List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders

The following is a list of annual leaders in saves in Major League Baseball (MLB), with separate lists for the American League and the National League. The list also includes several professional leagues and associations that were never part of MLB.

Bruce Sutter is tied for Major League records in both total times leading the league in saves (5) and consecutive league-leading seasons (4)

In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under prescribed circumstances. Most commonly a relief pitcher ("reliever") earns a save by entering in the ninth inning of a game in which his team is winning by three or fewer runs and finishing the game by pitching one inning without losing the lead.^[1] The statistic was created by Jerome Holtzman in 1959 to "measure the effectiveness of relief pitchers" and was adopted as an MLB official statistic in 1969.^[2][3] The save has been retroactively measured for pitchers before that date.

MLB recognizes the player or players in each league^[a] with the most saves each season. In retrospect, the five saves by Jack Manning meant he led the National League in its inaugural year, while Bill Hoffer was the American League's first saves champion with three.^[4] Mordecai Brown was the first pitcher to record at least 10 saves in a season. Dan Quisenberry, Bruce Sutter, Firpo Marberry, and Ed Walsh are the only pitchers to lead the league in saves five times (though Marberry and Walsh did so before 1969). Sutter is also tied with Harry Wright, Dan Quisenberry and Craig Kimbrel for the most consecutive seasons leading the league in saves with four.

