With a month and a day until the trade deadline, there are sure to be changes throughout the high-leverage ecosystem. However, that’s a normal day this season. Since my last post, 12 more pitchers have recorded their first save of the season, pushing the number of relievers with a save this season far ahead of the previous two years (186 versus 143 the past two seasons).While the number of relievers with at least 20 saves has surpassed last year’s and tied 2024’s, the number with at least 10 is below past levels, creating chaos for fantasy managers. Here are the quick hits from the recent news cycle:The good
Emilio Pagán returned from his rehab stint with increased velocity, averaging 96.6 miles per hour with his four-seam fastball in Milwaukee.
Josh Hader continues to impress despite missing the first two-plus months of the season. He’s racked up eight saves through his first 13 appearances with a 0.54 WHIP and 21 strikeouts against five walks (34.8 K-BB percentage) across 13 innings.
Jacob Latz has stabilized the Rangers’ bullpen, but his supporting cast needs an upgrade. He has already recorded nine saves requiring at least four outs. Can he stave off fatigue?
The bad
