MLB: Ranking the Top 10 Closers in Baseball Right Now
By zacklosel
# 8 – Rafael Soriano – Washington Nationals.
Age: 33
2012 Stats: 2.26 ERA / 69 K’s / 42 Saves / 1.17 WHIP / 67.2 IP.
Career Stats: 2.78 ERA / 527 K’s / 132 Saves / 1.05 WHIP / 502.0 IP.
Career K/9: 9.45.
Career K/BB:3.49.
Mar 8, 2013; Melbourne, FL, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Rafael Soriano (29) throws against the St. Louis Cardinals during the top of the fourth inning of a spring training game at Space Coast Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
After a wishy-washy career that began as a starting pitcher over in Seattle, Soriano has turned himself into a rather effective closer. Since 2009, he’s racked up an impressive one hundred sixteen saves, and he filled in very nicely for the injured Mariano Rivera last season, acquiring forty two of his career one hundred thirty two saves.
Though he’s still in the east, he’ll now be pitching in the National League for the Washington Nationals, whose division is still tough — though the American League East is generally a tougher division, he might catch a break and have a career high this coming season.
We don’t know how he’ll fare adjusting to yet another team, but he’s definitely proven to be an elite closer when called upon.