Eric Gagne made his Major League debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 7, 1999, two years removed from having Tommy John surgery to repair his elbow. He spent the next three years as a mediocre starter until the Dodgers converted him to the role of closer in 2002. The hard throwing righty, he was a member of the "100+ MPH Club", would quickly become one of the games best closers. He reached one-hundred career saves in only his second season of relief, making him the fastest ever to do so. He also had the highest strikeout ratio ever for a closer, in 2003, he struck out one-hundred thirty-seven men in only eighty-two innings, a season in which he did not blow a single save chance; however, that season would not be remembered for his strikeouts.
In 2003, Eric Gagne recorded fifty-five consecutive saves, two fewer than the record for non-consecutive saves in a single season. When added to the eight consecutive saves he made at the end of the 2002 season, and the twenty-one consecutive saves he made at the start of the 2003 season, Gagne had eighty-four consecutive saves, a new Major League record. Jerome Holtzman, the inventor of the save statistic and official historian for Major League Baseball had this to say in reference to Gagne: "A great closer is a weapon you can use almost every day." Here is the great streak of Eric Gagne as preserved by Baseball Almanac.
"It used to be when anyone asked who the best relievers were that I ever saw, I always said Goose Gossage and then Dennis Eckersley. Now I'm tempted to add Eric Gagne and John Smoltz to that list. And another who doesn't get enough credit is Bruce Sutter. Considering what Gagne and Smoltz are doing, you'd have to give them serious Hall of Fame consideration. Of course with Gagne, he'd have to do it a little longer. But based on what they've done so far, if they continue on this pace, they should be considered." - Jerome Holtzman
Eric Gagne Saves RecordAll-Time Consecutive Saves Record | Eric Gagne Baseball Stats | Saves Records |
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DATE | BOX | OPP | SCORE | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | SAVE |
08-28-2002 | ARI | 1-0 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
August 2002 Totals | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||
09-01-2002 | @HOU | 2-1 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
09-03-2002 | @ARI | 3-2 | 1.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
09-06-2002 | HOU | 3-2 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
09-16-2002 | SF | 7-6 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
09-21-2002 | @SD | 5-3 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
09-22-2002 | @SD | 4-3 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
09-26-2002 | SD | 6-5 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
September 2002 Totals | 8.0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 7 | ||
04-08-2003 | ARI | 5-3 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
04-09-2003 | ARI | 5-2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
04-16-2003 | SD | 3-0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 |
04-17-2003 | SD | 4-3 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
04-22-2003 | @CIN | 2-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 13 |
04-25-2003 | @PIT | 5-2 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 |
04-26-2003 | @PIT | 4-3 | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
04-30-2003 | PHI | 4-0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
April 2003 Totals | 7.1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 8 | ||
05-03-2003 | PIT | 4-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17 |
05-04-2003 | PIT | 3-2 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 18 |
05-07-2003 | @NYM | 2-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19 |
05-11-2003 | @MON | 4-3 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20 |
05-16-2003 | FLA | 2-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21 |
05-17-2003 | FLA | 4-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22 |
05-18-2003 | FLA | 2-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
05-20-2003 | COL | 3-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 24 |
05-21-2003 | COL | 3-2 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 25 |
05-22-2003 | COL | 4-3 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 26 |
05-31-2003 | MIL | 3-0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 27 |
May 2003 Totals | 11.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 11 | ||
06-05-2003 | KC | 5-2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 28 |
06-06-2003 | CWS | 2-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 29 |
06-10-2003 | @DET | 3-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 30 |
06-11-2003 | @DET | 3-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 31 |
06-12-2003 | @DET | 3-2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 |
06-13-2003 | @CLE | 4-3 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 33 |
06-15-2003 | @CLE | 4-3 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 34 |
06-17-2003 | SF | 4-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 35 |
06-20-2003 | ANA | 5-2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 36 |
06-21-2003 | ANA | 4-2 | 1.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
June 2003 Totals | 10.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 10 | ||
07-05-2003 | ARI | 2-0 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 38 |