American League Year Player Team(s) Saves 1901 Bill Hoffer Cleveland Blues 3 1902 Jack Powell St. Louis Browns 2 1903 Bill Dinneen George Mullin Al Orth Jack Powell Cy Young Boston Americans Detroit Tigers Washington Senators St. Louis Browns Boston Americans 2 1904 Case Patten Washington Senators 3 1905 Jim Buchanan St. Louis Browns 2 1906 Chief Bender Otto Hess Philadelphia Athletics Cleveland Naps 3 1907 Bill Dinneen Tom Hughes Ed Walsh Boston/St. Louis Washington Senators Chicago White Sox 4 1908 Ed Walsh Chicago White Sox 6 1909 Frank Arellanes Boston Red Sox 8 1910 Ed Walsh Chicago White Sox 5 1911 Charley Hall Eddie Plank Ed Walsh Boston Red Sox Philadelphia Athletics Chicago White Sox 4 1912 Ed Walsh Chicago White Sox 10 1913 Chief Bender Philadelphia Athletics 13 1914 Jack Bentley Hooks Dauss Red Faber Roy Mitchell Jim Shaw Washington Senators Detroit Tigers Chicago White Sox St. Louis Browns Washington Senators 4 1915 Carl Mays Boston Red Sox 7 1916 Bob Shawkey New York Yankees 8 1917 Dave Danforth Chicago White Sox 9 1918 George Mogridge New York Yankees 7 1919 Allen Russell Jim Shaw Bob Shawkey New York/Boston Washington Senators New York Yankees 5 1920 Dickey Kerr Urban Shocker Chicago White Sox St. Louis Browns 5 1921 Carl Mays Jim Middleton New York Yankees Detroit Tigers 7 1922 Sam Jones New York Yankees 8 1923 Allen Russell Washington Senators 9 1924 Firpo Marberry Washington Senators 15 1925 Firpo Marberry Washington Senators 15 1926 Firpo Marberry Washington Senators 22 1927 Garland Braxton Wilcy Moore Washington Senators New York Yankees 13 1928 Waite Hoyt New York Yankees 8 1929 Firpo Marberry Washington Senators 11 1930 Lefty Grove Philadelphia Athletics 9 1931 Wilcy Moore Boston Red Sox 10 1932 Firpo Marberry Washington Senators 13 1933 Jack Russell Washington Senators 13 1934 Jack Russell Washington Senators 7 1935 Jack Knott St. Louis Browns 7 1936 Pat Malone New York Yankees 9 1937 Clint Brown Chicago White Sox 18 1938 Johnny Murphy New York Yankees 11 1939 Johnny Murphy New York Yankees 19 1940 Al Benton Detroit Tigers 17 1941 Johnny Murphy New York Yankees 15 1942 Johnny Murphy New York Yankees 11 1943 Gordon Maltzberger Chicago White Sox 14 1944 Joe Berry George Caster Gordon Maltzberger Philadelphia Athletics St. Louis Browns Chicago White Sox 12 1945 Jim Turner New York Yankees 10 1946 Bob Klinger Boston Red Sox 9 1947 Ed Klieman Joe Page Cleveland Indians New York Yankees 17 1948 Russ Christopher Cleveland Indians 17 1949 Joe Page New York Yankees 27 1950 Mickey Harris Washington Senators 15 1951 Ellis Kinder Boston Red Sox 14 1952 Harry Dorish Chicago White Sox 11 1953 Ellis Kinder Boston Red Sox 27 1954 Johnny Sain New York Yankees 22 1955 Ray Narleski Cleveland Indians 19 1956 George Zuverink Baltimore Orioles 16 1957 Bob Grim New York Yankees 19 1958 Ryne Duren New York Yankees 20 1959 Turk Lown Chicago White Sox 15 1960 Mike Fornieles Johnny Klippstein Boston Red Sox Cleveland Indians 14 1961 Luis Arroyo New York Yankees 29 1962 Dick Radatz Boston Red Sox 24 1963 Stu Miller Baltimore Orioles 27 1964 Dick Radatz Boston Red Sox 29 1965 Ron Kline Washington Senators 29 1966 Jack Aker Kansas City Athletics 32 1967 Minnie Rojas California Angels 27 1968 Al Worthington Minnesota Twins 18 1969 Ron Perranoski Minnesota Twins 31 1970 Ron Perranoski Minnesota Twins 34 1971 Ken Sanders Milwaukee Brewers 31 1972 Sparky Lyle New York Yankees 35 1973 John Hiller Detroit Tigers 38 1974 Terry Forster Chicago White Sox 24 1975 Goose Gossage Chicago White Sox 26 1976 Sparky Lyle New York Yankees 23 1977 Bill Campbell Boston Red Sox 31 1978 Goose Gossage New York Yankees 27 1979 Mike Marshall Minnesota Twins 32 1980 Goose Gossage Dan Quisenberry New York Yankees Kansas City Royals 33 1981 Rollie Fingers Milwaukee Brewers 28 1982 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 35 1983 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 45 1984 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 44 1985 Dan Quisenberry Kansas City Royals 37 1986 Dave Righetti New York Yankees 46 1987 Tom Henke Toronto Blue Jays 34 1988 Dennis Eckersley Oakland Athletics 45 1989 Jeff Russell Texas Rangers 38 1990 Bobby Thigpen Chicago White Sox 57 1991 Bryan Harvey California Angels 46 1992 Dennis Eckersley Oakland Athletics 51 1993 Jeff Montgomery Duane Ward Kansas City Royals Toronto Blue Jays 45 1994 Lee Smith Baltimore Orioles 33 1995 José Mesa Cleveland Indians 46 1996 John Wetteland New York Yankees 43 1997 Randy Myers Baltimore Orioles 45 1998 Tom Gordon Boston Red Sox 46 1999 Mariano Rivera New York Yankees 45 2000 Todd Jones Derek Lowe Detroit Tigers Boston Red Sox 42 2001 Mariano Rivera New York Yankees 50 2002 Eddie Guardado Minnesota Twins 45 2003 Keith Foulke Oakland Athletics 43 2004 Mariano Rivera New York Yankees 53 2005 Francisco Rodríguez Bob Wickman Los Angeles Angels Cleveland Indians 45 2006 Francisco Rodríguez Los Angeles Angels 47 2007 Joe Borowski Cleveland Indians 45 2008 Francisco Rodríguez Los Angeles Angels 62 2009 Brian Fuentes Los Angeles Angels 48 2010 Rafael Soriano Tampa Bay Rays 45 2011 José Valverde Detroit Tigers 49 2012 Jim Johnson Baltimore Orioles 51 2013 Jim Johnson Baltimore Orioles 50 2014 Fernando Rodney Seattle Mariners 48 2015 Brad Boxberger Tampa Bay Rays 41

