![\"MIAMI,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2281874907-GI.JPG\" "\\"MIAMI,")
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MIAMI, FLORIDA – JUNE 19: Pete Fairbanks #29 and Liam Hicks #34 of the Miami Marlins celebrate after the game against the San Francisco Giants at loanDepot park on June 19, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Sam Navarro\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Sam Navarro<\/p>\n
Getty Images<\/p>\n
When closer Pete Fairbanks returned to his stall in the Miami Marlins\u2019 clubhouse following his postgame shower on Friday night, a piece of paper commemorating a milestone was waiting for him.<\/p>\n
All it had was a number: 100.<\/p>\n
With his perfect ninth inning in the Marlins\u2019 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on Friday to begin a three-game series at loanDepot park, Fairbanks logged the 100th save of his eight-year MLB career. It\u2019s his 10th of the season after recording his first 90 while with the Tampa Bay Rays.<\/p>\n
Fairbanks, who signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Marlins this offseason, didn\u2019t want to get too introspective on the feat postgame but acknowledged the accomplishment is a special one.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, we\u2019re still doing it, so hopefully it\u2019s not the last one,\u201d Fairbanks said. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s pretty cool, right? My dad texted me after the game, and I started thinking about how this was something \u2014 like, if you had asked me at 16 to pick a career, this is what I would have chosen. So to hit a milestone like that is … pretty cool. That ball will go in my selection of baseballs that we have at the house.\u201d<\/p>\n
That said, Fairbanks has placed himself in pretty rare company among active players.<\/p>\n
He is one of just 15 pitchers<\/a> who have played this season to have at least 100 career saves.<\/p>\n The rest of the group: Kenley Jansen (484), Craig Kimbrel (440), Aroldis Chapman (381), Raisel Iglesias (268), Edwin Diaz (257), Josh Hader (231), David Bednar (125), Carlos Estevez (124), Jordan Romano (117), Kyle Finnegan (113), Ryan Helsley (112), Camilo Doval (109), Jhoan Duran (108) and Paul Sewald (104).<\/p>\n And Fairbanks has been able to get to that mark by returning to the high-end reliever form as of late that the Marlins were expecting him to be after getting off to an inconsistent start to the season.<\/p>\n After picking up saves with three consecutive scoreless outings to begin his Marlins tenure, things went sideways for Fairbanks in April. He gave up three runs as an opener at the New York Yankees before going on the paternity list, then gave up three more runs in a blown save against the Atlanta Braves in his first game back, logged saves in three of his next four outings and then coughed up three runs while only recording one out against the Los Angeles Dodgers before going on the injured list with nerve irritation. His ERA bloated to 10.00.<\/p>\n Since returning from the IL on May 16, Fairbanks has converted five of six save opportunities in, posting a 3.75 ERA (five earned runs in 12 innings) with 16 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .205 batting average.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just constant work,\u201d Fairbanks said. \u201c[Pitching coach Daniel] Moskos and I are working pretty hard at it to make sure we\u2019re in the right spot. And I think we\u2019re doing a pretty good job. Obviously you still have your ups and downs, but all in all, I definitely feel like I\u2019m having a real season, not an interrupted one from earlier of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n Added Marlins manager Clayton McCullough: \u201cHe\u2019s been more efficient. He\u2019s filling up the zone at a rate that I think he is accustomed to. It was a very uneven start to his year for a lot of variables. He\u2019s in a new place, and the paternity list, the short IL stint. Even during some of the games where maybe the line score box didn\u2019t look great, we felt great about where his stuff was, the place he was in. I think now, we\u2019re just seeing some of that turn around. His stuff\u2019s great, he\u2019s accessing the zone more, and you see him getting ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n