Every team's best all-time relief pitcher

No one loves a good debate quite like baseball fans, and with that in mind, we asked each of our beat reporters to rank the top five players by position in the history of their franchise, based on each player's career with that franchise. We've tackled catchers, first basemen, second basemen, third basemen, shortstops, left fielders, center fielders, right fielders, designated hitters, right-handed starting pitchers and left-handed starting pitchers. Next up is relief pitchers.

These rankings are for fun and debate purposes only, and fans were able to participate in Twitter polls to vote for their favorites. Here is the No. 1 reliever for each club, as chosen by MLB.com's beat reporters.

American League East

Blue Jays: Tom Henke (1985-92)
Key fact: Blue Jays’ all-time saves leader with 217
Henke teamed with Duane Ward for seven seasons in Toronto's bullpen to give the Blue Jays one of the better back-end duos in baseball, and "The Terminator" was rock solid in the ninth. The club’s all-time saves leader with 217, it’s very surprising to look back and see that Henke made it to just one All-Star Game in his Blue Jays career. Henke has plenty of candidates for his “peak” season, but 1989 is hard to ignore, as he posted a 1.92 ERA with 116 strikeouts over 89 innings. He showed up in big playoff moments, too, with a 1.83 ERA over 15 postseason appearances for the Blue Jays. Blue Jays top 5 >

Orioles: Gregg Olson (1988-93)
Key fact: Orioles' all-time saves leader with 160
One-inning closers were coming into vogue when Olson, armed with a cuddly nickname and killer curveball, emerged as an elite one for the O's in the late 1980s. “The Otter” burst onto the scene in the Orioles’ "Why Not?" season of 1989, earning Rookie of the Year honors by notching 27 saves with a 1.69 ERA. He saved 37 games and was an All-Star the following season, and he recorded at least 29 saves in each of his last four years with the club before battling arm issues with several other teams. Olson posted a sub-2.10 ERA in three of his five full seasons with the O's and a cumulative 2.26 mark across 320 games. Orioles top 5 >

Rays: Jake McGee (2010-15)
Key fact: Franchise leader in appearances (297)
McGee doesn’t have as many saves as the other players on Tampa Bay's list -- in fact, he only had 26 with the Rays -- but his impact out of the bullpen goes way beyond that one stat. During his time with Tampa Bay, McGee provided consistency out of the 'pen, especially from a pitcher who throws from the left side. While McGee struggled as a rookie in 2011, he was dominant in the following seasons. He posted a 1.95 ERA in 2012 and was even better in ‘14, recording a career-low 1.89 ERA and collecting 19 saves. The only knock against McGee might be his save totals, but as we’ve learned throughout the years, the best reliever on a team isn’t necessarily named the closer. Rays top 5 >

Red Sox: Jonathan Papelbon (2005-11)
Key fact: 197 ERA+ is the best for any Red Sox pitcher with at least 200 innings
Papelbon was such an entertaining character that it probably overshadowed how dominant a pitcher he was. And make no mistake about it -- throughout Papelbon’s time with Boston, he was utterly dominant. The righty posted a 0.92 ERA as a rookie in 2006, then had a 1.85 mark in '07. The season ended with him striking out Seth Smith in Game 4 of the World Series at Colorado, then firing his glove away in jubilation as his teammates mobbed him. Papelbon collected 219 saves for Boston -- easily the most in Red Sox history. Red Sox top 5 >

Yankees: Mariano Rivera (1995-2013)
Key facts: MLB's all-time leader in saves (652); first unanimous Hall of Famer
Honored in 2019 as the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s first unanimous inductee, Rivera is the all-time leader in saves (652) and games finished (952), having destroyed countless bats with a cut fastball that he has described as “a gift from God.” Rivera celebrated five World Series championships and seven AL pennants in pinstripes, and his career 2.21 ERA and 1.00 WHIP are the lowest among pitchers with at least 1,000 innings in the Live Ball Era. A 13-time All-Star who saved at least 30 games in 15 seasons, Rivera was at his finest when the stakes were the highest. He secured 42 saves and owned a 0.70 ERA in 96 postseason appearances, all records. More people have walked on the moon (12) than have scored an earned run off Rivera in the postseason (11). Yankees top 5 >

