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 elected to the
Baseball Hall of Fame in its
class of 2019, becoming the first player ever to be elected unanimously by the
Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA).
[3]
Raised in the modest Panamanian fishing village of
Puerto Caimito, Rivera was an amateur player until signed by the Yankees organization in 1990. He debuted in the major leagues in 1995 as a
starting pitcher, before permanently converting to a relief pitcher late in his rookie year. After a breakthrough season in 1996 as a
setup man, he became the Yankees' closer in 1997. In the following seasons, he established himself as one of baseball's top relievers,
leading the major leagues in saves in 1999, 2001, and 2004. Rivera primarily threw a sharp-moving, mid-90s mile-per-hour
cut fastball that frequently broke hitters' bats and earned a reputation as one of the league's toughest
pitches to hit. With his presence at the end of games, signaled by his foreboding entrance song "
Enter Sandman", Rivera was a key contributor to the Yankees' success in the late 1990s and early 2000s. An accomplished
postseason performer, he was named the
1999 World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the
2003 AL Championship Series MVP, and he holds several postseason records, including lowest
earned run average (ERA) (0.70) and most saves (42).
Rivera is regarded within baseball as one of the most dominant relievers in major league history. Pitching with a longevity and consistency uncommon to the closer role, he saved at least 25 games in 15 consecutive seasons and posted an ERA under 2.00 in 11 seasons, both of which are records. His career 2.21 ERA and 1.00
WHIP are the lowest in the
live-ball era among qualified pitchers. Fellow players credit him with popularizing the cut fastball across the major leagues. Along with his signature pitch, Rivera was known for his precise
control, smooth pitching motion, and for his composure and reserved demeanor on the field. In 2013, the Yankees
retired his uniform number 42; he was the last major league player to wear the number full-time, following its league-wide retirement in honor of
Jackie Robinson. Rivera has been involved in philanthropic causes and the Christian community through the Mariano Rivera Foundation.
