NEW YORK, N.Y., March 31, 2018 – The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have signed free-agent right-handed relief pitcher Greg Holland to a one-year contract. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Holland, 32, pitched for the National League Wild Card-qualifying Colorado Rockies in 2017 after spending his first six Major League seasons with the Kansas City Royals (2010-15).
The three-time All-Star saved 41 games in 2017, tied with the Dodgers Kenley Jansen for the National League lead and he tied the Rockies franchise single-season saves record (Jose Jimenez – 2002).
Holland has a career record of 21-18 with a 2.60 ERA in 370 career appearances covering 377.0 innings with 500 strikeouts. He has converted 186 saves in 206 opportunities and ranks 4th among MLB relievers in save percentage (90.3%) since 2010.
In 2017, Holland was named National League Comeback Player of the Year and also earned National League Relief Pitcher of the Month for April and May converting 19 of 19 saves and his first 23 saves, not recording a blown save until June 15.
Holland and Jansen are the only two pitchers with three 40-save seasons since 2013, posting 40 or more saves in 2013, 2014 and 2017, missing 2016 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, which also removed him from the Kansas City Royals 2015 postseason run.
He posted career-highs with 47 saves, 103 strikeouts and a 1.21 ERA in 2013 earning him a 9th-place finish in the American League Cy Young Award voting. In 2014, Holland recorded 46 saves and again finished 9th in the A.L. Cy Young voting.
Since 2013, Holland ranks third among Major League pitchers with 166 saves trailing only Craig Kimbrel (202) and Jansen (196). His 12.14 strikeouts/9 IP is ranked 9th among MLB relievers and he ranks 6thstriking out 33.8% of total batters faced.
In postseason play, Holland is 7-for-7 in save opportunities making 12 appearances with a 2.31 ERA and 15 strikeouts with 11.2 innings pitched. He is one of six players in MLB history with seven saves in a single postseason.
Holland will wear uniform No. 56 and Bullpen Coach Bryan Eversgerd will change to No. 72.
