Games finished
Encyclopedia
In baseball statistics
, a relief pitcher
is credited with a game finished (denoted by GF) if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher
is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game
. Mariano Rivera is the all-time and current active leader.
Baseball statistics
Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics...
, a relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
is credited with a game finished (denoted by GF) if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
. Mariano Rivera is the all-time and current active leader.
Career leaders in games finished
Stats are updated through the 2011 season.| Rank | Player (2011 GFs) | GF |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mariano Rivera Mariano Rivera Mariano Rivera is a Panamanian right-handed baseball pitcher who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. Nicknamed "Mo", Rivera has served as a relief pitcher for most of his career, and since 1997, he has been the Yankees' closer... (52) |
882 |
| 2 | Trevor Hoffman Trevor Hoffman Trevor William Hoffman is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During his 18-year career from 1993 to 2010, he pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, and the Milwaukee Brewers, spending years of his career with the Padres. A long-time closer, he is the Major... |
856 |
| 3 | Lee Smith Lee Smith (baseball) Lee Arthur Smith is an American right-handed former baseball pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball for eight teams. Pitching primarily for the Chicago Cubs, with whom he spent his first eight seasons, Lee served mostly as a relief pitcher during his career... |
802 |
| 4 | John Franco | 774 |
| 5 | Rollie Fingers Rollie Fingers Roland Glen Fingers is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During his 18-year baseball career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers . He became only the second reliever to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992... |
709 |
| 6 | Billy Wagner Billy Wagner William Edward Wagner , nicknamed "Billy the Kid", is a retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He pitched for the Houston Astros , the Philadelphia Phillies , the New York Mets , the Boston Red Sox , and the Atlanta Braves... |
703 |
| 7 | Jeff Reardon Jeff Reardon Jeffrey James Reardon , nicknamed "The Terminator" for his intimidating presence on the mound and 98 mph fastball, is a former professional baseball relief pitcher from 1979-1994 who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati... |
695 |
| 8 | Rich Gossage Rich Gossage Richard Michael "Goose" Gossage is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972-1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. The nickname "Goose" is a play on his surname... |
681 |
| 9 | Roberto Hernández | 667 |
| 10 | Hoyt Wilhelm Hoyt Wilhelm James Hoyt Wilhelm was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.... |
651 |
| 11 | Doug Jones Doug Jones (baseball) Douglas Reid Jones is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During a 16-year career, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers , Cleveland Indians , Baltimore Orioles , and Oakland Athletics , all of the American League, and the Houston Astros , Philadelphia Phillies , and... |
640 |
| 12 | Kent Tekulve Kent Tekulve Kenton Charles Tekulve is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 16-year baseball career, he pitched for three different teams, but spent most of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates... |
638 |
| 13 | Sparky Lyle Sparky Lyle Albert Walter "Sparky" Lyle is an American former left-handed relief pitcher who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball . He was a closer from 1969 to 1977, first for the Boston Red Sox and then the New York Yankees. A three-time All-Star, he won the American League Cy Young Award in 1977... |
634 |
| 14 | José Mesa José Mesa José Ramón Nova Mesa [MAY-sah] is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. His nickname was "Joe Table," the literal translation of his name in the English language.... |
633 |
| 15 | Todd Jones | 619 |
| 16 | Gene Garber Gene Garber Henry Eugene Garber is a former sidearm relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 20th round of the amateur draft, and pitched for the Pirates, the Kansas City Royals, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Atlanta Braves.Upon his retirement in , his... |
609 |
| 17 | Dennis Eckersley Dennis Eckersley Dennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He... |
577 |
| Lindy McDaniel Lindy McDaniel Lyndall Dale McDaniel, known as Lindy is a right-handed former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who had a 21-year career from 1955 to 1975. During McDaniel's career he witnessed approximately 3,500 major league games , had more than 300 teammates, and played under eight different managers... |
577 | |
| 19 | Roy Face Roy Face Elroy Leon Face is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953–1969, pitching primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates... |
574 |
| 20 | Rick Aguilera Rick Aguilera Richard Warren Aguilera is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 16-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-2000 for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs.... |
557 |
| Francisco Cordero Francisco Cordero Francisco Javier Cordero is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds... (63) |
557 | |
| 22 | Dan Quisenberry Dan Quisenberry Dan Raymond "Quiz" Quisenberry was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Kansas City Royals... |
553 |
| 23 | Mike Marshall | 549 |
| Jeff Montgomery | 549 | |
