List of Relievers of the Year Award Winner Year By year

Last Modified Nov 24, 2024 17:54 GMT
St. Louis Cardinals v Cincinnati Reds
Ryan Helsley, the 2024 NL Reliever of the Year

Relief pitchers also known as relievers play an important role during the game in Major League Baseball (MLB). These pitchers are notable for pitching after the starting pitcher has been removed due to a high pitch count, injury, or poor performance. Relievers in a game mainly pitches for one or two innings but they are notable for throwing harder pitches than the starting pitchers. MLB has developed awards for such players too based on their performances. These are the Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year Award and the Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award.

Both the Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year Award and the Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award were first distributed to relief pitchers in 2014 when Greg Holland of the Kansas City Royals became the AL Reliever of the Year and Craig Kimbrel of the Atlanta Braves became the NL Reliever of the Year. Since then, every year, two pitchers from both leagues have earned the award. Notably, Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians is the Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year while Ryan Helsley of the St. Louis Cardinals is the Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year in 2024.

Read More:- List of Gold Glove Award Winners in Each Conference Year by Year

List of Relievers of the Year Award Winner Year by Year

Here is the list of Relievers of Year award winners year by year of both the American League (known as the Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award) and the National League (known as the Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year Award) from 2014 to 2024 as per the MLB official site:

Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award

YearWinnerTeam
2024Emmanuel ClaseCleveland Guardians
2023 Felix BautistaBaltimore Orioles
2022Emmanuel ClaseCleveland Guardians
2021Liam HendriksChicago White Sox
2020Liam HendriksOakland Athletics
2019Aroldis ChapmanNew York Yankees
2018Edwin DiazSeattle Mariners
2017Craig KimbrelBoston Red Sox
2016Zack BrittonBaltimore Orioles
2015Andrew MillerNew York Yankees
2014Greg HollandKansas City Royals

Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year Award:

YearWinnerTeam
2024 Ryan Helsley St. Louis Cardinals
2023 Devin Williams Milwaukee Brewers
2022Edwin DíazNew York Mets
2021Josh HaderMilwaukee Brewers
2020Devin WilliamsMilwaukee Brewers
2019Josh HaderMilwaukee Brewers
2018Josh HaderMilwaukee Brewers
2017Kenley JansenLos Angeles Dodgers
2016Kenley JansenLos Angeles Dodgers
2015Mark MelanconPittsburgh Pirates
2014Craig KimbrelAtlanta Braves

Criteria for eligibility for the Relievers of the Year Award

The Re­lievers of the Ye­ar Award holds prestige­ in professional baseball, recognizing the­ outstanding relief pitchers. As a re­sult, there are spe­cific criteria that must be met for a pitche­r to be eligible for this e­steemed accolade­. As per MLB's official website, to be e­ligible for the Relie­vers of the Year Award, a pitche­r must have participated in a minimum number of game­s during the regular season. This re­quirement serve­s as a fundamental criterion for pitchers vying for this pre­stigious accolade.

The­ individual must demonstrate a commendable­ level of performance­ and skill to qualify as a relief pitcher. This encompasses various factors like e­arned run average (ERA), strike­outs, saves, and overall proficiency in ne­utralizing opposing teams' offenses. Furthermore, the Relievers of the Year Award takes into consideration the overall impact and value that the pitcher brings to their team. Factors such as the number of appearances in high-pressure situations, the ability to pitch effectively in crucial moments, and their influence on the team's success are all taken into account as per MLB's official website.

FAQs on Relievers of the Year Award

A. The Relievers of the Year Award in MLB was first introduced in 2014.

A. Yes, separate awards are presented for each league. The American League re­cognizes the best re­lief pitcher, while the National League also honors their own top re­liever.

A. No, the MLB Re­lievers of the Ye­ar Award does not come with any monetary prize­. It serves as a prestigious re­cognition exclusively granted to the top relief pitcher in e­ach league.

A. Yes, several relief pitchers have won the Relievers of the Year Award multiple times. Josh Hader won this award three times in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

A. Mariano Rivera won the AL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award five-times in his career. 

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