Phillies: Top 5 starting pitchers since 1980
Honoring the great Phillies pitchers of the last four decades
The Philadelphia Phillies history is absurdly rich with elite-level talent at the starting pitcher position. In fact, it’s so rich that when initially sitting down to write this piece, I realized there was just no possible way a “Top 5” list could include every iconic Phillies ace.
Guys like Pete Alexander, Robin Roberts, and Jim Bunning are some of the all-time greats to ever dawn a Phillies jersey. With the organization having almost too many names to highlight, it made sense to pinpoint this list down to the 1980s and beyond.
5. Cliff Lee
If it wasn’t for Cliff Lee only spending five seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, he would no doubt be higher on this list. One of the greatest lefties of the modern era, Lee embodied what it meant to be a Phillie.
Acquired by the team in the summer of 2009, Lee would go on to drag the Phillies back to the World Series. Going 5-0 with a 0.68 ERA in his first five games with his new team, it was clear that the Phillies had gotten someone special.
Getting minimal help from his pitching co-star in Cole Hamels, Lee would start five games in the postseason that year. He finished 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in the month of October, and while the Phillies were unsuccessful in defending their title that year, Lee’s performance would go down as one of the best in franchise history.
After a brief hiatus from the city of brotherly love in 2010, Lee would return to the Phillies for the 2011 season. He helped form what fans dubbed as the “four aces”, making up without question the greatest rotation in team history.
Lee would finish his five year career with the Phillies in 2014, posting an ERA of 2.94 over this time while winning 48 total games. He was selected to All-Star games in both 2011 and 2013, and even received some Cy Young votes each year as well. Lee also led the MLB in shutouts in 2011, as well as strikeout rate in both 2013 and 2013.
While Lee ultimately never accomplished his goal of bringing a title back to Philly, his dominance as a starter for the Phils towards the end of his career plants him firmly among the all-time great Phillie pitchers.
#4. Curt Schilling
Like Lee, Curt Schilling was never able to reach his ultimate goal of bringing another World Series trophy to Philadelphia. However, when you reflect back on his nine year career with the team, it’s clear that this is just a small piece to an otherwise legendary puzzle.
After struggling early on his career, Schilling joined the Phillies at the age of 25 looking to rebuild himself as a top shelf starter. In his very first season with the team, Schilling won 14 games and led the MLB with a 0.990 WHIP. It’s safe to say he had earned his role as the Phillies’ go-to starter.
Despite Schilling’s absurd years in ‘92, things would only get better for the 6’ 5” righty.
Schilling would go on to lead the Phillies back to the World Series in 1993, and although they ultimately lost to the defending champions (Blue Jays), Schilling’s postseason run that year was pure magic. He posted a 2.58 ERA throughout the playoffs, winning the NLCS MVP and even throwing a complete game in the World Series.
Despite the heartbreak of losing the big one, Schilling would continue to go on to play at an ace level for Philly. He was named to the All Star game in 1997, 1998, and 1999. He also finished fourth in Cy Young voting during the 1997 season.
Schilling would finish his Phillies career with 101 wins, ranking towards the top in a whole arsenal of franchise records. The beloved athlete would go on to win three World Series’ after he departed Philadelphia, including a WS MVP with the Diamondbacks in 2001.
#3. Cole Hamels
While he did in fact break all of our hearts this offseason by signing with the Atlanta Braves, Cole Hamels is the only pitcher in Phillies history to ever win a World Series MVP.
Drafted by the Phillies in 2002, Hamels would go on to have a dominant 10 year career in Philadelphia. This included three trips to the All-Star game, 114 wins, an average ERA of 3.30, an NLCS MVP in 2008, and of course a World Series ring/MVP also won in 2008.
While Hamels never won a Cy Young, or never led the league in strikeouts, the biggest reason the team valued him so heavily was due to his extreme levels of consistency on the mound. Hamels recorded an ERA below 3.40 in six of his ten seasons with the team, and also won at least ten games on six occasions.
Hamels did in fact lead the National League in WHIP during the 2008 season and led the NL in shutouts in 2009.
Hamels’ career as a Phillie culminated in the franchise’s second ever World Series win back in ’08. The team relied heavily on the lefty in the postseason, as he started in five playoff games and won four of them. He posted an ERA of 1.80 across this span, leading from the front as the Phillies knocked off the Brewers, Dodgers, and Rays.
Despite Hamels’ tenure as a Phillie ultimately fizzling out in 2015 (resulting in a trade which has now seen Hamels bounce around the league as a veteran), the memory of him hoisting the commissioner’s trophy back in ‘08 is still very fresh in most fans’ minds.
#2. Roy “Doc” Halladay
The date was October 6th, 2010 and Roy Halladay was set to take the mound in Game 1 of the NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals. Pressure was at an all-time high. Not only was Halladay on one of the best teams in baseball at the time, but he was making his first career postseason start. Despite all the greatness he had displayed over the years, this was easily the biggest moment he had faced.
So what did “Doc” Halladay do? Well, he threw the second ever no-hitter in postseason history.
Halladay was acquired by the Phillies from the Blue Jays in the winter of 2009, and since that moment on, he did nothing but dominate. Halladay won 40 games in his first two seasons with the team, getting selected to consecutive All-Star games while also winning the NL Cy Young in 2010 (he placed second in 2011).
In his Cy Young winning season, Halladay led the majors in complete games, shutouts and innings pitched. He also led the NL in hits allowed (fewest), BB/9, and K/BB.
The following year in 2011, Halladay would rank as the best in terms of his K/BB rate and FIP, while leading the NL in ERA+, complete games, and BB/9.
As mentioned previously, Halladay had never played in the postseason before coming to Philly. This was a fact that many fans were quick to point out too. However, across 5 games in October with the Phillies, Halladay would post an ERA of 2.37.
Halladay retired at the age of 36 in 2013. He would finish his career an 8x All-Star, 2x Cy Young winner, and a 2x MLB wins leader. He pitched both a perfect game and a no-hitter, had his jersey retired by two different organizations, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame just last year.
#1. Steve Carlton
The unquestioned greatest pitcher in Phillies team history is, of course, Steve Carlton.
Acquired in one of the most lopsided trades in MLB history, Carlton would play for the Phillies from 1972 to 1986. A 15 year Philly career which would include some historic accomplishments.
Carlton was a 7x All-Star with the Phillies (10x total), a 4x Cy Young winner, a 4x NL wins leader, a 1x Gold Glove winner, a 1x NL ERA leader, a 5x NL strikeout leader, and of course a 1x World Champion.
Carlton’s consistent dominance across his career with the Phillies is unparalleled. Not only was he with the team for over a decade, but he was extremely productive during those years. He won 241 total games as a Phillie and held an ERA of 3.09.
To this day, Carlton still holds the all-time Phillies record in wins, games started, strikeouts, and a plethora of other metric based analytic categories.
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The lefty’s best season with the Phillies came during 1972, his first year with the team. He won 27 games, held a 1.97 ERA, threw 30 complete games, and struck out over 300 batters. Simply mind-boggling numbers. Carlton’s performance in ‘72 has widely been regarded as the single best season a starting pitcher has ever had in Philadelphia.
Now of course 1972 was in fact not the highlight of Carlton’s career in Philadelphia. Eight years later, led by their ace, the Phillies would go on to win their first World Series in franchise history. Carlton started two games in the series against the Royals, winning both of them.
Ask any Phillies fan around the world and they most likely state Carlton as the best to ever do it in the red and white pinstripes.