| Robb Nen Robb Nen Robert Allen Nen is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He spent most of his career as a closer. He is the son of former major league first baseman Dick Nen. He currently works in the Giants' front office as a special assistant to General Manager Brian Sabean.Nen is best... |
549 | |
| 26 | Tom Henke Tom Henke Thomas Anthony Henke , nicknamed "The Terminator" because of his ability and success as a closer, is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared closers during the late 1980s and early 1990s, pitching for the Texas Rangers , Toronto Blue Jays , and St... |
548 |
| Randy Myers Randy Myers Randall Kirk Myers is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During a 14-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-1998 for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays.-Career:Myers first began his major league career with... |
548 | |
| 28 | Troy Percival Troy Percival Troy Eugene Percival is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He gained fame as a closer. During a 14-year baseball career, he pitched from 1995-2009 for four different teams, pitching primarily with the California/Anaheim Angels... |
546 |
| 29 | Tug McGraw Tug McGraw Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr. was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher and the father of Country music singer Tim McGraw and actor/TV personality Mark McGraw and Cari McGraw... |
541 |
| 30 | Armando Benítez Armando Benítez Armando Germán Benítez is a relief pitcher who is currently a free agent.-Baltimore Orioles:... |
527 |
| 31 | John Wetteland John Wetteland John Karl Wetteland is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who specialized as a closer. During a 12-year career , he pitched for four different teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers.-Playing career:Wetteland was signed by the Dodgers as their second... |
523 |
| 32 | Rod Beck Rod Beck Rodney Roy "Rod" Beck nicknamed "Shooter", was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres... |
519 |
| 33 | Bruce Sutter Bruce Sutter Howard Bruce Sutter is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He was arguably the first pitcher to make effective use of the splitter.... |
512 |
| 34 | Bob Wickman Bob Wickman Robert Joe Wickman is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Wickman played for the New York Yankees , Milwaukee Brewers , Cleveland Indians , Atlanta Braves , and Arizona Diamondbacks . He batted and threw right-handed... |
511 |
| 35 | Don McMahon Don McMahon Donald John McMahon was a right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he was signed by the Boston Braves before the 1950 season... |
506 |
| 36 | Jesse Orosco Jesse Orosco Jesse Russell Orosco is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who holds the major league record for career pitching appearances. He pitched most notably for the New York Mets in the 1980s. He won a World Series in 1986 with the Mets and in 1988 with the Dodgers. He threw left-handed,... |
501 |
| 37 | Jason Isringhausen Jason Isringhausen Jason Derik Isringhausen is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher.-New York Mets:Isringhausen was chosen as a draft-and-follow prospect by the New York Mets in the 44th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft... (15) |
482 |
| 38 | Dave Righetti Dave Righetti David Allan Righetti is a former left-handed pitcher for various Major League Baseball teams, primarily the New York Yankees. He is currently the pitching coach for the San Francisco Giants and was the first player in history to both pitch a no-hitter and also lead the league in saves in his career... |
474 |
| 39 | Mike Timlin Mike Timlin -Early life:Timlin was born in Midland, Texas to Jerome Francis Timlin Sr. and Nancy Sharon Beyer. Timlin graduated from Midland High School in Midland, Texas. He then attended and pitched at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta.-Baseball career... |
467 |
| 40 | Ron Perranoski Ron Perranoski Ronald Peter Perranoski is a former left-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher, having played from through .... |
458 |
| 41 | Todd Worrell Todd Worrell Todd Roland Worrell is a retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers from to .... |
456 |
| 42 | Bill Campbell | 455 |
| 43 | Gregg Olson Gregg Olson Greggory Olson is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played with the Baltimore Orioles , Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , Kansas City Royals , Detroit Tigers , Houston Astros , Minnesota Twins , Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers... |
447 |
| 44 | Francisco Rodriguez (35) | 445 |
| 45 | Steve Bedrosian Steve Bedrosian Stephen Wayne Bedrosian, is an American former baseball player. Nicknamed "Bedrock", he played from 1981 to 1995 with the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins... |
439 |
| 46 | Mike Henneman Mike Henneman Michael Alan Henneman was a pitcher with a 10-year career from 1987 to 1996. He played for the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, both of the American League, and the Houston Astros of the National League.... |
432 |
| Dave Smith | 432 | |
| 48 | Roger McDowell Roger McDowell Roger Alan McDowell is the pitching coach of the Atlanta Braves and was a right-handed relief pitcher for twelve seasons in Major League Baseball from 1985 to 1996. He played for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League and the Texas Rangers and... |
430 |
| 49 | Mike Jackson | 422 |
| Dan Plesac Dan Plesac Daniel Thomas Plesac is a former Major League Baseball pitcher with an 18-year career from to . He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Philadelphia Phillies... |
422 | |
| Jose Valverde José Valverde José Rafael Valverde is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. His nickname is Papa Grande... (70) |
422 | |