Thursday’s seven-game slate featured three reliever wins, four saves, and two losses, plus one blown save. Here are the saves in condensed form:
There have been 382 saves this season, by 133 different pitchers in 2026.
As for the vulture options during today’s slate:
Vulture Save Options for 5.22.2026
- Kevin Ginkel (ARI): Sewald has appeared in back-to-back games, and Morillo struggled last night.
- Sam Bachman (LAA): Although he’s their preferred multi-inning option, Zeferjahn and Yates have pitched in two straight, making them unavailable tonight.
- Jaden Hill (COL): Mejia has worked in consecutive contests and in three of the previous four.
Vulture Save Stashes for 5.23.2026
- Antonio Senzatela (COL): He usually gets two days off after a multi-inning outing, putting him in play for Saturday.
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Although his defense increased the level of difficulty, Devin Williams shut the door on his seventh save, protecting a one-run lead in Washington. His outing began with a fly ball that E.J. Ewing could not hold on to in shallow centerfield, resulting in a leadoff double for Daylen Lile. However, the “Airbender” bore down, inducing two groundouts sandwiched around a strikeout for a scoreless outing. He threw 12 pitches (75 Strike%) and generated three whiffs (25 SwStr%).
This extends his scoreless streak to 10 games, during which he has posted a 0.414 WHIP with 12 strikeouts versus two walks (29.4 K-BB%) across 9.2 innings. In a recent column by Will Sammon for The Athletic, the closer discussed readjusting his hands, fueling his recent run of dominance:
And, continues:
Akin to over-managing late-inning moves, a player can overthink adjustments. Go with what works and is most comfortable, which can be a lesson for all of us. Here are his splits-by-pitch courtesy of Statcast:
Williams has recorded a 17.7 swinging strike percentage with his four-seam fastball since April 26, and a robust 32.1 percent swinging strike rate with his patented “Airbender” changeup.
Also from this game, Luke Weaver worked a scoreless eighth, walking and striking out one for his sixth hold. Brooks Raley fired a clean seventh, striking out two, and secured his eighth hold. Huascar Brazobán notched his second hold, retiring the side in the sixth.
Hierarchy Remains: Devin Williams | Luke Weaver | Brooks Raley
Because of the seven-game schedule, the takeaways will be included in the team-by-team game recaps.
American League
Cleveland Guardians
Providing his high-leverage teammates with a much-deserved day off, Hunter Gaddis filled in capably, recording his first save of the season, allowing Zach McKinstry’s two-out single and striking out two in a scoreless bottom of the ninth. He threw 16 pitches (13 strikes – 81.3 Strike%) and induced two whiffs (12.5 SwStr%). He’s turned his season around, and this marked his fifth consecutive scoreless appearance, during which he has posted a 0.60 WHIP with three strikeouts against one walk across his last five innings.
- Codi Heuer notched his first hold, retiring both batters in the eighth, one via strikeout.
- Tim Herrin allowed Dillon Dingler’s solo home run and recorded a strikeout during his two-thirds combined innings.
- Shawn Armstrong returned from the injured list with two-thirds scoreless in the seventh, walking one and striking out two for his fourth hold.
- Matt Festa gave up a hit and struck out one during one-third of the sixth, securing his seventh hold.
If Gaddis has turned the corner since his injured-list stint and Armstrong is effective, this leverage ladder’s depth will continue to fuel the team’s success. Cleveland is 25-2 when leading after seven innings.
Hierarchy Remains: Cade Smith | Erik Sabrowski | Colin Holderman
Los Angeles Angels
Mired in a rough patch, the team lost its 24th game since April 18, spanning 30 games. Ryan Zeferjahn let the “courtesy runner” score after intentionally walking Nick Kurtz, then loaded the bases, hitting Brent Rooker with a pitch. With one out, Zack Gelof beat out a potential inning-ending double play at first base, scoring the eventual game-winning run, handing Zeferjahn his second loss. He finished with an unearned run and two walks on his ledger.
Kirby Yates tossed a scoreless ninth, keeping the game tied, issuing a walk and striking out one against the A’s’ 8-9-1-2 lineup pocket, throwing 21 pitches (71.4 Strike%) with one whiff.
Through six games, he’s been scoreless in four, with eight strikeouts versus three walks (20 K-BB%) and a 1.313 WHIP across 5.1 innings. However, it’s the 76.9 percent contact rate allowed and the 11.1 percent swinging strike percentage that serve as warning signs. While his 3.00 SIERA appears hopeful, his 4.54 xERA suggests he may not overcome the quality of contact he’s giving up. His manager walked back his statements from Wednesday, but this usage pattern aligns with him being considered the closer:
- José Fermin turned in a scoreless eighth, giving up a hit and two walks while striking out one.
- Chase Silseth stranded a runner while retiring his only batter in the seventh.
After this game, the Angels are 5 – 9 in one-run games (.357) and are 3-8 when games are decided by the team’s last at-bat. It’s hard enough getting saves from losing teams, but with these results, the opportunities are sparse.
Hierarchy Remains: Kirby Yates | Ryan Zeferjahn | Sam Bachman
The Athletics
Called on to protect a one-run lead at the bottom of the tenth, Mark Leiter Jr. answered the bell. He did allow a leadoff single by Jo Adell, but recorded a strikeout against Josh Lowe, followed by a game-ending double play grounder versus pinch-hitter Jorge Soler, resulting in his fourth save. He threw 11 pitches (72.7 Strike%) and induced two whiffs (18.2 SwStr%). This extends his modest scoreless streak to five games and marks his first save since April 29.
