The best closers in MLB history: 24. Bruce Sutter
- 300 total saves
- 2.83 ERA
- 1979 Cy Young Award
- 0.7 HR/9
Bruce Sutter didn’t make his MLB debut until he was 23-years-old in 1976. As described on his Baseball Hall of Fame webpage and plaque, Sutter was one of the original experts at throwing a split-fingered fastball. Sutter’s Hall of Fame career was largely dependent on this pitch, something he didn’t learn to throw until a minor league season in 1973. From there, Sutter hit the ground running.
The six-time All-Star won the closer role for the Chicago Cubs by 1977 and recorded at least 25 saves in seven of the next eight seasons. At the time, before the closer role was truly an integral part of the game, these numbers were staggering. Sutter won the Cy Young Award as a reliever in 1979. He finished 56 games that season, including an MLB-leading 37 saves while pitching to a 2.22 ERA. At the time, his 37 saves in a single season tied an all-time league mark.
The 12-year MLB veteran struggled in his final two seasons but still put together a marvelous career thanks to his mastery of the split-fingered fastball. He ended his professional career with 300 saves, which ranks top-30 in league history. Sutter converted 74.8 percent of his save chances, which may not be the most impressive percentage on this list. Still, this came along with a career 2.83 ERA, 1.140 WHIP, a 1982 World Series title, and sub-1.00 home runs per nine innings.