ST. LOUIS — It may have taken a while to see a fully-formed Alex Reyes at the big league level, but the 2021 version of the 26-year-old flamethrower has been historically good.
After converting his save on Sunday against the Giants to preserve a 2-1 win for the Cardinals, Reyes set a new MLB record for saves to begin a career. Reyes bested former major leaguer LaTroy Hawkins who set the record with the Minnesota Twins in 2001.
The save against San Francisco on Sunday was No. 24 of Reyes' career and his 22nd of 2021. He has the third-most saves in baseball this season, and a sparkling ERA of 1.45.
A first-time All-Star in 2021, Reyes is the last remaining MLB reliever with a perfect save percentage and at least six saves.