AL Central

Indians: Cody Allen (2012-18)
Key fact: Indians’ all-time saves leader with 149
Allen may not have been as sharp in his last season with the Tribe in 2018, but from ’14-17, he was one of the most successful closers in the game. In those four years, Allen fanned 369 batters in 274 1/3 innings and posted a 2.62 ERA, a 1.097 WHIP, a 2.82 FIP and 120 saves. During the postseason, he was absolutely dominant, making 10 appearances (13 2/3 innings) and recording a spotless ERA during the Tribe’s 2016 playoff run. Despite a 4.70 ERA in 2018, he ended his tenure with the club with a 2.98 ERA. His 149 saves are the most in club history, and his 564 strikeouts lead Indians relievers. Indians top 5 >

Royals: Dan Quisenberry (1979-88)
Key facts: Three-time All-Star; led AL in saves five times
The new generation of Royals fans may not realize how amazing Quisenberry was during an era when relievers truly had to earn their saves. Of Quisenberry’s 238 saves, over half (120) required six outs or more. And for his career, Quisenberry averaged 1.73 innings per save, second all time to Hoyt Wilhelm’s 1.85. What’s also remarkable about Quisenberry’s career was his pinpoint accuracy. He had only 92 unintentional walks and threw a grand total of four wild pitches over his entire career, which consisted of 1,043 1/3 innings. Yet for someone who lived around the plate that often, Quisenberry did not surrender many home runs -- 0.5 per nine innings as a Royal. Quisenberry was so good during his peak that he finished among the top five in the AL Cy Young Award voting five times, including two second-place finishes. Royals top 5 >

Tigers: John Hiller (1965-80)
Key fact: Leads Tigers relievers and ranks fourth among all MLB relievers in career WAR
Hiller’s career sounds like a movie script -- he was a part-time starter who suffered an offseason heart attack, underwent intestinal bypass surgery, lost 50 pounds, quit smoking, reported to Spring Training as a Minor League instructor, worked out while serving as the pitching coach at Class A Lakeland, learned a changeup, returned to Detroit and found his best years as a full-time reliever. A year after Hiller returned, he posted what stands as the second-best season, in terms of bWAR (7.9), by a reliever in MLB history. He led the Majors with 38 saves in 42 chances, half of them five outs or longer, pitched 125 1/3 innings, allowed just 89 hits and racked up 124 strikeouts. Among MLB pitchers who made at least 80 percent of their appearances in relief, Hiller’s 31.0 bWAR ranks fourth all time. The three ahead of him -- Mariano Rivera, Hoyt Wilhelm and Goose Gossage -- are all Hall of Famers. Tigers top 5 >

Twins: Joe Nathan (2004-09, '11)
Key fact: Ranks eighth on MLB's all-time saves list with 377
The club's all-time leader among relievers in ERA (2.16), saves (260) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.9), Nathan was the shutdown force that awaited opponents in the ninth inning for much of the Twins' extended run of AL Central success in the 2000s. The six-time All-Star was part of the 2004, '06 and '09 teams that won division championships, saving 44, 36 and 47 games during those three campaigns, respectively. The right-hander's peak seasons involved some crazy numbers -- ERA+ marks topping out at 316, 294 and 284, for example -- and there was hardly any inconsistency to be had in his game. Consider, for example, that Nathan converted 89.13 percent of his save opportunities throughout his career, placing him just ahead of Hall of Fame closers Mariano Rivera (89.07 percent) and Trevor Hoffman (88.77 percent). Twins top 5 >

