Billy Wagner

Billy Wagner
Wagner during Mets' Old-Timers Day in 2022
Pitcher
Born: (1971-07-25) July 25, 1971
Marion, Virginia, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
September 13, 1995, for the Houston Astros
Last MLB appearance
October 3, 2010, for the Atlanta Braves
MLB statistics
Win–loss record47–40
Earned run average2.31
Strikeouts1,196
Saves422
Stats at Baseball Reference 
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Incoming Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction2025
Vote82.5% (tenth ballot)

William Edward Wagner (born July 25, 1971), nicknamed "Billy the Kid", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Atlanta Braves from 1995 to 2010. A seven-time All-Star and the 1999 National League (NL) Rolaids Relief Man Award winner, Wagner is one of only eight major league relief pitchers to reach 400 career saves. A left-handed batter and thrower, Wagner stands 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall and weighs 180 pounds (82 kg).

A natural-born right-hander, Wagner learned to throw left-handed after fracturing his arm twice in his youth. Wagner's career 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings pitched (K/9) is the highest of any major league pitcher with at least 900 innings pitched. His career 2.31 earned run average, .187 batting average against, and 0.998 WHIP are the lowest of any left-handed pitcher in the live-ball era. He finished in the top ten in saves in the NL ten times, and in the top ten in games finished nine times. In 2025, Wagner was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.