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Who is the best closer of all time?

Author

Andrew Walker

Published Mar 04, 2026

Who is the best closer of all time?

Mariano Rivera is, hands down, the greatest closer ever. He is the all-time leader in both saves (602) and games finished (881), and for his career he owns a sparkling 2.22 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. However, what puts Mariano head and shoulders above anybody else on this list is his incredible postseason statistics.

Similarly, you may ask, who is the best relief pitcher of all time?

The Greatest Relief Pitchers of All Time

  • Mariano Rivera Relief pitcher, Pitcher.
  • Dennis Eckersley Pitcher.
  • Goose Gossage Pitcher.
  • Trevor Hoffman Relief pitcher, Pitcher.
  • Rollie Fingers Pitcher.
  • Lee Smith Relief pitcher, Pitcher.
  • Bruce Sutter Pitcher.
  • jangulo added Billy Wagner Relief pitcher, Pitcher.

Furthermore, who has the most saves in MLB history? Mariano Rivera

In this way, is Craig Kimbrel the best closer ever?

Why Craig Kimbrel Is the All-Star MLB Closer with 42 Saves Who Can't Get a Job. Opening Day of the 2019 Major League Baseball season is as soon as March 28, yet one of the greatest closers ever still doesn't have a job.

Who is the best baseball closer of all time?

Best closers of all time

  1. Mariano Rivera. The Ultimate Closer, the 'Turn on the showers, the game is over' when he walked to the mound to Metallica's 'Enter Sandman.
  2. Trevor Hoffman. His 601 saves were the most all time until No.
  3. Dennis Eckersley.
  4. Billy Wagner.
  5. 5. Lee Smith.
  6. Bruce Sutter.
  7. Mike Marshall.
  8. John Franco.

Who is considered the greatest pitcher of all time?

The Greatest Pitchers of All Time
  • Walter Johnson. Washington Senators.
  • Cy Young. Cleveland Spiders, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Naps.
  • Sandy Koufax. Los Angeles Dodgers, Brooklyn Dodgers.
  • Christy Mathewson. New York Giants, Cincinnati Reds.
  • Lefty Grove.
  • Grover Cleveland Alexander.
  • Greg Maddux.
  • Bob Gibson.

Can a pitcher pitch twice in one game?

(b) A pitcher once removed from the mound cannot return as a pitcher. Intermediate (50-70), Junior, and Senior League Divisions only: A pitcher remaining in the game, but moving to a different position, can return as a pitcher anytime in the remainder of the game, but only once per game.

Who are the greatest MLB pitchers of all time?

The Best Pitchers In MLB History
  1. #1 — Christy Mathewson (1900-1916) Getty Images.
  2. #2 — Walter Johnson (1907-1927)
  3. #3 — Mariano Rivera (1995-2013)
  4. #4 — Clayton Kershaw (2008-Present)
  5. #5 — Pedro Martínez (1992-2009)
  6. #6 — Tom Seaver (1967-1986)
  7. #7 — Grover Cleveland Alexander (1911-1930)
  8. #8 — Sandy Koufax (1955-1966)

Who is the best pitcher right now?

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
The 31-year-old is the best pitcher of his generation, and he still performed at an extremely high level last season when he was on the mound.

Who is the best second baseman of all time?

Joe Morgan
Morgan is the greatest second baseman ever.

Who is the greatest left handed pitcher of all time?

The Greatest Left Handed Pitchers of All Time
  • 961 284. Lefty Grove Pitcher.
  • 940 384. Steve Carlton Pitcher.
  • 899 377. Warren Spahn Starting pitcher, Pitcher.
  • 1,254 670. Sandy Koufax Pitcher.
  • 710 293. Whitey Ford Pitcher.
  • 1,063 642. Randy Johnson Starting pitcher, Pitcher.
  • 729 350. Babe Ruth Right fielder, Outfielder, Left fielder.
  • 675 306. Mickey Lolich Pitcher.

Who was the first closer in baseball?

Hoyt Wilhelm was the first to be elected in 1985, followed by Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley, Bruce Sutter, Goose Gossage, Trevor Hoffman, Lee Smith, and Mariano Rivera. Eckersley was the first closer in the one-inning save era to be inducted.

Who is the best starting pitcher of all time?

25 Best Starting Pitchers of All Time
  • Sandy Koufax.
  • Cy Young.
  • Pete Alexander.
  • Roger Clemens.
  • Randy Johnson.
  • Greg Maddux.
  • Pedro Martinez. Los Angeles Dodgers, 1992-93; Montreal Expos, 1994-97; Boston Red Sox, 1998-2004; New York Mets, 2005-08; Philadelphia Phillies, 2009.
  • Walter Johnson. Washington Senators, 1907-27.