White Sox: Bobby Thigpen (1986-93)
Key fact: Set MLB’s single-season saves record in 1990
After producing 201 saves with the White Sox, Thigpen not only holds the franchise mark but is also the only reliever for the team to top 200. Thigpen’s best season came in 1990, when he set the MLB record with 57 saves in 65 opportunities. The record stood until 2008, when Francisco Rodriguez racked up 62 saves. Thigpen ended 1990 -- his only All-Star season -- with a 1.83 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 88 2/3 innings, finishing fifth in the AL MVP voting and fourth in the Cy Young race. White Sox top 5 >

AL West

Angels: Troy Percival (1995-2004)
Key fact: Club’s all-time saves leader with 316
Percival, affectionately known as Percy to Angels fans, grew up locally in Moreno Valley, Calif., and attended UC Riverside before being selected as a catcher by the Angels in the sixth round of the 1990 Draft. But after he hit .203 with no homers in 29 games with Class A Boise in his first professional season, the organization converted him into a reliever the next year. Percival went on to post a 2.99 ERA with 680 strikeouts and a club-record 316 saves over 10 seasons with the club. In 2002, Percival tied a Major League record for saves in a single postseason with seven, and he memorably closed out Game 7 of the World Series against the Giants at Angel Stadium. Angels top 5 >

Astros: Billy Wagner (1995-2003)
Key fact: 225 saves are the most in club history
When John Hudek and Todd Jones got hurt in 1996, the Astros were in need of a closer. Manager Terry Collins decided to give the ball to a young hard-throwing lefty named Billy Wagner, a first-round pick in the '93 MLB Draft. “Billy The Kid” became the most successful closer in Astros history, saving a club-record 225 games over nearly a decade in Houston. Wagner holds four of the Astros’ top seven single-season saves totals, including a franchise-record 44 in 2003 (tied by José Valverde in ’08). He made three All-Star teams with Houston (1999, 2001, ’03) and finished fourth in the ’99 NL Cy Young Award race after recording 39 saves, a 1.57 ERA, a 0.78 WHIP and 124 strikeouts in 74 2/3 innings. Astros top 5 >

Athletics: Dennis Eckersley (1987-95)
Key fact: One of three relievers in MLB history to win an MVP and a Cy Young Award in same season (1992)
Although Eckersley was an accomplished starting pitcher by the time he arrived to the A’s in a trade just before the start of the 1987 season, the decision to move him to the bullpen transformed him into a Hall of Famer. While there were many successful closers before him, the way Eck was used revolutionized the role, as the A’s employed a strategy to maximize his effectiveness by limiting him mostly to one-inning appearances. In nine seasons with Oakland, he amassed 320 saves while posting a 2.66 ERA as a reliever. His stint included four All-Star selections and a superb 1992 campaign that earned him the AL Cy Young and MVP Awards. Eckersley’s dominance helped the A’s reach three straight World Series from 1988-90 and win the title in '89. Athletics top 5 >

Mariners: Edwin Díaz (2016-18)
Key fact: Tied for second on MLB's single-season saves list with 57 in 2018
Díaz’s time in Seattle was relatively brief, lasting less than three years after his midseason promotion as a 22-year-old rookie in 2016, but no Mariners reliever has been more dominant than the right-handed fireballer from Puerto Rico. Before being traded to the Mets in December 2018, Díaz posted a 2.64 ERA with a 38.8 percent strikeout rate and 109 saves in 188 outings. Díaz’s 2018 season was one of the best by any reliever in MLB history, as he saved 57 games with a 1.96 ERA, 124 strikeouts and 17 walks in 73 1/3 innings. The 57 saves put Díaz into a tie with Bobby Thigpen of the White Sox (1990) for second most in big league history, trailing only the Angels’ Francisco Rodriguez (62 saves in 2008). Mariners top 5 >

