Sunday’s slate featured three reliever wins, five saves, and three losses. Here are the saves in condensed form:
There have been 354 saves this season, by 126 different pitchers.
As for the vulture options during today’s slate:
Vulture Save Options for 5.18.2026
- Luke Weaver (NYM): Williams has pitched in back-to-back games.
- Cole Sulser (TB): Baker has worked in consecutive contests.
Vulture Save Stashes for 5.19.2026
- Kevin Ginkel (ARI): If Sewald pitches again today, it will be back-to-back outings.
- Will Vest (DET): If Kenley Jansen appears in tonight’s game, it will be three in the last four and four of the last six for the veteran.
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In a different bullpen with a clear replacement, David Bednar could be at risk of losing his closer role. However, he’s insulated by a leverage ladder bereft of talent. After beating the drum that this bullpen could be the Achilles’ heel of the Yankees’ season, it’s beginning to surface. Taking over with a three-run lead at the bottom of the ninth against the Mets, Bednar allowed consecutive singles by Carson Benge and Bo Bichette, followed by a fielder’s choice grounder against Juan Soto, and a strikeout of Mark Vientos with Soto stealing second. With two outs, he served up a game-tying three-run home run by Tyrone Taylor, resulting in his second blown save. He snapped off a couple of impressive curves against Vientos, but hung this one against Taylor:
Bednar finished with three hits, three earned runs, and a walk while striking out one. He has allowed at least a run in back-to-back games and in four of his last six. His underlying data suggests better days lie ahead, but the same could be said for Jeff Hoffman before he was removed as the closer. Through 20 games, he has a 2.94 SIERA and a 2.98 xERA while recording a 4.95 ERA through his first 20 innings. His walk rate is in line with last year, though his strikeout percentage sits nine percentage points below last year. Is fastball velocity the culprit?
It’s been ticking up in recent contests, but he currently averages 95.8 miles per hour with his four-seam versus 97.1 in 2025. An elevated .373 BABIP does not help, resulting in his bloated 1.55 WHIP. But, if his .502 weighted on-base average with his four-seam and his .482 wOBA with the curve do not improve, patience in the Bronx will wear thin soon.
Also from this contest, Tim Hill suffered his first loss, recording an out on a sacrifice bunt, hitting a batter, and a walk-off fielder’s choice grounder scored the “courtesy runner.” Before the ninth, Fernando Cruz walked one during a scoreless eighth for his eighth hold. Camilo Doval retired the side in the seventh, securing his third hold.
Hierarchy Remains: David Bednar | Camilo Doval | Fernando Cruz
Sunday’s Takeaway
Is Seranthony on thin ice? Seranthony Domínguez had another tough outing at the top of the ninth. With a three-run lead, his outing began with a leadoff walk, a leverage no-no, followed by a strikeout and a wild pitch moving the runner to second. Things turned when Seiya Suzuki reached on a throwing error, and Michael Conforto hit a game-tying three-run home run.
He settled down after, retiring the next two hitters, but the damage had been done, getting tagged with his third blown save, giving up a hit, three runs (two earned), and a walk with one strikeout. He has allowed multiple runs in consecutive appearances, and his WHIP sits at 1.285 following this game. In his first 18.2 innings this season, he has posted a 4.82 ERA with a 3.79 SIERA and a 5.74 xERA, fueled by quality of contact:
- Domínguez’s good contact allowed 2026: 9.1 solid percentage plus 11.6 barrel percentage = 20.7 percent good contact
- Domínguez’s poor contact induced 2026: 0 weak percentage plus 8.9 pop-up percentage = 8.9 poor contact induced
An 11.8-percentage-point disparity between poor contact induced and quality contact allowed is reflected in his xERA. He’s also throwing more sinkers than split-fingered fastballs, which is perplexing given his results. Domínguez has never possessed elite command, but his strike rate below 60 percent is also a concern. He rarely throws his split-finger when behind in counts, and his other three offerings have an expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA) of .468 or higher when the batter is ahead in count leverage. Given his contract, his leash may be long as the primary save option, but if Grant Taylor is not going to be stretched out as a starter, he should receive a larger leverage share moving forward.
At the top of the tenth, Tyler Davis collected his second win despite letting the “courtesy runner” score, courtesy of a walk-off rally at the bottom of the inning. He issued three walks (one intentional) and permitted his unearned run on Alex Bregman’s groundout. Bryan Hudson worked around a walk for a scoreless eighth. Grant Taylor fired two clean frames and recorded a strikeout.
