Carlos Estevez led the AL in saves last season. This spring, though, his velocity dropped and a rotator cuff strain landed him on the shelf for weeks, making his closing job in Kansas City look shaky.
With Estevez out, Lucas Erceg has jumped in and steadied the Royals’ bullpen-battles-who-will-lock-down-roles/”>late innings. He’s racked up 10 saves, giving up just two hits and no earned runs over his last eight appearances.
But the real story in 2026 isn’t just one reliever’s comeback. We’re smack in the middle of an era where bullpen turnover is off the charts, and it’s changing how teams chase those final outs.
Rundown of 2026 bullpen volatility
In just the first quarter of the season, 118 relievers have notched saves. That’s almost as many as the entire 2009 season, which had 124.
So many teams are cycling through closers, sometimes even in the same month. The Twins, for example, have used seven different pitchers for eight saves. The Rangers have three relievers with multiple saves.
On the other hand, the Padres with Mason Miller and the Yankees with David Bednar have managed to keep things steady—at least for now.
Injuries have hammered bullpens across the league. It’s not just the star closers; hardly any team has dodged this problem.
Edwin DÃaz (elbow surgery), Josh Hader (injured), Daniel Palencia (IL stint), and Emilio Pagan (hamstring strain) are just a few of the big names missing from late-inning roles. Bullpen depth charts look more like revolving doors, and late-game win probability has never been so unpredictable.
Injuries and underperformance reshape late-inning roles
It’s not only injuries messing things up. Underperformance is everywhere.
Toronto’s Jeff Hoffman, Seattle’s Andres Muñoz, the Mets’ Devin Williams, and Jordan Romano’s short stint with the Angels all stand out for the wrong reasons. Managers are improvising, mixing and matching save chances as needed.
Terry Francona, for one, has tried Tony Santillan, Graham Ashcraft, and Pierce Johnson in high-leverage spots. Some relievers just haven’t kept up, so teams have sent guys like the Giants’ Ryan Walker down as they try to find the right mix.
Front offices are already searching for fixes—trades, waiver pickups, even promoting prospects into big moments—well ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. If you can find a steady late-inning arm, you buy some breathing room for a playoff push.
Midyear moves can work, too. Remember when the Nationals grabbed Daniel Hudson in 2019 and he helped close out a World Series? Sometimes, a single addition makes all the difference.
Paths to stability and the midseason shuffle
Even with all this chaos, a few teams have managed to keep their closer spots pretty stable. The Padres’ Mason Miller and Yankees’ David Bednar are good examples—smart trades and development can still build a solid bullpen back end, even when everything else is in flux.
Other teams are trying similar tactics. Some are grabbing veteran arms off waivers, hoping they can handle the pressure. Others are rolling the dice on young relievers from the minors.
Everyone’s still chasing reliable late-inning arms, trying to patch together a bullpen that can survive a long season. Managing a bullpen in 2026 isn’t just a spring training decision—it’s a year-round puzzle, and one blown save or injury can throw the whole thing into chaos.
Bottom line: volatility defines the 2026 closer landscape
For scouts, executives, and fans, the message is pretty clear: expect ongoing shuffles in the ninth inning. The only thing you can count on in MLB bullpens this year is uncertainty.
Injuries, unpredictable performance, and frequent role changes keep the closer role as the wildest part of club depth. Late in a ballgame, nothing tips the odds more than who’s closing it out.
This season, bullpen turnover is the headline. If you want to take advantage of late-inning opportunities, you’ll need to stay agile and think ahead.
Here is the source article for this story: Why so many good MLB teams have closer issues in 2026
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