Monday’s 10-game slate featured three wins, five saves, two losses, and two blown saves by relievers. Here are the saves in condensed form:
There have been 1,025 saves this season by 236 different pitchers. For perspective, this season has already set an MLB record for the number of pitchers with at least one save.
Here are the vulture save options:
Vulture Save Options for 8.25.2026
- Tyler Wells (TB): Baker has worked in three consecutive contests.
- Tyron Guerrero (BOS): Chapman has pitched in back-to-back games.
- Calvin Faucher (MIA): Fairbanks left his outing early and will undergo testing on his recurring nerve issue.
- Bradgley Rodriguez (SD): Miller has worked in three of the last four days and threw 30 pitches last night.
Vulture Save Stashes for 8.26.2026
- Colin Holderman (CLE): If Smith and Gaddis pitch tonight, it’s back to-back outings and three in four days.
- Ryan Watson (LAA): If Joyce is deployed tonight, he has not worked in consecutive contests this season at any level.
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After allowing Owen Caissie’s leadoff single, Aroldis Chapman recorded an out on a bunt, struck out Jakob Marsee, then induced a game-ending groundout, capping the two-run lead and securing his 30th save. He has recorded 30 saves or more in both seasons with the Red Sox and ten times in his career.
He’s been scoreless in his last five games, with saves in his last three, posting a 0.80 WHIP with eight strikeouts and two walks (33.3 K-BB%) across five innings.
- Erik Miller navigated around two hits and recorded one strikeout in a scoreless eighth, collecting his third win courtesy of a rally at the top of the ninth.
- Brayan Bello allowed two hits, an earned run, and two walks while striking out one across the sixth and seventh innings.
Hierarchy Remains: Aroldis Chapman | Tyron Guerrero | Erik Miller
Today’s Takeaways
Another IL stint for Fairbanks? It’s unfortunate and untimely for Miami’s playoff push, but Pete Fairbanks only faced one batter during a tied game last night, throwing five pitches and only one strike, then motioned for the team’s trainer before departing.
This was covered in our Rapid Reaction last night.
A Sacramento landslide: Regression comes for everyone, and it caught up with Yoendrys Gómez during the bottom of the ninth against the A’s. He entered with a seven-run margin with the following sequence: lineout, flyout, single, walk, two-RBI double, RBI-double, and RBI-double, prompting his removal. All told, he allowed four hits, four earned runs, and a walk during two-thirds of an inning, matching his season-high for earned runs recorded on April 7 while he was with the Rays.
Entering this game, Gómez had a 3.20 ERA with a 4.55 SIERA and a 5.10 xERA, which has been noted in previous posts that the underlying data does not support his results. After this outing, his ERA sits at 3.79 and his xERA also rose to 5.21. Hang on, the ratio ride may get bumpier. His barrel rate is in the bottom 23rd percentile among his peers and his 44.9 hard-hit percentage is in the seventh percentile; both are less than optimal.
Andrew Morris took over with a runner on second and two outs. He secured his fourth save, inducing a game-ending lineout by Tommy White. Keep him on your radar moving forward.
Hierarchy Remains: Yoendrys Gómez | Andrew Morris | Jeff Hoffman
Is Mason staking his claim for the Pirates? Although he did not factor in last night’s decision, Mason Montgomery thwarted a bases loaded situation in the eighth and logged 1.1 scoreless innings, yielding a hit and striking out one on 12 pitches (83.3% Strike Rate) with two whiffs (16.7 SwStr%). He extended his scoreless streak to 11 games, spanning 10.1 innings, during which he has recorded two wins and three saves while posting a 0.581 WHIP with 20 strikeouts and two walks (46.2 K-BB%). In this timeframe, he has multiple strikeout outings in seven contests.
This coincides with increased use of his sinker. He introduced the pitch in June and has leaned into it during August:
From July forward, here are his splits by pitch using Statcast data:
In terms of swinging strike percentage: Four-seam (18.9 SwStr%), Sinker (16.4 SwStr%), Slider (17.4 SwStr%), Curve (23.5 SwStr%). That grades out as four plus-pitches using a standard of 15 percent or better for a swinging strike rate. Although his manager maintains there will be a shared pathway for saves, Montgomery has three of Pittsburgh’s four saves since the trade deadline and should be viewed as the team’s preferred option for them moving forward.
Here are the remaining leverage events of interest from Monday.
American League
Cleveland Guardians – Presented a three-run lead at the bottom of the ninth, Cade Smith hit Vaughn Grissom with a pitch leading off the inning, recorded a strikeout, followed by a Josh Lowe single and a sacrifice fly, then a game-ending flyout. He finished with a hit and an earned run while striking out one, notching his 34th save. He threw 20 pitches (60% Strike Rate) and produced one whiff. Smith has allowed a run in each of his last two appearances, but has converted his last four save opportunities.
- Hunter Gaddis allowed a hit during a scoreless eighth, securing his 27th hold.
- Colin Holderman gave up a hit and struck out three in the seventh for his 11th hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Cade Smith | Hunter Gaddis | Erik Sabrowski
Tampa Bay Rays – For the first time this season, Bryan Baker appeared in three consecutive contests. He recorded his MLB-leading 38th save, working a hit batter (Dillon Dingler) and a one-out single by Ben Malgeri with back-to-back strikeouts, securing a three-run lead in Detroit. He threw 16 pitches (13 strikes – 81.3% Strike Rate) and induced two whiffs (12.5 SwStr%). He has converted his last 27 save chances since May 17, posting a 0.772 WHIP with 35 strikeouts and eight walks (20.9 K-BB%) across 33.2 innings.