Is Craig Kimbrel a Hall of Famer?

Barring unforeseen disaster or unexpected early retirement, Craig Kimbrel is a Hall of Famer. You can email Michael Hurley or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.

How much money does Craig Kimbrel want?

According to Jayson Stark of The Athletic, Kimbrel is said to be looking for a six-year contract worth at least $100 million. I've heard execs from 2 teams say this week that Craig Kimbrel is looking for a deal north of $100 million for 6 years.

Where Will Craig Kimbrel go?

The Chicago Cubs have sent pitcher Craig Kimbrel to their spring-training facility in Mesa, Arizona, to get ready after signing the seven-time All-Star on Friday. The Cubs and Kimbrel agreed to a three-year, $43 million contract that will pay the pitcher $10 million for the remainder of the 2019 season.

What team is Craig Kimbrel with?

Chicago Cubs
#46 / Pitcher

Who did Kimbrel pitch for?

Craig Michael Kimbrel (born May 28, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and Boston Red Sox. He is a seven-time All-Star, two-time Reliever of the Year, and a 2018 World Series champion.

How many saves does Craig Kimbrel have this year?

Craig Kimbrel Bio. Craig signed a major league contract with the Cubs in June of 2019his 346-career saves rank 13th in major league historyhas seven All-Star nods during his 10-year career with Atlanta (2010-14), San Diego (2015), Boston (2016-18) and Chicago (2019), punctuated by a World Championship in 2018

Which goalkeeper has made the most saves?

No. 1: Gordon Banks Vs Pele. In England's quarterfinal loss to Brazil in 1970 by a 1-0 score, Gordon Banks put together a fantastic save on Pele that is the greatest save of all time.

Who leads the majors in saves?

Career Leaders & Records for Saves
RankPlayer (yrs, age)Saves
1.Mariano Rivera+ (19)652
2.Trevor Hoffman+ (18)601
3.Lee Smith+ (18)478
4.Francisco Rodriguez (16)437

What's the most saves in a season?

Single-Season Leaders & Records for Saves
Player (age that year)SavesYear
Francisco Rodriguez (26)622008
Edwin Diaz (24)572018
Bobby Thigpen (26)571990
Eric Gagne (27)552003

Which shortstop holds the all time record for most double plays turned?

Career Leaders & Records for Double Plays Turned as SS
RankPlayer (yrs, age)Double Plays Turned as SS
1.Omar Vizquel (24)1734
2.Ozzie Smith+ (19)1590
3.Cal Ripken+ (21)1565
4.Luis Aparicio+ (18)1553

Can you get a save with a 4 run lead?

Save opportunities are determined by the situation at the time the pitcher enters the game. Pitchers cannot create their own save opportunities. So if a pitcher enters with a 4 run lead and it's not a save situation, they will not be able to earn a save regardless of the final score.

Who has the most saves in one season?

Edwin Díaz records 54th save, fifth-most all-time in a single season.

Can a starting pitcher get a save?

A pitcher cannot receive a save and a win in the same game. A relief pitcher recording a save must preserve his team's lead while doing one of the following: Enter the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitch at least one inning. Pitch at least three innings.

What is the most grand slams in one game?

Thirteen players have hit two grand slams in a single Major League Baseball (MLB) game to date, the most recent being Josh Willingham of the Washington Nationals on July 27, 2009. No player has accomplished the feat more than once in his career and no player has ever hit more than two in a game.

Has a closer ever won the MVP?

Jim Konstanty in 1950 was the first reliever to win the MLB Most Valuable Player Award after a then-record 74 games, 16–7 record, 22 saves, and a 2.66 ERA. Three relief pitchers have won both the MVP and Cy Young Awards in one season; Rollie Fingers in 1981, Willie Hernández in 1984, and Eckersley in 1992.

Can a pitcher lose a perfect game?

In a perfect game, no batter reaches any base during the course of the game. BUT A pitcher could pitch a perfect game through nine innings and then in the tenth inning lose the game by forfeit. The pitcher would then be credited with a perfect game and yet stand to lose by up to 10 runs.

How can I become closer?

Here are seven things you can do to ensure you become a better closer:
  1. Make a Commitment to Greatness.
  2. Get Multiple and Creative Closing Strategies.
  3. Believe Price is the Issue.
  4. Sell Your Story, Quit Buying the Customer's Story.
  5. Insist and Get the Close.
  6. Tie Financial Goals to Closing Sales.
  7. Train on Becoming a Closing Master.

Who leads the MLB in blown saves?

NL Leaders: Blown Saves
RankNameIP
1C. Stammen82.0
2tJ. Guerra83.2
2tK. Jansen63.0
4tE. Díaz58.0