Cleveland Indians Top Ten All-Time Pitchers
Ranking the Cleveland Indians All-Time Top Ten Pitchers
The Cleveland Indians are one of the oldest and most historic franchises in baseball history, and they’ve had more than their fair share of pitching greats throughout history. With the Tribe’s current rotation breaking records each season, it’s time to look back on the best pitchers in Indians’ history.
Although we’ve ranked the top ten pitchers, first, let’s start with the runner-ups (in no particular order):
RHP Charles Nagy: Charles Nagy was a three-time All-Star for the Indians teams of the 1990s, but there were far too many truly great pitchers to include him among the top ten. Nagy finished his Tribe career with a 129-103 record and a 4.51 ERA, which means he’s more of a fan-favorite than a truly outstanding pitcher, even in the steroid era. Still, who doesn’t have fond memories of him during the Indians’ World Series runs?
LHP CC Sabathia: CC Sabathia won the Cy Young in 2007, but he was actually pretty good in all of his other Indians years, as well. He was a three-time All-Star with the Indians, and a three-time All-Star with the Yankees. He finished his Cleveland career after eight strong years that included a 106-71 record, a 3.83 ERA, and 1265 strikeouts.
RHP Cy Young: It was difficult to leave Cy Young off of the top ten, consider there is an award named after him. However, most of his success came with the Boston Red Sox. He started his career with the Cleveland Spiders, where he was just as impressive, but he didn’t play for the Cleveland Naps until 1909. In those three seasons, he went 29-29 with a 2.50 ERA and 187 strikeouts.
RHP Satchel Paige: Satchel Paige spent the majority of his career in the Negro League, but when he was finally able to join MLB in 1948, he did so with the World Series-winning Cleveland Indians. He spent two years with the Tribe, posted a 10-8 record and a 2.58 ERA in 155.2 innings. Despite being the olded player in the league for most of his career, Paige was an All-Star in 1952 and 1952, and had he played in a different era where race wasn’t an issue, it’s probable that he would’ve been much higher on this list.
Next: All-Time Best Pitchers: #10
#10: RHP Luis Tiant
Is Luis Tiant the greatest pitcher to be excluded from the Baseballl Hall of Fame? The Cuban-born right-hander got his major league start with the Cleveland Indians, who signed him for $35,000 in 1961. After a few years in the minor leagues, Tiant made his debut on July 19, 1964.
That season, Tiant went 10-4 with a 2.83 ERA, including nine complete games and three shutouts, in 127 innings. He also struck out 105 batters and walked just 47.
Over six years with Cleveland, Tiant maintained a 2.84 ERA over 1200 innings, striking out 1041 batters in the process. He led the American League in ERA in his All-Star 1968 season, posting a 1.60 ERA and a 2.04 FIP, and finishing the season with a 21-9 record. Tiant was part of a staff that included Sudden Sam McDowell, making it one of the best rotations in Tribe history.
In 1969, Tiant had a terrible season and was subsequently dealt to Minnesota in exchange for Graig Nettles and Dean Chance. He spent a season with the Twins before signing with the Boston Red Sox, where he spent the majority of his career. Despite picking up two more All-Star appearances and winning the ERA title a second time in 1972, Tiant just couldn’t match the same consistent ace-like success that he had with the Tribe. He was still a very good pitcher, however, and finished his career with a 3.30 ERA and 2416 strikeouts.
Tiant, who was much more popular with fans than sportswriters, was not elected to the Hall of Fame despite having better career numbers – including a 54.8 career WAR – than several other pitchers who were bestowed with that honor. Despite that, his contributions to the Indians’ rotations of the 1960s makes him a fitting choice for #10 on this list.
Next: All-Time Best Pitchers: #9
#9: RHP Mel Harder
Mel Harder’s playing career with the Indians ended before they won the 1948 World Series, but he did get to celebrate as their pitching coach. The veteran right-hander made his major league debut in 1928, pitching in 23 games as a reliever with pretty average results. In 1930, he moved to the rotation and saw much more consistent success.
Harder was not as dominant of a pitcher as some of the names on this list – his career ERA was 3.80, and he struck out just 1161 batters despite pitching 3426.1 innings in a Tribe uniform – but he is still one of the greatest pitchers in Indians’ history. His career 223-186 record is one of the best in Indians history.
In 1933, his 2.95 ERA lead the American League, and in five other seasons, he was in the AL Top-Ten. Harder was an All-Star from 1934 to 1937, and received MVP votes in three seasons. Altogther, he played 582 games in an Indians uniform – the most of any Cleveland starter.
With a career WAR of 43, Harder is ranked 11th among the Tribe’s All-Time leaders, and his contributions to the Cleveland Indians organization hardly stop in 1947. Beginning the year after he retired as a player, Harder joined the Tribe’s coaching staff and guided pitchers like Mike Garcia, Herb Score and Sam McDowell to greatness.
Although Harder isn’t a Baseball Hall of Famer, his number 18 was retired by the Cleveland Indians in 1990, and his legacy will live on in Tribe history.
