Touch 'Em All: Rivera ends all closer arguments

Mariano Rivera ended all conversation about the greatest closer in major-league history on Saturday when he tied the career saves record with the 601st of his glittering career in a 7-6 win over Toronto.

The Yankee immortal matched Trevor Hoffman as the all-time leader.

"[No. 602 will be] the big one because it just puts the final stamp on it that he's the greatest closer of all time," New York manager Joe Girardi said.

Come on Joe. Who'd you think it was, Luis Arroyo?

Rivera was matter of fact.

"To me, it was normal," he said.

An unusual three-team, seven-player deal on Dec. 8, 2009, has made three teams playoff-bound.

The first in were the Detroit Tigers, who clinched the AL Central on Friday night for their first division title since 1987. The others are Arizona and the Yankees.

On that December day nearly two years ago, the Yankees acquired centerfielder Curtis Granderson from Detroit. The Diamondbacks acquired two starting pitchers: Edwin Jackson from the Tigers and Ian Kennedy from the Yankees. The Tigers acquired centerfielder Austin Jackson and reliever Phil Coke from the Yankees, plus starter Max Scherzer and reliever Daniel Schlereth from the D'backs.

Each player in that deal made an important contribution. Even Edwin Jackson left his mark; after throwing a no-hitter for Arizona last season, he was traded to the White Sox for Daniel Hudson, who has become a solid No. 2 starter behind Kennedy, the first National League pitcher to 19 victories this season.

Twins catcher Joe Mauer is likely to miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed with a mild case of pneumonia.