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  • Pete Fairbanks RP | MIA

    Marlins' Pete Fairbanks: Notches second save

    Fairbanks earned the save in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Rockies, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.

    Fairbanks was called on to protect a one-run lead in the ninth and needed just nine pitches to do so. He could be unavailable Sunday after notching saves on back-to-back nights, but the 32-year-old appears to have a firm grip on the closer's role following a strong start with his new club.

  • Robert Garcia RP | TEX

    Rangers' Robert Garcia: Unable to close door on Phillies

    Garcia surrendered two unearned runs on one hit and one walk while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning during Saturday's 5-4 win over the Phillies.

    With the Rangers leading 3-0 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, manager Skip Schumaker called Garcia's number in Texas' first save situation of the season. Garcia struck out Kyle Schwarber and got Bryce Harper to ground out to begin the frame. After dispatching those tough lefty batters, the southpaw reliever ran into trouble against two righty batters. Alec Bohm singled ahead of a walk by pinch hitter Edmundo Sosa. Garcia was then pulled in favor of Chris Martin, but Martin was unable to close the door after a Jake Burger error opened the flood gates. The early pull helped Garcia avoid a blown save, but it's clear he was the first option to close out the game. Both he and Martin are expected to get save chances for Texas this season.

  • Chris Martin RP | TEX

    Rangers' Chris Martin: Blows first save opportunity

    Martin (1-0) blew the save but came away with the win in Saturday's 5-4 victory over the Phillies. He allowed one unearned run on two hits and struck out one while recording one out.

    With the Rangers up 3-0, manager Skip Schumaker actually called on Robert Garcia to open the ninth inning. However, Garcia recorded just two outs while allowing one hit and one walk with one strikeout before giving way to Martin to protect the 3-0 lead. Martin surrendered two hits and three runs, two of which were charged to Garcia, to send the game to an extra inning. With neither pitcher faring well in their first outing of the season, Garcia would seem to continue to hold the slight edge for save opportunities for Texas.

  • Emilio Pagan RP | CIN

    Reds' Emilio Pagan: Suffers first blown save

    Pagan was charged with a blown save in Saturday's extra-innings win against the Red Sox, giving up a solo homer with two strikeouts and no walks over 1.1 innings.

    Pagan has always been a little prone to giving up home runs, including 10 during the 2025 regular season, and served up a two-out solo shot to Wilyer Abreu in the ninth inning Saturday to blow the save. The right-hander converted 32 of 38 opportunities with a 2.88 ERA last season and inked a two-year, $20 million contract in December, so the early blown save shouldn't alter his job security.

  • Jacob Latz RP | TEX

    Rangers' Jacob Latz: Four scoreless innings Saturday

    Latz struck out three and walked one across four scoreless and hitless innings in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Phillies.

    With Jacob deGrom scratched due to neck stiffness, Latz made the spot start for Texas after he lost out to Kumar Rocker for the fifth spot in Texas' rotation over the spring. Latz made easy work of the Phillies on 68 pitches but didn't factor into the decision. As long as deGrom is cleared for his next turn through the rotation, Latz should slot back into a long-relief role in the bullpen.

  • Scott Barlow RP | ATH

    Athletics' Scott Barlow: Blows save in 10th Saturday

    Barlow was charged with his first blown save of the season Saturday, giving up an unearned run on a hit and a walk in the 10th inning of an 8-7 extra-innings loss to the Blue Jays. He struck out one.

    After Elvis Alvarado, Hogan Harris and Michael Kelly made a hash of things in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to let the game get to extras, the A's grabbed a 7-6 lead in the top of the 10th and handed the ball to Barlow. He wasn't able to get to the job done, and he very nearly took the loss when Addison Barger's deep drive to right field fell a foot or two shy of being a walk-off homer rather than a game-tying sacrifice fly. The A's closer situation remains muddy, but Barlow at least has a 0.00 ERA through his first two appearances and 2.2 innings.

  • Cole Sands RP | MIN

    Twins' Cole Sands: Converts first save opportunity

    Sands walked one and struck out two over a scoreless and hitless inning to earn the save in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Orioles.

    The Twins' closer competition was one to watch during spring training, and manager Derek Shelton called on Sands in the ninth inning for Minnesota's first save opportunity. The situation will likely remain fluid, but Sands appears to be the preferred choice out of the gates to begin the 2026 season.

  • Ryne Stanek RP | STL

    Cardinals' Ryne Stanek: Picks up win despite blown save

    Stanek (1-0) blew the save but collected the win in Saturday's 6-5 extra-inning victory over the Rays, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits over 1.1 innings. He struck out two.

    With the Cardinals ahead 4-0, Matt Svanson got the call in the ninth inning but ran into trouble, and Stanek allowed two inherited runners to score before the tying run was added to his own ledger on a Nick Fortes single. Stanek allowed an additional unearned run in the top of the 10th but got bailed out when rookie JJ Wetherholt walked it off in the bottom of the frame. While Stanek has gotten the Cards' first two save chances of the season, converting the first one, he's looked shaky in both outings and has a 3.86 ERA and 3:3 K:BB in his first 2.1 innings of the season.

  • Griffin Jax RP | TB

    Rays' Griffin Jax: Rough opening weekend continues

    Jax (0-1) blew the save and took the loss Saturday as the Rays were downed by the Cardinals 6-5 in 10 innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on one hit and one walk in one-third of an inning.

    After blowing the save in Tampa Bay's opener Thursday, Jax was called upon again to protect a one-run lead in the bottom of the 10th, but he instead served up a walk-off single to rookie JJ Wetherholt after a walk and a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Jax came into the season expected to lead the Rays' closing committee despite the fact that he didn't record a save in 2025, but those plans could be changing quickly. Left-hander Garrett Cleavinger should be the next man up with Edwin Uceta (shoulder) on the shelf, but Bryan Baker -- who struck out two in a perfect ninth Saturday to get the game to extra innings -- might also be in the mix if manager Kevin Cash wants a righty instead.

  • Jake Eder RP | LAD

    Nationals' Jake Eder: Designated for assignment

    The Nationals designated Eder for assignment Saturday, Danielle Allentuck of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

    Eder will forfeit his place on Washington's 40-man roster in order to make room for Curtis Mead, who was acquired in a trade with the White Sox on Saturday. Eder posted a 4.91 ERA and 1.31 WHIP over 18.1 innings with the Angels last season but found less success in Triple-A, where he ended the year with a 6.59 ERA across 68.1 frames (15 starts).

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