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Stats

Louis Varland hangs on to record 29th save

Louis Varland

TOR Relief Pitcher #77

Player Stats

Louis Varland fired a scoreless ninth inning against the Yankees on Saturday to record his 29th save of the season.

Varland got the call to protect a one-run lead in the final frame at Yankee Stadium and managed to work around a leadoff double by Jazz Chisholm Jr. to preserve the narrow victory. He struck out Austin Wells, coaxed a ground ball from José Caballero and struck out Trent Grisham to strand the potential tying run in scoring position. The 28-year-old has been a revelation this season, converting 29 of 30 save chances to go along with a microscopic 1.22 ERA and 82/18 K/BB ratio across 66 1/3 innings of work. He’s one save away from becoming the sixth stopper to reach the 30-save plateau this season.

- George Bissell

Recap

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Bryan Baker

TB Relief Pitcher #47

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Bryan Baker, Cade Smith and Louis Varland were named finalists for the American League Reliever of the Year Award.

Smith has been a model of consistency since taking over as Cleveland’s closer and finished this past season with 41 saves and a 1.95 ERA across 74 innings. Baker came out of nowhere to emerge as Tampa Bay’s stopper, notching 41 saves of his own. Varland made the leap into one of the more dominant relief pitchers in the game, posting a microscopic 1.27 ERA and 97/23 K/BB ratio across 78 innings. He also finished with a career-high 35 saves.
Louis Varland

TOR Relief Pitcher #77

Louis Varland pitched a perfect ninth inning while striking out two batters to earn the save in Friday’s win over the Reds.

Varland entered in the ninth inning with his sights set on his 35th save of the season. The righty needed just 11 pitches to secure the win for the Blue Jays, ending a three-game losing streak. Varland’s 35 saves put him in a tie for the third-most saves of any pitcher this season, with two games left to go on the schedule.
Louis Varland

TOR Relief Pitcher #77

Louis Varland struck out two in a scoreless inning to earn his 34th save in Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Tigers.

Varland entered in the top of the ninth with two men on and nobody out but slammed the door to bounce back from Monday’s outing against the Tigers. The right-hander has allowed just five earned runs in the second half. He has a 1.30 ERA on the year and is tracking to be one of the earliest-drafted closers in 2027 fantasy leagues.
Louis Varland

TOR Relief Pitcher #77

After taking over in a tie game in the bottom of the ninth, Louis Varland gave up a run and took a loss Monday against the A’s.

The two singles Varland allowed tonight were hit 43 and 52 mph. Third baseman Kazuma Okamoto couldn’t make a play on the first one, and the second, with two outs and the bases loaded following two walks, was a grounder to short beaten out by Jeff McNeil, ending the game. It’s the first run Varland has given up since Aug. 8 and just the 10th earned run he’s allowed on the season.
Louis Varland

TOR Relief Pitcher #77

Louis Varland tossed a scoreless ninth inning and picked up the save against the Royals on Saturday.

Varland came on with a one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, but the Royals didn’t put up much of a fight. A groundout, a strikeout and another groundout ended the game. He threw 13 pitches. Varland has a 1.15 ERA in his breakout season as the Blue Jays closer.
Louis Varland

TOR Relief Pitcher #77

Louis Varland skirted around two baserunners to notch his 32nd save against the Guardians on Thursday.

Tasked with the middle of the Cleveland order, he allowed a hard single to José Ramírez and a walk to Nathaniel Lowe before striking out Angel Genao on three pitches to end the game. Varland hit a (relative) rough patch at the beginning of the month, but now has reeled off eight scoreless outings in a row to lower his ERA to 1.18.
Louis Varland

TOR Relief Pitcher #77

Louis Varland struck out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning to convert a save against the Mariners on Saturday.

Varland took the mound in the top of the ninth to close out the game against the Mariners with a one-run lead. He made an excellent play to beat the runner to first on a groundout to retire the first batter, then struck out the next before inducing a weak fly-out to end the game with his 31st save of the season.
Louis Varland

TOR Relief Pitcher #77

Louis Varland let up two outs, struck out one, and got four outs to get the save on Wednesday against the Royals.

A multi-inning master, this was Varland’s 13th outing this season getting four or more outs. His incredible efficiency makes those outings easier than they are for most, just like here where it only took him 15 pitches and he faced six total batters. He’s the seventh reliever to reach 30 saves so far this season and his 1.20 ERA is only higher than Mason Miller’s among all closers.
Louis Varland

TOR Relief Pitcher #77

Louis Varland tossed a scoreless ninth inning with three strikeouts to record a save against the Yankees on Saturday.

Varland was summoned in the top of the ninth to close out the game against the Yankees with a three-run lead. He shut the door on New York, striking out the side on 13 pitches to convert his 28th save of the season with a 1.26 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 79/17 K/BB ratio across 64 1/3 innings.
Louis Varland

TOR Relief Pitcher #77

Louis Varland got the final two outs and picked up the save against the Red Sox on Wednesday.

