisolm Jr., getting credited with his first hold during one-third of the seventh.
Quick Hits
- Baltimore Orioles: Effective outings for Dietrich Enns and Rico García in a home loss. Enns logged 1.2 scoreless innings, issuing a walk and striking out four. García fired two clean frames and recorded three strikeouts.
- Detroit Tigers: Appearing in an eventual loss, Tyler Holton navigated around two walks and recorded a strikeout in a scoreless bottom of the eighth. Kyle Finnegan stranded a runner, retiring his only batter in the seventh.
- Houston Astros: Putting the bow on a seven-run win over Boston, Ryan Weiss logged two scoreless frames, issuing a walk and striking out three.
- Minnesota Twins: In an eventual loss, Taylor Rogers retired the side and recorded a strikeout at the bottom of the eighth versus the Royals’ 3-4-5 lineup pocket on 14 pitches (8 strikes – 57.1 Strike%) with one whiff.
- New York Yankees: Suffering his first loss, Paul Blackburn gave up Leo Rivas’ lead-off single, Brendan Donovan’s one-out single, and a walk-off RBI hit by Cal Raleigh at the bottom of the ninth. He logged 1.1 innings, yielding three hits, an earned run, and a walk.
- Toronto Blue Jays: Taking over at the top of the third because of an injury, Louis Varland suffered his first loss, giving up two hits, an unearned run, and recording three strikeouts during his 1.1 innings.
National League
Arizona Diamondbacks
Nailing down his first save of the season, Paul Sewald retired the side and recorded a strikeout against Detroit’s 3-4-5 lineup pocket. He threw 12 pitches (66.7 Strike%) and induced two whiffs (16.7 SwStr%) while securing his first save since July 9, 2025, and first with the Diamondbacks since July 26, 2024.
- Taylor Clarke notched his first hold, tossing a clean eighth and striking out one.
- Juan Morillo stranded the bases loaded with an inning-ending groundout, facing Parker Meadows for his first hold.
- Ryan Thompson made the mess, allowing a hit and two walks without recording an out.
Atlanta Braves
After his teammates tacked a run onto a three-run margin, Raisel Iglesias finished a combined shutout while working around a fielding error with a double play groundout and a game-ending pop-out. He only needed seven pitches (85.7 Strike%) and induced one whiff (14.3 SwStr%).
- Robert Suarez earned his first hold, yielding a hit during a scoreless eighth.
- Aaron Bummer gave up a hit and recorded two strikeouts in a scoreless seventh, notching his first hold.
Cincinnati Reds
It was not easy, but Connor Phillips recorded his first career save, completing a combined shutout against the Pirates. He walked Marcell Ozuna and Ryan O’Hearn leading off the inning, then recorded a strikeout, followed by two flyouts. Phillips threw 20 pitches (55 Strike%) and induced two whiffs (10 SwStr%).
He’s been scoreless over his last two appearances, spanning three innings with four strikeouts against two walks. This was our second vulture save hit from yesterday’s slate.
- Graham Ashcraft stranded two runners at the top of the seventh and retired all four batters faced, three on strikeouts, for his second hold.
- Jose Franco made his MLB debut, securing his first hold and scattering three hits across 1.2 scoreless frames.
New York Mets
Locking down his first save as a Met, Devin Williams fired a clean bottom of the ninth and recorded a strikeout against the Cardinals’ 5-6-7 lineup pocket. He threw 12 pitches (83.3 Strike%) and racked up four whiffs (33.3 SwStr%) in his second outing this season.
- Brooks Raley notched his first hold, giving up a hit during a scoreless eighth.
- Tobias Myers retired all four batters faced, three via strikeout, for his second hold.
San Francisco Giants
Although he did not complete the combined shutout, Ryan Walker did record his first save of the season, allowing a lead-off walk and a two-out, two-run home run by Jackson Merrill, followed by a game-ending groundout by Xander Bogaerts. Walker threw 22 pitches (50 Strike%) and only induced one whiff while striking out one. His illustrator:
And, his results:
He owns a 1.71 WHIP with three strikeouts across his first 2.1 innings. It’s early, so it may be a matter of execution. However, these results entering this year hangs over the reliever:
Can he recapture his 2024 results during save situations? He better, or role changes will ensue as the season progresses.
- Keaton Winn fired a clean eighth, striking out the side, securing his first hold.
- Matt Gage worked a clean seventh for his first hold.
Quick Hits
- Chicago Cubs: Taking the baton from Edward Cabrera and recording a three-inning save, Colin Rea allowed four hits and two earned runs while striking out four versus the Angels.
- Colorado Rockies: Despite allowing four earned runs on five hits and two walks across four relief innings, Chase Dollander collected his first win of the season, recording five strikeouts against Toronto.
- Los Angeles Dodgers: Entering at the top of the fifth, Tanner Scott allowed a hit and recorded two strikeouts in a scoreless outing. Justin Wrobleski finished the contest, logging four innings, giving up four hits, three earned runs, and a walk while striking out two.
- Pittsburgh Pirates: During an eventual loss, Justin Lawrence fired a clean bottom of the eighth, striking out the side on 16 pitches (62.5 Strike%) with one whiff. Isaac Mattson tossed a scoreless seventh, walking and striking out one.
- San Diego Padres: Keeping his team close during a loss, Ron Marinaccio fired two clean frames and recorded two strikeouts.
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