Pirates tied for third-most blown saves in MLB

TL;DR

The Pittsburgh Pirates have tied for the third-most blown saves in MLB this season, with eight blown saves after a recent loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Dennis Santana's struggles as a closer have highlighted ongoing bullpen issues for the team.

Key points

Pirates have eight blown saves this season.
Dennis Santana struggled in a recent game against the Cardinals.
The bullpen has been a significant issue for the Pirates.
Pittsburgh's starting pitching remains strong.
The NL Central is competitive, with all teams above .500.

Pittsburgh PiratesSt. Louis CardinalsChicago White SoxAthletics

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 17: Dennis Santana #60 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates after a 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at PNC Park on April 17, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images Monday night at PNC park the Pirates had a 2-0 lead going into the top of the 9th vs the St. Louis Cardinals. Dennis Santana came in for the save with the 2 run lead and struggled. Santana allowed a solo home run to Pedro Pages and allowed another solo shot to the very next batter JJ Wetherhold to tie the game. Jose Fermin hit a tie-breaking two-run double to give the Cardinals the lead and then eventually the win. The blown save by Santana is the eighth blown save of the season for the Bucs which is tied for third in the league with the Chicago White Sox and the Athletics. The Washington Nationals have the most with 10. The bullpen has been an issue to start the season for the Pirates and Monday night just proved it even more. Dennis Santana was a reliable guy for the first couple of weeks of the season but we are starting to see him struggle and not be a dependable closer anymore. The starting pitching once again continues to be one of the strengths in Pittsburgh. Monday night was a bullpen game for the Bucs, with starting and only pitching one inning. Wilber Dotel pitched four innings and threw well allowing no hits and three strikeouts. For as good as the starting pitching has been, the Pirates bullpen needs to be better. With how tough the NL Central is, Pittsburgh can’t afford blowing division games like that. Every team in the NL Central is above .500, so every time there is an opportunity to beat a divisional opponent, the Pirates have to take advantage. If the Pirates want to be a legit playoff team this year, the bullpen has to get close to the level of the starting pitching. If the bullpen cannot improve and become dominant, then it will be another disappointing season for the fans in Pittsburgh.

Q&A

How many blown saves does the Pittsburgh Pirates have this season?

The Pittsburgh Pirates have eight blown saves this season, tying them for third in the league.

Who is the closer for the Pittsburgh Pirates and what recent performance raised concerns?

Dennis Santana is the closer for the Pirates, and he recently struggled, allowing two home runs in a critical game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Which MLB team has the most blown saves this season?

The Washington Nationals currently have the most blown saves in MLB this season, with ten.

Pirates tied for third-most blown saves in MLB

TL;DR

Key points

Q&A

Related Articles

Utterly ridiculous! PSG beat Bayern in NINE-goal Champions League epic

Ipswich comeback sends Southampton to play-offs as automatic race goes to final day

IPL 2026: Why Punjab Kings wore black armbands against Rajasthan Royals

El Valencia Basket se queda corto en su remontada y el Panathinaikos roba el factor cancha

Mets say Luis Robert Jr. is day-to-day with lower back tightness

Former Giants, Raiders, Cardinals end dies at 35

More from Sports