National League Year Player Team(s) Saves 1876 Jack Manning Boston Red Caps 5 1877 Cal McVey Chicago White Stockings 2 1878 Tom Healey Providence Grays Indianapolis Blues 1 1879 Bobby Mathews John Montgomery Ward Providence Grays 1 1880 Lee Richmond Worcester Ruby Legs 3 1881 Bobby Mathews Providence Grays Boston Red Caps 2 1882 John Montgomery Ward Providence Grays 1 1883 Jim Whitney Stump Wiedman Boston Beaneaters Detroit Wolverines 2 1884 John Morrill Boston Beaneaters 2 1885 Fred Pfeffer Ned Williamson Chicago White Stockings 2 1886 Charlie Ferguson Philadelphia Quakers 2 1887 Mark Baldwin Frederick Fass Charlie Ferguson Bob Pettit Bill Stemmyer Mike Tiernan Larry Twitchell George Van Haltren Chicago White Stockings Indianapolis Hoosiers Philadelphia Quakers Chicago White Stockings Boston Beaneaters New York Giants Detroit Wolverines Chicago White Stockings 1 1888 George Wood Philadelphia Quakers 2 1889 Bill Bishop Bill Sowders Mickey Welch Chicago White Stockings Boston/Pittsburgh New York Giants 2 1890 Dave Foutz Kid Gleason Bill Hutchinson Brooklyn Bridegrooms Philadelphia Phillies Chicago Colts 2 1891 John Clarkson Kid Nichols Boston Beaneaters 3 1892 Gus Weyhing Philadelphia Phillies 3 1893 Mark Baldwin Tom Colcolough Frank Donnelly Frank Dwyer Tony Mullane Pittsburgh/New York Pittsburgh Pirates Chicago Colts Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati/Baltimore 2 1894 Tony Mullane Baltimore Orioles Cleveland Spiders 4 1895 Ernie Beam Kid Nichols Tom Parrott Philadelphia Phillies Boston Beaneaters Cincinnati Reds 3 1896 Cy Young Cleveland Spiders 3 1897 Win Mercer Kid Nichols Washington Senators Boston Beaneaters 3 1898 Kid Nichols Boston Beaneaters 4 1899 Sam Leever Pittsburgh Pirates 3 1900 Frank Kitson Brooklyn Superbas 4 1901 Wild Bill Donovan Jack Powell Brooklyn Superbas St. Louis Cardinals 3 1902 Vic Willis Boston Beaneaters 3 1903 Carl Lundgren Roscoe Miller Chicago Cubs New York Giants 3 1904 Joe McGinnity New York Giants 5 1905 Claude Elliott New York Giants 6 1906 George Ferguson New York Giants 7 1907 Joe McGinnity New York Giants 4 1908 Mordecai Brown Christy Mathewson Joe McGinnity Chicago Cubs New York Giants New York Giants 5 1909 Mordecai Brown Chicago Cubs 7 1910 Mordecai Brown Harry Gaspar Chicago Cubs Cincinnati Reds 7 1911 Mordecai Brown Chicago Cubs 13 1912 Slim Sallee St. Louis Cardinals 6 1913 Larry Cheney Chicago Cubs 11 1914 Red Ames Slim Sallee Cincinnati Reds St. Louis Cardinals 6 1915 Tom Hughes Boston Braves 9 1916 Red Ames St. Louis Cardinals 8 1917 Slim Sallee New York Giants 4 1918 Fred Anderson Wilbur Cooper Joe Oeschger Fred Toney New York Giants Pittsburgh Pirates Philadelphia Phillies Cincinnati/New York 3 1919 Oscar Tuero St. Louis Cardinals 4 1920 Bill Sherdel St. Louis Cardinals 6 1921 Lou North St. Louis Cardinals 7 1922 Claude Jonnard New York Giants 5 1923 Claude Jonnard New York Giants 5 1924 Jakie May Cincinnati Reds 6 1925 Guy Bush Johnny Morrison Chicago Cubs Pittsburgh Pirates 4 1926 Chick Davies New York Giants 6 1927 Bill Sherdel St. Louis Cardinals 6 1928 Hal Haid Bill Sherdel St. Louis Cardinals 5 1929 Guy Bush Johnny Morrison Chicago Cubs Brooklyn Robins 8 1930 Hi Bell St. Louis Cardinals 8 1931 Jack Quinn Brooklyn Robins 15 1932 Jack Quinn Brooklyn Dodgers 8 1933 Phil Collins Philadelphia Phillies 6 1934 Carl Hubbell New York Giants 8 1935 Dutch Leonard Brooklyn Dodgers 8 