Thursday’s 9-game slate resulted in five wins, five saves, two losses, and one blown save by relievers. Here are the saves in condensed form:
There have been 1,085 saves this season by 241 different pitchers. For perspective, this season has already set an MLB record for the number of pitchers with at least one save. Is 250 within reach?
Here are the upcoming vulture save options:
Vulture Save Options for 9.4.2026
- Luis Gastelum (STL): O’Brien, Stanek, and Soriano have all worked in two straight games.
Doubleheader Recommendations
- Cleveland Guardians – Preferred Option: Erik Sabrowski
- Detroit Tigers – Preferred Option: Tyler Kinley
Vulture Save Stashes for 9.5.2026
- Greg Weissert (BOS): If Chapman pitches today, it will be back-to-back games.
- Gregory Soto (PIT): If Montgomery is used today, it’s consecutive appearances and will be three in four days.
- Tyler Wells (TB): If Baker is deployed tonight, it will be two straight games.
In case you missed them, sneak previews of potential closer options for both leagues have been posted:
2027 Potential Closers | American League
2027 Potential Closers | National League
If Closer Monkey has helped your team(s) this season, please leave a tip to support future content at this LINK. You can also Venmo tips to @gjewett9.
Working around a one-out single by José Ramírez and a two-out walk, Louis Varland locked down his 32nd save with a scoreless bottom of the ninth, sealing a three-run lead. He threw 18 pitches (66.7% strike rate) and induced two whiffs (11.1 SwStr%) while recording two strikeouts. He’s converted his last eight save chances amid a nine-game scoreless streak, during which he owns a 0.889 WHIP with 11 strikeouts and two walks (25.7 K-BB%) across nine innings.
- Tyler Rogers notched his 30th hold, retiring the side at the bottom of the eighth.
- Spencer Miles collected his sixth win, retiring all four batters and striking out one.
- Mason Fluharty let both inherited runners score at the bottom of the fifth and finished with a hit and a walk while striking out one during his combined inning.
It’s nitpicking, but Varland has seen a drop in his K-BB percentage in the second half:
He’s throwing fewer changeups compared to the first half, but the culprit could be the knuckle-curve, which produced a 25 percent whiff rate in August, compared to his 35.4 percent for the season.
Hierarchy Remains: Louis Varland | Tyler Rogers | Mason Fluharty
Today’s Takeaways
Oh no, O’Brien: With a one-run lead at the bottom of the ninth, Riley O’Brien retired his first batter on a lineout, allowed Tommy Edman’s single, walked Mookie Betts, then gave up a two-RBI walk-off double by Teoscar Hernández, resulting in his seventh loss and a sixth blown save. He threw 17 pitches (9 strikes – 52.9% strike rate) without a whiff. It’s been a rough patch coming off a 12-game scoreless streak, but he has allowed at least a run in four of his last five games, resulting in three losses and converting two of three save chances while posting a 3.00 WHIP with two strikeouts and two walks over his last four innings.
He has been highlighted in previous posts, but how he ends the season, especially regarding to contact rate allowed and swinging strikes, should be monitored closely:
Hierarchy Remains: Riley O’Brien | Ryne Stanek | Luis Gastelum
Stew wins via walk-off: Keeping his team within one run proved important. Brock Stewart retired both batters faced at the top of the ninth, then collected his first win on a walk-off rally at the bottom of the inning. He threw eight pitches (75% strike rate) without a whiff. Alex Vesia worked 1.1 scoreless innings, yielding a hit and striking out two. Evan Phillips tossed a scoreless seventh, giving up a hit and striking out one. Edgardo Henriquez stranded two runners while striking out his only batter faced (Alec Burleson) at the top of the sixth.
This was an encouraging night for the Dodgers’ leverage ladder, and the team will need it down the stretch.
Hierarchy Remains: Tanner Scott | Edgardo Henriquez | Jack Dreyer
Here are the remaining leverage events of interest from Thursday.
American League
Boston Red Sox – The good news is that Aroldis Chapman notched his 31st save in an eventual one-run game. However, his six-game scoreless streak was snapped. He allowed a one-out single by Gunnar Henderson, followed by Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s two-run home run, then retired the next two batters. He threw 13 pitches (9 strikes – 69.2% strike rate) and produced one whiff while recording two strikeouts.
