Dennis

Santana

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.

Santana plunked Ernie Clement, but he retired the other three batters he faced. He has two saves and one win this month since taking over the closer’s role for the traded David Bednar.

Santana came on in the eighth inning of a tied game and Ian Happ was caught stealing to end the inning. He returned for the ninth after the Pirates took the lead and immediately made things interesting by allowing a leadoff single to Pete Crow-Armstrong. Fortunately for him and the Pirates though, Crow-Armstrong was then cut down attempting to steal second base as he over-slid the base when he had it easily pilfered. Santana then retired Nico Hoerner on a fly ball to left and Dansby Swanson on a ground ball to shortstop to end the game. Santana has notched four wins and seven saves on the season and is the unquestioned favorite for saves in the Pirates’ bullpen at the moment.