1936 Dizzy Dean St. Louis Cardinals 11 1937 Mace Brown Cliff Melton Pittsburgh Pirates New York Giants 7 1938 Dick Coffman New York Giants 12 1939 Bob Bowman Clyde Shoun St. Louis Cardinals 9 1940 Joe Beggs Jumbo Brown Mace Brown Cincinnati Reds New York Giants Pittsburgh Pirates 7 1941 Jumbo Brown New York Giants 8 1942 Hugh Casey Brooklyn Dodgers 13 1943 Les Webber Brooklyn Dodgers 10 1944 Ace Adams New York Giants 13 1945 Ace Adams Andy Karl New York Giants Philadelphia Phillies 15 1946 Ken Raffensberger Philadelphia Phillies 6 1947 Hugh Casey Brooklyn Dodgers 18 1948 Harry Gumbert Cincinnati Reds 17 1949 Ted Wilks St. Louis Cardinals 9 1950 Jim Konstanty Philadelphia Phillies 22 1951 Ted Wilks St. Louis Cardinals 13 1952 Al Brazle St. Louis Cardinals 16 1953 Al Brazle St. Louis Cardinals 18 1954 Jim Hughes Brooklyn Dodgers 24 1955 Jack Meyer Philadelphia Phillies 16 1956 Clem Labine Brooklyn Dodgers 19 1957 Clem Labine Brooklyn Dodgers 17 1958 Roy Face Pittsburgh Pirates 20 1959 Lindy McDaniel Don McMahon St. Louis Cardinals Milwaukee Braves 15 1960 Lindy McDaniel St. Louis Cardinals 26 1961 Roy Face Stu Miller Pittsburgh Pirates San Francisco Giants 17 1962 Roy Face Pittsburgh Pirates 28 1963 Lindy McDaniel Chicago Cubs 22 1964 Hal Woodeshick Houston Colt .45's 23 1965 Ted Abernathy Chicago Cubs 31 1966 Phil Regan Los Angeles Dodgers 21 1967 Ted Abernathy Cincinnati Reds 28 1968 Phil Regan Los Angeles Dodgers Chicago Cubs 25 1969 Fred Gladding Houston Astros 29 1970 Wayne Granger Cincinnati Reds 35 1971 Dave Giusti Pittsburgh Pirates 30 1972 Clay Carroll Cincinnati Reds 37 1973 Mike Marshall Montreal Expos 31 1974 Mike Marshall Los Angeles Dodgers 21 1975 Rawly Eastwick Al Hrabosky Cincinnati Reds St. Louis Cardinals 22 1976 Rawly Eastwick Cincinnati Reds 26 1977 Rollie Fingers San Diego Padres 35 1978 Rollie Fingers San Diego Padres 37 1979 Bruce Sutter Chicago Cubs 37 1980 Bruce Sutter Chicago Cubs 28 1981 Bruce Sutter St. Louis Cardinals 25 1982 Bruce Sutter St. Louis Cardinals 36 1983 Lee Smith Chicago Cubs 29 1984 Bruce Sutter St. Louis Cardinals 45 1985 Jeff Reardon Montreal Expos 41 1986 Todd Worrell St. Louis Cardinals 36 1987 Steve Bedrosian Philadelphia Phillies 40 1988 John Franco Cincinnati Reds 39 1989 Mark Davis San Diego Padres 44 1990 John Franco New York Mets 33 1991 Lee Smith St. Louis Cardinals 47 1992 Lee Smith St. Louis Cardinals 43 1993 Randy Myers Chicago Cubs 53 1994 John Franco New York Mets 30 1995 Randy Myers Chicago Cubs 38 1996 Jeff Brantley Todd Worrell Cincinnati Reds Los Angeles Dodgers 44 1997 Jeff Shaw Cincinnati Reds 42 1998 Trevor Hoffman San Diego Padres 53 1999 Ugueth Urbina Montreal Expos 41 2000 Antonio Alfonseca Florida Marlins 45 2001 Robb Nen San Francisco Giants 45 2002 John Smoltz Atlanta Braves 55 2003 Éric Gagné Los Angeles Dodgers 55 2004 Armando Benítez Jason Isringhausen Florida Marlins St. Louis Cardinals 47 2005 Chad Cordero Washington Nationals 47 2006 Trevor Hoffman San Diego Padres 46 2007 José Valverde Arizona Diamondbacks 47 2008 José Valverde Houston Astros 44 2009 Heath Bell San Diego Padres 42 2010 Brian Wilson San Francisco Giants 48 2011 John Axford Craig Kimbrel Milwaukee Brewers Atlanta Braves 46 2012 Craig Kimbrel Jason Motte Atlanta Braves St. Louis Cardinals 42 2013 Craig Kimbrel Atlanta Braves 50 2014 Craig Kimbrel Atlanta Braves 47 2015 Mark Melancon Pittsburgh Pirates 51

