Two postponed games shortened Tuesday’s slate slightly, but five relievers recorded wins, and five saves were secured. San Francisco won via a walk-off wild pitch. Detroit and Cleveland played a second straight extra-inning contest, which leaves one bullpen stretched thin entering today’s match-up.
On the rehab front, Tuesday provided multiple tidbits, recapped in condensed form:
- David Bednar (PIT): He pitched a clean inning for Double-A Altoona and struck out one. He discussed his outing in this tweet on “X.”
- Devin Williams (MIL): Completed a live session against hitters and could embark on a rehab outing if he responds well during a checkup later today.
- Yimi García (TOR): His rehab outing on Tuesday was scratched due to a “stiff neck.” He’s slated to throw in Buffalo’s game today instead.
- Brock Stewart (MIN): He made his first outing at Triple-A with a scoreless inning, working around two walks and a fastball, sitting 95-to-97 m.p.h.
- Mark Leiter Jr. (CHC): Activated off the 15-day injured list and pitched a clean eighth inning while striking out one.
Notable Debuts:
- Chicago Cubs – During his major league debut, Hunter Bigge fired a clean bottom of the ninth and recorded a strikeout against the Orioles’ 3-4-5 lineup pocket while closing a seven-run win. He threw 13 pitches (11 strikes – 84.6 Strike%) and induced two whiffs (15.4 SwStr%).
- Seattle Mariners – Making his team and season debut, Gregory Santos retired the side in the bottom of the ninth, finishing a five-run win in San Diego. He threw 13 pitches (8 strikes – 61.5 Strike%) without a whiff.
Three Takeaways
- Mets strike first: For all of the trade deadline coverage and posturing by front offices, New York addressed a need to get Phil Maton from Tampa Bay for cash considerations or a player to be named later. How he fits into the hierarchy remains to be seen, but he arrives with a 0.58 WHIP over his last 11 outings, 10 scoreless, and a 11:1 K:BB across his last 12 innings. Depth in the leverage ladder will be pivotal for possible postseason success.
- Will Tampa Bay be buyers, sellers, or both?: Trading Phil Maton represents a move from strength, and the team recalled Manuel Rodríguez to fill his roster spot. How they stand in the last week before the trade deadline may determine how the franchise handles the roster. It’s being reported that Pete Fairbanks and Jason Adam could be moved, but it’s dependent on how the team views its playoff chances. Among the four teams within five-and-a-half games of the last Wild Card spot in the American League, their 16-game stretch ahead of the deadline will determine the team’s course of action. However, if Fairbanks or Adam gets moved, it will affect multiple hierarchies from a fantasy perspective.
- Is Washington shifting into “sell” mode? In Ken Rosenthal’s trade deadline update for The Athletic, he mentions that the Nationals may be putting players on the block. This includes all three relievers in our bullpen hierarchy: Kyle Finnegan, Hunter Harvey, and Dylan Floro. Finnegan and Harvey will be free agents in 2026, and Floro will be free at the end of the season. Who stays and who goes will determine the structure of this leverage ladder from August forward.
Next, our condensed game recaps cover Tuesday’s high-leverage events of interest.
Closer CliffsNotes
American League
Cleveland Guardians – Hanging on for his 28th save, Emmanuel Clase let the “place” runner score on a groundout and a sacrifice fly, then gave up consecutive singles before inducing a game-ending flyout by Justyn-Henry Malloy. Clase threw nine pitches (66.7 Strike%) and did not produce a whiff. For a second time this season, he’s allowed a run on consecutive outings but has converted his last 15 save chances since May 20.
- Scott Barlow collected his third win, allowing a walk during a scoreless ninth.
- Hunter Gaddis tossed a clean eighth.
- Cade Smith allowed a hit and struck out two in the seventh.
- Nick Sandlin suffered his second blown save, giving up a game-tying solo home run by Malloy, resulting in his second blown save.
Hierarchy remains: Emmanuel Clase | Hunter Gaddis | Scott Barlow
Detroit Tigers – In the top of the ninth, Will Vest took over and gave up a single before getting an inning-ending flyout. Things turned in the tenth. He allowed a lead-off single by Steven Kwan, putting runners on the corners, intentionally walked José Ramírez, and a go-ahead Josh Naylor single followed by a sacrifice fly. Vest finished with three hits against, two runs (one earned), and a walk while striking out one.
- Andrew Chafin worked a scoreless combined innings, walking two and striking out two.
- Beau Brieske logged 2.2 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk while striking out three.
Hierarchy remains: *Jason Foley | *Tyler Holton | *Shelby Miller
*= closer-by-committee
Houston Astros – Preserving a one-run lead, Josh Hader worked around Jake Burger’s one-out walk with a groundout and a game-ending strikeout for his 16th save. He threw 20 pitches (55 Stirke%) and produced three whiffs (15 SwStr%). Despite giving up at least a run in his two previous appearances, Hader has recorded 14 strikeouts against two walks while converting six saves in his last ten games.
- Bryan Abreu allowed two hits and an earned run in the eighth, getting credit for his 20th hold.
Hierarchy remains: Josh Hader | Ryan Pressly | Bryan Abreu
Tampa Bay Rays – Finishing a two-run win over the Yankees, Pete Fairbanks worked around a one-out single by DJ LeMahieu with a strikeout and a game-ending lineout by Juan Soto for his 15th save. He threw 12 pitches (75 Strike%) and induced one whiff. He’s converted five straight saves and been scoreless in five of his last six.
- Jason Adam fired a clean eighth and recorded a strikeout for his 16th hold.
- Colin Poche let his only inherited runner score while giving up a two-run home run by Ben Rice in the seventh. He recorded two outs and gave up a walk while striking out one, resulting in his ninth hold.
- Kevin Kelly was credited with his 11th hold despite allowing a hit and an earned run over his two-thirds innings of relief.
Hierarchy remains: Pete Fairbanks | Jason Adam | Colin Poche
Texas Rangers – Finishing a one-run win, Kirby Yates recorded his 14th save with a scoreless ninth. He allowed a two-out single by Zach Neto before a game-ending Jo Adell strikeout. Yates threw 18 pitches (66.7 Strike%) and induced one whiff while striking out two. He owns a seven-game scoreless streak with 12 strikeouts against one walk and converted all four save chances in his last seven innings.
- David Robertson notched his 20th hold, tossing a clean eighth and striking out one.
- José Leclerc was awarded his fourth win. He stranded two runners despite issuing a walk and recording an out in the bottom of the seventh, ahead of Adolis García’s go-ahead home run in the eighth.
Hierarchy remains: Kirby Yates | David Robertson | José Leclerc
Toronto Blue Jays – Managing Chad Green’s workload (49 pitches between July 6 and 7) resulted in Trevor Richards’ save chance with a one-run lead. However, he could not secure his second career save. He allowed a one-out single and issued a two-out walk. Against Brett Wisely, Richards gave up a seeing-eye single up the middle, scoring the game-tying run, and uncorked a wild pitch, scoring Tyler Fitzgerald, resulting in his first loss and a second blown save.
- Nate Pearson navigated around a hit and a walk while striking out one for his seventh hold with two-thirds scoreless in the eighth inning.
- Yimi García had his rehab outing on Tuesday scratched because of a stiff neck; he’s slated to throw on Wednesday for Buffalo instead.
Hierarchy remains: Chad Green | Trevor Richards | Nate Pearson
National League
Miami Marlins – Taking over at the bottom of the sixth, Huascar Brazobán induced an inning-ending double-play grounder, stranding two runners. In the seventh, he suffered his second loss, giving up a go-ahead two-run home run by Alex Bregman, scoring two unearned runs.
- A.J. Puk struck out Yordan Alvarez, his only batter faced in the seventh.
- Anthony Bender retired the side and recorded a strikeout in the eighth.
Hierarchy remains: Tanner Scott | A.J. Puk | Andrew Nardi
New York Mets – Pressed into action with a two-run lead and two outs in the top of the ninth, Edwin Díaz secured his ninth save with a game-ending strikeout against CJ Abrams. He only needed four pitches (75 Strike%) and produced two whiffs. However, he let his only inherited runner score on a wild pitch.
- Reed Garrett created the save chance, giving up two hits, including Keibert Ruiz’s two-run home run, three earned runs, and a walk while striking out over two-thirds of the ninth.
- Dedniel Núñez stranded a runner despite allowing a single and striking out one in two-thirds of the eighth.
- Adam Ottavino gave up two hits and two earned runs in one-third of the eighth.
- Before this game, the team added Phil Maton from Tampa for cash considerations.
Updated Hierarchy: Edwin Díaz | Dedniel Núñez | Phil Maton
San Francisco Giants – Benefiting from his team’s walk-off rally ending on a wild pitch, Erik Miller collected his third win. He tossed a scoreless top of the ninth, issuing a walk and striking out one.
- Luke Jackson retired the side in the eighth and recorded a strikeout.
- Ryan Walker suffered his second blown save, giving up two hits, including a three-run home run by Ernie Clement, and a walk while striking out two in the seventh. This marked his first earned runs allowed since June 1 and snapped a 10.2-inning scoreless streak.
- Randy Rodríguez worked a clean sixth and struck out one for his fourth hold.
Hierarchy remains: Camilo Doval | Tyler Rogers | Ryan Walker
Vulture Save Options for Wednesday, July 10
- Cade Smith (CLE): This bullpen has been used heavily in the last four days, including Clase and Gaddis in three of the last four and Barlow on consecutive days.
- Josh Staumont (MIN): If playing doubleheader save roulette, he could get the save in Game 2 of a sweep.
- Ryan Fernandez (STL): Ditto, but against the Royals.
- Kris Bubic (KCR): Ditto, but versus the Cardinals.
Vulture Save Options for Thursday, July 11
- Ryan Pressly (HOU): If Hader pitches today, it will be back-to-back outings.
- David Robertson (TEX): He’s pitched in consecutive outings and should be off on Wednesday. If Yates appears today, he will have worked two straight and receive Thursday off.
- Manuel Rodríguez (TBR): He took over Phil Maton’s spot on the roster, and if Fairbanks and Adam pitch today, it’s back-to-back appearances, meaning an off day on Thursday.
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