As MLB bullpens keep evolving, is the sport devaluing the save stat?

Major League Baseball is seeing a significant shift in bullpen usage, with 212 pitchers earning saves in 2025 compared to 139 in 2008, the year Francisco Rodríguez set the MLB record with 62 saves. Teams are increasingly deploying their best relievers based on high-leverage situations earlier in games rather than reserving them strictly for ninth-inning closing roles. This evolution has diluted the traditional 'closer' role, raising questions about whether the save statistic remains a meaningful measure of reliever value.