Next: All-Time Best Pitchers: #8
#8: RHP Mike Garcia
Right-hander Mike Garcia signed with the Cleveland Indians in 1942, but his major league debut came much later and included an interruption while he served in the United States Army for three years during World War II. After his return, Garcia debuted shortly before the Tribe started the 1948 World Series, but he did not pitch in the playoffs.
Garcia spent time both as a reliever and a starter, and had a reputation for being athletic despite his size. He pitched as a part of the “Big Four”, which included Bob Feller, Early Wynn and Bob Lemon – and was the only pitcher of the group not to be elected to the Hall of Fame. The 1950s Indians’ rotation is widely regarded as one of the best rotations of all time, and Garcia is an often-forgotten part of it.
The right-hander was a three-time All-Star, and twice led the American League in ERA. Garcia also was among the top-ten pitchers in WAR in 1949, and again each season from 1951 to 1954. He threw a fastball and a curveball, which helped him to be a top-ten pitcher in strikeouts from 1951 to 1955, as well as lead the league in shutouts twice. Perhaps most impressively, Garcia was the AL leader in FIP four times as well.
Altogether, this former Indians’ great spent 12 years with Cleveland before finishing his career with one-year stints with the Chicago White Sox and finally the Washington Senators. There’s no explanation for why he didn’t make the Baseball Hall of Fame cut even though his teammates did, but Garcia was inducted into the Indians’ franchise Hall of Fame in 2007.
Next: All-Time Best Pitchers: #7
#7: LHP Sam McDwell
Left-hander Sam McDowell is ranked 14th on the Indians’ All-Time WAR list, earning a 41 WAR over 11 years with the Tribe. “Sudden Sam” was known for his unique delivery, which helped him become a six-time All-Star during his fifteen-year career.
McDowell’s name is littered across the record books in franchise history, including the Indians’ best season in strikeouts per nine innings, at 10.714. Among Tribe players, his 42.3 WAR for pitchers is ranked fifth all-time.
But it’s certainly strikeouts that truly make McDowell a legend. When Corey Kluber set his career-high record of 269 strikeouts in 2014, he was chasing not just Bob Feller’s untouchable 1946 record of 348 punch outs, but four of McDowell’s seasons. The left-hander trails only Feller in career strikeouts as an Indian, with 2159. Of course, McDowell went on to have another five seasons after leaving the Tribe, bringing his total career total up to 2453 punch outs in 2492.1 innings.
During his tenure with the Indians, he maintained a 2.99 ERA over 336 games, and lead the league in FIP three times. His 1965 season was the best of his career, winning the AL pitching title as he bested the league in ERA, strikeouts and WAR – although he was only fourth in wins. As a five-time strikeout leader, the only knock on McDowell were control issues that often made him a league leader in walks, as well.
McDowelll is not a Hall of Famer, but it’s hard to imagine that anyone will ever knock him out of the franchise record books.
Next: All-Time Best Pitchers: #6
#6: RHP Stan Coveeski
Few Cleveland Indians players can boast that they were on the mound in a game where their team clinched a World Series Championship, but right-hander Stan Coveleski is one of them. In Game 7 of the 1920 World Series, Coveleski pitched a beauty of a game – a 3-0 shutout victory over the Brooklyn Robins.
Coveleski was a spitball pitcher throughout his major league career, and he was even one of the players who were “grandfathered” in when the pitch was banned, still permitted to through the pitch for the remainder of his career. Despite leading the league in strikeouts in 1920, with 133, Coveleski was never much of a strikeout pitcher. He had just 981 in his 14-year career, despite throwing 3082 innings.
Most of his time as a major leaguer was spent in Cleveland, after a brief stint with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1912. After debuting with the Tribe in 1916, Coveleski spent nine years in an Indians uniform before being dealt to the Washington Senators, and finally closing out his career as a New York Yankee.
During his time with the Indians, Coveleski had a 2.80 ERA and 31 shutouts in 193 complete games. Of course, this was an era when pitching all nine innings was not uncommon, but he was still often in the American League’s top-ten for both complete games and shutouts.
In 1969, Coveleski was selected for the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee, thanks in part to winning the AL pitching title twice in his career, and having a career 65.2 WAR for pitchers that ranks 43rd all-time. The 51 WAR he earned with the Tribe put him fifth All-Time, and second among Indians’ pitchers.
Next: All-Time Best Pitchers: #5
#5 RHP Early Wynn
Right-hander Early Wynn was another key part of the “Big Four” rotation, pitching alongside Bob Feller, Mike Garcia and Bob Lemon in the 1950s. His career, however, began in 1939 when he made his debut for the Washington Senators. After eight solid seasons with the Senators and a one-year stint with the United States Army during World War II, Wynn was traded to the Cleveland Indians.
Wynn spent ten years in Cleveland, pitching in 343 games with a 3.24 ERA and 1277 strikeouts. He had a terrific fastball that helped him to 24 shutouts with the Tribe, as well as 36 complete games. Wynn’s 39 WAR as an Indian is ranked 15th in franchise history. After nine years with the Tribe, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1958, but he returned for one final season in 1963.
