The 11 Most Clutch Baseball Players of All Time

Derek Jeter, Yankees

UPDATE: Derek Jeter is now a Hall of Fame player. The Yankees star received 99.7 percent of the vote, with one HOF voter leaving him off. Jeter put up great stats through his career, but part of his HOF resume was the fact that he was one of the most clutch players of all time. 

The New York Yankees shortstop proved to be one of the most clutch players in baseball history while helping the Yanks win five World Series titles before hanging up his cleats. No matter the situation, the captain always seemed to deliver. Jeter did it with his bat—his 200 hits, 111 runs, 32 doubles, and 158 games played ranks first among all players in postseason play—and he also got it done with his glove, earning the nickname “Captain Clutch.”

The 14-time All-Star cemented his status when he made one of the most amazing plays of all time against the Oakland Athletics in the 2001 ALDS: Running across the infield from his position—something shortstops rarely do in this situation—to cut off a throw from the outfield, and then flipping the ball to catcher Jorge Posada, who was able to tag out Jeremy Giambi in a stunning turn of events. The throw missed two cutoff men and likely would have been too late for the tag had Jeter not stepped in—thus “The Flip” was born.

Jeter earned the nickname “Mr. November” after hitting a game-winning home run in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series, and he brought home the 2000 World Series MVP after posting a .409 average and two home runs against the rival Mets. Jeter always seemed to perform when the pressure was at its highest—no wonder he had a .321 career batting average in the World Series.

Albert Pujols, Angels

“I’m not a machine, I’m Albert.”

That’s how the classic This is Sportscenter commercial goes for Albert Pujols, staring out of mechanical eyes like Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator, implying that the baseball titan is so good he’s not human. It also illustrates another point: Pujols is machine-like in pressure situations, because his emotions and the pressure never stop him from performing at a high level.

Before signing with the Angels (and getting swept out in three games in the 2014 playoffs), Pujols played in 74 playoff games for the St. Louis Cardinals, hitting 18 home runs with 54 RBI and a .330 batting average while helping the Cards bring home two World Series titles. Even more impressive: Pujols only struck out 39 times in those games.

So yeah, this guy knows how to hit when it counts the most.

Take his run in the 2011 World Series, for example. Pujols batted .353 with an astonishing .691 slugging percentage, punctuated by his performance in Game 3 against the Texas Rangers, one of the most herculean efforts in baseball history. Pujols slugged three home runs, drove in 6 RBIs, and scored four runs, making him the third player along with legends Babe Ruth and Reggie “Mr. October” Jackson to have three homers in a World Series game (Pablo Sandoval joined the club the following season).

He’s not a machine, he’s just Albert.

Mariano Rivera, Yankees

Armed with a cut-fastball that was probably bestowed upon him by God, Mariano “Mo” Rivera got it done in the playoffs, putting up some of the best numbers of any pitcher in any era.

Rivera’s miniscule 0.70 ERA is the best of any pitcher in history. Sure, he did blow the 2001 World Series against the Diamondbacks, but he finished 42-for-43 in save opportunities in his playoff career. The Panama native has the most saves, games played, and best winning percentage of any reliever in baseball history. Over his career, Rivera helped the Yankees win five World Series, took home the World Series MVP award in 1999 and the ALCS MVP in 2003, and finished as the all-time leader in saves.

To put it in another perspective: As USA Today once pointed out, more men have walked on the moon (12) than have scored against Rivera during his playoff career (11).

Kirk Gibson, Dodgers

Every baseball fan knows the home run—hell, it has its own Wikipedia page.

A hobbled Kirk Gibson lumbered his way to the plate in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, coming in as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the ninth with two outs despite dealing with injuries to both of his legs.

As the legendary announcer Vin Scully said as Gibson came to the plate, the outfielder was “physically unable to start with bad left hamstring and a swollen right knee,” making this decision quite the “roll of the dice.” Well, that roll turned out to be a good one. Gibson dug in against future Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley, launching the ball to deep right field for the game-winning two-run home run to give the Dodgers the 5-4 victory. Gibson hobbled around the bases, pumping his fist as he rounded first base before being greeted by the entire team at home plate.

The epic home run is considered to be one of the most memorable plays in sports history and Gibson’s calling card. But it was no fluke—he had a knack for hitting well in the postseason. Gibson finished his playoff career with a .282 batting average, with seven home runs and 21 RBI. Plus, that game-winner wasn’t his only big blast: In the 1984 World Series he launched a three-run homer for the Detroit Tigers to help seal their championship.

Joe Carter, Blue Jays

Clutch hitting in the 1993 World Series is the reason Joe Carter never has to buy himself a beer north of the border ever again.

With the Toronto Blue Jays trailing the Philadelphia Phillies 6–5 in the bottom of the ninth and All-Star closer Mitch Williams on the mound, Carter stepped up to the plate. It didn’t bother Carter that he had never got a hit off Williams in his career, or that the Phillies had won 97 games that season. With a 2-2 count, Carter smashed the ball over the left field wall, winning the game and the World Series for the Blue Jays.  

It was only the second time in baseball history that a World Series ended with a home run—Bill Mazeroski’s homer in 1960 against the Yankees being the other—but it was the first time it ever happened when the team was trailing. Carter is remembered most for this home run, but he was clutch when it mattered most, hitting six home runs with 20 RBI and 15 runs in his playoff career.

Madison Bumgarner, Giants

When you need to lock a team down, call in “Mad Bum.”

