1969
Born November 29, 1969
Panama City, Panamá, Panama
Mariano Rivera Marquee Hall of Fame 2019
b. November 29, 1969 · New York Yankees 1995–2013
New York tried him as a starter first: ten starts in 1995 and a 5.51 earned run average. The bullpen settled him. In 1996 he struck out 130 men in 107 2/3 innings as a setup man, took the closer's job in 1997 and saved 43, and led the American League in saves three times after that, with 45, 50 and 53.
All of it came off a cut fastball. He pitched nineteen seasons for one club and appeared in 1,115 games, fourth on the all-time list. His 2.21 earned run average is the lowest of any pitcher since 1920 with a thousand innings behind him. He was chosen for thirteen All-Star teams.
On September 19, 2011 he recorded his 602nd save and passed Trevor Hoffman. He finished with 652, fifty-one clear of Hoffman, and the Yankees won five World Series in his time there, between 1996 and 2009. In 2019 the writers named him on all 425 ballots, the first player ever elected unanimously.
Honors
| Award | Times | Years |
|---|---|---|
| All-Star selection | 13 | 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 |
| Reliever of the Year Award | 5 | 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009 |
| This Year in Baseball Closer of the Year | 4 | 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009 |
| Player of the Week | 3 | 2008, 2009, 2011 |
| The Sporting News Reliever of the Year | 3 | 2001, 2004, 2009 |
| Reliever of the Month | 2 | 2008, 2009 |
| The Sporting News Fireman of the Year | 2 | 1997, 1999 |
| ALCS MVP | 1 | 2003 |
| All-Star Game MVP | 1 | 2013 |
| Babe Ruth Award | 1 | 1999 |
| Comeback Player of the Year | 1 | 2013 |
| MLB Players Choice Comeback Player | 1 | 2013 |
| MLB Players Choice Man of the Year | 1 | 2013 |
| Pitcher of the Month | 1 | 1999 |
| The Sporting News All-Star | 1 | 2005 |
| The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year | 1 | 2013 |
| World Series MVP | 1 | 1999 |
Batting, season by season
| Year | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | NYY | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1996 | NYY | 61 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | NYY | 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1998 | NYY | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1999 | NYY | 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | NYY | 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | NYY | 71 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | NYY | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2003 | NYY | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | NYY | 74 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2005 | NYY | 71 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | NYY | 63 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| 2007 | NYY | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | NYY | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | NYY | 66 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2010 | NYY | 61 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2011 | NYY | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | NYY | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | NYY | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Career | — | 1115 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
Pitching, season by season
| Year | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | NYY | 5 | 3 | 19 | 10 | 0 | 67.0 | 71 | 41 | 30 | 51 | 5.51 |
| 1996 | NYY | 8 | 3 | 61 | 0 | 5 | 107.2 | 73 | 25 | 34 | 130 | 2.09 |
| 1997 | NYY | 6 | 4 | 66 | 0 | 43 | 71.2 | 65 | 15 | 20 | 68 | 1.88 |
| 1998 | NYY | 3 | 0 | 54 | 0 | 36 | 61.1 | 48 | 13 | 17 | 36 | 1.91 |
| 1999 | NYY | 4 | 3 | 66 | 0 | 45 | 69.0 | 43 | 14 | 18 | 52 | 1.83 |
| 2000 | NYY | 7 | 4 | 66 | 0 | 36 | 75.2 | 58 | 24 | 25 | 58 | 2.85 |
| 2001 | NYY | 4 | 6 | 71 | 0 | 50 | 80.2 | 61 | 21 | 12 | 83 | 2.34 |
| 2002 | NYY | 1 | 4 | 45 | 0 | 28 | 46.0 | 35 | 14 | 11 | 41 | 2.74 |
| 2003 | NYY | 5 | 2 | 64 | 0 | 40 | 70.2 | 61 | 13 | 10 | 63 | 1.66 |
| 2004 | NYY | 4 | 2 | 74 | 0 | 53 | 78.2 | 65 | 17 | 20 | 66 | 1.94 |
| 2005 | NYY | 7 | 4 | 71 | 0 | 43 | 78.1 | 50 | 12 | 18 | 80 | 1.38 |
| 2006 | NYY | 5 | 5 | 63 | 0 | 34 | 75.0 | 61 | 15 | 11 | 55 | 1.80 |
| 2007 | NYY | 3 | 4 | 67 | 0 | 30 | 71.1 | 68 | 25 | 12 | 74 | 3.15 |
| 2008 | NYY | 6 | 5 | 64 | 0 | 39 | 70.2 | 41 | 11 | 6 | 77 | 1.40 |
| 2009 | NYY | 3 | 3 | 66 | 0 | 44 | 66.1 | 48 | 13 | 12 | 72 | 1.76 |
| 2010 | NYY | 3 | 3 | 61 | 0 | 33 | 60.0 | 39 | 12 | 11 | 45 | 1.80 |
| 2011 | NYY | 1 | 2 | 64 | 0 | 44 | 61.1 | 47 | 13 | 8 | 60 | 1.91 |
| 2012 | NYY | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 8.1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 2.16 |
| 2013 | NYY | 6 | 2 | 64 | 0 | 44 | 64.0 | 58 | 15 | 9 | 54 | 2.11 |
| Career | — | 82 | 60 | 1115 | 10 | 652 | 1283.2 | 998 | 315 | 286 | 1173 | 2.21 |
On this day & linked events
1995
Major-league debut: Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera made a major-league debut on May 23, 1995.
2011
Mariano Rivera Becomes the Saves Leader
New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera records his 602nd career save, passing Trevor Hoffman to become Major League Baseball's all-time saves leader.
2013
Final major-league game: Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera played a final major-league game on September 26, 2013.