RADIO
Dennis Santana Carries Double-Digit Save Potential into 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Dennis Santana posted a breakout season in 2025, collecting a 4-5 record with a 2.18 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 60 strikeouts, and 16 saves across 70 1/3 innings pitched. The 29-year-old emerged as Pittsburgh's primary ninth-inning option down the stretch of 2025 after the Pirates traded veteran closer David Bednar to the New York Yankees at the trade deadline. Heading into 2026, Santana looks set to get the first shot as Pittsburgh's primary save-earner. Santana's numbers are almost certain to regress from the outlier marks he posted in 2025, as he was buoyed by an unsustainably low .211 opponent batting average on balls in play. Santana is also not an elite strikeout pitcher, as he posted a 22.2% strikeout rate in 2025 and owns a career mark of 22.1%. However, Santana has now posted consecutive seasons with a WHIP of 1.09 or better and may have the trust of the Pirates organization. If he can do enough to maintain the closing job in Pittsburgh, Santana could be an undervalued source of saves for fantasy managers in 2026.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