Hierarchy Remains: Seranthony Domínguez | Grant Taylor | Bryan Hudson
Here are the remaining leverage events of interest from Sunday’s slate.
American League
Baltimore Orioles
Pressed into action with the bases loaded and two outs, Anthony Nunez quelled the threat, recording an inning-ending strikeout of Luis García Jr. He returned for the fifth, retiring the side with two more strikeouts, and collected his second win for his efforts.
- Tyler Wells logged two innings, allowing three hits and an earned run while striking out two.
- Yennier Cano notched his third hold, walking and striking out one in a scoreless eighth.
- Rico Garcia allowed only his second hit this season and recorded two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth, closing out a four-run margin in a non-save capacity.
Updated Hierarchy: Rico Garcia | Anthony Nunez | Yennier Cano
Kansas City Royals
Shutting the door on his 11th save, Lucas Erceg navigated around a one-out walk to Nolan Gorman with a lineout and a game-ending groundout, sealing the combined shutout in St. Louis. He threw 22 pitches (14 strikes – 63.6 Strike%) and induced two whiffs (9.1 SwStr%). In a much-needed scoreless appearance without a hit, he has converted six of seven save chances since April 21 with a 1.182 WHIP and 12 strikeouts versus seven walks through 11 innings.
- Daniel Lynch IV gave up a hit and recorded a strikeout across 1.2 scoreless frames for his fifth hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Lucas Erceg | Matt Strahm | Daniel Lynch IV
Minnesota Twins
Although it was a bumpy ride, Luis García recorded his second save, closing out a win over the Brewers. After a popout, he issued Brice Turang a one-out walk, followed by a single by William Contreras, and a strikeout by Christian Yelich. With two outs, Jake Bauers produced an RBI single, cutting the lead in half, but García bore down, getting a game-ending popout by Sal Frelick. This marks his second save in four appearances with the Twins, but he’s allowed a run in three of his last five games.
- Justin Topa stranded a runner while issuing a walk during two-thirds scoreless in the eighth.
- Taylor Rogers allowed a hit across two-thirds scoreless, combined innings.
- Andrew Morris notched his fourth hold, firing a clean combined inning and striking out one.
- Anthony Banda gave up a hit and a walk while striking out two in two-thirds scoreless at the top of the sixth, getting credit for his fourth hold.
Hierarchy Remains: *Yoendrys Gómez | *Luis García | *Anthony Banda
*= closer-by-committee
Tampa Bay Rays
Working around a leadoff single by Joe Mack at the top of the ninth, Bryan Baker retired the next three batters on a lineout, a fielder’s choice grounder, and a game-ending popout, securing his 12th save. He threw 10 pitches (80 Strike%) and produced one whiff. Through 19.1 innings, he has posted a 1086 WHIP with 23 strikeouts against eight walks (19 K-BB%) while converting 12 of 15 save opportunities.
- Ian Seymour stranded all three inherited runners and recorded a strikeout for his ninth hold during two-thirds of the eighth.
- Garrett Cleavinger allowed three hits, an earned run, and a walk while striking out one during one-third of the eighth.
- Kevin Kelly logged 1.2 clean frames, retiring all four batters and striking out one. He stranded two runners with an inning-ending double play groundout at the top of the sixth.
Updated Hierarchy: Bryan Baker | Ian Seymour | Kevin Kelly
Toronto Blue Jays
Filling in capably at the bottom of the ninth, Tyler Rogers navigated around a leadoff walk with a fielder’s choice grounder, a flyout, and a game-ending strikeout of Spencer Torkelson. He threw 20 pitches (60 Strike%) without a whiff. It’s his first save since May 23, 2024, and this outing extended his modest scoreless streak to four games.
- Joe Mantiply let his only inherited runner score, yielding a hit and a walk during two-thirds of the eighth.
- Yariel Rodríguez allowed a hit and an earned run while striking out one across 1.1 innings.
Hierarchy Remains: Louis Varland | Tyler Rogers | Jeff Hoffman
Quick Hits
- Los Angeles Angels: During a lopsided loss, Kirby Yates retired the side and recorded two strikeouts against the Dodgers’ 3-4-5 lineup pocket, throwing 10 pitches (90 Strike%) with one whiff.
- Texas Rangers: Closing out a combined shutout, Gavin Collyer retired all six batters, two via strikeout against Houston, throwing 17 pitches (14 strikes – 82.4 Strike%) with five whiffs (29.4 SwStr%).
