New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera is the greatest relief pitcher in MLB history. There really isn't much debate to be had there. (Apologies to Trevor Hoffman and San Diego Padres fans.)
Rivera had an iconic career in pinstripes, serving as the closing pitcher in the Bronx for 19 years. Rivera, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada are the first three teammates in North America's major sports leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL) to play together on the same team for 16 consecutive years.
"Mo" retired after the 2013 season at the age of 43 and lives lavishly in retirement thanks to his massive career earnings from his near-two-decade career in baseball. So, just how much money did the reliever rack up?
Early Life and Personal Life
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Mariano Rivera was born in Panama City, Panama, to parents Mariano Sr. and Delia. He grew up in the impoverished Puerto Caimito alongside his three siblings, sister Delia and brothers Giraldo and Alvaro.
Rivera met his wife Clara back in Panama at elementary school, and remarkably the pair have been inseparable since. Mariano and Clara married in 1991 and have three sons together: Mariano III, Jafet and Jaziel.
The family reportedly lives in Rye, New York. They previously lived in Tampa, Florida but sold their home in the area in 2019.
Rivera attended high school at La Chorrera in Panama. Despite aspirations to play soccer professionally, ankle injuries forced him to focus on baseball. It was a great decision from a young Rivera, who, in 1991, was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent.
He was given a $3,000 signing bonus and brought to the United States to join the Yankees' minor league system, who insisted he transition from a starting pitcher to a reliever.
MLB Career
Mariano made his Major League debut in 1995 against the Angels. After a bumpy rookie year, Rivera locked in and was nothing short of the elite throughout his next 18 seasons in Major League Baseball. Rivera earned a plethora of accolades throughout his career in the Bronx.
"Sandman," as he came to be known, was a 13-time All-Star, All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, AL Championship Series MVP, five-time World Series champion and even a World Series MVP, the latter of which he earned for his performance against the Atlanta Braves in 1999. Rivera was also a five-time Rolaids Relief Man Award winner and a three-time Delivery Man of the Year Award winner.
The Panamanian baseball player was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019, becoming the first player in MLB history to be unanimously voted into Cooperstown (his teammate, shortstop Derek Jeter, was inducted with 99.7 percent of the vote in 2021).
The Sandman retired in 2013, but his career nearly concluded early in 2012 after he suffered a knee injury while shagging fly balls ahead of a matchup with the Kansas City Royals. Remarkably, despite being 42 years old at the time, Rivera returned for one final stellar season in 2013.
Throughout his 19-year career in the American League East, Rivera recorded a 2.21 ERA across 1,283.2 innings of work. He logged 1,173 strikeouts and retired as the all-time leader in saves with 652. He allowed just 71 home runs throughout his career and maintained a sterling 1.00 WHIP.
Mariano Rivera Net Worth
Rivera has been retired for nearly a decade now, and he's undoubtedly enjoying his time away from the game.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Mariano Rivera's net worth is estimated at $90 million. The former professional baseball pitcher earned most of his money through career earnings, pocketing nearly $170 million throughout his career in MLB. In addition to his salary, Rivera had endorsement deals from companies including Nike and Canali.
Mariano Rivera is the greatest closer to ever play the game, and his impressive net worth is evidence of that.
