Cardinals' 5 all-time best relief pitchers in franchise history

4. Lee Smith

Lee Smith was traded to the Cardinals in May 1990 from the Boston Red Sox for Tom Brunansky.

While with the Cardinals, he earned a 15-20 record with a 2.90 ERA. He finished 209 games with the Cards, earning 160 saves over 266.2 innings. Smith's 160 saves are the second most all-time for the franchise. Smith struck out 246 batters while wearing the birds on the bat.

He was an All-Star while with the Cardinals in 1991, 92 and 93. He also earned votes for the Cy Young Award and MVP in 1991. He won the NL Rolaids Relief Award in 1991 and 92. He led the National League in saves in 1991 with 47 and in 1992 with 43.

The Cardinals traded him to the Yankees in August 1993 for Rich Batchelor.

Smith retired in 1997. He never won a World Series title.

He was selected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.