Closer (baseball)

In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer, is a relief pitcher who specializes in getting the final outs in a close game when his team is in the lead. A closer who successfully gets the final outs for their team in the final inning of a game is recorded as a save in baseball statistics. The role is often assigned to a team’s best reliever. Before the 1990s, pitchers in similar roles were referred to as a fireman and stopper. Closers typically specialize in a breaking ball of some sort in order to minimize the risk of home runs late in games, and to deceive batters into swinging away from the strike zone.