MLB History: The Top Closers of All Time

Trevor Hoffman: 601 Saves

The next man on the list is Trevor Hoffman, the only other man in MLB history with over 600 saves.

Hoffman began his Major League career in 1993 with the Florida Marlins but was traded mid-season to the San Diego Padres where he would cement his legacy as one of the greatest closers of all time. Following his trade to San Diego, Hoffman stepped into his own and quickly showed he had all the skills needed to become a premier closer in the offensive minded game of the nineties.

1994 saw Hoffman appear in 47 games which culminated into 20 saves. The next three years would see his appearances rise and along with those appearances, his number of saves rose at a constant pace until 1998 in which he was named to his first All-Star game and lead the league with 53 saves and an ERA of 1.48.

Hoffman did not experience the post season success that Rivera did simply because he was not a participant in very many Post-Season games. In 12 post-season games, Hoffman compiled four saves in just 13 innings.

His time in the Major Leagues was spent doing what he knew best, shutting down opposing teams late in games. His ability to do such is admirable and his place on the all-time saves list is a testament to everything he did to improve his game and make sure his skills were as refined and polished as possible.

Next: The mercenary