Unofficial fan projectThe Mets Powerhouse
Jesse Orosco
Relief pitcher · Mets 1979, 1981–1987
The part fans remember
What the numbers leave out.
Orosco developed into an elite left-handed reliever and shared the late innings with Roger McDowell. His glove toss became the lasting image of 1986.
Orosco entered the Mets organization as the player to be named later in the 1978 trade that sent Jerry Koosman to Minnesota. He struggled as a starter, disappeared back into the minors, and returned as a reliever. By 1983 he had become an All-Star, winning 13 games and saving 17 while handling far more than one inning at a time.
The 1986 postseason turned him into a permanent Mets image. Orosco won three games in the NLCS, recorded the last out of the 16-inning clincher in Houston, and then struck out Marty Barrett to finish the World Series. His glove flew into the air before the rest of the team reached him, freezing the exact second the Mets became champions again.
The Mets traded him after 1987, but Orosco kept pitching until 2003 and set the major-league record for games pitched. That amazing length makes his Mets years look like only the beginning. For the franchise, though, he will always be the man on the mound for two final outs and two celebrations in the same October.
The honest version
The best stretch
Orosco’s 1983–85 peak made him one of the National League’s best relievers before the Mets became champions. He could work multiple innings and get both left- and right-handed hitters out, a much larger job than the modern one-batter specialist. His 1983 season included 13 wins and 17 saves, showing how differently elite relievers were used.
The part that got messy
October 1986 stretched him to the limit. Orosco earned three wins in the NLCS, saved important games, and then recorded the final out of the World Series by striking out Marty Barrett. The image of him throwing his glove high into the Shea night remains the cleanest symbol of the championship. It was joy, relief, and exhaustion in one motion.
Why fans still care
His career lasted far beyond the Mets—long enough to set the major-league record for games pitched—but the defining picture always wears blue and orange. Orosco connects the late rebuilding period, the rise of the young team, and the final championship out. The longevity was extraordinary. For Mets fans, the most important part is that his left arm was still strong when 1986 reached its final pitch.
Orosco throwing his glove into the air is the image every reliever wants and almost none receive. He had already recorded the final out of the NLCS, then did it again in the World Series. Before the celebration, he was a durable, high-quality left-hander who could handle more than one inning. The photograph is iconic because the work leading to it was so dependable.
Signature Mets momentStruck out Marty Barrett for the final out of the 1986 World Series.
The short list
The stuff worth remembering.
- 011986 World Series champion
- 02Two-time All-Star
- 03Recorded the championship’s final out