MLB: Top 20 closers in Major League Baseball history
1995-2013. Yankees. Mariano Rivera. 1. player. 43.
Career Statistics:
- Games: 1,115
- Saves: 652
- Won-Loss Record: 82-60
- ERA: 2.21
- ERA+: 205
- FIP: 2.76
- WHIP: 1.000
- Innings: 283.2
- Strikeouts: 1,173
- Strikeout Percentage: 23.0%
- All-Star Appearances: 13
- World Series Championships: 5
- Awards: 1999 World Series MVP
Born in Panama, Mariano Rivera signed with the New York Yankees as an international free agent in 1990. After making 68 starts in 103 appearances as a minor leaguer, Rivera was promoted to the big leagues in 1995 at the age of 25. After posting a 5.51 ERA in 19 games, including ten starts for the Yankees as a rookie, Rivera was moved into a setup role in for John Wetteland in 1996 and became the team’s closer in 1997.
The rest is history.
Rivera led the Majors in saves three times, was a 13-time All-Star, helped the Yankees win five World Series titles (including in 1999 when he was selected as the Series MVP) and was the runner-up for the American League Cy Young Award in 2008. He also won the AL Rolaids Relief Man Award in 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2009, and was named AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2013 after coming back from a torn ACL at the age of 43 to post a 2.11 ERA with 44 saves in 64 innings across 64 games in his final big league season.
Mo did it all while relying on one primary pitch: a devastating cutter.
After retiring as the Major League career leader in saves with 652, the New York Yankees officially retired his No. 42, and because the number had been retired by all of Major League Baseball in honor of Jackie Robinson in 1996, Rivera became the last active player to regularly wear it.