Rangers: Neftali Feliz, 2009-15
Key fact: Won the 2010 AL Rookie of the Year Award
One of five players acquired from the Braves in the 2007 Mark Teixeira trade, Feliz was called up to the big leagues in August of 2009. He became the Rangers' closer a year later and helped them win two AL pennants. Feliz was 6-for-7 in postseason save opportunities, though he's most remembered for the one he didn’t nail down -- Game 6 of the 2011 World Series against David Freese and the Cardinals. Feliz was moved to the rotation in 2012 before suffering a torn ligament in his right elbow that required Tommy John surgery, and he was never the same again. But for two years, Feliz was as good of a closer as any in the game. Rangers top 5 >

National League East

Braves: Craig Kimbrel (2010-14)
Key fact: Recorded MLB-best 185 saves from 2011-14
Because John Smoltz was included on the Braves' right-handed starters list, there was no debate over who would fill this top spot. Kimbrel made a few impressive playoff appearances during his 2010 rookie season, then spent his final four seasons with Atlanta proving to be baseball’s most dominant closer. As Kimbrel was collecting his franchise-record 186 saves, he successfully converted 90.7 percent of his opportunities. Kimbrel posted a 1.43 ERA over 289 innings with the Braves. In the process, he struck out 42.2% of the batters he faced and limited opponents to a .152 batting average. Braves top 5 >

Marlins: Robb Nen (1993-97)
Key fact: Marlins' all-time saves leader with 108
The son of former big league first baseman Dick Nen, Robb was a 32nd-round pick by the Rangers in the 1987 MLB Draft. In July of their inaugural 1993 season, the Marlins swung a trade with Texas that turned out to be a steal, acquiring Nen for right-hander Cris Carpenter (not to be confused with former Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter). He blossomed into a shutdown closer, and remains the Marlins' all-time leader in saves, with 108. Nen spent parts of five seasons with the Marlins, and recorded back-to-back 35-save campaigns in 1996-97. In 1996, he had a 1.95 ERA in 83 innings, and he followed that up with a 9-3 record and a 3.89 ERA in 74 innings on the 1997 World Series title team. He had four saves in the postseason, including two in the World Series. Marlins top 5 >

Mets: John Franco (1990-2004)
Key fact: Holds Mets’ franchise record with 276 career saves
Any argument in Franco’s favor starts with his longevity. Given that Franco is the Mets’ all-time leader for relievers in innings and appearances, it’s no surprise that he amassed more saves than any other Met (and it’s still not close, nearly two decades after his final pitch). Despite his blown save in Game 6 of the 1999 NLCS, Franco was also as good as they come in October, allowing just two other runs in his 15 career appearances. Off the field, he served as a clubhouse and community leader as the third of four captains in franchise history. Ultra popular due to his New York City roots, Franco remains one of the most respected Mets from one of their most entertaining eras. Mets top 5 >

Nationals: Jeff Reardon (1981-86)
Key fact: Reardon is the franchise leader in saves (152)
Reardon played six of his 16 Major League seasons in Montreal. During that time, the right-hander pitched to a 2.84 ERA and garnered consecutive All-Star selections in 1985 and '86, the first of which also saw him earn the NL Rolaids Relief Man Award. En route to earning the most saves in franchise history, Reardon led all of baseball with 41 in 1985. During his tenure with the Expos, he never placed lower than sixth among NL pitchers in saves, and his career mark of 367 ranks 10th all time. Nationals top 5 >

Phillies: Tug McGraw (1975-84)
Key fact: 1.46 ERA in the 1980 World Series championship season
McGraw standing on his tiptoes and raising his arms into the air after recording the final out to clinch the 1980 World Series championship remains one of the most iconic sports images in Philadelphia history. Seriously, how many times have we seen that highlight whenever there is a montage about Philly sports or just Philly in general? McGraw pitched brilliantly in 1980. He went 5-4 with a 1.46 ERA and 20 saves in 92 1/3 innings. He finished fifth in the NL Cy Young Award race and 16th in the NL MVP voting. But it was more than just one season for McGraw, who brought stability to the bullpen and personality to the clubhouse in his 10 seasons in Philadelphia. Phillies top 5 >

NL Central

Brewers: Dan Plesac (1986-92)
Key fact: His 3.21 ERA is the best in Brewers history for pitchers who logged at least 500 innings
Selected by the Brewers with the 26th pick in the 1983 Draft, Plesac is the team's all-time leader in appearances, saves and ERA (min. 500 innings). In 1987, Plesac saved five games during the Brewers' record-tying 13-0 start, including the 5-4 win over the White Sox for victory No. 13 in a row to start the season, setting the AL record and matching the Braves’ MLB mark. He went on to pitch 18 years for the Brewers, Cubs, Pirates, Blue Jays, D-backs and Phillies, appearing in 1,064 games -- the seventh-highest total in Major League history. Brewers top 5 >

Cardinals: Jason Isringhausen (2002-08)
Key fact: Holds the Cardinals’ all-time saves record with 217
Signed to a four-year, $27 million deal in December 2001, Isringhausen came to St. Louis to win, and he helped the club do a lot of that over his seven seasons. Of his 300 career saves, a franchise-record 217 came with the Cards. He posted a 2.98 ERA as a Cardinal, with a postseason ERA of 2.36 in 26 2/3 innings, including eight saves. The Cards went to the 2004 World Series the same year Isringhausen saved a league-leading 47 games. He was an All-Star in 2005. And though he missed the 2006 World Series victory due to injury -- postseason closing duties were handed to rookie Adam Wainwright -- Isringhausen came back as strong as ever in 2007, with a 2.48 ERA. Isringhausen ranks third among Cardinals relief pitchers with 373 strikeouts, and his 401 relief appearances are the sixth most in club history. Cardinals top 5 >

Cubs: Lee Smith (1980-87)
Key fact: His 478 career saves are the third most in MLB history
The Cubs selected Smith in the second round of the 1975 MLB Draft, and he was converted to relieving over the next four years. Initially, it felt like an insult, but Smith worked on the craft and eventually developed into one of the most celebrated closers in baseball history. Smith owns the Cubs' career record with 180 saves and trails only fellow Hall of Famers Mariano Rivera (652) and Trevor Hoffman (601) in that category for his career. One difference between the three arms is that Smith collected his saves in an era filled with more multi-inning efforts. The big righty had 169 career saves consisting of at least four outs (fourth most in MLB history), including 108 with Chicago. Cubs top 5 >

Pirates: Roy Face (1953-68)
Key facts: 1960 World Series champion; Pirates’ all-time leader in saves (186) and appearances (802)
This is really a 1-1A ranking, as Kent Tekulve was too good for too long -- and too important to the 1979 Pirates’ success -- to rank him any lower. Face, whose 18-1 record in 1959 inspired baseball writer Jerome Holtzman to create the save statistic, was in many ways a lockdown closer before the role even existed, long before bullpens took their modern form. An All-Star each year from 1959-61, Face remains the Pirates’ all-time leader in saves (186) and appearances (802). In 1960, Face was the Pirates’ bullpen ace as they won their first NL pennant since 1927, and he became the first pitcher to record three saves in a World Series. Pirates top 5 >

Reds: Aroldis Chapman (2010-15)
Key fact: Recorded the fastest pitch on record (105.1 mph) since pitch-tracking started in 2008
After Chapman defected from Cuba, the Reds surprised the baseball world by outbidding other clubs and giving him a six-year, $30.25 million contract. Clubs salivated over the lefty because of his size and ability to routinely throw fastballs at speeds over 100 mph. But that was no parlor trick. While other flamethrower relievers often struggle with command, Chapman was able to develop his, and his appearances became appointment viewing. He became the Reds’ closer in 2012 and earned four straight All-Star selections. Chapman's 15.4 K/9 mark is the best in franchise history, and he ranks fourth with 146 saves. Reds top 5 >

NL West

D-backs: Byung-Hyun Kim (1999-2003, '07)
Key fact: Kim's bWAR of 8.3 is the highest in team history by a reliever
Kim gets overlooked by a lot of people because of his performance at Yankee Stadium in Games 4 and 5 of the 2001 World Series, when he could not hold leads, but that’s unfortunate, because it shortchanges just how valuable a contributor he was in the franchise’s early years. With a submarine delivery that caused his fastball to rise and a Frisbee slider, Kim dominated NL hitters and proved to be remarkably durable, throwing 98 innings over 78 relief appearances in 2001. Kim became the team's full-time closer when Matt Mantei got injured, and he posted an ERA+ of 159. In 2002, Kim enjoyed the best year a D-backs reliever has ever had, compiling a 2.04 ERA, 36 saves and an ERA+ of 223. D-backs top 5 >

Dodgers: Kenley Jansen (2010-present)
Key fact: His 301 career saves trail only Craig Kimbrel (346) for the active lead
A strong-armed Minor League catcher from Curacao who couldn’t hit, Jansen was given the choice in 2009 to try the mound or be released. He made the right call, and the Dodgers soon had a homegrown closer, one who is now entering his second decade. At his best, Jansen is the closest thing to Mariano Rivera, leaning almost entirely on his cutter. Craig Kimbrel is the only active player with more career saves than the big righty, who owns a lifetime 2.35 ERA (163 ERA+) with a 0.91 WHIP and a 13.3 K/9 mark. Dodgers top 5 >

Giants: Robb Nen (1998-2002)
Key fact: Nen is the Giants’ all-time saves leader with 206
Searching for a new closer to replace Rod Beck, the Giants sent Minor Leaguers Mick Pageler, Mike Villano and Joe Fontenot to the Marlins for Nen ahead of the 1998 season. The trade ended up being one of the best in franchise history. With a fastball that reached the upper 90s and a filthy slider, Nen recorded a 2.43 ERA over five seasons in San Francisco and saved at least 40 games in four of those seasons. In 2002, Nen willingly put his career on the line by pitching through a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum as the Giants made a push for their first World Series title in San Francisco. Refusing to succumb to surgery, Nen helped the Giants reach the Fall Classic, though the team ultimately fell short of its championship aspirations after falling to the Angels in seven games. Giants top 5 >

Padres: Trevor Hoffman (1993-2008)
Key fact: He's one of two pitchers in MLB history, with Mariano Rivera, to eclipse the 500- and 600-save plateaus
In the midst of a rebuild in 1993, Padres general manager Randy Smith shipped Gary Sheffield to Florida for a trio of unproven prospects, including Hoffman. At the time, it was one of the most unpopular trades in franchise history. It has proven to be one of the most impactful. Hoffman's credentials speak for themselves. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018, Hoffman racked up 601 career saves with a 2.87 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP across 18 seasons. He and Rivera are the only members of both the 500- and 600-save clubs. A statue of Hoffman mid-delivery adorns the left-field entrance at Petco Park. That's the type of legacy left by a closer with nine 40-save seasons, 14 30-save seasons and seven All-Star selections. Padres top 5 >

Rockies: Brian Fuentes (2002-08)
Key fact: .229 batting average against is the lowest among the five Rockies relievers with at least 390 innings
The Rockies have a rich relief history, partly because Coors Field entertains us all with frequent crazy games that need a bullpen adventurer to settle the noise. Against this backdrop, the left-handed Fuentes lasted seven seasons with the Rox, earned three All-Star Game trips and recorded the most saves (115) and opportunities (138) in club history. The funny thing is, Fuentes is truly beloved in Denver for his performance in 2007, the year he relinquished the closer role to Manny Corpas. After the All-Star break, Fuentes finished just three games, but his 1.52 ERA in 24 second-half appearances helped the club make a miraculous run to the postseason. Rockies top 5 >