St. Louis Cardinals: All-time top five Cardinals closers

5) Todd Worrell, Closer – St. Louis Cardinals, 1985-1992

The first relief pitcher to save at least 30 games in his first three full seasons, Worrell is often overlooked when we look back at Cardinals closer history. And, to be honest, that’s a bit of a shame.

As a rookie, the right-hander was effective, raising the expectations for him heading into the ’86 campaign, where he racked up the innings, pitching over 100 frames of 2.08 ERA ball while earning a league-leading 36 saves.

In four full seasons with the Cardinals, Worrell hit the 30-save mark three times before leaving for the Los Angeles Dodgers, with whom he struggled before re-finding his form. Injuries de-railed his once-promising time in St. Louis, and, for the most part, he’s largely overlooked these days.

That being said, for a brief time, Worrell was one of the most consistent relievers in the league, giving the Cardinals a solid answer at the back-end of games.

Next: Things looking Rose-y in St. Louis