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Cade Smith led MLB relievers in Win Probability Added in 2026

Cade Smith led all relievers with 4.83 Win Probability Added, the most since 2024. Here are the top 10.

Win Probability Added (WPA) credits a pitcher for how much each batter he faced moved his team's chances of winning. For relievers, it rewards getting big outs in close, late games, and no reliever did more of that in 2026 than Cade Smith. His 4.83 WPA in relief led the majors, the highest by a reliever since Cleveland's Emmanuel Clase posted 6.23 in 2024, and well above the 4.25 that led all relievers in 2025.

Mason Miller was second at 4.56 and Louis Varland third at 3.80. Two of the top 10, David Bednar and Adrian Morejon, are free agents this winter.

Cade Smith, RP — Cleveland Guardians: 4.83 WPA

In his first full season as Cleveland's closer, Smith tied Bryan Baker for the major-league lead with 41 saves and posted a 1.95 ERA in 74 innings. He struck out 107, fifth among relievers with at least 40 innings in strikeout rate (36.3%), and ranked fourth in K-BB% (28.5%) and in the average leverage of the situations he pitched in. He is the second Guardians reliever in three seasons to lead the majors in WPA. Cleveland won the AL Central at 85-77, beat the White Sox in the Division Series and lost to Tampa Bay in the ALCS.

Mason Miller, RP — San Diego Padres: 4.56 WPA

Miller led all relievers in strikeout rate (47.4%), K-BB% (37.9%), FIP (1.17) and fWAR (3.7), and his 1.67 ERA came with 38 saves and 129 strikeouts in 70 innings. His WPA was a career high, topping the 3.48 he posted with Oakland in 2024. San Diego went 91-71, swept the Cubs in the Wild Card Series and lost to Milwaukee in four games in the Division Series.

Louis Varland, RP — Toronto Blue Jays: 3.80 WPA

Varland had no saves in 2025. In 2026 he had 35, along with a 1.27 ERA that ranked second among relievers with at least 40 innings, and he was second to Miller in fWAR (3.1). He also threw 78 innings, more than anyone else in the top 10 except Morejon. The Blue Jays finished 79-83 and missed the playoffs.

Bryan Baker, RP — Tampa Bay Rays: 3.69 WPA

Baker split 2025 between two teams with a 4.06 ERA and three saves. This year he tied for the major-league lead with 41 saves and posted a 1.44 ERA, third among relievers with at least 40 innings. That is a lot of handshakes with his catcher. The Rays had the American League's best record at 98-64, swept the Yankees in the Division Series, beat Cleveland in six games in the ALCS and are playing Milwaukee in the World Series.

David Bednar, RP — New York Yankees: 3.54 WPA

Bednar, a free agent this winter, saved 35 games with a 2.47 ERA in 69⅓ innings in his first full season in New York. His WPA topped the 3.51 he posted for Pittsburgh in 2023. The Yankees went 93-68, beat Boston in the Wild Card Series and were swept by Tampa Bay in the Division Series.

Abner Uribe, RP — Milwaukee Brewers: 3.49 WPA

Uribe was the bridge to the ninth for the team with baseball's best record, with 23 holds, six saves and a 1.97 ERA in 59⅓ innings. His WPA jumped from 1.96 in 2025. The Brewers went 103-59, beat San Diego in four games in the Division Series, swept the Dodgers in the NLCS and are playing Tampa Bay in the World Series.

Josh Hader, RP — Houston Astros: 3.33 WPA

Hader, who led all relievers in WPA in 2021 and 2025, pitched only 44⅔ innings but made them count: a 1.01 ERA, the lowest among relievers with at least 40 innings, and 26 saves without a blown save. The ninth inning in Houston was a quiet place. The Astros won the AL West at 81-81 and were swept by the White Sox in the Wild Card Series.

Adrian Morejon, RP — San Diego Padres: 3.23 WPA

Morejon, a free agent this winter, worked more than any reliever in the top 10: 76 games and 86 innings, third in the majors in relief innings. He had 28 holds and a 2.83 ERA, and his 2.8 fWAR ranked fourth among relievers. Along with Miller, he gave San Diego two of the top eight.

Mason Montgomery, RP — Pittsburgh Pirates: 2.86 WPA

Montgomery's 37.7% strikeout rate was second only to Miller's, and he ranked third in K-BB% (28.8%). He had 18 saves and nine holds, a big turnaround from a 5.67 ERA in 46 innings with Tampa Bay in 2025. The Pirates finished 82-80 and missed the playoffs.

Didier Fuentes, RP — Atlanta Braves: 2.83 WPA

At 21, Fuentes was the youngest pitcher in the top 10. He posted a 2.05 ERA with 17 holds and 85 strikeouts in 70⅓ innings. Atlanta won the NL East at 94-68, beat Philadelphia in the Wild Card Series and lost to the Dodgers in four games in the Division Series.