Dennis

Santana

Santana finished with a 2.18 ERA and 16 saves in a 2025 season split between closing and setting up for David Bednar. He’s the clear favorite for saves in the Pittsburgh pen as he enters his walk year. A July trade is probably forthcoming if the team fails to contend.

Santana was a crucial part of the Pirates’ bullpen in 2025, taking over the closer’s role when David Bednar was demoted to Triple-A and then again later after Bednar was traded to the Yankees. He threw 70 1/3 innings with a 2.18 ERA, 0.867 WHIP, and 60/17 K/BB ratio while recording 16 saves. He will likely form a closer committee in 2026 with newly signed left-hander Gregory Soto.

Soto’s previous closing experience makes him an interesting pickup for the Pirates as he could excel in a high-leverage role for a couple months before netting them some prospects at the trade deadline if they’re out of playoff contention. The veteran southpaw, who turns 31 years old in February, recorded a solid 4.18 ERA (3.42 FIP), 1.43 WHIP and 70/24 K/BB ratio across 60 1/3 innings over 70 appearances between the Orioles and Mets. He’ll be in the mix with incumbent stopper Dennis Santana for the ninth-inning role in Pittsburgh.

Santana has five saves this month. He’s pitched two straight days and four of the last five, so he probably ought to be out of commission on Sunday. Still, maybe not... he’ll have plenty of time to rest afterwards, of course.

Santana blew his first save chance after David Bednar was traded, but he’s 9-for-9 since. The scoreless appearance tonight was his eighth in a row.

Santana was summoned to close out the game against the A’s with a two-run lead in the ninth inning. He tossed a clean frame on 10 pitches, striking out one batter for his 14th save of the season to go with a 2.18 ERA over 66 innings.

That’s two saves in two days and 13 this year for Santana. He’s allowed two runs in his last 11 appearances, bringing his ERA back down to 2.40. It was actually at 1.36 at the trade deadline, but he gave up seven runs in his first three appearances last month.

Working with a three-run lead, Santana walked Miguel Rojas to start the ninth and then gave up an RBI double to Shohei Ohtani. However, he was able to retire Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith from there. Santana, who had three days off coming into tonight, should be available to close again Wednesday after throwing 14 pitches.

Santana’s save was his 11th of the year. The 29-year-old right-hander recorded two strikeouts and lowered his ERA to 2.33 this year with the scoreless outing. He’s allowed just one run in his last nine appearances.

Santana needed just eight pitches to retire Bo Bichette, Alejandro Kirk and Daulton Varsho. It’s his fifth straight scoreless appearance, and he now has nine saves on the season.