The Top 40 Pitchers in Baseball History, Ranked

#23: Mariano Rivera

Enter Sandman. Enter the end. Mariano Rivera, with one pitch—a mystical, late-breaking cutter—became the most feared closer in baseball history. Opponents knew what was coming. Didn’t matter. Six hundred fifty-two saves, five World Series rings, and a postseason ERA so absurd (0.70) it belongs in fiction. Rivera didn’t boast.

He didn’t flinch. He just stood tall, nodded once, and ended innings, seasons, and careers. A master of minimalism, Rivera needed no theatrics. His cutter broke more bats than any pitcher in memory. The first unanimous Hall of Famer, Rivera didn’t just finish games—he finished arguments. When he entered, hope exited.