What is a save? In baseball, a save is a statistic given to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain conditions:
- Entering with a lead: The pitcher enters the game with a lead of three or fewer runs and pitches at least one inning without losing the lead
- Entering with the tying run: The pitcher enters the game with the tying run on deck, at the plate, or on the bases and finishes the game
- Pitching at least three innings: The pitcher pitches at least three innings in relief and finishes the game
Arizona Diamondbacks: Jose' Valverde (98)
Pitched for the D-backs from 2003 - 2007 and ended with 288 total saves, almost getting to the 300 club. However, it is pretty unimpressive that a clubs leader doesn't even have 100 total saves.
Braves: Craig Kimbrel (186)
Here is a player that is still playing, just not for his original team. Kimbrel set the world on fire when he entered the league with the Braves. This one surprised me, because of the history of the Braves... I figured it would be a closer from the dominate 1990's, heaven forbid John Rocker (we won't mention him again).
Orioles: Gregg Olson (160)
A first round draft pick in 1988 (4th overall) as a relief pitcher and the 1989 AL Rookie of the Year with 27 saves. Olson only have 217 career saves, after his 5 years with Baltimore and his 160 saves things started to go down hill a bit. Nine more years, but only 57 more saves.
Red Sox: Jonathan Papelbon (219)
This is not be the only time you see Paps on this list. Papelbon was one very effective closer in his career with his 368 saves in 12 seasons. His most impressive stat is that he played for the Danville (IL) Dans in the collegiate summer league.
Cubs: Lee Smith (180)
Hall of Famer Lee Smith is the leader for the Cubs, the low number really surprised me though. It does make sense when you realize that he pitched for 8 different teams. He was a Cub for 7 years of his 18 year career. A total of 478 career saves. Also had a 71-92 win/lose record.
White Sox: Bobby Thigpen (201)
Here is an interesting character, Bobby Thigpen, all-time saves leader for the White Sox who in college was a teammate of Thunder and Lightning (Clark and Palmario). However, Thigpen wasn't known for his arm in college but his bat. He was a starting outfielder for those Mississippi State teams, although he was there closer too.
Reds: Danny Graves (182)
Danny Graves was beloved in Cincy and all his career saves came in a Reds uniform. Any interesting tidbit is that Graves was born in Veitnam. The Reds actually converted the closer into a starter, but that experiment didn't work out and he was back to being a closer.
Guardians: Emmanuel Clase (157)
157 and counting. Clase is the current closer for the Guardians. He is the only current closer on this list. You wouuld assume with the rich history of the organization they would have someone with a larger number, but Clase has those 157+ saves in five years.
Rockies: Brian Fuentes (115)
4 time all-star and one time AL saves leader when in Anaheim. Career 204 saves with most coming with the Rockies. He was with the Rockies from 2002 - 2008.
Tigers: Todd Jones (235)
Todd Jones who threw the last pitch ever thrown in Tigers Stadium, 9-27-99. Jones became the 21st member of the 300-save club during his second stint with the Tigers. He played 16 years in the MLB w/8 different clubs, with most of them as a set-up man and not a closer.
Astros: Billy Wagner (225)
"Billy the Kid", was a small (5ft 9in) hard-throwing lefty relief pitcher. Career 422 saves, does that make him Hall worthy. In his 9th year on the HOF ballot he fell less than 2% shy of getting induction. He is 8th all-time on the career saves list. Maybe year ten. Interesting fact is that he was born a right handed pitcher.
Royals: Jeff Montgomery (304)
I would have bet my life on this being Dan Quisenberry the sidewinder. Montgomery only played for 2 teams the Reds and Royals and all of his career saves came with the Royals. He had a 13 year career.
Angels: Troy Percival (316)
During a 14-year baseball career spanning from 1995 to 2009, he pitched for four Major League Baseball (MLB) teams, primarily with the California/Anaheim Angels. He was an integral part of that franchise's 2002 World Series championship team. Total of 358 career saves
Dodgers: Kenley Jansen (350)
Jansen is a converted catcher to a pitcher and is still pitching (currently for the Red Sox) with 445 career saves and counting. He is a four-time MLB All-Star and two-time NL Reliever of the Year (2016, 2017). In 2019, Jansen became the 30th pitcher to reach 300 career saves. In 2023, he became the 7th pitcher to total 400 career saves.
Marlins: Rob Nen (108)
Figured it would be Ugeth Urbina, but not the case. Nen has 314 career saves but came up with the Rangers as a starter. Traded to the Marlins and after a 7.02 ERA as a starter was converted to the bullpen. From 1994 - 1997 he earned those 108 of his 314 saves. He won the World Series with the Marlins in 1997 but was traded to the SF Giants in the Marlins Fire Sale of 1997.
Brewers: Dan Plesac (133)
Crown Point's own Dan Plesac, yes that Dan Plesac from MLB Tonight on the MLB Network. Plesac pitched for six other teams then the Brewers, including the Cubs, but he only managed 25 more saves. He was also the last pitcher to pitch in old Veterans Stadium in Philly.