American Association Year Player Team(s) Saves 1882 Eddie Fusselback St. Louis Brown Stockings 1 1883 Bob Barr Tony Mullane Pittsburgh Alleghenys St. Louis Browns 1 1884 Oyster Burns Frank Mountain Hank O'Day Baltimore Orioles Columbus Buckeyes Toledo Blue Stockings 1 1885 Oyster Burns Baltimore Orioles 3 1886 Bones Ely Dave Foutz Nat Hudson Ed Morris Joe Strauss Louisville Colonels St. Louis Browns St. Louis Browns Pittsburgh Alleghenys Louisville Colonels 1 1887 Adonis Terry Brooklyn Grays 3 1888 Pop Corkhill Bob Gilks Tony Mullane Cincinnati Red Stockings Cleveland Blues Cincinnati Red Stockings 1 1889 Tony Mullane Cincinnati Red Stockings 5 1890 Herb Goodall Louisville Colonels 4 1891 Bill Daley Cinders O'Brien Boston Reds 2

National Association Year Player Team(s) Saves 1871 Harry Wright Boston Red Stockings 3 1872 Al Spalding Harry Wright Baltimore Canaries Boston Red Stockings 1 1873 Al Spalding Boston Red Stockings 2 1874 Harry Wright Boston Red Stockings 3 1875 Al Spalding Boston Red Stockings 8 Union Association Year Player Team(s) Saves 1884 Billy Taylor St. Louis Maroons 4 Player's League Year Player Team(s) Saves 1890 George Hemming Hank O'Day Cleveland/Brooklyn New York Giants 3 Federal League Year Player Team(s) Saves 1914 Russ Ford Buffalo Buffeds 6 1915 Hugh Bedient Buffalo Blues 10

Footnotes

• ^a Recognized "major leagues" include the current American and National Leagues and several defunct leagues—the American Association, the Federal League, the Players' League, and the Union Association.^[5]

References

General

• "Hall of Fame Pitching Register". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
• "Yearly League Leaders & Records for Saves". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 13, 2013.

Inline citations

1. Horneman, Tim (March 23, 2010). "Baseball Save Rules". livestrong.com. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
2. Weber, Bruce (July 22, 2008). "Jerome Holtzman, 82, 'Dean' of Sportswriters, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
3. Bloom, Barry (July 21, 2008). "Legendary historian Holtzman passes". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on 29 April 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
4. "Yearly League Leaders & Records for Saves". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
5. "Complete Baseball Team and Baseball Team Encyclopedias". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 13, 2013.