07-09-2003 | @STL | 6-5 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 39 |
07-17-2003 | STL | 6-3 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
07-18-2003 | STL | 8-5 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 41 |
07-22-2003 | COL | 5-2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 42 |
07-27-2003 | @ARI | 1-0 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 43 |
July 2003 Totals | 6.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | ||
08-05-2003 | CIN | 5-2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 44 |
08-06-2003 | CIN | 2-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 45 |
08-07-2003 | CIN | 4-3 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 46 |
08-08-2003 | CHC | 3-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 47 |
08-14-2003 | @FLA | 6-4 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 48 |
08-17-2003 | @CHC | 3-0 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 49 |
08-21-2003 | MON | 2-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 50 |
08-22-2003 | NYM | 2-1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 51 |
08-28-2003 | @HOU | 6-3 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 52 |
08-29-2003 | COL | 6-4 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 53 |
08-31-2003 | COL | 3-0 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 54 |
August 2003 Totals | 11.1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 11 | ||
09-02-2003 | HOU | 4-1 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 55 |
09-05-2003 | @COL | 8-7 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 56 |
09-07-2003 | @COL | 6-2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 57 |
09-09-2003 | @ARI | 4-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 58 |
09-14-2003 | SDN | 5-2 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 59 |
09-18-2003 | ARI | 2-0 | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 60 |
09-21-2003 | SDN | 7-5 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 61 |
09-23-2003 | @SDN | 2-1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 62 |
09-24-2003 | @SDN | 2-1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 63 |
September 2003 Totals | 11.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 9 | ||
04-10-2004 | COL | 7-4 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 64 |
04-15-2004 | @SDN | 7-5 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 |
04-16-2004 | @SFG | 3-2 | 1.0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 66 |
04-17-2004 | @SFG | 5-4 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 67 |
04-18-2004 | @SFG | 7-6 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 68 |
04-28-2004 | NYM | 3-2 | 1.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 69 |
April 2004 Totals | 7.1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 7 | ||
05-01-2004 | MON | 5-4 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 70 |
05-04-2004 | @FLO | 4-3 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 71 |
05-06-2004 | @FLO | 9-4 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 |
05-08-2004 | @PIT | 4-3 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 73 |
05-25-2004 | @MIL | 5-3 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 74 |
05-30-2004 | ARI | 3-0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 75 |
May 2004 Totals | 5.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 6 | ||
06-02-2004 | MIL | 5-2 | 1.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 76 |
06-15-2004 | BAL | 5-1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 77 |
06-16-2004 | BAL | 6-3 | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 78 |
06-17-2004 | BAL | 4-3 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 79 |
06-18-2004 | NYY | 6-3 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 80 |
06-20-2004 | NYY | 5-4 | 1.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 81 |
06-29-2004 | SFG | 2-1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 82 |
June 2004 Totals | 8.0 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | ||
07-01-2004 | SFG | 5-4 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 83 |
07-03-2004 | @ANA | 8-5 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 84 |
July 2004 Totals | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | ||
DATE | BOX | OPP | SCORE | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | SAVE |
2002 Streak Totals | 9.0 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 8 | ||
2003 Streak Totals | 57.0 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 31 | 55 | ||
2004 Streak Totals | 23.0 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 98 | 21 | ||
Record Setting Save Totals | 89.0 | 44 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 18 | 139 | 84 | ||
Eric Gagne Saves 84 Consecutive Games | Research by Baseball Almanac |
Did you know that the National Baseball Hall of Fame asked for and received Eric Gagne's game worn shoes after the record setting September 2, 2003, game?
When ESPN asked Eric Gagne about his chances for a Cy Young Award he replied, "The MVP (Award) is more for relievers than the Cy Young. The MVP (Award) is more for an everyday guy."
Eric Gagne broke the previous record of fifty-four consecutive saves set by Tom Gordon of the Boston Red Sox from April 19, 1998 through June 5, 1999. When Gordon was advised of the broken record he told the media, "I don't have any feelings on that. I don't even know whose record I broke so I don't have any feelings on that."