Greg Holland was one of the best relief pitchers in the 2010s and played a crucial role in the success of the Kansas City Royals during that time.

Holland was drafted by the Royals in 2007 and made his debut for the team in 2010. The following year, he proved himself with an impressive performance, posting a 1.80 ERA and a WHIP of less than one (0.933) over 60 innings. After another strong season in 2012 (2.96 ERA), Holland became the Royals' ninth-inning specialist.

From 2013 to 2014, Holland was one of the top closers in the league, finishing ninth in Cy Young voting both years with ERAs under 1.5 and WHIPs under one. He was named the 2013 American League Pitcher of the Year by the Sporting News, and in 2014, he helped the Royals reach the World Series. During the playoffs, Holland had seven saves and allowed only one run in ten innings.

Though not as dominant in 2015, Holland remained effective until he suffered a torn UCL injury. Despite his absence, the Royals went on to win the World Series that year. Holland missed the entire 2016 season to recover from his injury. When he was ready to return, he became a free agent and signed with the Colorado Rockies, where he won the AL Comeback Player of the Year award and his first Saves Title (41). He was also selected to the All-Star team for the third time.

However, Holland was unable to recapture his earlier success and spent the next five years moving from team to team, playing for St. Louis, Washington, Arizona, a second stint with the Royals, and Texas. In total, he amassed 220 saves.

Greg Holland was developed as a pure reliever from the moment the Royals drafted him in 2007. Armed with a high-90s four-seam fastball and a biting slider, he never started a single game for the organization. He spent two seasons as a high-leverage setup man before the 2012 trade of Jonathan Broxton to Cincinnati opened the door for him to become the full-time closer.

Holland reached a historic peak of efficiency during the 2013 and 2014 campaigns. In 2013, he recorded a franchise-record 47 saves and followed it with 46 the next year. He maintained an elite dominance during this stretch with back-to-back ERAs under 1.50 and WHIPs under 1.000, earning two All-Star selections and the inaugural Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award. He showed the organization he was a foundational winner by serving as the final hammer for the "H-D-H" bullpen that led Kansas City back to the World Series in 2014.

Everything culminated in a difficult 19-month stretch beginning in late 2015. While he battled through 32 saves that year, his effectiveness dipped as he pitched through a significant UCL tear. He missed the entire 2015 postseason and the subsequent World Series title to undergo Tommy John surgery. After a five-year journey through several NL clubs, he returned to the Royals in 2020 as a veteran mentor, proving he could still deliver in a setup capacity. He left for Texas in 2022, departing with 159 saves, ranking fourth in franchise history.