October 4, 1986. Fenway Park. The Yankees' season was already over -- second place again, 5.5 games behind Boston, no October baseball for the fifth straight year. But Dave Righetti still had one more thing to do. In the season's final doubleheader against the Red Sox, Righetti saved both games. Game one. Game two. Walk off the mound, twice, with the ball and the lead. The second save was his 46th of the season -- a new major-league record, breaking the mark of 45 shared by Dan Quisenberry and Bruce Sutter. On a day when nothing else mattered for the Yankees, Righetti made history.
The Evolution of a Closer
Righetti's path to the save record was one of baseball's stranger career arcs. He'd come up as a starting pitcher -- a damn good one. He won the 1981 AL Rookie of the Year award. On July 4, 1983, he'd thrown a no-hitter against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. He was supposed to be the Yankees' ace for the next decade.
Then the front office moved him to the bullpen. The decision was controversial at the time and remains debated today. (Was Righetti better served as a starter who could throw seven dominant innings, or as a closer who could throw one or two? The Yankees never fully answered that question -- they just made the switch and dared anyone to complain about the results.) The results, as it turned out, were hard to argue with. By 1986, Righetti had become the most reliable closer in the American League.
The Record Chase
Righetti entered September with 39 saves, putting the Quisenberry-Sutter record of 45 well within reach. He didn't slow down. Save after save, he slammed the door -- a combination of a nasty slider, a riding fastball, and the kind of competitive fire that doesn't care whether the game is in April or October.
The chase played out against the backdrop of a disappointing team season. Don Mattingly was putting up historically great offensive numbers, Rickey Henderson was running wild, and the roster had enough talent to contend. But the pitching behind Righetti wasn't deep enough, and Boston's combination of Roger Clemens and a balanced lineup proved too strong. Righetti's save chase became the consolation prize -- one man's individual excellence providing a reason to keep watching a team that couldn't win the division.
The Doubleheader
The final day of the regular season brought a doubleheader at Fenway Park -- the kind of scheduling relic that rarely happens in modern baseball. Righetti entered the first game in save position and converted. Then he did it again in the nightcap, recording save number 46 and officially claiming the record.
The doubleheader setting added a layer of absurdity. Most record-setters break their marks in a single dramatic moment. Righetti did it by working twice in one afternoon, throwing in both games of a meaningless doubleheader against a team that had already clinched the division. It was the baseball equivalent of a runner sprinting through the finish line, circling back, and sprinting through it again.
What Made Righetti Dominant
Righetti's 46-save season wasn't just about volume -- it was about quality. He posted a 2.45 ERA across 106.2 innings, striking out 83 batters while walking only 35. His WHIP of 1.075 was elite by any standard. When the Yankees held a lead going into the seventh inning, the game was over.
His slider was the out pitch. It broke sharply away from right-handed hitters and dove under the bats of lefties. Combined with a fastball that rode up in the zone, Righetti created a two-pitch combination that gave hitters fits. He wasn't overpowering in the way that modern closers like Aroldis Chapman would later be -- he was precise, competitive, and relentless.
The Record's Shelf Life
Righetti's 46 saves stood as the all-time record for four years, until Bobby Thigpen of the Chicago White Sox broke it with 57 saves in 1990. The save record has since been pushed even higher -- Francisco Rodriguez saved 62 games for the Angels in 2008. But Righetti's 1986 season retains its historical significance as a landmark in the evolution of the closer role.
In the mid-1980s, the closer was still a relatively new concept. Relievers were expected to pitch multiple innings, often entering games in the seventh or eighth inning. Righetti's dominance -- and his record -- helped solidify the idea that teams needed a dedicated ninth-inning weapon. He didn't invent the modern closer, but he helped define it.
| Saves | 46 (ML record at the time) |
| ERA | 2.45 |
| Innings Pitched | 106.2 |
| Strikeouts | 83 |
| Walks | 35 |
| WHIP | 1.075 |
| Previous Record | 45 (Quisenberry 1983, Sutter 1984) |
| Record Stood Until | Bobby Thigpen, 57 saves (1990) |
Righetti's No-Hitter
As a starting pitcher, Righetti throws a no-hitter against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees will soon convert him to a reliever.
Converted to Closer
The Yankees move Righetti from the rotation to the bullpen, a controversial decision that transforms his career trajectory.
Save 39 and Counting
Righetti enters September with 39 saves, putting the all-time record of 45 within striking distance with a full month remaining.
Record-Setting Doubleheader
Righetti saves both games of a doubleheader against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, recording his 45th and 46th saves to break the all-time record.
Record Broken
Bobby Thigpen of the White Sox surpasses Righetti's mark with 57 saves. Righetti's 46 remains the Yankees franchise record.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many saves did Dave Righetti have in 1986?
Righetti recorded 46 saves, setting a new major-league record. He broke the previous mark of 45 shared by Dan Quisenberry (1983) and Bruce Sutter (1984). The record stood until Bobby Thigpen saved 57 for the White Sox in 1990.
How did Righetti break the save record?
Righetti saved both games of a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on October 4, 1986 -- the final day of the regular season. His first save tied the record at 45, and his second pushed it to 46.
Was Dave Righetti always a closer?
No. Righetti began his career as a starting pitcher, winning the 1981 AL Rookie of the Year and throwing a no-hitter against the Red Sox on July 4, 1983. The Yankees converted him to a closer in 1984, and he went on to set the all-time saves record two years later.