10 moments that defined Billy Wagner's career

Billy Wagner, the hard-throwing lefty who saved a club-record 225 games for the Astros and amassed 422 for his career while playing for the Astros, Phillies, Mets, Red Sox and Braves, retired with the second-most saves in history by a left-handed pitcher (John Franco had 424).

Drafted as a starter, Wagner, who grew up throwing right-handed, made his mark as a closer for the Astros in the second half of the 1990s. He retired following the 2010 season at 38 years old despite having one of the better seasons of his career. Along the way, Wagner saved numerous huge games and reached many milestones. Although he fell just shy of reaching the Hall of Fame in 2024, there is no doubt that Wagner has Cooperstown credentials.

Here are 10 moments that helped define his career.

1. No-no-no-no-no-no-hitter
Wagner recorded the final three outs of a six-pitcher no-hitter thrown by the Astros on June 11, 2003, against the Yankees -- the first no-hitter thrown against the Bronx Bombers in 45 years. Astros starter Roy Oswalt left the game in the second inning with a strained groin. Pete Munro followed Oswalt and threw 2 2/3 innings, Kirk Saarloos tossed 1 1/3 innings, Brad Lidge threw two innings and Octavio Dotel and Wagner each worked an inning.

“I get the flip from [Jeff] Bagwell and step on first and I’m raising my hands and I’m all excited, and Bagwell and Jeff Kent are looking at me like I’m an idiot,” Wagner said. “It probably would have been a little more exciting if the team knew what was going on, but it was still pretty awesome to be a part of those guys and to go up there and do something at Yankee Stadium that hadn’t been done in 45 years. That was unique.”

2. Dominate like it’s 1999
Wagner came up with one of the most dominant seasons seen from a closer in 1999, when he saved a franchise-record 39 games with a 1.57 ERA en route to winning the Relief Man of the Year Award in the National League. Wagner had more saves than hits allowed (35). He struck out 124 batters in 74 2/3 innings, averaging 15 strikeouts per nine innings.

3. On the rebound
Wagner recovered from a scary moment midway through the 1998 season and returned to pitch for the Astros despite being struck in the head by a line drive. Wagner was hit behind his left ear by a Kelly Stinnett liner on July 15, 1998, in Arizona, and suffered a concussion. He missed three weeks and returned to the Astros on Aug. 9, throwing a scoreless inning in an 11-2 win over the Phillies at the Astrodome.

4. Top of his game
Wagner was still an elite closer while pitching for the Braves in his final season in 2010, posting a 1.43 ERA with 37 saves and 104 strikeouts in 69 1/3 innings. In a game against the Tigers on June 25, Wagner achieved his 400th career save by striking out the side. At the time, he was only the fifth player to reach 400 saves.

“When you go out there and pitch for 14 years, you start to put some numbers together,” Wagner told reporters after the game. “This is just a credit to the hard work and all the people behind me that always made the plays and made me look good.”

5. Clutch save
Wagner began the 1996 season at a starter at Triple-A Tucson and finished the year as the Astros' closer -- a role he would hold for the next several seasons. He joined the club to work out of the bullpen on June 6 and record his first save in San Francisco, throwing three scoreless innings in relief in a 9-1 win. The highlight of that season, though, may have come on Aug. 4, 1996, when he struck out five in a six-out save, including Giants sluggers Barry Bonds and Matt Williams on six pitches with the bases loaded in the ninth inning.

6. 300 club
Wagner saved his 300th career game on July 4, 2006, while closing out a game for the Mets. He went on to save 40 games that season, posting a 2.24 ERA to help the Mets to their first division championship since 1988 and snapping the Braves' streak of 14 NL East titles.

7. Win No. 100
The Astros were a juggernaut in 1998, winning the National League Central by 12 1/2 games over the Cubs. The club was bolstered by landing Randy Johnson at the Trade Deadline and won a then-franchise-record 102 games, beating the Cardinals on Sept. 23, 1998, for its 100th win. Johnson started that game and threw seven innings, and Wagner worked a scoreless ninth.

8. Fire away
In his first full season as a Major League closer in 1997, Wagner converted 23 of 29 saves. Baseball fans across the country got a glimpse of Wagner’s domination in a large sample size for the first time. He struck out 106 batters that season in 66 1/3 innings, setting what was a Major League record for strikeouts per nine innings (14.4). He struck out the side 13 times.

9. Welcome to The Show
A starter throughout the Minor Leagues, Wagner made his Major League debut on Sept. 13, 1995, in a 10-5 loss to the Mets. He recorded the last out of the sixth inning, getting Rico Brogna to fly out. The Astros drafted Wagner in the first round in 1993 out of Ferrum College in Virginia. He didn’t get many college offers, because he was throwing in the mid-80s in high school, but by his sophomore year at Ferrum, he was in the mid-90s. Since he was a left-hander, he became a hot commodity. The Astros eventually moved him to the bullpen.

10. He’s an All-Star
Wagner was chosen to represent the National League in the All-Star Game seven times (1999, '01, '03, '05, '07, '08, '10) and pitched in the Midsummer Classic five times. In his first All-Star appearance in 1999 while with the Astros, he finished the game on the mound for the NL at Fenway Park in Boston and struck out both batters he faced – Tony Fernandez and John Jaha.