Phillies: Best individual pitching seasons by age

Age 28: David West (1993)

The second member of the 1993 NL Championship team to make the list, West was the left-handed set-up man out of the bullpen, teaming with Larry Andersen.  West struggled mightily with the Mets and the Twins in six big-league seasons before the Phillies acquired him via trade in December of 1992.

The 28-year old West had the best season of his career in 1993. Fitting right in with the team of overachievers, West logged 86 innings in 76 games, posting an ERA of 2.96. He struck out 87 and allowed only 60 hits and six home runs in 86 1/3 innings.   West started 14 of 31 appearances the following year for the Phillies, going 4-10 with a 3.55 ERA in 99 innings.

Injuries limited West to 15 games over the next two seasons combined, before the Phillies granted him free agency on October 31, 1996.  He was signed by the Reds and Astros in 1998 but failed to appear in a Major League game for either team. West was traded to the Red Sox and pitched poorly in six games with Boston in 1998, never to be seen in the Major Leagues again.

West retired with a 31-38 record and 4.66 ERA in 204 games over 10 seasons.

Age 29: Steve Bedrosian (1987)

Bedrosian spent his first four seasons in the Major Leagues mostly in relief before starting 37 games with the Braves in 1985. Despite logging over 200 innings that season, Bedrosian went just 7-15 and walked 111 batters.  The Phillies acquired Bedrosian along with Milt Thompson for Ozzie Virgil and Pete Smith in December 1985.

After eight wins, 29 saves and a 3.39 ERA for the Phillies in 1986, Bedrosian would have his best overall season in 1987 at the age of 29. It didn’t start that way, however, as Bedrosian had an 11.05 ERA and two blown saves through April 18, only to be saved by Mike Schmidt’s 500th home run, which may have turned his season around.

Bedrosian saved 27 of his next 30 opportunities and finished the campaign with a 5-3 record, 40 saves, and an ERA of 2.83. In a year when balls were flying out of the park, Bedrosian’s efforts earned him his only All-Star appearance and Cy Young Award.

After another season and half with the Phillies, Bedrosian was part of a trade to the Giants that brought Terry Mulholland to the Phillies.  Bedrosian retired in 1995 with a record of 76-79 with 184 saves and a 3.38 ERA.