Best relief pitchers of all time: The best relievers in MLB history

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 02: Josh Hader #71 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches in the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on June 2, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 02: Josh Hader #71 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches in the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on June 2, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
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PHILADELPHIA – OCTOBER 21: Relief pitcher Tug McGraw #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates after the final out in game six winning the 1980 World Series against the Kansas City Royals at Veterans Stadium on October 21, 1980 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Philles won 4-1 and took the series four games to two. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

21. Tug McGraw, RHP

Career Stats: 824 G (39 GS), 180 SV, 1,514 2/3 IP, 3.14 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 9.22 BB%, 17.57 K%
Seemingly more well-known now for his country-singing son, McGraw was a force for two NL East teams, being one of the best relief pitchers in the league for many years in the late 19602 through the early 1980s for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies.

McGraw was one of the Mets when the team was really rough, pitching to a 3.32 ERA over 37 games, 9 of them starts in 1965 in his rookie year. He went to the minor leagues in 1967 due to injury and was remade as a pure reliever, and he was a key to the 1969 World Series champions, winning 9 games over 42 appearances, 4 of them starts, tossing 100 1/3 innings, with 12 saves and a 2.24 ERA.

From 1969-1973, McGraw anchored the Mets bullpen, averaging 105 innings per season with a 2.56 ERA and saving 82 games in that time. However, in 1974, after being used heavily to push the Mets into the 1973 playoffs, McGraw experienced shoulder issues, and the Mets traded him to the Phillies in a deal that many were assuming was the Mets cashing in on the last remnants of McGraw’s value.

Instead, McGraw made his second All-Star team in his first season with the Phillies, and he was a tremendous reliever for them, right up to the 1980 season, when he seemed to find another gear, appearing in 57 games, saving 20, throwing 92 1/3 innings, and allowing just a 1.46 ERA and 0.92 WHIP on the season. He would go on to save 4 games that postseason for the Phillies, including being the guy on the mound for the final out of the 1980 World Series to bring home the first-ever title to the Phillies organization.

McGraw would pitch for 4 more seasons, but the 1980 season was his pinnacle as he finished th in the NL Cy Young vote and also received MVP votes. Unfortunately, McGraw’s accomplishments were not recognized as widely by Hall of Fame voters when he became eligible in 1990, and he received just 1.4% of the vote on his first ballot, falling off future ballots.

Next: 20. Hometown boy makes good