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List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders

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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 includes several professional leagues and associations that were never part of MLB.

A bearded man with his hands in his jacket pocets, wearing a red baseball cap and red jacket with a bird logo on the left chest, standing with a field and stands in the background.
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. 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. The save has been retroactively measured for pitchers before that date.

MLB recognizes the player or players in each league 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. 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
2016 Zack Britton Baltimore Orioles 47
2017 Álex Colomé Tampa Bay Rays 47
2018 Edwin Díaz Seattle Mariners 57
2019 Roberto Osuna Houston Astros 38
2020 Brad Hand Cleveland Indians 16
2021 Liam Hendriks Chicago White Sox 38
2022 Emmanuel Clase Cleveland Guardians 42
2023 Emmanuel Clase Cleveland Guardians 44
2024 Emmanuel Clase Cleveland Guardians 47

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 Weidman
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 Hutchison
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
2016 Jeurys Familia New York Mets 51
2017 Greg Holland
Kenley Jansen
Colorado Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers
41
2018 Wade Davis Colorado Rockies 43
2019 Kirby Yates San Diego Padres 41
2020 Josh Hader Milwaukee Brewers 13
2021 Mark Melancon San Diego Padres 39
2022 Kenley Jansen Atlanta Braves 41
2023 David Bednar
Camilo Doval
Pittsburgh Pirates
San Francisco Giants
39
2024 Ryan Helsley St. Louis Cardinals 49

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

References

General
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.
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