The San Francisco Giants pitcher put up one of the most dominant postseason performances in history while helping his team win the 2014 World Series—posting a miniscule 1.13 ERA in a record 52.2 innings pitched. During that championship run, Bumgarner came into Game 7 of the World Series against the Kansas City Royals on just two days rest to pitch five shutout innings to earn the save. Bumgarner didn’t panic when Alex Gordon smoked a triple into the outfield and was 90 feet away from tying the game. Instead, he got Sal Perez to pop up to end the game and clinch the victory.

The 6’5″, 250-pound goliath (through 2016) has posted six scoreless starts of seven innings pitched or more in the playoffs—the most of all time—and he had a run of 23 scoreless innings in elimination games after shutting out the Mets in the 2016 NL Wild Card game. Bumgarner hasn’t just been clutch recently either: In 2010 he went 2-0 with a 2.18 E.R.A. in three starts while helping the Giants win their first World Series since the team moved to San Francisco in 1958.

Reggie Jackson, Yankees

Reggie Jackson earned the nickname “Mr. October” for his legendary performance in the 1977 World Series after hitting three home runs in Game 6—in three consecutive at-bats no less—but the name could apply to Jackson’s clutch hitting throughout his career.

In 1973, Jackson hit a home run in Game 7 of the World Series and over his postseason career, the outfielder hit for a .278 average with 18 home runs, 48 RBIs, and 41 runs in his, making him one of the most productive players ever in the playoffs. Jackson won the World Series MVP award twice (1973 and 1977), hitting a combined six home runs and driving in 14 RBI over those two championship series.

Talk about clutch.

David Ortiz, Red Sox

The 6’3”, 230-pound power-hitting slugger hung up his cleats in 2016, but his status as one of baseball’s greatest clutch hitters remains intact. Through his first six playoff appearances, “Big Papi” hit for a .283 average with 12 home runs, 47 RBIs, and 39 runs, but his biggest accomplishment was helping the Red Sox end an 86-year World Series drought in 2004. Ortiz put up strong numbers in each of his World Series championships with the Red Sox, helping the team win titles in 2004, 2007, and 2013.

In 2004, Ortiz put his team on his back and was as effective as anyone has ever been, leading the team to a comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the ALCS against the rival Yankees. Before getting to that series, Ortiz helped the Red Sox win Game 3 and sweep the ALDS against the Angels with a walk-off homer in the 10th inning that he launched over the Green Monster—and that slam was just a sign of things to come.

In that legendary series against the Yankees, facing elimination in Game 4, Ortiz smashed a game-winning two-run homer in the 12th inning to keep his team alive in the series. The next game he delivered once again, hitting a home run in the eighth inning to cut the Yankee lead before winning the game with an RBI single in the 14th inning—the longest game in ALCS history. During that playoff run, Ortiz finished with a .409  batting average with 5 home runs and 23 RBIs. If that’s not the definition of clutch, we don’t know what is.

Lou Gehrig, Yankees

“The Iron Horse” is well known for all the stats he put up in the regular season—the 23 career grand slams, the .340 batting average, 1,995 RBIs, and his 2,130 consecutive games played—but his work in the postseason made him one of the most illustrious pressure hitters in history. Gehrig won six World Series titles with the Yankees—including a three-peat from 1936 to 1938—hitting for an astonishing .545 batting average with four home runs and nine RBI in 1928. During his playoff career, Gehrig hit .361 with 10 home runs, 35 RBI, and 30 runs scored.

Gehrig never felt the pressure of the moment: He scored the winning run in eight different World Series games thourgh his career. In one legendary story about the first baseman, Gehrig was challenged by a booming voice from the stands while playing against the White Sox in Chicago. The fan screamed from right field, “Hit one up here, ya bum! I dare ya!” So Gehrig did, winning the game for the Yankees.

Edgar Martínez, Mariners

The longtime Seattle Mariners star was one of the best hitters of his era, posting a .312 batting average throughout his career, but it’s his work in pressure situations that made him a legend in the Pacific Northwest. During the 1995 season, when the Mariners chased down the Angels to force a one-game playoff on the final day of the regular season, Martínez hit .356 with 52 doubles, 29 home runs, and 113 RBI to help lead the team to the postseason for the first time in history.

But that performance wasn’t all he had in store. Martínez was magnificent against the New York Yankees in the 1995 American League Division Series, coming through in multiple situations to push the M’s into the ALCS. In Game 4, down 2-1 in the series and facing elimination, Martínez hit a three-run home run early in the game, then smacked a grand slam later on to push his team to an 11-8 victory.

Game 5, though was when he became a legend. With the Mariners down 5-4 in the bottom of the 11th inning, Martínez hit a two-run double—now known as “The Double,” which also has its own Wikipedia page—to score Joey Cora and Ken Griffey Jr., giving the Mariners the series victory. Seattle fans say that performance helped the team get the support they needed for a new stadium, crediting Martínez with saving baseball in Seattle.

Babe Ruth, Yankees

The “Great Bambino” was one of the first superstars in baseball and part of his legend was his clutch hitting in the playoffs. Ruth made it to the playoffs seven times during his career, winning a World Series in each of those appearances.

The “Sultan of Swat” had a .326 batting average with 15 home runs, 33 RBIs, and 37 runs, including an astonishing .625 batting average average in the 1928 World Series. Ruth was a clutch pitcher too: During his time with the Boston Red Sox, Ruth pitched a complete game, 1-0 shutout against the Chicago Cubs in the 1918 World Series, something no one else had ever done since until Clayton Kershaw did it during the 2016 playoffs.