Riley O’Brien finished the 2026 regular season with 38 saves, putting the St. Louis Cardinals reliever at the top of the National League leaderboard.
O’Brien tied San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller for the NL lead after taking over the closer role for St. Louis and handling a significant workload throughout the season.
The Cardinals finished fourth in the NL Central at 77-85 and missed the postseason, but O’Brien provided one of the team’s notable individual accomplishments.
O’Brien appeared in 66 games and threw 64 innings, finishing with a 3-9 record, 4.08 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. He struck out 64 batters while allowing 29 walks.
His 38 saves came in 46 save opportunities, giving him one of the largest workloads among the National League’s top closers. O’Brien also remained available throughout the season without spending time on the injured list.
Miller matched O’Brien with 38 saves for San Diego while posting a 1.67 ERA and striking out 129 batters over 70 innings. That left the two relievers tied atop the NL saves leaderboard at the end of the regular season.
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O’Brien’s season came as the Cardinals navigated a difficult year in the NL Central. Milwaukee won the division with a 103-59 record, while Chicago finished second at 89-73 and secured a Wild Card spot.
St. Louis ultimately finished 26 games behind the Brewers, but O’Brien’s 38 saves gave the Cardinals a clear individual milestone to carry into the offseason. His performance also established him as a central piece of the team’s bullpen heading into 2027.
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