MLB Single Season Saves Leaders


All Time MLB Records
Single Season MLB Records
Career BA Leaders Highest BA in a Season
Career Hits Leaders Most Hits in a Season
Career HR Leaders Most HRs in a Season
Career RBI Leaders Most RBIs in a Season
Career Runs Leaders Most Runs in a Season
Career SB Leaders Most SBs in a Season
Career Wins Leaders Most Saves in a Season
Career Saves Leaders Most Strikeout in a Season
Career Strikeout Leaders Lowest ERA in a Season
Career ERA Leaders  

MLB Milestones
No Hitters and Perfect Games 500 Home Run Club
300 Wins Club 3000 Hits Club
3000 Strikeouts Club Triple Crown Winners


In 2008, Los Angeles Angels Closer Francisco Rodriguez set the MLB record for most saves in a single season with 62. K Rod beat Bobby Thigpen's 18 year old by 5 saves and became the only MLB Closer to records over 60 saves in a season.

When Thigpen set the record in 1990, he was the only MLB pitcher to record over 50 saves. There have now been 11 seasons in which a pitcher has recorded 50 or more saves. Eric Gagne and Mariano Rivera have each record 50+ save seasons twice.

Most Saves in a Single MLB Season
Rank Player Team
Saves
Year
1Francisco Rodriguez  Los Angeles Angels
62
2008
2Bobby Thigpen  Chicago White Sox
57
1990
T3Eric Gagne  Los Angeles Dodgers
55
2003
T3John Smoltz  John Smoltz
55
2002
T5Trevor Hoffman  San Diego Padres
53
1998
T5Randy Myers Chicago Cubs
53
1993
T5Mariano Rivera  New York Yankees
53
2004
8Eric Gagne Los Angeles Dodgers
52
2002
T9Rod Beck  Chicago Cubs
51
1998
T9Dennis Eckersley Oakland Athletics
51
1992
11Mariano Rivera New York Yankees
50
2001
12Francisco Cordero  Texas Rangers
49
2004
T13Rod Beck  San Francisco Giants
48
1993
T13Dennis EckersleyOakland Athletics
48
1990
T13Jeff Shaw  Cincinnati Reds
Los Angeles Dodgers
48
1998
T16Armando Benitez  Florida Marlins
47
2004
T16Chad Cordero  Washington Nationals
47
2005
T16Jason Isringhausen  St. Louis Cardinals
47
2004
T16Francisco Rodriguez  Los Angeles Angels
47
2006
T16Lee Smith  St. Louis Cardinals
47
1991
T16Jose Valverde  Arizona Diamondbacks
47
2007
T22Tom Gordon  Boston Red Sox
46
1998
T22Bryan Harvey  California Angels
46
1991
T22Trevor Hoffman San Diego Padres
46
2006
T22Jose Mesa  Cleveland Indians
46
1995
T22Dave Righetti New York Yankees
46
1986
T22Lee Smith St. Louis Cardinals
New York Yankees
46
1993
T22Mike Williams  Pittsburgh Pirates
46
2002
T29Antonio Alfonseca  Florida Marlins
45
2000
T29Joe Borowski  Cleveland Indians
45
2007
T29Dennis EckersleyOakland Athletics
45
1988
T29Eric Gagne  Los Angeles Dodgers
45
2004
T29Eddie Guardado Minnesota Twins
45
2002
T29Bryan Harvey  Florida Marlins
45
1993
T29Jose Mesa  Philadelphia Phillies
45
2002
T29Jeff Montgomery  Kansas City Royals
45
1993
T29Randy Myers Baltimore Orioles
45
1997
T29Robb Nen  San Francisco Giants
45
2001
T29Dan Quisenberry  Kansas City Royals
45
1983
T29Mariano Rivera New York Yankees
45
1999
T29Francisco Rodriguez  Los Angeles Angels
45
2005
T29Kazuhiro Sasaki  Seattle Mariners
45
2001
T29John Smoltz  Atlanta Braves
45
2003
T29Bruce Sutter St. Louis Cardinals
45
1984
T29Duane Ward  Toronto Blue Jays
45
1993
T29Bob Wickman  Cleveland Indians
45
2005
T47Jeff Brantley  Cincinnati Reds
44
1996
T47Francisco Cordero  Milwaukee Brewers
44
2007
T47Mark Davis San Diego Padres
44
1989
T47Billy Koch  Oakland Athletics
44
2002
T47Joe Nathan  Minnesota Twins
44
2004
T47Dan Quisenberry  Kansas City Royals
44
1984
T47John Smoltz  Atlanta Braves
44
2004
T47Jose Valverde  Houston Astros
44
2008
T47Billy Wagner Houston Astros
44
2003
T47Todd Worrell  Los Angeles Dodgers
44
1996

Sources:
baseball-reference.com
baseball-almanac.com
wikipedia.org
thebaseballcube.com