New York Yankees legendary closer Mariano Rivera added another record to the books as he gained induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 100-percent of the votes.
It is the highest induction rate in the history of the Hall of Fame, which announced its results on Tuesday evening, breaking Ken Griffey Jr.’s mark of 99.32-percent set back in 2016.
Rivera is joined by Seattle Mariners designated hitter Edgar Martinez, Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay, and his former teammate, starting pitcher Mike Mussina.
In order to receive Hall-of-Fame enshrinement, a player must receive at least 75-percent of the vote from the over 400 members of the Baseball Writer’s Association of America (BBWAA).
There was little doubt Rivera would not be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer as he is widely regarded as the greatest closer in the game’s history.
The 13-time All-Star holds the major-league record with 652 saves and 952 games finished as he was an anchor of the Yankees dynasty that won four World Series in five years from 1996-2000 with another title in 2009.
Originally discovered in Panama as a starting pitcher, Rivera looked like anything but a Hall of Famer after 10 inconsistent starts during his rookie season in 1995.
He was the set-up man for John Wetteland in 1996 where he played an integral part in delivering the Yankees their first World Series title since 1978. But after getting the closer’s role in 1997 after letting Wetteland walk in free agency, he proceeded to blow three of his first six save opportunities.
Basically out of nothing — in which he deemed it “a gift from God” — Rivera found his devastating pitch, a cutter that went on to baffle the majors for the next 17 years.
Rivera racked up 43 saves that year and went on to eclipse the 40-save mark eight more times. He led the majors three times in that category, including seasons of 50 and 53 saves in 2001 and 2003.
He was one of the most dominant postseason pitchers the game has ever seen, racking up 42 saves with a 0.70 ERA in 96 appearances, all of which are major-league playoff records. Along the way, he picked up the 1999 World Series MVP and 2003 ALCS MVP awards.
He and Mussina were teammates for eight years on the Yankees after the starting pitcher was signed as a free agent following 10 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles.
Despite Mussina having never won a World Series with the Yankees, joining a year after their 2000 win over the Mets and a year before their 2009 triumph over the Phillies, the righty nicknamed “Moose” racked up 123 of his 270 career wins in Pinstripes.
He won 15 or more games in five of his eight seasons in New York thanks to a dominant knuckle-curveball, including a sterling 20-9 mark with a 3.37 ERA during his final major-league season as a 38-year-old in 2008.
Since 1901, only Sandy Koufax, Win Mercer, and Eddie Cicotte had a better WAR as a pitcher in their final MLB season that Mussina’s mark of 5.1 that season.
Upon his enshrinement, Mussina will own the fourth-highest ERA among pitcher’s enshrined in the Hall of Fame with a career mark of 3.68.
