Summary
Baseball is a sport that has captivated audiences for over a century. While there are many factors that contribute to the excitement of the game, perhaps none is more important than the pitcher. The pitcher is responsible for controlling the pace of the game, dictating the flow of play, and ultimately deciding whether or not his team wins or loses.
Throughout the history of Major League Baseball (MLB), there have been countless pitchers who have achieved greatness on the field. In this article, we will take a closer look at the top 9 MLB pitchers of all time.
9. Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax is widely considered one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the sport. He was born on December 30, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York, and played his entire career for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966.
Koufax’s career was marked by incredible achievements and records, including four no-hitters, a perfect game, and three Cy Young Awards. He was a crucial member of the Dodgers team that won three World Series championships in 1955, 1959, and 1963.
Koufax is remembered for his dominant pitching style, which featured an overpowering fastball and a devastating curveball. He retired from baseball at the age of 30 due to chronic arthritis in his pitching arm. In 1972, Koufax became the youngest player ever to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
8. Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver was one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the sport. He was born on November 17, 1944, in Fresno, California, and played in the major leagues for 20 seasons from 1967 to 1986.
Seaver played for several teams during his career, including the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, and Boston Red Sox. He was a 12-time All-Star, won three Cy Young Awards, and led the National League in wins three times.
Seaver was known for his dominant pitching style, which featured a powerful fastball and a devastating slider. He retired with 311 career victories and 3,640 strikeouts, both of which rank among the top 10 all-time in major league history. In 1992, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with the highest percentage of votes ever received at that time. Seaver passed away on August 31, 2020, at the age of 75.
7. Pedro Martinez
Pedro Martinez is a former Dominican-American professional baseball player. He was born on October 25, 1971, in Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic, and played in the major leagues for 18 seasons from 1992 to 2009.
Martinez played for several teams during his career, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and Philadelphia Phillies. He was an eight-time All-Star, won three Cy Young Awards, and led the league in strikeouts three times. He was also a member of the 2004 Red Sox team that won the World Series.
Martinez was known for his fiery temperament and his devastating changeup and pinpoint control. He won three Cy Young awards and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. He retired with a career record of 219 wins, 100 losses, and 3,154 strikeouts. In 2015, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, receiving over 90% of the votes in his first year of eligibility.
6. Randy Johnson
Randy Johnson was born on September 10, 1963, in Walnut Creek, California, and played in the major leagues for 22 seasons from 1988 to 2009.
Johnson played for several teams during his career. He won five Cy Young Awards, was a 10-time All-Star, and led the league in strikeouts nine times. He was also a member of the Diamondbacks team that won the 2001 World Series.
Johnson was known for his intimidating presence on the mound and his overpowering fastball that regularly exceeded 100 mph, a devastating slider, and a fierce competitive spirit. He retired with a career record of 303 wins, 166 losses, and 4,875 strikeouts, which ranks second all-time among pitchers.
In 2015, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with over 97% of the vote. He won five Cy Young awards and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015.
5. Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux is a former American professional baseball player who is widely considered one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the sport. He was born on April 14, 1966, in San Angelo, Texas.
Maddux won four consecutive Cy Young Awards from 1992 to 1995, was an eight-time All-Star, and won 18 Gold Glove Awards for his excellent fielding as a pitcher.
Maddux was known for his incredible control and his ability to paint the corners of the strike zone. His precision pitching style relied on finesse and control rather than overpowering velocity.
He was a master at changing speeds, hitting spots, and outsmarting hitters. He retired with a career record of 355 wins, 227 losses, and 3,371 strikeouts. Maddux was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, receiving over 97% of the vote, and his uniform number (31) was retired by both the Braves and the Cubs.
4. Lefty Grove
Lefty Grove, born Robert Moses Grove, was born on March 6, 1900, in Lonaconing, Maryland, and played in the major leagues for 17 seasons from 1925 to 1941. Grove played for several teams during his career, including the Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox.
Grove was known for his devastating curveball and his ability to strike out opposing batters. Grove was known for his dominant pitching style, which featured a blazing fastball and a sharp-breaking curveball.
He retired with a career record of 300 wins, 141 losses, and 2,266 strikeouts. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest left-handed pitchers of all time.
3. Christy Mathewson
Christy Mathewson was an American professional baseball player who is widely considered one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the sport. He was born on August 12, 1880, in Factoryville, Pennsylvania, and played in the major leagues for 17 seasons from 1900 to 1916.
Christy Mathewson played for the New York Giants from 1900 to 1916 and finished his career with a record of 373 wins and 188 losses. He also had an ERA of 2.13 and struck out 2,502 batters. Mathewson was known for his pinpoint accuracy and his ability to induce ground balls.
He won four National League pennants and two World Series championships. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.
Mathewson’s career was cut short by his service in World War I, and he died at the age of 45 from tuberculosis. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936 and remains one of the most revered figures in the history of the sport.
2. Cy Young
Cy Young, born Denton True Young, was born on March 29, 1867, in Gilmore, Ohio, and played in the major leagues for 22 seasons from 1890 to 1911. He played for 22 seasons between 1890 and 1911 and finished his career with a record of 511 wins and 316 losses.
He also had an ERA of 2.63 and struck out 2,803 batters. He also holds the record for most innings pitched (7,355), most complete games (749), and most starts (815).
Young was known for his dominant pitching style, which relied on control and finesse rather than overpowering velocity. He had a wide variety of pitches, including a fastball, curveball, and spitball, and was a master at changing speeds and hitting spots.
He won the pitching Triple Crown (leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts) three times and was selected to the All-Star team in 12 different seasons.
Young retired from baseball in 1911 and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937 as part of its inaugural class. The Cy Young Award, which is given annually to the best pitcher in each league, is named in his honor.
1. Walter Johnson
Walter Johnson was an American professional baseball player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the sport. He was born on November 6, 1887, in Humboldt, Kansas, and played in the major leagues for 21 seasons from 1907 to 1927, all with the Washington Senators.
Johnson won 417 games, which ranks second all-time among pitchers, and had a career earned run average (ERA) of 2.17. He also holds the record for most shutouts (110) and is third in all-time strikeouts (3,509). Johnson was a two-time American League MVP, won the pitching Triple Crown three times, and led the league in strikeouts 12 times.
Johnson was known for his dominant pitching style, which featured a blazing fastball that was often compared to a “howitzer.” Johnson was a member of the Senators team that won the 1924 World Series, and he pitched a complete game shutout in the decisive seventh game.
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936 as part of its inaugural class and remains one of the most revered figures in the history of the sport.
These are the top 9 MLB pitchers of all time. These men have all achieved greatness on the field and have left their mark on the game of baseball. Whether it was Walter Johnson’s fastball, Cy Young’s longevity, or Pedro Martinez’s changeup, each pitcher had a unique set of skills that made them stand out from the rest.
While there may be some debate over the order in which they are ranked, there is no denying that these 10 pitchers are among the best to ever play the game.