- Manuel Rodríguez made his season debut, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out three in the eighth for his first hold.
- Garrett Cleavinger fired a clean seventh, striking out two for his 23rd hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Bryan Baker | Kevin Kelly | Garrett Cleavinger
Quick Hits
- Seattle Mariners: Closing out a seven-run lead over the Phillies, Carlos Vargas retired the side and recorded a strikeout at the top of the ninth. Gabe Speier retired the side in the eighth. Seranthony Domínguez fired two clean frames while striking out two.
- Texas Rangers: Finishing off a nine-run lead over the White Sox, Jordan Montgomery fired two clean innings and recorded two strikeouts on 23 pitches (18 strikes – 78.3% Strike Rate) with six whiffs (26.1 SwStr%). Robby Ahlstrom stranded a runner in the sixth and retired all four batters faced, striking out one.
National League
Miami Marlins – Called on with a runner on and one out, Cade Gibson issued a walk while stranding both at the top of the ninth.
- Tyler Zuber was forced into action, entering with a runner on and no outs, letting him score on Anthony Seigler’s RBI triple, followed by Nick Sogard’s RBI single, putting an earned run on his ledger before recording an out, prompting his removal.
- Pete Fairbanks only faced one batter, walking Mickey Gasper, then left the game with his team’s trainer after throwing five pitches, one for a strike, resulting in an earned run and his fifth loss.
- Josh Eckness was charged with his second blown save, allowing a hit and the game-tying run to score on a wild pitch at the top of the eighth.
Projected Hierarchy: Calvin Faucher | Michael Petersen | Tyler Zuber
Pittsburgh Pirates – Locking down his second save, Yohan Ramírez preserved a one-run lead while striking out the side in San Diego at the bottom of the 12th. He threw 17 pitches (12 strikes – 70.6% Strike Rate) and generated six whiffs (35.3 SwStr%).
- Kirby Yates escaped a bases-loaded situation in the 11th with a strikeout and a lineout despite issuing two walks, collecting his second win.
- Camilo Doval retired both batters in the tenth, benefiting from a popped-up bunt attempt resulting in a double play, followed by a strikeout.
- Mason Montgomery kept the game tied at the bottom of the eighth, stranding all three inherited runners with an inning-ending strikeout of Jackson Merrill, then worked around a hit for a scoreless ninth.
- Luke Weaver gave up two hits, an earned run, and two walks while striking out one in the eighth, suffering his third blown save and throwing 34 pitches during his two-thirds of the inning.
- Gregory Soto notched his ninth hold, walking and striking out one in a scoreless seventh.
Updated Hierarchy: Mason Montgomery | Luke Weaver | Gregory Soto
San Diego Padres – Tasked with the top of the 12th, Jeremiah Estrada allowed a leadoff RBI-single by Nick Gonzales, scoring the courtesy runner, recorded an out on a bunt, followed by a lineout, and an inning-ending strikeout, resulting in his third loss.
- Adrian Morejon tossed two scoreless frames across the tenth and 11th innings, issuing a walk and striking out two.
- Mason Miller navigated around a hit and a walk while striking out two in a scoreless ninth, throwing 30 pitches (18 strikes – 60% Strike Rate) with three whiffs.
This contest leaves the bullpen stretched thin for tonight:
Hierarchy Remains: Mason Miller | Adrian Morejon | Bradgley Rodriguez
San Francisco Giants – Completing a combined shutout, Dylan Smith navigated around a one-out walk and a single by Eugenio Suárez by retiring the next two batters. He threw 25 pitches (64% Strike Rate) and induced one whiff.
- Carson Seymour retired the side and struck out two in the eighth. He’s emerging as a leverage option as the result of a five-game scoreless streak with nine strikeouts and one walk over his last 7.1 innings, posting a 0.819 WHIP with a 15.7 percent swinging strike rate.
- Ryan Walker gave up two hits and recorded two strikeouts over two scoreless innings.
- Reiver Sanmartin tossed a clean fifth.
- Jason Foley took over after an injury in the third, stranding two runners and retiring all four batters, three on strikeouts, for his first win, throwing 18 pitches (66.7% Strike Rate) with three whiffs (16.7 SwStr%).
Updated Hierarchy: Dylan Smith | Sam Hentges | Carson Seymour
Quick Hits
- Chicago Cubs: Sealing a shutout in Arizona, Caleb Thielbar worked around two hits during the bottom of the ninth. Ryan Zeferjahn retired the side in the eighth on 10 pitches (80% Strike Rate).
- Cincinnati Reds: Appearing in a shutout loss, Emilio Pagán allowed a hit in a scoreless bottom of the eighth, throwing 11 pitches (81.8% Strike Rate) with one whiff. Julian Garcia logged two scoreless innings while striking out one.
- Washington Nationals: Wrapping up a lopsided victory over the Rockies, Jake Bird retired the side and recorded a strikeout at the top of the ninth. Clayton Beeter allowed two hits, an earned run, and a walk while striking out two in the eighth. He owns a 2.125 WHIP in August through nine appearances spanning eight innings.
Holds Tally
Here are the holds from Monday’s slate:
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Statistical Credits: