That Balls Outta Here
FanSided

5 most legendary Phillies starting pitchers of all time

By Gabrielle Starr

PHILADELPHIA, PA - CIRCA 1980: Pitcher Steve Carlton #32 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1980 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Carlton played for the Phillies from 1972-86. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - CIRCA 1980: Pitcher Steve Carlton #32 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1980 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Carlton played for the Phillies from 1972-86. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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Jim Bunning Phillies
UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1964: Pitcher Jim Bunning #14 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1964. Bunning played for the Phillies from 1964-67. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

4. Jim Bunning, Phillies 1964-67, 70-71

Being the first Phillies pitcher to throw a perfect game would immediately cement you as a franchise legend, but Jim Bunning was so much more than that.

After spending the first nine seasons of his career as a Detroit Tiger, Bunning joined the Phillies as a 32-year-old in 1964. Over two stints totaling six years, Bunning compiled a 2.93 ERA over 226 games, including 208 starts, 12 games finished, and four saves. He threw 65 complete games and 23 shutouts.

In 1966 and 1967, he led MLB by starting 40+ games each season. In ’67, he also led all pitchers by throwing 302 1/3 innings; the year before, he’d pitched a career-high 314 innings and somehow not led the NL or MLB.

On the franchise pitching leaderboards, his 31.3 WAR and 1,197 strikeouts are both seventh, his 1.111 WHIP and 23 shutouts are both fourth, to name a few of the many categories in which he’s top-10. His 2.80 FIP is eighth all-time in Phillies history, but better than two of the three pitchers ranked higher than him on this list.

3. Robin Roberts, Phillies 1948-1961

An absolute workhorse, Robin Roberts carried the Phillies pitching staff for a long time, through some serious muck. For example, in his rookie season in 1948, the Phillies had three different managers.

Over 529 games and 3,739 1/3 innings in a Phillies uniform, Roberts compiled a 3.46 ERA. Between 1950-55, he led MLB in starts, from 1952-56, he led in complete games, and from 1951-55, he led in innings pitched. He also led in wins, then a relevant stat, each season between 1952-55.

Among Phillies pitchers, Roberts is the all-time leader with 69.8 WAR, 529 games played, 3,739 1/3 innings pitched, 15,294 batters faced, and 272 complete games.

Roberts was the all-time wins (234) and strikeouts (1,871) leader until Steve Carlton bested him by tacking on seven more dubs.

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