What Save Efficiency Really Measures
Closers don’t look the same as they did a decade ago, and neither should the stats we use to judge them. Save totals still have historical value, but in today’s game, they’re a partial picture at best. Enter Save Efficiency a stat built for the way bullpens are actually used now.
Save Efficiency focuses on three things: how often a closer converts his save chances, how critical the situations are (measured by leverage index), and what he does when he inherits runners. In other words, it’s not just about finishing clean 9th innings, but performing when the margin is razor thin and there’s no room for error.
A closer with 35 saves but a dozen sloppy outings isn’t doing his team any favors. Meanwhile, a guy with fewer saves but a 90% conversion rate in high leverage spots, stranding runners like a machine? That’s value. That’s what Save Efficiency captures.
It’s not a flashy stat, but it’s smarter, cleaner, and more relevant in a game where one blown hold can cost a playoff run. It rewards the guys who show up when it matters most not just when the scoreboard says “save opportunity.”
The Game Has Evolved
The days of saving your best arm strictly for the ninth are over. Managers aren’t chasing traditional save stats as much as they’re chasing wins and that means using closers in smarter, more flexible ways. You’ve got firemen coming in during the 7th with two on and one out. You’ve got back end guys tag teaming across innings. It’s all about high leverage execution, not hitting arbitrary inning markers.
This shift has made save efficiency the more honest stat. A reliever who locks down the heart of a lineup in the eighth with a one run lead might have just saved the game whether the books call it a save or not. Managers know this. That’s why usage patterns are changing, and setup men with elite control are crossing into closer territory.
Ultimately, it’s not just about converting saves. It’s about minimizing damage in the moments that matter most. For bullpens now, adaptability equals value. For fans? It means some of the best relief pitching might happen long before the 9th.
(Related read: How WAR Is Redefining Baseball Player Value in 2026)
#10 Caleb Montes (DET)
Montes isn’t flashy, but he doesn’t flinch. With a 2026 Save Efficiency of 82.4%, he earned his spot here not through gaudy strikeout totals, but by being nails when it matters most. His OPS against in tie game situations ranks among the league’s lowest, a stat that doesn’t scream for attention but wins games. Managers trust him with the ball when margins are razor thin.
Unlike traditional closers who rack up saves in straightforward ninth inning scenarios, Montes thrives in chaos two out jams, runners on, no room for error. He doesn’t just hold leads. He stops bleeding. And in a year where late inning volatility was the norm, Detroit had rare stability once he took the mound.
He might not lead the league in saves, but if clutch had a stat line, Caleb Montes would be near the top.
#9 Jae Hyun Kim (SEA)
2026 Save Efficiency: 83.7%
Kim isn’t flashy, but he’s brutally effective. Seattle’s bullpen doesn’t pack superstar payrolls it’s built on utility, and Kim is the anchor. What makes him stand out isn’t just his save total, but how he controls chaos. He stranded inherited runners at one of the highest rates in baseball this season, turning potential meltdowns into quiet exits.
While many closers command the 9th from start to finish, Kim’s value shows up when the inning is already messy. Managers trust him with runners on and little margin for error. That trust has paid off. In a small market setup that can’t afford blown saves, Kim keeps games clean and that’s worth more than strikeout reels.
#8 Victor Norwood (BAL)
2026 Save Efficiency: 84.1%
Victor Norwood doesn’t talk much. He doesn’t need to. With a WHIP that ranks top three among closers and home splits that look like video game sliders, Norwood’s mound presence speaks for itself. He’s the kind of pitcher you barely notice until the game’s over and you lost.
In Camden Yards, he’s a fortress. Opponents hit under .180 against him at home this year, and his command inside the zone left hitters guessing more often than not. Norwood isn’t flashy, but he’s lethal when it counts. In a division known for late inning chaos, he’s been Baltimore’s quiet closer the guy who walks on the mound, shuts the door, and disappears. Cold efficiency in an unforgiving division.
#7 Freddie Salgado (HOU)
2026 Save Efficiency: 85.3%
Salgado doesn’t just close games he ends them with authority. His fastball is explosive, regularly sitting upper 90s and brushing triple digits when it’s late and loud. What sets him apart, though, is how he starts: an elite first pitch strike rate that puts hitters on their heels from the jump.
He’s not your traditional one inning guy either. Salgado led the majors in converted saves after pitching more than one frame proof he can stretch out without losing command or velocity. Houston used him like a scalpel, often bringing him in during the 8th with traffic and trusting he’d slam the door.
In a game tilting toward bullpen versatility, Salgado’s ability to dominate across multiple innings while maintaining elite efficiency makes him more than just reliable he’s indispensable.