- Garrett Whitlock fired a clean bottom of the eighth and recorded two strikeouts for his 23rd hold.
- Erik Miller navigated around two walks and struck out two in the seventh, collecting his fourth win.
Hierarchy Remains: Aroldis Chapman | Garrett Whitlock | Erik Miller
Kansas City Royals – Closing out a four-run lead at the top of the ninth, Steven Cruz retired the Marlins’ bottom third of the lineup in order and recorded a strikeout. He threw 18 pitches (55.6% strike rate) and did not induce a whiff.
- Nate Pearson stranded a runner in the seventh and retired all four batters, one via strikeout, securing his fifth hold.
- Craig Kimbrel hit a batter and struck out one during two-thirds of the seventh for his second hold.
Updated Hierarchy: *Steven Cruz | *Nate Pearson | Craig Kimbrel
*= closer-by-committee
The Athletics – Hogan Harris was called on with a three-run lead in Seattle, and he responded by retiring the side while striking out two, securing his 14th save. He threw 14 pitches (71.4% strike rate) and produced two whiffs (14.3 SwStr%). It’s his first save since August 23 and continues this year’s amorphous A’s bullpen theme regarding save situations.
- Luis Medina notched his tenth hold, stranding two runners in the seventh, finishing with two walks and three strikeouts over 1.1 scoreless innings.
- Chris Roycroft gave up three hits, an earned run, and a walk with two strikeouts during his 1.2 innings and was credited with his first hold.
- Scott Blewett earned his first win as the first reliever in, working two scoreless innings, scattering two hits and striking out four.
Hierarchy Remains: *Hogan Harris | *Elvis Alvarado | Luis Medina
*= closer-by-committee
Quick Hits
- Baltimore Orioles: Taking over a tied game at the top of the eighth, Luis De León allowed Jahmai Jones’ leadoff single, then recorded two outs before being removed. Yennier Cano replaced him but served up a go-ahead two-run home run by Nick Sogard, putting an earned run on his ledger. It also meant a second loss for De León.
- Houston Astros: Finishing off a four-run lead over the White Sox, A.J. Blubaugh allowed a hit and recorded a strikeout in a scoreless top of the ninth. Bryan Abreu fired a clean eighth, striking out one. Bennett Sousa tossed a clean seventh and recorded a strikeout.
- Seattle Mariners: Appearing in a loss, Gabe Speier fired a clean top of the seventh, striking out two. Eduard Bazardo allowed three hits, an earned run, and a walk while striking out two in the eighth.
National League
Chicago Cubs – Matched up against the Brewers’ 4-5-6 hitters at the top of the ninth, Ryan Rolison recorded his second save, retiring the side on 10 pitches (70% strike rate) without a whiff. Managing the leverage innings with a short bullpen worked out, with Rolison facing two left-handed batters while preserving a one-run lead.
- Ryan Zeferjahn notched his 13th hold, striking out one in a clean top of the eighth against the top of the lineup.
Updated Hierarchy: Jacob Webb | Daniel Palencia | Ryan Rolison
Pittsburgh Pirates – Shutting the door on his eighth save, Mason Montgomery fired a clean top of the ninth, sealing a three-run lead over the Giants. He threw 11 pitches (81.8% strike rate) and produced two whiffs (18.2 SwStr%) while recording one strikeout. This extended his scoreless streak to 16 games, during which he’s posted a 0.587 WHIP with 25 strikeouts and three walks (38.6 K-BB%) across 15.1 innings, recording three wins and six saves.
- Luke Weaver tossed a clean eighth, striking out one for his 18th hold.
- Yohan Ramírez retired the side and struck out one in the seventh, securing his eighth hold.
- Khristian Curtis earned his first major league win, logging three innings while giving up a hit, two earned runs, and three walks with two strikeouts.
Hierarchy Remains: Mason Montgomery | Luke Weaver | Gregory Soto
Quick Hits
- Milwaukee Brewers: During a one-run loss, DL Hall issued a walk in a scoreless bottom of the eighth.
- San Francisco Giants: In an eventual loss, Trent Harris worked a scoreless bottom of the seventh, yielding a hit and striking out one.
Holds Tally
Here are the holds from Thursday’s slate:
Thanks for being a part of the Closer Monkey community. Stay safe and be well.
Statistical Credits: