Beginning our end of the season recaps lands on Fantasy Pros preseason ADP as a guide for how fantasy players did targeting relievers. For our purposes, I am using 12-team leagues as the standard. Since 2023, here are the reliever trends in the site’s amalgamated average draft position rankings in five-round pockets:
Adding in sites like Yahoo and ESPN depress how many relievers are taken in the first five rounds where the “never pay for saves” credo has more credence. How did the closers fare in these pockets?
Things did not go as planned for the top two relievers taken across the five sites Fantasy Pros tracks. Emmanuel Clase was showing signs of regression before his season was cut short by an MLB suspension, which may prevent a return.
Things began positively for Devin Williams. He was traded for by the Yankees and the team dropped it’s facial hair policy for the “Airbender.” However, he struggled during early save situations, eventually losing the ninth inning to David Bednar.
An average of 21 saves by the top two relievers was not what fantasy managers were seeking at this price point.
This group averaged more saves and provided better ratios than the top tier. If Félix Bautista did not suffer a season ending injury and Mason Miller was not traded, this pocket would have averaged 30 or more saves as a group.
But, Josh Hader also ended the season on the injured list and was not going to be ready for the Wild Card round of the playoffs if Houston qualified. Ryan Helsley cratered with the Mets and he and Raisel Iglesias will be free agents.
Overall, this was a preferred spot for teams to take their first closer in 2025. Expect Andrés Muñoz and Jhoan Duran to move up at least a tier in 2026.
Ryan Walker could not build off his strong finish in 2024, losing the closer role for part of the season, then recapturing it after the trade deadline. His rollercoaster season makes it tough betting on him as the saves leader for the Giants in 2026.
Robert Suarez proved all the doubters wrong, racking up 40 saves with eyes on opting into free agency. Add Trevor Megill also silenced his critics with 30 saves, though his season was cut short via injury.
Both Tanner Scott and Jeff Hoffman had sporadic seasons, but Hoffman posted 33 saves. All in all, this pocket also performed well in terms of saves, though Suarez, Hoffman, and Megill offset Walker and Scott’s save totals.
Those who faded Alexis Díaz were vindicated by this decision. His second half struggles did not subside during spring training and resulted in his spending most of 2025 in the minors. Pete Fairbanks, David Bednar, and Kenley Jansen all returned value based on their ADP.
However, the big winner in this pocket was Carlos Estévez, the major league leader in saves this season. Even during preseason podcasts, people preferred Lucas Erceg, which is reflected in their ADP.
Díaz was not the only bust in this pocket; Jordan Romano and Ryan Pressly reached the closer cliff. It’s tough predicting when age affects a reliever’s results, but these two were not worthy of their preseason price points.
Although Kyle Finnegan remained a late-round favorite, Aroldis Chapman was the league winner in this ADP pocket. The remaining relievers in this chart illustrate the volatility of waiting too long on filers in 12-team leagues.
If you would like to see the specific ADP from Fantasy Pros, please use this LINK.
As for the Top 25 relievers using SGP (standard gains points) for 2025:
Only Emilio Pagán surpassed 30 saves as a free agent pickup in most leagues. Cade Smith thrived after his teammate was suspended. Both Will Vest and Dennis Santana performed well as their team’s preferred save share when given the chance despite being undrafted in most preseason leagues.
In the next 25, there are some interesting results since saves are not the only thing driving a reliever’s value in standard leagues:
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It all began when the Dodgers began using Roki Sasaki in one-inning outings at Triple-A before placing him into the bullpen near the end of the season. He has thrived as a reliever, which may not be his role entering 2026, but he has adjusted his mechanics with terrific results.
Through four postseason appearances, he’s allowed one baserunner, a one-out double by Max Kepler during a save in the first game of the National League Divisional series. Otherwise, he has retired 16 of 17 batters faced (a 0.189 WHIP) across 5.1 innings with a 75 percent strike rate and five strikeouts (29.4 K%), producing an 18.3 swinging strike percentage.
As Houston Mitchell of the Los Angeles Times noted in his weekly newsletter to subscribers, only three relievers have pitched with a lead during the playoffs:
This coincides with Tanner Scott being unavailable until the World Series if Los Angeles advances:
It seems like there will be fewer instances of the Dodgers using relievers against different hitter lanes if they are relying on Sasaki as their preferred option closing out contests:
In the interim, Sasaki will continue his reprised role, and the team will hope he carries over the momentum to starting games in 2026.
MLB.com beat writers published a slew of updates with five things facing teams heading into the offseason, plus some notes from other sites by team with free agency beginning the day after the World Series concludes.
Leverage Ledger
Arizona Diamondbacks – Steve Gilbert provided a potential timeline for returns by A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez in his questions heading into the offseason post:
Arizona set an MLB record with 17 different pitchers recording at least one save in 2025. The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers finished a distant second, with 12 pitchers recording at least a save during the regular season. Who the team adds may determine what roles the relievers returning from Tommy John surgery fill.
Cincinnati Reds – After reaching the playoffs, can the team return in 2026? There will be questions about how payroll will affect roster construction per Mark Sheldon, especially for the bullpen:
This could make Tony Santillan an early option at closer if the team does not re-sign Emilio Pagán. Also, keep tabs on Connor Phillips. He recorded 19 strikeouts versus five walks (26.9 K-BB%) over his last 12 appearances, spanning 14.1 innings, with a 0.56 WHIP, a 16.2 swinging strike percentage, and a 60.2 percent contact rate allowed.
Los Angeles Angels – How the team handles the bullpen, and specifically the closer, may be determined by the new manager. However, Kenley Jansen finished strong and is open to returning to the team:
Stay tuned.
Minnesota Twins – Having already moved on from Rocco Baldelli as the manager, could the team’s second half provide insight on how fantasy managers should handle the bullpen? In 66 games after the All-Star break, the team won 23 games with nine saves by seven different relievers, which is less than optimal. Here is the note from Matthew Leach in his top questions facing the Twins this winter:
A name to track about his potential future role, David Festa: he could take the Jhoan Duran path to the majors as a reliever.
New York Mets – Representing one of the bullpens with the most potential for a high turnover rate, encapsulated perfectly by Anthony DiComo for MLB.com:
Alex Smith of SNY provided this update about Dylan Ross, who could be a popular 50th-round pick in early Draft Champions contests.
New York Yankees – It’s easier said than done, but here is a note from The Athletic by Chris Kirschner:
Every team craves relievers with high velocity that command their pitches; it’s why relievers command better salaries on contending teams. As a reminder, this free agent class is not as deep as years past. New York may have to trade or convert a starting pitching prospect into a reliever. And getting a former closer may not be a bad idea in case David Bednar has inconsistent outings like previous seasons.
Texas Rangers – Kennedi Landry addressed a question many have for Skip Schumaker this season: the team’s bullpen.
Texas was tied for second in blown saves, though these were not necessarily all in the ninth inning, with only the Angels (34) having more in 2025. This team could go in many directions in the future, especially in 2026, making it one of the most intriguing situations to monitor this winter.
Closer Monkey’s Emails
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It’s an honor to be part of the Tout Wars community. After competing in the Head-to-Head auction league since 2021 and being the league champion in 2023, I switched to the online 15-team live draft this year. There are caveats in this league that intrigued me. It uses on-base percentage instead of batting average, innings pitched rather than wins, and SOLDS in the place of saves. As a relief pitcher expert, participating in a league with SOLDS enhances my content, which is why I made the change.
Many of the experts in this league were returning from the previous season, making things challenging since I was not sure how players, especially relievers, would be valued in this format. For the online draft, each expert chose their draft spot in order of their respective finish in the previous season. The first-place team had the first choice of draft position, and I secured the fifth spot based on qualifying for the playoffs in the head-to-head league in 2024, and I chose the fifth spot in the draft, near the middle, which can work well.
With the format using on-base percentage, I had Aaron Judge and José Ramírez as my preferred options, and Cleveland’s talented third baseman was available, making him my first pick in this league. He was also on my first head-to-head team in 2021. I was shocked to see so many hitters being taken, and with my pick approaching in the second round, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes remained on the board. There was not a bad choice in this format since wins were not part of the equation, and I went with Skubal, putting two NFBC first round picks on my Tout squad.
This helped mitigate some rookie mistakes in the draft, such as passing on Kyle Schwarber for Brent Rooker at utility. However, a solid base of hitters was amassed, which will be illustrated shortly. As for relievers, they drifted, as they should, because SOLDS should make the most talented and productive relievers more available. I reached for Griffin Jax when closers began to be taken. My background covering relievers makes it easier to let them drift in this type of format and as you can see, I only accrued five points in SOLDS from my drafted roster:
In fact, SOLDS and on-base percentage were my two weak points based on this summary. Sparing all of us from victory laps, because I made mistakes throughout the season, the focal point should be about the format and planning for success in leagues with SOLDS moving forward.
During the three seasons preceding 2025, here are the Main Event averages for relievers (saves) from the top-25 teams in the overall competition as a baseline:
In a 15-team league with weekly free agent acquisitions (FAAB), one needs around 67 saves to finish in the top 25 in this format. Not all teams are built the same, but it provides insight into how they handle this category.
As for MLB teams, here are recent trends from the previous three years:
As Ron Burgundy would say, things escalated quickly. Fantasy players in this format are not concerned about who may get the next save for the Marlins or White Sox. They can focus on the best relievers on the best teams based on the spike in volume that saves-plus-holds provide. Here are the top-10 teams by SOLDS from 2025, nine were teams with a winning percentage greater than five hundred:
Team
W
L
Win%
Saves
Holds
SOLDS
LAD
93
69
.574
46
124
170
CLE
88
74
.543
47
111
158
CHC
92
70
.568
44
109
153
SDP
90
72
.556
49
103
152
MIL
97
65
.599
45
105
150
CIN
83
79
.512
41
104
145
NYY
94
68
.580
43
100
143
BAL
75
87
.463
38
105
143
NYM
83
79
.512
40
100
140
TOR
94
68
.580
42
95
137
Relievers can be an asset in SOLDS leagues based on usage patterns, not solely reliant on a team’s win percentage. Here are the relievers with at least 30 SOLDS from 2025:
Name
Saves
Holds
SOLDS
Abner Uribe
7
37
44
Carlos Estévez
42
0
42
Robert Suarez
40
0
40
Tony Santillan
7
33
40
Andrés Muñoz
38
0
38
Hunter Gaddis
3
35
38
Aroldis Chapman
32
4
36
Cade Smith
16
19
35
Emilio Pagán
32
2
34
Jeff Hoffman
33
0
33
Jhoan Duran
32
1
33
Devin Williams
18
15
33
Ronny Henriquez
7
26
33
Jeremiah Estrada
3
30
33
Mason Miller
22
10
32
Jose A. Ferrer
11
21
32
JoJo Romero
8
24
32
Bryan Abreu
7
25
32
Tyler Rogers
0
32
32
Raisel Iglesias
29
2
31
David Bednar
27
4
31
Tanner Scott
23
8
31
Brendon Little
1
30
31
Trevor Megill
30
0
30
Alex Vesia
5
25
30
As the season progressed, I added Tony Santillan and Emilio Pagán from this group. Will Vest just missed, but was also a source of SOLDS from the waiver wire. Jose A. Ferrer was a late-season stream option, but was benched for the last week of the season. I also picked up Brad Keller for September’s stretch run, helping my team finish fourth in SOLDS, a net gain of six standings points in the category:
Sometimes, you have to burn and churn your way up the standings, and for SOLDS, I was able to accomplish this feat, which will be noted for next year.
However, as my team entered contention, some tough roster decisions were made on a weekly basis. Ryan Boyer jumped out to a commanding lead, but my team was able to creep closer in the standings, eventually taking the lead in mid-September. There was a logjam in the innings category, so I couldn’t deploy more relievers to protect the ratios; I had to keep seven starters in the active lineup. This was made easier by a mid-season free agency addition of Trevor Rogers for $36.
Additionally, having no injured list cap allowed Yu Darvish and Shane Bieber to be protected from the live draft for use down the stretch. My biggest mistake was Trevor Story. After having him active through a rough patch, I gave up on him and dropped him, before his tremendous finish to the season. If I finished second in the league, this would have haunted me.
At the end of the season, my roster spots were filled as such:
Catcher
Drake Baldwin and Gabriel Moreno (both added via free agency pick-ups)
J.T. Realmuto on the bench (he was drafted)
Corner Infielders
Vinnie Pasquantino and Pete Alonso at 1B and CI (both were drafted)
José Ramírez at 3B (draft)
Yandy Díaz at utlity (acquired via trade)
Middle Infielders
Brandon Lowe at 2B (drafted)
Colson Montgomery at SS (added via free agency)
Xander Bogaerts at MI (drafted)
Outfield
Brent Rooker (drafted)
Dominic Canzone, Gavin Sheets, Daylen Lile, and Will Benson (all added via free agency)
Emilio Pagán, Brad Keller, Will Vest, Jose A. Ferrer (all added via free agency)
It was a learning experience, and I need to improve my targeting of on-base percentage players in 2026. However, the league was entertaining and represents my second Tout Wars title since 2021. Thanks for reading and here’s hoping for more success in the years to come.
Closer Monkey Emails for 2025
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This process can be challenging due to the sample size, but adjustments or breakouts do occur after the All-Star break. Our first segment features qualified relievers with the highest gains by percentage points in K-BB and swinging strike rate. There will be some overlap between relievers who appear on both lists, but relievers of interest for 2026 will be highlighted in each category.
2H Results: 3-1 record, five saves in six opportunities, five holds, 30.1 IP, 41:9 K:BB, 0.792 WHIP
Notable: Allowed 15 hits in the second half; six were home runs.
Unlike many on the list, there were no discernible changes in arsenal or approach. However, his splits by month and half-season illustrate that he improved his strike percentage after the All-Star break, which enhances his results:
Carrying over these gains and his role will determine his fantasy impact in 2026.
Pete Fairbanks (TB)
2H Results: 0-2 record, 12 saves in 14 save opportunities, 24.1 IP, 28:3 K:BB, 0.905 WHIP
Notable: Allowed 19 hits in the second half; six were home runs.
Remaining healthy for a full season represents a win for those who took him as a fallback option at closer this season. His second half provides mixed results and may make him too costly for the Rays since his incentives will drive his team option for 2026 over $11 million. For our purposes, his splits by month and half-season:
He could surprise the fantasy community once again, but if he’s traded, destination and role will determine how many saves he will accrue. I do not plan on paying to find out for next season.
Kyle Finnegan (WSH/DET)
2H Results: 3-1 record, six saves in seven opportunities, 22.1 IP, 28:6 K:BB, 0.987 WHIP
Notable: Will he retain the pitch mix tweak from the Tigers?
During the preseason, I did a deep dive on Finnegan which concluded he should be throwing more four-seam fastballs in the upper-third of the strike zone.
Fantasy managers must determine if this was a hot stretch or an alteration which will be maintained next season. As a free agent, he represents a potential bridge option as the closer until a replacement becomes available.
Notable: Was scoreless in 27 of 28 appearances following the All-Star break, allowing one earned run on a solo home run.
A former starting pitcher, Keller effectively transitioned to relieving in the second half, utilizing five different pitches. His improvement lay in attacking the strike zone more frequently (64.1 strike percentage), resulting in a 12.1 percent swinging strike rate. This chart displays how he attacks hitters by handedness:
Getting this template honed unlocked his second-half results and sets him up for a potential payday. He signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Cubs and will be a free agent at the end of the postseason.
Mason Miller (ATH/SD)
2H Results: Three saves in four save opportunities, 10 holds, 26 IP, 47:11 K:BB, 0.692 WHIP
Notable: Finished the regular season on a 20-game scoreless streak, spanning 21.1 innings.
For starters, he threw more sliders than fastballs after joining the Padres:
It was a slow process, but fueled his strong finish, highlighted above. Here were his splits by pitch with San Diego:
He is a dominant force during high-leverage events and if Robert Suarez invokes his opt-out and Miller does not get stretched out for a rotation spot next spring, Miller will be the first reliever taken in most drafts.
Notable: Notched 16 of these saves with the Phillies.
If Miller is the first reliever taken, Duran will not be far behind. An improved team concept and a secure role in the ninth inning will put an end to the team’s “floating closer” concept from years past. There were slight tweaks in his pitch usage after joining the Phillies:
Notable: Ended 2025 on a 13-game scoreless streak, during which he recorded 22 strikeouts versus two walks across 14.1 innings.
As the year progressed, Whitlock’s outings became more streamlined. He recorded more than three outs in 14 contests during the first half, but only worked extended outings in four games after the All-Star break. This helped his whiff rates rise, along with slight adjustments to his arsenal:
He ramped up his change-up during the second half, yielding the following splits by half-season:
Plan on his second half patterns persisting in the postseason and next year. He remains a alluring target for those in SOLDS formats or draft and hold leagues.
Devin Williams (NYY)
2H Results: 1-3 record, five saves in eight opportunities, eighth holds, 26.2 IP, 44:11 K:BB, 1.161 WHIP
Notable: Finished the regular season on a nine-game scoreless streak, recording 12 strikeouts verus two walks while posting a 0.556 WHIP.
There will not be a varied arsenal chart for the reliever, though Statcast did credit him with two cutters during the second half. I found this video by Trevor May very interesting about Williams, which may be a key toward a bounce back in 2026. Where he signs will directly impact his fantasy status coming off a down year.
Through 241 appearances with the Brewers, he owned a 1.023 WHIP with 375 strikeouts versus 112 walks across 235.2 innings. Steamer will foretell a rebound, if he’s near these numbers, 30-plus saves could be in the offing, but it’s highly unlikely he will be back with the Yankees.
Closer Monkey Emails for 2025
This year, the daily emails have changed. Those interested in daily free updates with links should subscribe to our page at Substack. Subscribers to the former site will not transfer over; readers must register using the new link.
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Saturday’s full slate resulted in six wins by relievers and seven saves, while they were tagged with three losses. Two teams punched their postseason tickets: Detroit and Cleveland. The last spot will be decided today between Cincinnati and the New York Mets. Here are the saves in condensed form:
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For the save streamers:
Vulture Save Options for September 28
Tony Santillan (CIN): Emilio Pagán has appeared in four straight games. Chase Burns will also be in play for multiple innings and a vulture win.
Rosi Sasaki (LAD): With Dave Roberts auditioning for playoff spots and roles, giving the talented pitcher a save chance before them makes sense.
Daniel Palencia (CHC): Brad Keller has pitched in back-to-back contests.
Tristan Beck (SF): Ryan Walker and Joel Peguero have worked in back-to-back games.
Justin Lawrence (PIT): Dennis Santana has pitched in consecutive contests.
Phil Maton (TEX): Shawn Armstrong has appeared in two straight.
Here are the leverage events of interest from Saturday.
Leverage Ledger
Chicago Cubs – Warming up with a two-run lead at the bottom of the eighth, Brad Keller settled for a non-save chance in the ninth. He allowed a one-out infield single by Nolan Gorman, followed by Jimmy Crooks’ two-out single, and walked Jordan Walker before recording a game-ending strikeout, preserving the four-run lead while clinching home field for the Wild Card series. He threw 26 pitches (61.5% strike rate) and induced three whiffs (7.7 SwStr%). He finishes the regular season scoreless in 27 of his last 28 appearances, posting a 0.578 WHIP with 35 strikeouts against eight walks (27.3 K-BB%) over 27.2 innings.
Drew Pomeranz notched his 14th hold, firing a clean top of the eighth and striking out two.
Caleb Thielbar gave up two hits, including Walker’s two-run home run, and recorded two strikeouts in the seventh, getting credit for his 25th hold.
Updated Hierarchy: *Brad Keller | *Daniel Palencia | Andrew Kittredge
*= closer-by-committee
Cincinnati Reds – Becoming the second reliever to appear in four consecutive contests, Emilio Pagán retired the side and recorded one strikeout while nailing down his 32nd save. He threw 13 pitches (69.2% strike rate) and induced one whiff.
This extended his scoreless streak to ten games, during which he has a 0.60 WHIP with ten strikeouts versus two walks.
Nick Martinez notched his fifth hold, tossing two scoreless frames, yielding a hit and a walk while striking out two.
Graham Ashcraft stranded two runners, issuing a walk and retiring one at the bottom of the sixth for his 23rd hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Emilio Pagán | Tony Santillan | Nick Martinez
Cleveland Guardians – A walk-off hit batter handed Cade Smith his eighth win and his team a playoff berth. He took over at the top of the eighth with two runners on and one out, inducing a groundout, followed by a caught stealing, ending the threat. Returning for the ninth, he retired the side and recorded a strikeout, finishing with 1.2 scoreless frames. He threw 16 pitches (62.5% strike rate) and produced four whiffs (25 SwStr%).
He has been scoreless in 12 of his last 13, during which he has posted a 0.308 WHIP with 22 strikeouts versus zero walks (51.2 K-BB%) across 13 innings.
Erik Sabrowski allowed a hit and a hit batter while striking out one during one-third of the eighth.
Hunter Gaddis logged 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and striking out three.
Hierarchy Remains: Cade Smith | Hunter Gaddis | Erik Sabrowski
Detroit Tigers – Shutting the door on his 23rd save and securing his team’s spot in the postseason, Will Vest preserved a one-run lead in Boston with a clean ninth, striking out one. He threw nine pitches (66.7% strike rate) and induced one whiff (11.1 SwStr%) while facing the 5-6-7 lineup pocket.
He has been scoreless in his last three and converted a save in his last two appearances.
Tyler Holton was awarded his sixth win, logging 1.1 clean frames and recording two strikeouts.
Rafael Montero notched his eighth hold, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings, yielding a hit and striking out one.
Hierarchy Remains: *Will Vest | *Kyle Finnegan | Tyler Holton
*= closer-by-committee
Kansas City Royals – Making his first appearance since September 20, Carlos Estévez closed out a two-run lead with a clean bottom of the ninth while striking out two against the A’s. He threw 21 pitches (61.9% strike rate) and induced two whiffs (9.5 SwStr%).
He has been scoreless in six of seven outings this month, converting all six save opportunities.
Jonathan Bowlan stranded a runner while retiring both batters in the eighth for his second hold.
Angel Zerpa gave up two hits and an earned run, recording an out in the seventh and eighth innings for his 14th hold.
John Schreiber allowed two hits and an earned run during two-thirds of the sixth, getting credit for his 23rd hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Carlos Estévez | John Schreiber | Angel Zerpa
Los Angeles Dodgers – Continuing its auditions for roles this postseason in the bullpen, Edgardo Henriquez nailed down his first save, striking out the side at the bottom of the ninth in Seattle, preserving a two-run lead. He threw 12 pitches (75% strike rate) and produced three whiffs (25 SwStr%).
Alex Vesia collected his fourth win, firing a clean eighth, striking out the side.
Blake Treinen tossed a scoreless seventh, yielding a hit and striking out three.
Jack Dreyer tossed a clean sixth and recorded one strikeout.
Hierarchy Remains: *Tanner Scott | *Blake Treinen | *Rosi Sasaki
*= closer-by-committee
New York Mets – Completing a combined shutout, Edwin Díaz retired the side and recorded a strikeout at the bottom of the ninth. He threw 13 pitches (61.5% strike rate) and produced two whiffs (15.4 SwStr%).
This extended his scoreless streak to seven games, spanning eight innings, during which he has a minuscule 0.25 WHIP with 12 strikeouts versus no walks (50 K-BB%).
Tyler Rogers tossed a clean eighth, striking out one, securing his 32nd hold.
Brooks Raley fired a clean seventh, striking out one for his tenth hold.
Pittsburgh Pirates – Sealing a two-run lead in Atlanta, Dennis Santana worked around Ronald Acuña Jr.’s one-out single with a strikeout and a game-ending flyout, securing his 16th save. He threw 19 pitches (63.2% strike rate) and produced five whiffs (26.3 SwStr%) while recording two strikeouts.
Through 12 games in September, he has converted five of six save opportunities, posting a 0.65 WHIP with 13 strikeouts versus one walk (22.7 K-BB%) over 12.1 innings.
Justin Lawrence notched his sixth hold, retiring the side and striking out two in the eighth.
Chase Shugart logged 1.1 clean frames while striking out two for his fifth hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Dennis Santana | Isaac Mattson | Justin Lawrence
San Francisco Giants – Pressed into action with two runners on and one out, Spencer Bivens recorded a strikeout, hit a batter (Ryan Ritter), then induced a game-ending pop-out, securing his second save. He threw 15 pitches (66.7% strike rate) and produced three whiffs (20 SwStr%).
Ryan Walker only recorded one out, giving up two hits, including Jordan Beck’s solo home run, and a walk before being removed. He was credited with his ninth hold, but his struggles down the stretch put his role in jeopardy as the closer entering 2026.
Tristan Beck notched his second hold, retiring the side at the top of the eighth.
Joel Peguero worked a scoreless seventh despite issuing a walk for his fourth hold.
Hierarchy Remains: Ryan Walker | José Buttó | Tristan Beck
Washington Nationals – The good news is that Jose A. Ferrer held on for his 11th save, finishing a one-run win over the White Sox in the rain. However, he allowed three hits and an earned run while recording three strikeouts. His command was better, but he has allowed too much contact in recent outings:
This marks the fifth time in his last six outings that he has allowed multiple hits and an earned run, bloating his WHIP to 1.77 through 11.1 innings in September.
Clayton Beeter stranded a runner while retiring his only batter in the eighth for his ninth hold.
Konnor Pilkington gave up two hits and recorded a strikeout during two-thirds of the eighth, getting his fifth hold.
Julian Fernández collected his first win, retiring the side and striking out two at the top of the seventh, ahead of his team’s three-run rally at the bottom of the inning.
Houston Astros: In order of appearance, Enyel De Los Santos tossed a clean bottom of the fifth, striking out two. J.P. France was awarded his first win, throwing three innings, allowing two hits, an earned run, and a walk while striking out five. Craig Kimbrel fired a clean bottom of the ninth, recording two strikeouts while finishing a five-run lead.
New York Yankees: Finishing an eventual five-run win over the Orioles, Paul Blackburn logged two innings, allowing Coby Mayo’s solo home run and recording three strikeouts in a non-save capacity.
San Diego Padres: Taking over at the top of the third, Yuki Matsui stranded two runners. He collected his third win, logging 2.1 innings, giving up three hits, an earned run, and two walks while striking out one.
Seattle Mariners: With the score tied at the top of the ninth, Andrés Muñoz suffered his third loss while struggling with his command. He walked the first two batters he faced, Michael Conforto and Alex Call, then induced a fielder’s choice groundout, moving the runners to second and third, followed by a two-RBI double by Kiké Hernández before recording the last two outs. Muñoz threw 22 pitches (54.5% strike rate) and only produced one whiff in this outing, snapping his nine-game scoreless streak.
Tampa Bay Rays: Appearing in an eventual loss, Pete Fairbanks tossed a clean bottom of the eighth and recorded a strikeout, facing the Jays’ 3-4-5 lineup pocket, throwing 17 pitches (76.5% strike rate) with two whiffs.
Texas Rangers: Tasked with a tied score at the bottom of the ninth, Robert Garcia recorded two quick outs, then issued a walk, allowed a single, intentionally walked Gabriel Arias, then hit C.J. Kayfus with a pitch, forcing in the walk-off run, resulting in his eighth loss, perfectly encapsulating his team’s season.
Toronto Blue Jays: Protecting a four-run lead, Seranthony Domínguez helped his team keep pace for the American League East divisional chase, working a scoreless top of the ninth, issuing a walk and striking out two on 24 pitches (58.3% strike rate) with one whiff.
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