RADIO
Mason Montgomery Has Emerged as an Elite Closer Option
Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Mason Montgomery has arguably been his team's top relief option this season, recording a 2.73 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 95 strikeouts, 13 saves, and six wins across 62 2/3 innings (64 games). The hard-throwing southpaw is averaging 98.5 miles per hour on his fastball and has posted a ridiculous 37.5% strikeout rate while limiting his walk rate to a manageable 9.1%. While the Pirates deployed Montgomery in a high-leverage setup role for much of the season, he's taken over as the team's undisputed closer recently. Montgomery has already recorded six saves in September, and he has not allowed an earned run since late July. Heading into the final few weeks of the 2026 season, fantasy managers should view Montgomery as an elite closer option.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mason Montgomery Excelling in Closer Role Lately
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Mason Montgomery has been excellent lately, solidifying himself as the team's closer and getting onto the fantasy radar as a very intriguing waiver wire target late in the season. Montgomery hadn't logged a save situation this year until June 13, and he didn't pick up his first save until July 11. However, the saves have started to occur en masse, as Montgomery has eight saves since the start of August and four saves over his last five appearances. He has also strung together 18 consecutive scoreless outings dating back to July 27. During that window, he has 14.0 K/9 and just 2.1 BB/9. Simply put, Montgomery has been absolutely phenomenal since the end of July. Fantasy managers are starting to take notice, but he's still available in 73% of leagues, which feels like way too many. He should be a top relief pitching target for fantasy managers on the waiver wire. Montgomery ranks as the #37 reliever in RotoBaller's latest rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mason Montgomery Becoming Bucs' Primary Source of Saves
Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed reliever Mason Montgomery's fantasy stock is on the rise, and he is the clear favorite for saves of late after shutting the door yet again in Thursday's 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants at PNC Park. Montgomery threw a clean ninth inning with one strikeout to pick up his eighth save of the year. Right-hander Luke Weaver worked the eighth frame for his 18th hold of the season. It looked like Weaver might take over the closing duties in the Steel City over lefty Gregory Soto when the Bucs acquired him in a deadline deal with the New York Mets, but it has been Montgomery who has been the preferred ninth-inning choice. The 26-year-old southpaw has converted eight straight save chances while giving up two runs in his last 26 innings pitched to lower his ERA for the year to 2.97. He also has a 1.06 WHIP with 90 strikeouts and 22 walks over his 57 2/3 total innings in 2026. The hard-throwing lefty should see his ownership continue to climb with the fantasy postseason approach. Right now, Montgomery is rostered in just 34% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Mason Montgomery Is Worth Chasing for Saves
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Mason Montgomery picked up his fourth save of the season Friday, getting the final out of an 8-4 win over the Boston Red Sox. Kirby Yates opened the ninth with no save opportunity but gave up three straight two-out singles, bringing Montgomery in with two runners aboard and the tying run on deck. The left-hander struck out Adley Rutschman to finish it. Three of Montgomery's four saves have now come over his last seven appearances. Montgomery has been rolling lately, posting a 1.32 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts across his last 13 2/3 innings. Pittsburgh still hasn't settled on one closer, with Gregory Soto and Luke Weaver also getting late-inning looks. Montgomery keeps finding his way into save chances, though, and the strikeouts give him something to offer even when the ninth goes elsewhere. At 10% rostered on Yahoo, he's worth chasing in deeper leagues for managers who need saves.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Luke Weaver Could Lead Pirates in Saves To Close Out the Season
The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired veteran right-handed reliever Luke Weaver from the New York Mets at this year's trade deadline earlier in the month, and although he has yet to pick up a save with his new club, he should be considered a favorite to lead the team in saves to close out the 2026 campaign. Before the trade, Weaver was 2-1 with the Mets with a sharp 1.84 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, one save, and a 45:11 K:BB in 44 innings pitched. The 32-year-old has only appeared once with the Bucs since being acquired, but he pitched a clean ninth inning with a hit allowed and a walk in a 6-4 loss to his former team, the Mets. The Pirates are expected to go with a closer-by-committee with Weaver, Gregory Soto, and Mason Montgomery, but among the trio, Weaver has been the best relief arm in 2026. The downside is that he doesn't have a whole lot of closing experience in his career, picking up just 13 saves in his 11-year MLB career. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues speculating on saves should give Weaver a look, and he's rostered in only 28% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Luke Weaver a Priority Waiver-Wire Pickup for Saves-Needy Managers
