MLB History: 30 best closers of all time

The best closers in MLB history: 3. Lee Smith

• 478 total saves 
• 802 games finished 
• 3.03 ERA
• 2.93 FIP 

MLB and baseball fans everywhere almost missed out on the Hall of Fame career by Lee Smith. According to his Cooperstown plaque, Smith excelled at basketball throughout his childhood. In fact, he only played baseball on a part-time basis. But, as legend has it, bad knees forced Smith to take a better look at his baseball abilities. Thankfully, he did just that.

After an incredible 18-year career with eight different teams, Smith hung up his baseball cleats in 1997 with the most saves in baseball history (for the time being). Best known for his performances with the Chicago Cubs, the team that drafted him, Smith got out to a hot start early in his career. With his blazing fastball in hand, the seven-time All-Star dominated baseball.

In 1983, his first full season as the Cubs closer, Smith led the NL with 29 saves, 56 games finished, and a stunning 1.65 ERA. This was just the start of a 13-year run where Smith recorded at least 25 saves in every season. Twice in that span, Smith led all of baseball in that category, including a 47-save output in 1991 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Smith was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2019. In total, he saved 478 games throughout his career. This number now ranks third on the all-time list. Smith also ranks third in games finished, with 802, and pitched to a career 3.03 ERA and 2.93 FIP.