#6 Aiden Phelps (PHI)
2026 Save Efficiency: 86.0%
For years, Aiden Phelps floated in that middle reliever purgatory good stuff, raw mechanics, inconsistent role. But in 2026, something clicked. Steering clear of injury and sharpening command, he locked into an elite groove when the pressure rose. You won’t find his name leading box scores, but inside high leverage WPA numbers? He’s near the top.
Phelps wasn’t just the guy cleaning up late innings. He became the guy for the Phillies when October demands put bullpen depth to the test. Whether it was a one run eighth or a dirty ninth with runners on, he delivered cold blooded outs. Philly’s postseason run leaned heavily on short starters and high leverage arms. Phelps answered every call.
Late bloomer or not, he’s now firmly planted in the top tier of closers. Quiet, efficient, and built for the bratwurst tight tension of playoff baseball.
#5 Tyler Maddox (ATL)
2026 Save Efficiency: 86.2%
Tyler Maddox has quietly become one of the most reliable closers in baseball and the numbers prove it. While his save total may not top the charts, his impact is undeniable when it comes to efficiency under pressure.
Why Maddox Ranks This High:
Sneaky high WAR among relievers
WAR doesn’t lie. Maddox contributes wins through consistent execution, low walk rates, and his ability to limit hard contact.
High leverage performer
Maddox excels in tough spots. Whether protecting a one run lead or taking over mid inning with runners on, he keeps composed and executes.
Closer without the spotlight
While he may not generate headlines like some fireballers, Maddox’s calm and calculated approach gives Atlanta exactly what they need: reliable shutdown innings.
Bottom Line
He may not grab attention with flair or velocity, but Tyler Maddox delivers wins. In a league where efficiency now defines value, he’s a key weapon in Atlanta’s late game strategy.
#4 Masaki Honda (LAD)
2026 Save Efficiency: 87.0%
Honda doesn’t come in throwing flames or barking on the mound. He steps in like it’s a quiet Tuesday and turns the ninth into a chess match. With the best K/BB ratio among closers this year, he’s precision over power. He misses bats, walks almost no one, and doesn’t blink when the tying run’s on second.
Under pressure, Honda doesn’t just survive he controls the tempo. He’s mastered the zone and reads hitters like a veteran, even if this is only his third full season as a closer. For the Dodgers, he’s become less of an option and more of a guarantee. Calm, surgical, and brutally efficient, Honda earned every bit of his top five spot. Nothing flashy just cold, repeatable dominance.
#3 Ramón Delgado (NYY)
2026 Save Efficiency: 88.9%
Delgado isn’t flashy, but he doesn’t need to be. He shows up, throws darts, and walks off with another W. His slider is practically illegal especially against lefties. They’re hitting .107 against it this season, and even that feels generous. Delgado’s pitch tunneling makes hitters guess wrong more often than not, and when they do guess right, the swing still comes late.
There’s something about being a closer in New York that chews up pitchers. Not Delgado. The crowd doesn’t rattle him. Late innings, tight odds, full count doesn’t blink. He’s not the loudest guy in the clubhouse, but the numbers shout plenty. Comfortable in chaos, lethal on the mound. That’s why he’s this high on the list.
#2 Chris “Flash” Burrows (MIL)
2026 Save Efficiency: 90.1%
There’s no finesse here just pure velocity and unrelenting aggression. Chris “Flash” Burrows doesn’t just close games; he annihilates the final three outs with the fastest average pitch speed in the majors. Opposing batters walk up knowing what’s coming and still can’t touch it. No tricks. No gimmicks. Just gas.
He’s the kind of closer who doesn’t nibble. Willing to challenge hitters pitch after pitch, and it works. Most of them never see a fourth pitch. Burrows’ off speed isn’t elite, but when your fastball is touching 103 consistently, you don’t need a deep bag of tricks. What matters: he converts saves at an absurdly efficient clip and flips off the lights before the other team knows what hit them.
He’s a weapon. And Milwaukee smartly uses him like one short bursts, high stakes, maximum damage.
#1 Orlando Vega (SDP)
2026 Save Efficiency: 91.5%
There’s dominance, and then there’s what Orlando Vega delivered this season. Forty seven opportunities. Only two blown saves. That kind of precision under pressure doesn’t just happen it’s built, pitch by pitch, outing by outing. Vega wasn’t just reliable. He was surgical.
What sets Vega apart isn’t just the conversion rate it’s how cleanly he handles chaos. Tie game in the 9th? Runners on second and third? Doesn’t matter. His poise is unshakable, and his control over game tempo is unmatched. The Padres leaned on him like a cornerstone, and he never cracked.
He doesn’t overpower like some closers. No triple digit heaters or flashy theatrics. But his command is ice cold, and his slider bites hard when it needs to. In a league constantly chasing the next big arm, Vega just went out and defined a new standard: pressure doesn’t define him he defines pressure.