The New York Mets sent veteran right-handed reliever Luke Weaver to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Monday's trade deadline, and he figures to immediately become the Pirates' preferred option for saves in the ninth inning. It means that Weaver is one of the bigger trade-deadline winners in terms of a boost to his fantasy value for the rest of the 2026 season. The 32-year-old was excellent for the Mets in his 42 relief appearances (44 innings), posting a 1.84 ERA and 0.82 WHIP with 45 strikeouts and 11 walks, but he had just one save in his first year in Queens. The former first-rounder by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2014 from Florida State University has been nearly untouchable since the start of June, allowing just two runs (one earned) while walking only three and striking out 21 in 19 1/3 innings to go with his only save of the season and eight holds. At the very least, Weaver should continue to be a great source of holds in the Steel City, but the expectation is that he'll see a big boost in save opportunities now that he's not setting up for closer Devin Williams with the Mets.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Mason Montgomery Emerging as Potential Waiver-Wire Target
Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed reliever Mason Montgomery allowed one hit and struck out the side in his inning of work on Monday to pick up his third save of the year in the 4-3 win on the road against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers. The 26-year-old southpaw was used in this contest after both left-hander Gregory Soto and the newly-acquired Camilo Doval, and all three of his saves this season have come since July 11. Montgomery has been strong at the back end of Pittsburgh's bullpen since the start of July, giving up just two earned runs with five walks, 26 strikeouts, two wins, three saves, and a hold. In just his third major-league season and first with the Bucs in 2026, Montgomery has gone 4-3 with a 3.72 ERA (2.75 FIP), 1.19 WHIP, and 72:21 K:BB in 46 innings across 47 appearances (five starts). Montgomery has become more intriguing as a deep-league source of saves, but his opportunities figure to dwindle after the Pirates acquired right-handed reliever Luke Weaver from the New York Mets at Monday's trade deadline. Weaver is expected to become Pittsburgh's primary closer the rest of the way.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Pirates Acquiring Late-Inning Reliever Luke Weaver From the Mets
The Pittsburgh Pirates are acquiring right-handed reliever Luke Weaver from the New York Mets on Monday, a source told Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Weaver was one of the few bright spots for the Mets in 2026, going 2-1 with a stingy 1.84 ERA (0.82 WHIP), one save, 45 strikeouts and 11 walks in 44 innings pitched out of the bullpen. Left-hander Gregory Soto has been Pittsburgh's primary source of saves so far in 2026, but he's been pretty volatile, so it seems likely that Weaver is going to get a huge fantasy boost and jump into save opportunities in his new digs. The 32-year-old Weaver will remain under contract with Pittsburgh through the 2027 season and will be paid $12.5 million. He's currently only rostered in 17% of Yahoo leagues, but with the trade to the Pirates, Weaver's fantasy stock should improve drastically in the coming days. Weaver is in his 11th season in the majors, with all 13 of his career saves coming in the last three years.
Source: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo
Source: ESPN.com - Jorge Castillo
Gregory Soto Re-Emerging as Ninth-Inning Favorite in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Gregory Soto picked up his 14th save of the season on Saturday, pitching a scoreless ninth inning with a strikeout in his team's 4-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds. It was a nice bounce-back outing for Soto, who allowed the game-winning run to score after entering the ninth inning with the game tied against Cincinnati on Thursday. Soto had a rough month in June, allowing 11 earned runs in 7 1/3 innings. However, he stabilized himself in July, allowing just two earned runs while notching 11 strikeouts and two saves. Soto's numbers for the year overall remain strong, as he's posted a 27.7% strikeout rate and a 3.69 ERA. Barring an addition to the Pirates' bullpen in the next couple of days before the trade deadline, Soto remains the saves source to target in Pittsburgh.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Gregory Soto Sees Fantasy Value Drop Following Another Loss
It's becoming harder to recommend holding Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed reliever Gregory Soto after he took a loss on Thursday against the division-rival Cincinnati Reds. Soto entered a tied ballgame at 2-2 in the ninth inning and allowed the winning run on a hit, two walks, and a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning to lose his third game of the year. Despite the loss, the 31-year-old veteran southpaw did come into his appearance on Thursday in Cincinnati with seven straight scoreless outings, which included two saves with seven strikeouts and two walks. Despite being up and down all year, the Dominican reliever has been Pittsburgh's most consistent source of saves. Soto now sits at 5-3 with a 3.77 ERA (3.76 FIP), a 1.08 WHIP, 13 saves, 52 strikeouts, and 20 walks in 45 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. The leash is going to be short with Soto, and if more struggles follow, Mason Montgomery could begin to see more save opportunities in the Steel City. Soto is currently rostered in only 36% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Hunter Barco Being Recalled by Pirates, Worth Targeting on the Waiver Wire?
Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Hunter Barco is on his way back to the big leagues, per Jason Mackey of MLB.com. Barco made Pittsburgh's Opening Day roster in a bulk relief role, but he struggled to a 7.71 ERA and 1.97 WHIP across 11 2/3 innings (five games) and has been in the minors since late April. The young left-hander has worked as both a starter and a reliever this year at Triple-A, recording a 3-6 record with a 4.87 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts across 44 1/3 innings (13 games). Barco seems likely to fill a spot in the Pirates' bullpen, which has been an area of weakness for Pittsburgh this season. While command has been an issue for the 25-year-old, he's shown the ability to generate swing-and-miss in the minor leagues. In a true one-inning role, Barco's stuff could play up. Deep league managers hunting for saves upside may want to consider stashing Barco off the waiver wire.
Source: MLB.com - Jason Mackey
Source: MLB.com - Jason Mackey
Mason Montgomery Earns Second Save as Fantasy Value Continues to Rise
Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Mason Montgomery earned his second save of the season in the team's 8-7 win over the division-rival Chicago Cubs on Sunday, although it didn't come easily. Montgomery allowed two earned runs on two hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out two. The 26-year-old southpaw is getting more run in high-leverage, late-inning situations, and he got the call in the ninth in this one over left-hander Gregory Soto, who has been the team's primary saves option for the majority of the 2026 season. Montgomery is now 3-3 on the season with two saves, a 4.04 ERA (2.92 FIP), 1.23 WHIP, and 65:19 K:BB in 42 1/3 innings across his 43 appearances (five starts) in his third year in the majors (first in Pittsburgh). While the Pirates seem to be trusting Montgomery more now that reliever Dennis Santana is out of the picture, Soto is still the better option for saves in the Pirates' bullpen for fantasy managers. Montgomery is currently rostered in 4% of Yahoo leagues, although he's an option for those desperate in deeper leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Pirates Designate Dennis Santana for Assignment
The Pittsburgh Pirates designated right-handed reliever Dennis Santana for assignment on Thursday to make room for right-handed reliever Ron Marinaccio, who was acquired in a minor trade from the San Diego Padres in exchange for international signing bonus pool considerations, according to MLB.com's Alex Stumpf. Santana was an option for saves in the Pirates' bullpen earlier this season, but he has struggled mightily, going 2-5 with a 6.05 ERA (5.48 FIP), a 1.51 WHIP, two saves, 37 strikeouts, and 21 walks in 41 2/3 relief innings in 2026 in his second full season in Pittsburgh. The 30-year-old Dominican hurler has had a really rough month of July, allowing 10 earned runs on 12 hits (four homers) while walking two and striking out seven for two losses and a hold in 7 1/3 innings across eight appearances out of the bullpen. Santana will most likely clear waivers because of his $3.7 million salary, at which point he could refuse an outright assignment and become a free agent.
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
Gregory Soto Tallies 13th Save, Re-Emerging as Name to Roster in Pittsburgh Bullpen
Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Gregory Soto picked up his 13th save of the season on Wednesday, throwing a scoreless 10th inning with a strikeout in his team's 5-3 extra-inning win over the New York Yankees. Soto had a rough month in June, allowing 11 earned runs across 7 1/3 innings. However, the 31-year-old has bounced back in July, pitching to a 1.35 ERA with six strikeouts and two saves across his first 6 2/3 innings this month. The 31-year-old's underlying metrics for the year remain strong, as he's averaging 97.2 miles per hour on his fastball and owns a 27.6% strikeout rate. With his recent rough patch now seemingly in the rearview mirror, Soto once again looks like the closer to roster in Pittsburgh.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Mason Montgomery Is Pittsburgh's Best Saves Stash
Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed reliever Mason Montgomery struck out two in a clean eighth inning against Cleveland on Sunday. Make that seven straight scoreless appearances, 6 1/3 innings in all, with one hit allowed and 12 strikeouts. He picked up his first save of the season during that run. Montgomery's 3.92 ERA and 1.26 WHIP are not exactly closer numbers. Fifty-eight strikeouts in 39 innings tell a different story. The ninth is not his, at least not yet. Pittsburgh started him Saturday, then used him with a four-run lead Sunday. Gregory Soto could not protect the lead in Saturday's nightcap, and Dennis Santana gave up the walk-off homer. It is still a committee, and a messy one. Montgomery is missing the most bats and has the momentum. RotoBaller has him in the 12-team range, which makes him the Pittsburgh reliever to stash for future saves.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
