Mariano Rivera Takes His Rightful Place in Monument Park

The New York Yankees will honor the greatest reliever in the history of the baseball, Mariano Rivera, Sunday with a plaque in Yankee Stadium’s hallowed Monument Park.

It has been a memorable weekend for Yankees legend Mariano Rivera. First, he took part in Friday’s ceremony to bid farewell to longtime teammate Alex Rodriguez before his final game. Mo was chosen to escort A-Rod’s two daughters onto the field in a very emotional moment.

The next day, the Yankees celebrated the 20th anniversary of their 1996 World Series championship team by reuniting 32 players and coaches out on the field before Saturday’s game and reminiscing about their accomplishments.

Mariano Rivera was a central figure on that team. By Baseball-Reference’s wins above replacement metric, his 1996 campaign is tied with Jonathan Papelbon‘s 2006 for the most valuable season by a reliever in the last 30 years. He threw 107.2 innings of relief (!) with a 2.09 ERA and 1.88 FIP, striking out an incredible 130 batters. 

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Mo will finish up the weekend by being memorialized among the greatest players in Yankees history, receiving a plaque in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park. He will be the third member of the Core Four to receive the honor. Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada were inducted to the museum in 2015. Rivera will also join former teammates Tino Martinez and Paul O’Neill in the park.

The 13-time All Star pitched every inning of his 24 year professional career in the New York Yankees organization. He received American League Cy Young award votes in six different seasons, finishing as high as second. He also received AL MVP votes in nine seasons.

The Sandman finished 952 games for the Yankees, compiling an amazing 2.21 career ERA. He played a critical role in 5 World Series championships and even won the WS MVP award in 1999. The 46-year-old is a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer when he becomes eligible for induction in 2018.

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It was a privilege to get to watch Mariano Rivera pitch over his two decades in the Bronx. He is one of my all-time favorite players of any era. It’s difficult to imagine a more deserving person to receive this honor Sunday.