High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Mariano Rivera (born November 29, 1969) is a Panamanian right-handed baseball pitcher who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. Nicknamed "Mo", Rivera has served as a relief pitcher for most of his career, and since 1997, he has been the Yankees` closer. A 12-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, he is MLB`s all-time leader in saves (603) and games finished (883). His accolades include five American League (AL) Rolaids Relief Man Awards, the 1999 World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, and the 2003 AL Championship Series MVP Award.