2013 Mariano Rivera Farewell

September 26, 2013. Mariano Rivera pitched for the last time. Not the last time that season or the last time as a Yankee -- the last time, period. Nineteen years, 652 saves, five World Series rings, and one cutter that ruined more left-handed hitters' careers than any single pitch in baseball history. When he walked off the mound at Yankee Stadium against the Tampa Bay Rays, the greatest closer who ever lived was done. And somehow, impossibly, the ending was perfect.

The Farewell Season

Rivera had torn his ACL in May 2012, and most people assumed that was it. He was 42 years old, had just blown out his knee shagging fly balls, and had nothing left to prove. But Mo came back. Of course he came back. He told everyone he wasn't finished, and when Mariano Rivera tells you something, you believe him.

At 43 years old, Rivera posted a 2.11 ERA with 44 saves and a 6-2 record. He won the American League Comeback Player of the Year award -- which barely scratches the surface of what he actually did. His WHIP was absurd. His control was immaculate. The cutter still cut. For 64 appearances across a losing season, Rivera was the one thing you could count on every single night.

(The man was 43. Forty-three! Most people at 43 are complaining about their lower backs. Rivera was still painting the corner of the strike zone like it owed him money.)

The Blown Saves Nobody Talks About

Here's the thing nobody mentions about the farewell tour: Rivera blew five saves in August and September, including three consecutive blown saves for the first time in his entire career. The cutter wasn't quite as sharp. The velocity had ticked down a notch. At 43, even the greatest closer ever produced was feeling the pull of time.

But those blown saves didn't define the season. They humanized it. Rivera had spent 19 years making the ninth inning look automatic, and watching him wrestle with his own mortality on the mound made the farewell even more meaningful. He wasn't leaving because he couldn't pitch. He was leaving because he could feel the edge dulling, and he'd rather walk away than diminish the legacy.

September 18: The Final Save

Rivera's last career save came in Toronto against the Blue Jays. The situation was vintage Mo: tying run on base, winning run in scoring position, the whole game hanging on one at-bat. He struck out J.P. Arencibia to end it. Cutter, up and in, Arencibia never had a chance. That's how you want to remember the greatest closer ever -- one out away from disaster, choosing violence with a cutter, and walking off the mound like it was Tuesday.

September 22: Mariano Rivera Day

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared September 22 as "Mariano Rivera Day." The Yankees held a 50-minute pregame ceremony at Yankee Stadium that was part celebration, part wake, and entirely overwhelming. Former teammates, current players, celebrities -- everyone came to say goodbye.

The moment that'll live forever came during the game itself. In the eighth inning, Rivera was on the mound doing what he'd always done. Then manager Joe Girardi sent Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte out to relieve him. Not the bullpen coach. Not a relief pitcher. Jeter and Pettitte -- the last remaining Core Four members -- walked to the mound together to take the ball from their old friend.

Rivera saw them coming and broke down. Completely. The man who'd been ice-cold in 96 postseason appearances couldn't hold it together when his brothers came to say goodbye. He hugged Pettitte. He hugged Jeter. The crowd was sobbing. The players were sobbing. I was sobbing. It was the most genuinely emotional moment in Yankee Stadium since... honestly, I can't think of one that compares.

The Legacy He Left

Rivera's retirement didn't just close a career -- it closed an era. He was the last active member of the 1996 championship team still pitching. He was the bridge connecting the dynasty years to the modern franchise. Without him, the Yankees' bullpen would need to be rebuilt from scratch, and the psychological advantage of having the greatest closer in history waiting in the ninth inning disappeared overnight.

His 652 career saves remain the all-time record. His 2.21 career ERA is among the lowest in baseball history for any pitcher with significant innings. His postseason numbers -- 0.70 ERA across 141 innings -- might be the most untouchable record in all of sports. (Seriously, try to wrap your mind around a 0.70 ERA in 96 postseason games. It's not human.)

When Rivera walked off the mound on September 26, the 2013 season lost its last compelling reason to watch. The Yankees finished 85-77 and missed the playoffs. But Mo's goodbye gave a losing season its only moment of grace.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Mariano Rivera's last game?

Rivera's final game was September 26, 2013, against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. His final save had come eight days earlier, on September 18 in Toronto, when he struck out J.P. Arencibia with the tying and winning runs in scoring position.

What happened on Mariano Rivera Day?

On September 22, 2013, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared "Mariano Rivera Day." The Yankees held a 50-minute pregame ceremony, and during the game, Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte walked to the mound to remove Rivera from the game. Rivera broke down in tears as his Core Four teammates came to relieve him one final time.

What were Mariano Rivera's career statistics?

Rivera finished his 19-year career with 652 saves (MLB all-time record), a 2.21 ERA, and a 0.70 postseason ERA across 96 appearances. He won five World Series championships and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019 as the first unanimous selection.