MLB History: 30 best closers of all time

The best closers in MLB history: 1.

• 652 total saves 
• 952 games finished 
• 205 ERA+
• 2.21 ERA 

While brainstorming and researching for this list of greatest closers, there was one name and one name only that came to mind for the number one spot. Drumroll, please. You guessed it. Mariano Rivera is the greatest closer in MLB history.

There’s so much to say and rave about Rivera, but it’s best to start with the pitch selection. This plays a huge role in why he was the most intimidating relief pitcher of all time. When batters walked to the plate with the game on the line against Rivera, they already knew what pitch was coming. New York Yankees catchers didn’t even have to bother to conceal their signs. It was the cutter. Despite knowing exactly what was coming, the greatest baseball hitters on the planet couldn’t touch it.

Side note: “Mo” likely owns the unofficial record for the most bats ever broken. His cutter was filthy, locking up left-handed hitters and freezing the righties.

Rivera walked away from his Hall of Fame career after 19 brilliant seasons, all in the Bronx. He owns the all-time record for games finished (952), total saves (652), and ERA+ (205). Rivera earned 13 All-Star appearances, won five World Series titles, and was enshrined in Cooperstown in 2019. Even Rivera’s Hall of Fame induction was noteworthy – he became the first player (and maybe the only) to ever receive a unanimous selection by the voting committee.

In 19 seasons, Rivera led all of baseball in total saves three different times. He pitched to a career ERA of 2.21 and 1.000 WHIP. Rivera was the most dominant and, at the same time, the most reliable closer in this game’s history. He converted 89.1 of his save opportunities and struck out 23 percent of batters he faced. As a full-time closer from 1997-2013, Rivera’s ERA fell below 2.00 in 11 different seasons.