Ryan Webb and Matt Albers are MLB relief pitchers who currently have the longest active streaks for games finished without a save. After the 2016 season, Webb had the edge over Albers, 99-91. Each man walks the tightrope of appearing in the late innings as often as possible without ever doing so with the game on the line.
It all started on Effectively Wild with a Play Index question (17 min in), and then led to frequent updates (3 min). Sam broke down an Albers near-save celebration. The fascination on the podcast has long since departed from simply the save battle, with mentions of everything from Webb’s wedding to Albers’ game-used pants. Listeners have taken sides, though it is uncertain if it means one is rooting for a save or the record.
In 2015, Ben was able to reach each of the men for a Grantland interview about their record (portions of which can be heard at the end of EW episode 717).
In 2016, Webb joined his hometown Tampa Bay Rays, pitching only 17.1 IP with a 5.19 ERA and 3.90 FIP. In the offseason, he signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, his eighth organization.
Albers meanwhile got off to a hot start for the White Sox in 2016, including a June 1 game in which he pitched two scoreless innings for the win, and racked up a double and scored the go-ahead run in between. Late-season struggles sank him to a 6.31 ERA and 5.80 FIP in 51.1 IP. Albers has played for six organizations (with two stints for Houston), and is currently unsigned.
Webb-Albers finished as runners-up in Banished to the Pen's Wild Four Tournaments in 2015 and 2016.