There have been many great baseball closers throughout history, but here are 10 of the best:
- Mariano Rivera – Rivera is widely considered to be the greatest closer of all time. He played for the New York Yankees for his entire 19-year career, and he holds the all-time record for saves with 652.
- Trevor Hoffman – Hoffman played for the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers, and he retired with 601 saves, which was the all-time record until Rivera broke it.
- Lee Smith – Smith played for eight different teams during his career, and he retired with 478 saves, which was the all-time record until Hoffman broke it.
- Billy Wagner – Wagner played for several teams during his career, including the Houston Astros, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the New York Mets. He retired with 422 saves and was one of the most dominant closers of his era.
- Rollie Fingers – Fingers played for the Oakland A’s, the San Diego Padres, and the Milwaukee Brewers, and he was one of the first pitchers to be used primarily as a closer. He finished his career with 341 saves and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.
- John Franco – Franco played for several teams during his career, but he is best known for his time with the New York Mets. He retired with 424 saves, which was the most by a left-handed pitcher until Wagner broke the record.
- Dennis Eckersley – Eckersley is one of the few pitchers to have success as both a starter and a closer. He played for several teams during his career, but he is best known for his time with the Oakland A’s. He retired with 390 saves and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
- Francisco Rodriguez – Rodriguez, also known as “K-Rod,” played for several teams during his career, including the Los Angeles Angels, the New York Mets, and the Milwaukee Brewers. He retired with 437 saves and was one of the most dominant closers of his era.
- Craig Kimbrel – Kimbrel has played for several teams during his career, including the Atlanta Braves, the Boston Red Sox, and the Chicago Cubs. He has been one of the most dominant closers of the past decade and has already recorded over 370 saves in his career.
- Robb Nen – Nen played for several teams during his career, but he is best known for his time with the San Francisco Giants. He retired with 314 saves and was one of the most dominant closers of his era.
These 10 closers are some of the best to ever play the position and have left a lasting legacy in the game of baseball.