Twins: Joe Nathan (260)
Another converted position player to pitcher. Nathan was drafted out of Stony Brook University and was their first ever draft pick. At the time Stony Brook was Division III, but is now DI. A 16 year MLB career, earning 377 career saves he played for 5 teams (Giants, Twins, Rangers, Tigers, Cubs). He started and ended his career in San Francisco.
Mets: John Franco (276)
The Fireman as he was known in New York. The Italian with the stach. Started with the Astros, but the majority of his career was in his hometown team in Queens. 424 career saves.
Yankees: Mariano Rivera (652)
Rivera played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees, from 1995 to 2013. Nicknamed "Mo" and "Sandman", he spent most of his career as a relief pitcher and served as the Yankees' closer for 17 seasons. A thirteen-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, he is MLB's career leader in saves (652) and games finished (952). Rivera won five American League (AL) Rolaids Relief Man Awards and three Delivery Man of the Year Awards, and he finished in the top three in voting for the AL Cy Young Award four times. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as part of its class of 2019 in his first year of eligibility. He also has 82 career wins and career ERA of 2.21.
Athletics: Dennis Eckersley (320)
The "Eck" was a transitional pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of two pitchers in major league history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career. Career record of 197 - 171 w/390 saves and 2,400 K's, he was a 1st ballot Hall of Famer. He spent his first 7 years as a starter but Tony LaRussa of the A's made him a closer in 1987. He followed LaRussa to St. Louis in 1996 and totaled 66 saves for them.
Phillies: Jonathan Papelbon (123)
Here is another pitcher who is the top saves leader for 2 teams. In November 2011 Papelbon agreed with the Phillies on a four-year, $60 million contract. It was the largest contract ever signed by a relief pitcher. During April of 2011, Papelbon started using Metallica's song "For Whom the Bell Tolls" as his entrance music.Papelbon finished the season with 64 games finished (leading the National League), 38 saves, 92 strikeouts, and a 2.44 ERA over 70 innings pitched.
On June 10 2014, Papelbon earned his 300th career save against the San Diego Padres, becoming the 27th member of the 300 save club.
Pirates: Roy Face (186)
Who is Roy Face? He was called the "Baron of the Bullpen". He had a 16 year career that ended in 1969, compiling 193 saves w/ 186 being with the Pirates. Known as the National League's greatest relief pitcher until the closer role changed.
Padres: Trevor Hoffman (552)
Hoffman was drafted as a shortstop by the Reds but was converted to a pitcher because he threw 95. He had a 18 year career becoming the first pitcher to reach the 500 and 600 save marks and was the all-time saves leader from 2006-2001. This Hall of Famer did it most by throwing a changeup as his pitch. He is best known for entering game to the song Hells Bells by AC/DC.
Giants: Robb Nen (206)
Herw he is again, after the trade from the Marlins Nen became the Giants closer. He was a 3 time all-star for the G-men were he spent 5 years. He was 8th overall in career saves when he retired. By the way he went to high school with the Giant teammate J.T. Snow.
Mariners: Kazuhiro Sasaki (129)
"Kaz" on spent 3 years in the MLB, but played 11 years in Japan. All three years were in Seattle where he was a 2-time all-star (2001 and 2002) and Rookie of the Year in 2001. He left the Mariners because of a desire to be with his family in Japan, but in reality he went back to continue his affair with a Japanese actress, which lead to his divorce with his wife.
Cardinals: Jason Isringhausen (217)
Isringhausen was a highly touted pitching prospect when drafted by the New York Mets when he was a starter where he spent 6 of his 17 years. He started his relief role in 1999 with the A's, but emerged as a dominate closer with the Cardinals. He compiled exactly 300 career saves.
Rays: Roberto Hernandez (101)
Roberto earned a lot of frequent flyer miles during his 10 team 17 year career. Hernandez racked up a lot of saves as well totaling 326. He was only a "Devil" Ray for 3 years, but got those 101 saves. During the 1999 season he compiled 43 saves, the Devil Rays only won 69 games that year.
Rangers: John Wetteland (150)
Wetteland only pitched 4 seasons with the Rangers, so compiling 150 saves for them is pretty good especially for that era. He had a 12 year career with 330 total saves.
Blue Jays: Tom Henke (217)
Another member of the 300 save club (311), who spent most of his career in Toronto. A 2-time all-star once with the Jays and once with the Cardinals. His last year in the majors (the 1 year with St. Louis) he was the NL Rolaids Relief Man winner. He had 36 saves in his last year and stated he wanted to go out on top, Henke was 22nd in MVP voting that year.
Nationals: Jeff Reardon (152)
Well, we had to go all the way back to the Montreal Expos days to find this one. You would think with all of the success the Nationals have had, they would have someone over 150 saves. If you were wondering who is the all-time saves leader in a Washington Nationals jersey, that would be Indiana's own Drew Storen (from Brownsburg) with 95 saves.
