Ranking Baseball’s 15 Best Pitchers of All Time

The MLB’s long and hallowed history has seen many fine pitchers, from acclaimed starters and multi-talented hitting pitchers to the less-revered but essential relief-pitching participants. Ranking the best pitchers in MLB history together is somewhat unfair, considering their varied roles, so in this article, we’ll run through the best hitting and relief pitchers after ranking the best starting pitchers of all time.

The 15 Best Pitchers of All Time

While they might not be the most athletic players among baseballers, you’ve got to admire  MLB pitchers. Often overlooked in lists of the best MLB players in history in favor of their slugging teammates, the starting pitcher’s performance carries as much weight in an overall result. In the history of Major League Baseball, many contributions from the mound have won regular and World Series games. These are the 20 best pitchers of all time.

15. Bert Blyleven (1970 — 1992)

Known as a dugout prankster for his penchant for setting teammates’ shoelaces on fire, the “Frying Dutchman” was known for his incredible curveball, which accounted for many of his 3,701 career strikeouts. Blyleven played for five different MLB teams, mostly the Minnesota Twins, during his 23-year career.

14. Justin Verlander (2005 — Present)

Now in his first season with the San Francisco Giants, Verlander’s fastball may have slowed somewhat since his prime, but his versatility means he also troubles batters with the curveball, slider and change-up. With three Cy Young awards and two World Series wins, “JV” is a modern great on the mound. His Wins for Warriors Foundation means he also contributes admirably beyond baseball.

13. Bob Feller (1936 — 1956)

While “Rapid Robert” may not have been one of the fastest MLB players, his fastball was certainly speedier than most. The 107.6 mph fastball he delivered for the Cleveland Guardians in 1946 was the quickest pitch for 28 seasons until Nolan Ryan threw a 108.1 mph fastball in 1974. Feller represented the Guardians for 21 years, striking out 2,581 opponents to record 266 career wins.

12. Phil Niekro (1964 — 1987)

You won’t find many arguing with the claim that Niekro is the best knuckleball pitcher of all time. His fluttering delivery baffled many opposing batters and contributed to “Knucksie” winning 318 MLB games and career 3,318 strikeouts. Niekro played all of his 864 games, bar 25 late in his 24-year career, for the Atlanta Braves, with the franchise retiring his jersey number in 1984. With his knuckleball contributing to Niekro’s longevity, he is an MLB pitching legend. 

11. Christy Mathewson (1900 — 1916)

“Matty” Mathewson was an early MLB great, starting his career as the 20th Century dawned. He won 373 career games from the mound, with an ERA of 2.13 and over 2,500 strikeouts. Mathewson led the way in the 1905 World Series between his New York Giants and the Philadelphia Athletics with three shutouts in the Giants’ five-game triumph. A MLB Hall of Fame charter member, Mathewson’s gentlemanly demeanor elevated the respectability of baseball in the early years.

10. Bob Gibson (1959 — 1975)

Gibson spent his whole MLB career with the St. Louis Cardinals, helping his team to World Series titles in 1964 and 1967. He took the 1968 MVP award with an incredible 1.12 ERA for the season. With 3,117 strikeouts, Gibson was the first pitcher since Walter Johnson in the 1920s to top the 3,000 mark. If not for his inclusion on this list, Gibson could have made the hitting pitchers’ list, as he scored 24 career MLB home runs at a batting average of 2.06.

9. Lefty Grove (1925 — 1941)

Robert “Lefty” Grove helped the Philadelphia Athletics to consecutive World Series championships in 1929 and 1930. The following year, he won the MLB MVP award. Grove moved to the Boston Red Sox in 1934 and remained there until retirement. In 17 seasons, Grove won 300 American League games with 2,266 strikeouts. A combination of speed and control sees Grove make this list of the best MLB pitchers in history.

