Phillies all-time best starting rotation based on WAR
Who are the Phillies best starting five in franchise history?
Over the years, the Philadelphia Phillies have had many great pitchers who have started for them in their 141 years of existence. But have you ever wondered who the best pitchers were to have donned a Phillies uniform?
We will take a look at the five best starting pitchers of all time based on wins above replacement (WAR) who would make up the Phillies' all-time starting rotation. WAR takes into consideration all aspects of the game, so it gives an accurate measurement of a player’s overall impact. In this case, we'll be using fWAR (FanGraphs WAR).
Phillies all-time best starting rotation based on WAR
Before we dive into the prestigious list, let’s recognize a few honorable mentions who just barely missed the cut.
Being only one of two Phillies pitchers to have ever pitched a perfect game, Jim Bunning (31.2 fWAR) was certainly one of the best during his time in the MLB. Posting double-digits in wins in 13 of his 17 years in the big leagues, Bunning was named an All-Star seven times and finished as a runner-up to the NL Cy Young Award in 1967.
In his six seasons with the Phillies from 1964 to 1967 and 1970 to 1971, he posted a solid 89-73 record with a 2.93 ERA and ranks fifth on the Phillies all-time list with a 1.11 WHIP and eighth with 1,197 strikeouts. Bunning’s achievements have been deservedly recognized, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.
Curt Simmons (33.5 fWAR) spent over 13 seasons with the Phillies organization from 1947 to 1960. The three-time All-Star sits fifth on the all-time wins list with 115, shutouts with 23, innings pitched with 1,939 2/3, and ninth in strikeouts with 1,052. However, the Phillies only managed to make the postseason once during his time with the club.
Finally, we have an active member among the group with current team ace Aaron Nola (34.5 fWAR) just narrowly missing out in the top five of all-time. A rare breed who has spent his entire career with just one ballclub, Nola has been the heart and soul of the Phillies for over a decade and still counting.
A former All-Star and Cy Young finalist, he currently finds himself the overall franchise leader in strikeout rate with 9.97 batters per nine innings and fourth all-time in strikeouts with 1,629. If he manages to keep up his excellence this season, Nola has a strong chance to crack the top five by the end of 2024.
Now, time for the Phillies all-time starting five based on WAR.
No. 5: Curt Schilling (38.6 fWAR)
The list wouldn’t make sense without having one of the best strikeout kings of his era in Curt Schilling. After spending four underwhelming seasons mainly as a reliever for the Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros to start his career, he began his rise to prominence after being traded from the Astros to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1992.
Schilling ended up spending almost half of his MLB career in a Phillies uniform during the '90s. He ranks seventh on the all-time list for wins with 101, eighth with a 1.12 WHIP, ninth in innings pitched with 1,659 1/3 innings, and sixth in strikeouts with 1,554. He helped the Phillies reach the World Series in 1993 after capturing NLCS MVP honors against the Atlanta Braves. However, Schilling and the Phillies ended up falling to the Toronto Blue Jays in six games, immortalized by Joe Carter's memorable walk-off home run in Game 6.
Ultimately, the bulk of Schilling's success came after leaving the organization, when he joined the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2000 to 2003, and then the Boston Red Sox from 2004 to 2007. With the Diamondbacks, not only did he finish runner-up for the NL Cy Young Award twice, he helped guide them to their first-ever World Series title in 2001. With the Red Sox, he further cemented his status as one of the best in the game, leading them to two World Series championships.
If it hadn’t been for allegations of the use of performance-enhancing drugs during his playing career, along with some of his more recent social media controversy, Schilling likely would already be a part of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Nevertheless, at least he finds himself in the Phillies Wall of Fame as an acknowledgement of his significant contributions during his time with the club.
No. 4: Cole Hamels (40.5 fWAR)
While Curt Schilling failed to lead the Phillies to the Holy Grail, Cole Hamels certainly finished the job. Drafted by Philadelphia in the first round of the 2002 MLB Draft, Hamels became a vital part of the team’s starting rotation for over a decade, from 2006 to 2015. His dominance helped the Phillies make the playoffs five consecutive seasons starting in 2007.
His most impactful moment in the organization came during the 2008 postseason run when he was named MVP of both the NLCS and World Series. Hamels went 4-0 with a stellar 1.80 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched over five huge starts, helping Philadelphia take home the championship for just the second time in the team’s history.
In total, Hamels finished with an impressive 114-90 record as a Phillie, with a career 3.30 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 1,844 strikeouts as a Phillie. His 114 wins put him sixth on the Phillies all-time list. In addition, with 1,930 career innings, he ranks just behind Curt Simmons for sixth overall in innings pitched. Finally, his 1,844 punchouts place him third overall, ahead of Nola, for now.
