Through late August, Hernández had successfully protected a lead in 39 straight appearances as Detroit was well on its way to a division title. After 27 saves over the previous seven seasons combined with the Cubs and Phillies, the left-hander flourished in his first year with the Detroit Tigers-appearing in 80 games, finishing 68, and saving each of his 32 save opportunities. While it’s difficult to figure out the best of this group, Hernández easily takes the “out of obscurity” prize. This in spite of his numbers not being as tremendous (albeit still great) as what he did in ’77. Sutter would be named the Cy Young Award winner in the National League…two years later. His WHIP and FIP were the lowest of his Hall of Fame career, with just 23 walks and 69 hits allowed. Sutter was certainly among the best at it, and earned a place in Cooperstown because of it.Īt 24 years old and in his first full big-league season, Sutter rose to baseball’s elite with 129 strikeouts in 62 appearances for the Chicago Cubs. Bruce Sutter – 1977īefore there were closers, there were “firemen”-those entering in tenuous situations regardless if it wasn’t the ninth inning. Here is a list of some single-season bullpen aces with the necessary context of how this role has evolved. The greatest season by any reliever anywhere? That’s harder to answer, not just because of other tremendous performances throughout the years but because of a reliever’s changing responsibilities-closers too. The greatest season ever out of the Mets bullpen? Certainly. He’s already claimed three straight NL Reliever of the Month awards. The Diaz Effect has been felt outside and inside baseball, so much that he should earn Cy Young Award votes at year’s end. It’s beautiful music to Mets fans’ ears, if you’ll pardon the reference to his entrance song-which now has wide-ranging popularity. Before play started on September 20, his ERA+ was at 273 and his FIP at 1.08. ![]() Of course that leads the sport and it’s on pace to be among the highest ever. Diaz’s strikeout total is currently at 110, an astounding rate of some 17 strikeouts per nine innings. Thus far, he’s appeared in 57 games and logged 58 innings. Sure he’s improved, but it’s been a turnaround that’s entering historic territory. ![]() ![]() This year’s Mets is heading to the playoffs for the first time in six years with Diaz to credit. In 2019, Diaz’ failure to regularly close games cost the Mets a postseason berth. ![]() Rarely has a reliever felt both ends of the spectrum like the Edwin Diaz experience with New York. They toe the line between dominance and inferiority-a few pitches from the other side. They are judged on a relatively small sample size, often under the situations with the greatest significance. Phil Niekro tossed the first no-hitter in Atlanta history in 1973 also against the Padres.Being a relief pitcher is an unusual and unfair existence. Hank Aaron finishes with two hits, a stolen base, RBI, and a run scored.ġ966 - Braves pitcher Pat Jarvis becomes the first of Nolan Ryan’s 5,714 career strikeout victims.ġ977 - Gary Matthews, Biff Pocoroba and Pat Rockett pull off a triple steal for the Braves in a 7-3 win over the Padres.ġ991 - Kent Mercker, Mark Wohlers and Alejandro Pena combine to toss a 1-0 no-hitter against the Padres. Leo Cardenas records the only hit of the game off of Lemaster.ġ965 - Tony Cloninger’s one-hit, 9-0 win is Milwaukee’s second straight one-hitter against the Mets, tying a major league mark. Gene Oliver doubles and scores after a double steal and a fly out. Thank you to Baseball-Reference and for helping provide the background information for these articles.ġ964 - In a pitching duel between the Braves’ Denny Lemaster and Reds’ Jim Maloney, Milwaukee pushes a run across in the eighth to secure a 1-0 win.
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