The Blue Jays led 6-1 heading into the ninth inning, but the Red Sox rallied, creating a save situation for Varland. He retired both hitters he faced to preserve the win and earn his 26th. Varland came out of nowhere this season to become the Blue Jays closer and with a 1.30 ERA he’s been one of the best in the game.

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Corey Seager

TEX Shortstop #5
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The Rangers “intend to explore moving” Corey Seager at the GM meetings, sources told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.

Seager has a full no-trade and is owed $155 million over the next five years, so a deal probably won’t come together easily. The Rangers, though, no longer seem interested in sporting a top-10 payroll, and they have one of the game’s best shortstop prospects in Sebastian Walcott. Some have already linked Seager to the Yankees as their next third baseman.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: The Athletic

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Trevor Rogers

FA Starting Pitcher #28
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The Orioles are interested in re-signing Trevor Rogers, president Mike Elias said.

Rogers is expected to turn down the $23.15 million qualifying offer from Baltimore and could land a four- or five-year deal as one of this winter’s younger free agents (he turns 29 later this week).
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Rich Dubroff
Baltimore Orioles
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Ryan McMahon

NYY 3rd Baseman #19
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Yankees GM Brian Cashman indicated Tuesday that he’s not locked in to Ryan McMahon at third base next year.

Cashman said he’s “open minded” about finding a replacement for McMahon, who has hit just .211/.289/.349 since arriving from the Rockies at the 2025 trade deadline. The Yankees will almost certainly add either a second baseman or a third baseman this winter, if not both. Should they sign a second baseman, then Anthony Volpe could compete for the job at third base. McMahon will make $16 million next year in the final season of his six-year deal.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Deesha Thosar

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Spencer Strider

ATL Starting Pitcher #99
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Braves president Alex Anthopoulos said Spencer Strider is expected to be ready for spring training.

Strider was unable to make it back last season after going on the IL with elbow inflammation in June, but no surgery was required. The Braves will hope he comes back a little stronger next year, as he’s gotten very homer prone with his velocity down about three mph from his peak. He’s entering the fifth year of the six-year, $75 million extension he signed after the 2022 season.
- Matthew Pouliot

Injury

Source: Chad Bishop

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Max Fried

NYY Starting Pitcher #54
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Max Fried underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his elbow but is expected to be ready for spring training, Brian Cashman said.

Fried dealt with a bone bruise in his elbow that put him on the IL twice last season, limiting him to 20 starts in which he went 5-5 with a 2.80 ERA.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Greg Joyce

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Dave Roberts

LAD Manager
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The Dodgers are hiring Pedro Guerrero to replace Aaron Bates as a hitting coach.

Not that Pedro Guerrero. This Pedro Guerrero does have a history with the Dodgers, though, playing in the minor league system as a utilityman from 2006 until his pro career ended in 2013. The 37-year-old was the Marlins’ hitting coach the last two seasons.
- Matthew Pouliot

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Tarik Skubal

FA Starting Pitcher #29
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The Mets are slated to meet with Tarik Skubal next week, a source told ESPN’s Jorge Castillo.

Many seem to think the Mets, facing big pressure to improve after finishing in last place in the NL East, are the favorites to sign Skubal. Of course, it’s still very early there, but Skubal, who is seeking the biggest contract ever for a pitcher, might have more incentive than other free agents to sign before a new CBA perhaps changes the landscape.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Jorge Castillo

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Brandon Lowe

FA 2nd Baseman #5
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The Blue Jays have shown early interest in free agent Brandon Lowe.

It’d be a surprise if the Jays don’t walk away with one of the winter’s top position player free agents, and it works out especially well for them that most of the best players in the class are corner outfielders and second basemen, which rate as the Jays’ biggest needs at the moment. The Jays are plenty familiar with Lowe from all of his time with the Rays, and he’s hit .280/.363/.550 at Rogers Center in his career.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Sportsnet
Toronto Blue Jays
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Jameson Taillon

FA Starting Pitcher #56
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Jameson Taillon said he’s feeling good five weeks removed from internal brace surgery with a flexor tendon repair.

Taillon is aiming to return late in the 2027 season, though he definitely won’t have much margin for error there. It’s his third UCL surgery, as he previously had Tommy John in 2014 and a revision surgery in 2019.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Jameson Taillon

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Josh Stephan

TOR Starting Pitcher
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Blue Jays re-signed RHP Josh Stephan to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

The Jays picked Stephan up along with Josh Smith when they sent Adam Macko to the Rangers at the trade deadline, and Stephan went on to post a 6.64 ERA in seven Triple-A starts. The 25-year-old has a 5.59 ERA and a 137/46 K/BB in 148 career innings in Triple-A.
- Matthew Pouliot

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