MLB History: The Top Closers of All Time

On Monday, Francisco Rodriguez joined an elite club when he notched his 400th career save. Let’s look at the other five players in MLB history to reach that milestone.

With his one inning save on May 24, Francisco Rodriguez notched the 400^th save of his career. With this save, Rodriguez joins the likes of Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, Lee Smith, John Franco, and Billy Wagner as the only six men in MLB history to accumulate 400 saves in a Major League career.

Rodriguez began his career in 2002 as a 20-year-old fill-in with the Los Angeles Angels. In his inaugural season, he would only get 5.2 innings of work. It would not be until his age 22 season, that he would establish himself as a major bullpen presence with the Angels. In that season, K-Rod was named to his first All Star Game. His All Star appearance was a result of his ERA of 1.82 with 123 strike outs in just 84 innings pitched. While, he was not the closer that he has become today, he gathered 12 saves in that season and established his place in a major league bull pen.

The next season saw the beginning of the legacy that is K-Rod. In the 2005 season, Rodriguez accumulated a league leading 45 saves along with 91 strikeouts and an ERA just over 2.00. Rodriguez would continue his march into the baseball history books by collecting a league leading 47 saves the next season, and then again in 2008 with 62.

Following the 2011 season, in which he was traded from the New York Mets to the Milwaukie Brewers, Rodriguez entered into a slump and lost his ability to shut down batters in late game situations like he had before. It wasn’t until the 2014 season that he would again hit his stride and finish a league leading, 66 games with 44 saves.

This season, Rodriguez is leading the league thus far with 13 saves.

The club that Rodriguez has joined with his 400 save is a clubs filled with the greatest closers in the history of the game. Let’s take some time and examine their careers and understand what they really while they were playing the game of baseball.

Next: The final 42

Mariano Rivera: 652 Saves

One cannot delve into a discussion about the best closers of all time without discussing The Sandman. Mariano Rivera holds the all-time record of saves at 652 in 19 years of Major League service.

In 1995, when Rivera made his debut with the New York Yankees, he was used as a starter and showed that the beginning of games did not suit his skill set. In 10 games started, Rivera compiled an ERA of 5.51. The following year, Rivera was primarily used as a middle relief man as part of the World Champion Yankees. In that season, he honed his skills and developed into the pitcher that would go onto become the greatest reliever of all time. In his first season as the full time reliever, Rivera made the 1997 All-Star team and collected 43 saves.

Rivera’s legacy goes beyond his regular season prowess. His legacy was refined and built in the post season.

In 141 innings pitched, he gave up just 13 runs to compile an ERA of 0.70. Almost poetically, in his post season career, Mo saved 42 games, the same number that he wore on his back and the same number as his idol, Jackie Robinson

In a career that spanned parts of three decades and two millennia, Mariano developed his game into the peak of pitching dominance. It is not a difficult statement to say that a closer like Mariano Rivera will not be seen again in the game of baseball.

Next: A changeup specialist

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

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Lee Smith: 478 Saves

Next on the all-time saves list is Lee Smith. Smith trails Hoffman by almost 125 saves with a career total of 478 saves in his 18-year career.

Smith began his career in 1980 at the age of 22 with the Chicago Cubs. Much like most other pitchers in baseball, it took Smith some time to get his feet under him in the league. In his first season, he appeared in 18 games and allowed nine runs in 21.2 innings pitched.

With three years under his belt, Smith made the National League All-Star team and accumulated a league leading 29 saves on 56 games finished along with an ERA of 1.65. He would go onto lead the league in games finished twice more in career with 57 and 61 in 1985 and 1991 respectively. In concordance with his lead leading games finished, Smith also lead the league in saves thrice more in his career with 47,43 and 33 in 1991,1992 and 1994 respectively.

Smith met the twilight of his career reluctantly. After bouncing between three teams from 1996 to 1997 and accumulating just 9 saves in 38 games finished, Smith retired from Major League baseball as an Expo at the age of 39 in 1997.

Next: Another New York legend

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Billy Wagner: 422 Saves

Following closely behind Franco, is short time Met, Billy Wagner with 422 saves.

Wagner made his first appearance as a September call up with the Houston Astros in 1995. In his stunted debut, he threw 6 pitches in a game against the Mets but wouldn’t return to a Major league mound until the following season in which he would appear in 37 games with 9 saves and an ERA of 2.44.

Following three All-Star appearances with the Astros, Wagner was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in the winter of 2003. His time in the city of brotherly love was a mixed bag. His first season was nothing to scoff at, he had 21 saves on 38 games finished. His second season with the Phillies proved to be his best in Philadelphia. In 2005, he appeared in his fourth All-Star game and finished a league leading 70 games with 38 saves and an ERA of 1.51

Following his All-Star season, Wagner signed with the New York Mets for the 2006 season. His time with the Mets saw him produce his usual numbers with 40 saves his first year, 34 the next and 27 in his final full year in Flushing.

Next: Catchers to know in MLB Draft

Following a slow 2009 in which he appeared only in one game late in August, Wagner was claimed off waiver by the Boston Red Sox. After an equally slow year in Boston, Wagner signed with the Atlanta Braves at the age of 38. His final season proved to be one of his best. In 2010, Wagner finished 64 games with 37 saves.