- Joel Kuhnel worked around a hit and a walk for a scoreless ninth, then collected his first win following his team’s rally at the top of the tenth.
- Justin Sterner fired a clean bottom of the eighth and recorded a strikeout.
Calling them the “amorphous A’s” could be a misnomer when referencing the save distribution by Mark Kotsay. Perhaps the “four horsemen” may be more applicable. Here are the saves, by date, this year:
It’s a combination of lineup lanes and availability, mixed in with recent performance. The A’s have produced 15 saves by only these four relievers. If this helps, they have been the main beneficiaries of save chances through the team’s first 50 contests.
Updated Hierarchy: *Hogan Harris | *Mark Leiter Jr. | *Joel Kuhnel
*= closer-by-committee
Toronto Blue Jays
Representing the anchor in a bullpen game, Jeff Hoffman locked down his fourth save, retiring the side and striking out two against the Yankees’ 3-4-5 lineup pocket. It’s his first save since April 20. He threw 12 pitches (66.7 Strike%) and produced three whiffs (25 SwStr%).
He leaned into his slider, using the pitch 10 times while mixing in two split-fingered fastballs, posting his third straight scoreless outing. This may be a trend for the deposed closer:
- Tyler Rogers notched his ninth hold, issuing a walk during a scoreless eighth, matching up against the 8-9-1-2 hitters.
- Spencer Miles logged 4.1 scoreless frames, scattering two hits and walking one while striking out six for his first hold.
- Adam Macko collected his first career win, yielding a hit and striking out two across 1.1 scoreless frames.
Hierarchy Remains: Louis Varland | Tyler Rogers | Jeff Hoffman
Quick Hits
- Detroit Tigers: During an eventual loss, Enmanuel De Jesus stranded two runners at the top of the eighth and logged 1.2 clean frames while striking out two. Burch Smith allowed Patrick Bailey’s solo home run and issued a walk with one strikeout during two-thirds combined innings.
- New York Yankees: Used amid an eventual shutout loss, Paul Blackburn logged two scoreless innings, giving up two hits and striking out two. Camilo Doval gave up George Springer’s solo home run and recorded two outs at the top of the seventh. Brent Headrick worked a clean combined inning, striking out one.
National League
Arizona Diamondbacks
Benefiting from a walk-off rally, Paul Sewald collected his first win. He kept the game tied at the top of the ninth, retiring the side and striking out one against Colorado’s 5-6-7 hitters, throwing six pitches, all strikes, without a whiff. In May, he’s been scoreless in seven of eight games, posting a 0.819 WHIP with eight strikeouts versus three walks (17.3 K-BB%) across 7.1 innings.
- Kevin Ginkel stranded a bases-loaded situation, retiring both batters he faced.
- Juan Morillo suffered his second blown save, giving up two hits, an earned run, and a walk while striking out one during one-third of the eighth. Following his strong start to the season, his usage patterns have been spotty, and this outcome will not help his standing in the team’s pecking order. He has not recorded a hold since April.
Adjusted Hierarchy: Paul Sewald | Kevin Ginkel | Taylor Clarke
Colorado Rockies
Entering with the score tied at the bottom of the ninth, Juan Mejia issued Gabriel Moreno a leadoff walk, a leverage no-no, followed by a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout. However, with two outs, he walked Ketel Marte, then Corbin Carroll produced a walkoff, RBI single, resulting in Mejia’s fourth loss. He finished with a hit, an earned run, and two walks while striking out one over two-thirds of the inning, snapping his seven-game scoreless streak. However, his command was not sharp, as it had been his third outing in four days. He threw 26 pitches (14 strikes – 53.8 Strike%) and produced four whiffs (15.4 SwStr%):
And his descriptors:
- Seth Halvorsen navigated around two walks and struck out two at the bottom of the eighth.
- Blas Castaño logged two innings, giving up two hits, an earned run, and three walks while striking out one.
Hierarchy Remains: Juan Mejia | Jaden Hill | Antonio Senzatela
Miami Marlins
Making a non-save appearance, Pete Fairbanks recorded a strikeout, served up a solo shot by Michael Harris II, retired Matt Olson on a groundout, and struck out Ozzie Albies. He threw 20 pitches (75 Strike%) and produced four whiffs (20 SwStr%).
He’s made 12 appearances this season and allowed at least a run in half of them, resulting in a 1.455 WHIP with 17 strikeouts against five walks (24 K-BB%) across 11 innings. A more reliable workload and positive migration of his inflated BABIP will benefit the veteran reliever, but time will tell.
Hierarchy Remains: Pete Fairbanks | Calvin Faucher | Anthony Bender
Quick Hits
- Atlanta Braves: Closing out a six-run margin in Miami, Dylan Dodd allowed a hit and recorded two strikeouts at the bottom of the ninth. Robert Suarez fired a clean eighth, striking out one. Dylan Lee secured his eighth hold, stranding a runner despite giving up a hit and striking out one during two-thirds of the seventh.
- Pittsburgh Pirates: Finishing a four-run win over St. Louis, Mason Montgomery worked around Pedro Pagés’ one-out single with a game-ending double play groundout. Wilber Dotel allowed three hits and an earned run while striking out two at the bottom of the eighth.
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Statistical Credits: