Comparing MLB’s best players at every position from the 2000s and 2010s

Comparing the best MLB players of the 2000s and 2010s: Relief pitcher

Relief pitcher: Mariano Rivera vs. Craig Kimbrel

The best relief pitcher of the 2000s is no debate. Even before we consider his postseason heroics, Mariano Rivera‘s decade WAR of 33.1 destroys the competition; Joe Nathan is the next-highest pitcher who was primarily a reliever at 20.1. Rivera is the saves leader of the decade at 397; Trevor Hoffman is next at 363. Really, there’s not much to discuss.

The discussion over the best reliever of the 2010s is a little more interesting. Three pitchers stand out among the rest: Craig Kimbrel, Aroldis Chapman, and Kenley Jansen. Though it’s somewhat close, I think we need to go with Kimbrel. He has the lowest ERA of the three; only Rivera, who pitched until 2013, has a lower ERA during the decade. He also led the league in saves four times and led all relievers in the 2010s with 346; Jansen had 301, and Chapman had 273.

I think we all know who’s going to win this discussion, but let’s take a look at the numbers. Rivera and Kimbrel both actually had identical ERAs (2.08) during their respective decades. While Kimbrel led his league in saves four times, Rivera only did twice.

However, I think we have to go with Rivera largely because he pitched more innings (713 1/3 to 553 1/3) and earned more saves (397 to 346), and he finished more games overall (594 to 466). Rivera had six seasons with an ERA under 2.00; Kimbrel had four. Kimbrel has had a tremendous career and could make the Hall of Fame with a few more great seasons. But he’s no Rivera.

Advantage: Rivera (2000s)