Hamels ended his official tenure as a Phillie when he was dealt to the Texas Rangers in 2015. He led the Rangers on two postseason runs before moving on to the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves to end his major league career.
He later attempted an inspiring comeback with his hometown San Diego Padres, but fell short, leading to his retirement announcement in August 2023. Nevertheless, Hamels’ resounding impact on the Phillies organization will never be forgotten.
No. 3: Grover (Cleveland) Alexander (50.8 fWAR)
For someone nicknamed Old Pete or Alexander the Great, Phillies legend Grover Alexander has the distinguished honor of holding the franchise record for the best winning percentage as a starter at .676. Despite only pitching with the organization for eight seasons from 1911 to 1917 and back again with the club in 1930, he accumulated an astonishing 190-91 record over 2,513 2/3 innings with a 2.18 ERA and 1.08 WHIP.
At the time, he was purely dominant, leading the NL on multiple occasions in wins, ERA, complete games, shutouts, innings pitched, and strikeouts. Had the Cy Young Award existed in his era, Alexander would likely have a hefty collection.
Overall, Alexander’s ERA, WHIP, innings pitched and wins total all rank him third on the Phillies all-time, while his 1,409 strikeouts put him seventh, sandwiched between Schilling and Bunning. He helped lead the Phillies to the World Series in 1915, but they fell at the hands of the Boston Red Sox. Nevertheless, it certainly doesn’t take away the greatness he surely put on full display with the organization at the time.
Despite his excellence, Alexander was unexpectedly traded away from the club following the 1917 season to the Cubs, as Phillies owner William Baker claimed he needed the money. Alexander went on to play nine more seasons with the Cubs before he was traded once again, this time to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1926.
After another four solid seasons with the Cardinals, Alexander had his one last hurrah in a Phillies uniform in 1930 before officially leaving MLB for good. However, his legacy in the baseball world will never be forgotten as he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1938, and deservedly so.
No. 2: Robin Roberts (62.6 fWAR)
Perhaps one of the longest-serving Phillies pitchers of all time, Robin Roberts played in parts of 14 seasons with the club from 1948 to 1961. During his time with Philadelphia, he was named an All-Star seven times, along with finishing second in MVP voting in 1952. Roberts led the NL in wins and WAR for four consecutive seasons between 1952 and 1955. He also led in games started, complete games and innings pitched on several other occasions.
At the same time, he also had the less impressive honor of leading the league in losses the following two years in 1956 and 1957. Similar to Alexander, Roberts probably would have won a Cy Young Award or two if it actually existed during his dominant years, but the inaugural top pitching award was implemented starting in the 1956 season.
In total, Roberts compiled a 234-199 record with 272 complete games, 35 shutouts, a 3.46 ERA, 114 ERA+ and 1.17 WHIP in 472 career starts for the Phillies. On top of that, he also recorded 24 saves in 57 relief appearances, showing that he could get it done as a reliever as well. As a result, Roberts tops all Phillies in franchise history for complete games, innings pitched (3,739 1/3 innings) and total games played (529 total).
Roberts found further success after joining the Orioles in 1962 for four more solid seasons, before winding down his career with stints with the Astros and Cubs. Despite his efforts, he was unable to help either of those teams to postseason success. Nevertheless, what he did for the Phillies still remains the highlight of his career. He eventually found his way into the Hall of Fame, proudly donning the Phillies cap in 1976.
No. 1: Steve Carlton (75.0 fWAR)
Finally, the best of the best stands alone on top of the all-time list with Steve Carlton taking that prestigious honor. Despite starting his career with the Cardinals, he rose to prominence during his extended 15-year tenure with the Phillies from 1972 to 1986.
Over that period, Carlton was a four-time NL Cy Young winner, a seven-time All-Star and guided the Phillies to six postseason appearances. He is also the only one on this list to have won a Gold Glove in recognition of his defensive contributions.
Most importantly, he was instrumental in helping Philadelphia win their first-ever World Series championship in 1980 when he went 3-0 with a sub-2.50 ERA during the playoffs. Carlton certainly made his mark and defined that successful era for the Phillies during his time with the club.
Not only does Carlton have the highest fWAR ever for a Phillie, but he also leads the franchise in all-time games started with 499, wins with 241 and strikeouts with 3,031. In addition, he finds himself littered across the all-time team leaderboards in other categories as well, including sitting second in total games played, second in innings pitched (3,697 1/3 innings), third in complete games (185), and second in shutouts (39). At the same time, he also holds the franchise record for less-than-stellar stats, as he has given up the most walks (1,252) and wild pitches (120).
No matter how you put it, Carlton remains one of the best ever to put on a Phillies uniform, and perhaps in all of baseball. To top it off, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot in 1994, and, of course, he donned the Phillies cap in his enshrinement.
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