8. Sandy Koufax (1955 — 1966)

Koufax was unfortunate to have his career prematurely ended through injury at 30 years old. You can only imagine what he may have accomplished with another four or five MLB seasons under his belt. In 12 seasons for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Red Sox, Koufax struck out 2,396 batters with a career ERA of 2.76. With Koufax on the mound, the Dodgers won three World Series titles. He was also the first pitcher to win three Cy Young Awards, with a 1965 perfect game — Koufax’s fourth no-hitter — sealing his second.

7. Randy Johnson (1988 — 2009)

Regarded as one of the best left-handed pitchers of all time, Randy “The Big Unit” Johnson was an intimidating force from the mound for any batter. Standing at 6-feet-10-inches tall, Johnson’s fastball reached 102 mph at its quickest, while his signature slider broke down and in to right-handed batters. His impressive pitching arsenal helped the Arizona Diamondbacks to their only World Series championship in 2001.  Three years later, Johnson became the oldest player in history to pitch a perfect game — the 17th of 24 overall. 

6. Pedro Martínez (1992 — 2009)

With a vicious fastball and devastating change-up, Martinez peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s during his seven-season spell with the Boston Red Sox. He ended his Red Sox tenure with 1,687 strikeouts — more than half his career total of 3,154 — in what many describe as one of MLB’s most significant pitching stretches. Martinez received four Cy Young Awards while in Boston.

5. Tom Seaver (1967 — 1986)

Leadership quality, work ethic and poise best describe “Tom Terrific” during his 20-year tenure in the MLB. Of course, you can’t discount his exceptional prowess from the mound either, or he wouldn’t be ranked as highly. Many considered Seaver the perfect pitcher, and in 1969, he missed pitching the perfect game by two batters. However, his career stats make for excellent reading, with 3,640 strikeouts and 311 games won.

4. Roger Clemens (1984 — 2007)

Even during a successful Texas Longhorns college baseball career, “Rocket” Clemens’s fastball suited his nickname. Over his 24 MLB seasons, he was a dominant force for the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, among others. Intensely competitive, the 6-feet-4-inch pitcher won two World Series titles and seven Cy Young Awards while recording 354 game wins and 4,672 strikeouts. His somewhat controversial but undoubtedly historic MLB legacy means Clemens ranks high among baseball’s great pitchers. 

3. Greg Maddux (1986 — 2008)

Maddux’s baseball intelligence and strategic pitching precision earned him the nickname “The Professor.” He won 355 games over a sterling career, primarily with the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves. In 1992, Young won the Cy Young Award with the Cubs before moving to the Braves and winning it three more times for four consecutive wins.  By the time Maddux departed the Braves in 2003, the franchise had won nine straight divisional titles and the World Series in 1995.

2. Cy Young (1890 — 1911)

Denton True “Cy” Young is a baseball legend. In 1956, the MLB honored his accomplishments by naming the AL and NL awards for the season’s best pitcher after him. In a 22-year MLB career, Young pitched over 7,300 innings, and his 511 wins remain an MLB record. On May 5, 1904, the Boston Americans pitcher threw the first perfect game of the World Series era. Young is extremely worthy of his high ranking on this list of all-time great pitchers.

1. Walter Johnson (1907 — 1927)

“The Big Train” represented the Washington Senators for his entire 21-year career. Renowned for his sportsmanship and humility, Johnson let this pitching arm do the talking, and talk it did. He amassed 417 wins and 3,508 strikeouts from the mound, while helping the Senators to the 1924 World Series title. Johnson’s steaming fastball and an ERA of 2.17 see this two-time MVP top the list of the best MLB pitchers in history.

The 5 Best Hitting Pitchers of All Time

Since the MLB’s American League adopted the designated hitter rule in 1973, the impact of the hitting pitcher in the league has reduced. The National League adopted the rule in 2022, but the full effect on the hitting pitcher’s value remains to be seen, due to a remarkable hitting pitcher’s ongoing contributions. These are the best hitting pitchers of all time.

5. Shohei Ohtani (2018 — Present)

In essence, Ohtani, nicknamed “Showtime,” is a batter who pitches, much as Babe Ruth was in the days of yore. Injuries have hampered his pitching recently, but when fully fit, he will bring immense value to the Los Angeles Dodgers with bat and ball.

4. Wes Ferrell (1927 — 1941)

As a pitcher, Ferrell ended his career slightly shy of 1,000 strikeouts with 193 games won. As a batter, he holds the record for home runs by an out-and-out pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball, with 38 during his career.

3. Carlos Zambrano (2001 — 2012)

Zambrano’s 12-year career, predominantly with the Chicago Cubs, defined the value of a hitting pitcher. The fiery Venezuelan achieved 1,637 strikeouts and hit 161 home runs during his short but passionate career.

2. Don Newcombe (1949 — 1960)

Although not a tremendous hitter in the Zambrano mold, Newcombe could bat. He did so 916 times during his 22-season career, ending with an impressive average of .269. Adding his bread-and-butter pitching role to this average — 1,185 strikeouts and 153 games won — “Newk” was invaluable on the diamond.

1. Babe Ruth (1914 — 1935)

The quintessential hitting pitcher, or pitching hitter, “Bambino” has forged a name as one of the greatest baseball players of all time for his versatility with bat and ball. While you may argue that Ruth’s most outstanding ability, like Ohtani’s, lay at the plate as one of the best hitters of all time, you cannot dispute his abilities from the mound.

The 5 Best Relief Pitchers of All Time

In around 1905, MLB team managers began switching starting pitchers for others midway through games. These replacements were generally other starting pitchers, with the idea of regular closers still a long way away. Although relief pitchers came to prominence in the early 1950s, it was only in the mid-1970s that their tactical use saw significant effect. Who are the best specialist relief pitchers in MLB history?

5. Lee Smith (1980 — 1997)

Smith’s undisputed closing ability made him an asset to the many MLB teams he represented during his 18-year career. Spending most of his years at the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, the 6-feet-6-inch relief pitcher recorded 478 saves, placing him third on the MLB all-time list. 

4. Rollie Fingers (1968 — 1985)

Wearing his trademark handlebar mustache, Roland Glen “Rollie” Fingers was the epitome of coolness under pressure. Fingers was a pathfinder in defining the role of modern bullpen pitchers, winning the 1981 Cy Young Award, reaching 341 saves and recording a 2.91 ERA over 17 MLB seasons.  

3. Dennis Eckersley (1975 — 1998)

“Eck” Eckersley’s versatility and immaculate control meant he played a vital role for the five teams he played for during his incredible 24 years in the MLB. Used mainly as a starting pitcher by the Boston Red Sox early in his career, Eckersley transformed into one of the league’s best closers at the Oakland Athletics. He achieved all but three of his 390 career saves after 1986. 

2. Trevor Hoffman (1993 — 2010)

When you heard AC/DC’s “Hell’s Bells” start playing at the San Diego Stadium, it meant one thing — it was “Trevor Time.”  Hoffman spent 15 of his 18 MLB seasons with the Padres in a career where he became the first relief pitcher to reach the 500 and 600 save mark. As a standard bearer for modern bullpen pitching, Hoffman still lies second overall in career MLB saves with 601.

1. Mariano Rivera (1995 — 2013)

Panamanian native “Mo” Rivera was the man who eclipsed Hoffman’s save record, so it’s apt he tops this list of the best relief pitchers of all time. Achieving a record mark of 652 career saves, Rivera helped the New York Yankees to five World Series titles during his 19 seasons with the franchise. In 2019, he became the first MLB player unanimously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Masters of Their Art

Whether you take the mound or come from the bullpen, being a top pitcher is an art form. Calmness under pressure, versatility, consistency and impressive speed or guile have brought these notable pitchers to the pinnacle of their professions and make them worthy of inclusion in this list of baseball’s best of all time.