The best closers in MLB history: 20. Hoyt Wilhelm
- 651 games finished
- 2.49 ERA (as reliever)
- 228 total saves
- 2x ERA Title
This list would be incomplete without the first relief pitcher ever elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame. That’s Hoyt Wilhelm, one of the most famous knuckleball pitchers in league history. Wilhelm played a major role in the evolution of today’s modern closer and is one of the best to ever do it.
If either the knuckleball or becoming the first reliever in the Hall of Fame wasn’t enough to add to his unique story, don’t worry, it gets better. Willhelm enjoyed a lengthy 20-year career in the big leagues but didn’t make his MLB debut until he was 29-years-old. Yes, he didn’t retire until he was just one year shy of 50.
Let’s dive into the stats. Willhelm spent some of his career as a starter, notching more than 50 starts. In 1959, as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, Willhelm won the AL’s ERA title with a 2.19 mark. He also recorded a no-hitter against the Yankees the year prior. This list is about closers, though.
Wilhelm ranks 11th on the league’s all-time list of games finished with 651. He recorded 228 career saves before the role of a closer even existed. Perhaps the best stretch of his career came after he turned 40-years-old. From 1963-68 with the Chicago White Sox, Wilhelm recorded 99 saves and a 1.92 ERA. In total, his career ERA sits at 2.52 with a 2.49 mark out of the pen. Wilhelm was elected to eight All-Star Games and was also a part of the 1954 World Series winning New York Giants.