National League
Arizona Diamondbacks
Securing his tenth save, Paul Sewald worked around a two-out walk to TJ Rumfield with a game-ending flyout, preserving a two-run lead with a scoreless bottom of the ninth. He threw 16 pitches (11 strikes – 68.8 Strike%) without a whiff. Through six games this month, he’s converted three of his four save opportunities, with five scoreless games, resulting in a 1.126 WHIP with six strikeouts against three walks across 5.1 innings.
- Taylor Clarke let both inherited runners score on a single and a sacrifice fly while getting credit for his ninth hold during two-thirds of the eighth.
- Brandon Pfaadt created the mess, giving up two hits, four earned runs, a hit batter, and a walk while recording one out in the eighth.
- Juan Morillo fired a clean seventh.
- Ryan Thompson stranded two runners, retiring his only batter in the sixth.
Hierarchy Remains: Paul Sewald | Juan Morillo | Taylor Clarke
Chicago Cubs
Taking over with a one-run lead at the bottom of the tenth, Ryan Rolison suffered his first loss and a blown save, retiring one batter and serving up a walk-off, two-run home run by Edgar Quero.
Daniel Palencia navigated around a one-out double by Munetaka Murakami and issued Colson Montgomery an intentional walk with two outs before recording an inning-ending lineout by Chase Meidroth. He threw 14 pitches (8 strikes – 57.1 Strike%) without a whiff during his scoreless outing.
- Phil Maton gave up two hits, including a go-ahead three-run home run by Tristan Peters, and a walk during two-thirds of the eighth.
- Hoby Milner logged 1.1 scoreless innings, yielding a hit and striking out two.
Hierarchy Remains: Daniel Palencia | Phil Maton | Trent Thornton
Cincinnati Reds
Another ugly day for this bullpen. It began with Brock Burke taking over at the bottom of the fifth, allowing Kyle Manzardo’s solo home run and a walk while striking out one. Connor Phillips logged two innings, giving up three hits, two earned runs, and two walks with one strikeout. Tejay Antone served up a two-run home run by José Ramírez and hit a batter during the bottom of the eighth. That’s a combined five hits, three home runs, five earned runs, and three walks across four innings. Woof.
Over the last 14 days, this leverage ladder ranks dead last in Win Probability Added with a combined -1.89, with the Yankees slightly ahead of them. The Reds’ WHIP (1.66) and ERA (7.38) are also last. Across 50 innings, the relievers have allowed 49 hits and 34 walks.
Hierarchy Remains: *Graham Ashcraft | *Pierce Johnson | *Brock Burke
*= closer-by-committee
New York Mets
Toeing the rubber at the top of the tenth, Devin Williams recorded a strikeout against Max Schuemann, walked Anthony Volpe, then induced an inning-ending double play groundout against Austin Wells, stranding the “courtesy runner.” He collected his third win on a walk-off rally at the bottom of the frame. He threw 14 pitches (8 strikes – 57.1 Strike%) and produced two whiffs (14.3 SwStr%). This outing extended his personal scoreless streak to nine games, during which he has recorded two wins while converting all four save chances with a 0.346 WHIP and 11 strikeouts against two walks (33.3 K-BB%) across 8.2 innings.
- Sean Manaea logged four innings, giving up four hits, three runs (two earned), and two walks while striking out three.
Hierarchy Remains: Devin Williams | Luke Weaver | Brooks Raley
Quick Hits
- Colorado Rockies: Getting work during an eventual loss, Victor Vodnik tossed a clean top of the ninth and recorded one strikeout. Seth Halvorsen allowed a hit and struck out two during a scoreless eighth.
- Pittsburgh Pirates: Appearing during a shutout loss, Justin Lawrence tossed a clean top of the ninth and recorded a strikeout. Dennis Santana allowed Bryon Stott’s solo home run and registered two strikeouts in the eighth. He has allowed at least a run in four of his last eight games.
- San Diego Padres: Finishing off a five-run lead in Seattle, Bradgely Rodriguez fired two clean frames and recorded three strikeouts. He threw 28 pitches (18 strikes – 64.3 Strike%) and produced four whiffs (14.3 SwStr%). Yuki Matsui let all three inherited runners score, issuing two walks and striking out two over his two scoreless innings.
- San Francisco Giants: Capping a lopsided win over the A’s, Joel Peguero fired a clean bottom of the ninth on 12 pitches (75 Strike%) with two whiffs (16.7 SwStr%). Keaton Winn allowed a hit and recorded a strikeout during a scoreless eighth. Sam Hentges notched his first hold, firing a clean seventh and striking out one.
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