Daniel Palencia's breakout season is derailed by a right shoulder strain, forcing the Cubs into a closer-by-committee next week. Keller and Kittredge are the early names to monitor for saves in Chicago.

Will Vest in Detroit should inherit the bulk of ninth-inning chances with Finnegan sidelined, though the Tigers bullpen may rotate save opportunities depending on matchups and usage.

Muñoz leads a cadre of high-end closers with 34 saves and elite ratios, while Díaz, Suárez, Iglesias and Jansen remain pivotal across the league. Chapman’s late-season surge for Boston stands out amid a chaotic closer landscape, with Pagán and Megill among the other notable late-inning arms vying for holds or saves.

Reds edge Padres 4-2 as a late-inning blast sinks San Diego, with Robert Suárez surrendering a two-run homer in the ninth to seal the win. San Diego circles Michael King as a potential postseason linchpin, hoping health and a steadier bullpen to anchor a deep October run. The thread underscores lineup expectations, civil discourse, and fantasy angles—King’s health, bullpen depth, and how the Padres’ top hitters factor into the stretch drive.

The San Diego Padres are gearing up for a pivotal MLB trade deadline, with a focus on enhancing their roster. General Manager A.J. Preller is expected to pursue significant upgrades, potentially targeting a catcher, left fielder, bullpen help, or even a starting pitcher. However, changes may not be limited to new acquisitions; the Padres could also trade away existing players to better fit their needs. A recent trend in MLB involves teams both buying and selling at the deadline, and the Padres may follow suit by offloading veterans.

Writer Dennis Lin of The Athletic suggests three players who could be moved: Dylan Cease, Robert Suarez, and Jake Cronenworth. While Cease and Suarez are set to hit free agency and could bring a substantial return, Cronenworth's partial no-trade clause complicates things. He remains a valuable asset for the Padres, drawing interest from other teams, despite his ability to block certain trades. The Padres face the reality of potentially losing talent while still being buyers at the deadline, raising the stakes for both sides of the transaction.