Wynn was an All-Star in seven seasons, first in 1947 and then again in every year from 1955-1960. He won the Cy Young Award in 1959, after finishing the year with a 3.17 ERA, a record of 22-10, and 179 strikeouts – just one season after the Indians dealt him to the White Sox.
In 1972, Wynn was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the voters, landing on 76 percent of ballots on his fourth year of eligibility. Although he doesn’t get as much recognition as other pitchers from his era, Wynn was certainly an important part of one of the best rotations that baseball has ever seen.
Next: All-Time Best Pitchers: #4
#4 RHP Bob Lemon
Another member of the “Big Four” rotation who will never be forgotten is right-hander Bob Lemon. Lemon was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976, after a career spent entirely with the Cleveland Indians.
His career actually began in 1941, when he made appearances as a utility man for the Tribe in five games. In 1943, he left baseball to serve in the United States Navy during World War II, and spent three years away from the game.
When Lemon returned, he quickly became a pitcher rather than a position player. In fifteen years with the Indians – thirteen of them on the mound – Lemon averaged a 3.23 ERA, with a 207-128 record and 1277 strikeouts. He led the league in innings pitched four times, and five times he had the most complete games of any pitcher.
Lemon was also a seven-time All-Star, a three-time AL wins leader, and a one-time AL strikeout leader in 1950. The right-hander helped the Indians in their quest for a World Series in 1948, and he also led the New York Yankees to their 1978 Championship as a manager.
On June 30, 1948, Lemon became the ninth pitcher in Tribe history to record a no-hitter, as he defeated the Detroit Tigers 2-0 in a shutout victory. His 48 career WAR is ranked sixth among Indians players, and in 1998, the team retired his number 21.
Next: All-Time Best Pitchers: #3
#3: RHP Gaylord Perry
Gaylor Perry spent only three and a half seasons with the Indians, so ranking him so high in the list speaks more to his career accomplishments than his time with the Tribe. However, his years with Cleveland were some of the best of his 22-year career.
Perry joined the Tribe in 1972, after being traded to the Indians with Frank Duffy in exchange for Sam McDowell. He went 24-16, leading the league in wins as he threw 29 complete games and seven shutouts, with a 1.92 ERA and 238 strikeouts, picking up the Cy Young Award.
Perry was a five-time All-Star and two-time Cy Young Winner (once in each league), as well as receiving MVP votes in six seasons. He led his respective league in wins three times, and twice in his career – including that 1972 season – led the American League in WAR.
Perry was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1991 on his third ballot, after a career that included eight teams. The San Francisco Giants retired his number 36 in 2005, and the Indians inducted him into their franchise Hall of Fame in 2012. Although his time with the Tribe was short, Perry was one of the best pitchers to ever wear an Indians uniform.
Next: All-Time Best Pitchers: #2
#2: RHP Addie Joss
At the very beginning of Cleveland’s franchise history, right-hander Addie Joss led the Indians’ rotation. After he debuted with the Cleveland Bronchos in 1902 with an ERA of 2.77, Joss’s ERA never again was higher than 2.26. His nine-year career resulted in a 1.89 ERA, 920 strikeouts, and just 364 walks. His record was 160-97.
Joss had a promising second half to his career ahead of him, but he died suddenly in 2011 after contracting tuberculous meningitis shortly before the season started. Because of this, combined with the stellar numbers he had posted earlier in his career, the Baseball Hall of Fame passed a special resolution that stated that the ten-year minimum for eligibility would be waived to admit Joss. He was voted in to the Hall of Fame in 1978 by the Veterans’ Committee.
During Joss’s time with Cleveland, he led the league in ERA twice and was in the top ten in every other season of his career. He also led the league in wins in 1907.
Joss holds the MLB record in career WHIP, at just .968. He had two no-hitters, one against the Detroit Tigers on September 4, 1907, and the other against the New York Highlanders on September 25, 1907. He also threw a perfect game on October 2, 1908 against the Chicago White Sox.
Addie Joss’s career might have been short, but it was certainly one of the best careers in history.
Next: All-Time Best Pitchers: #1
#1 RHP Bob Feller
There’s no one else who could possibly make the cut as the number one pitcher in Indians’ history. Bob Feller was a superstar, posting a career 266-162 record with an ERA of 3.25 and an astonishing 2,581 strikeouts.
Among Feller’s many achievements, he was an eight-time All-Star and six-time American League wins leader. In 1940, he won the pitching Triple Crown, as he bested everyone in ERA, wins and strikeouts. It was hardly the first or last time that he’d lead in strikeouts – he did it seven times in his career.
Feller’s fastball made him nearly impossible to hit. On April 16, 1940, he threw the only Opening Day no-hitter in the history of baseball. The New York Yankees suffered the same fate on April 30, 1946. Feller threw this third career no hitter on July 1, 1951, against the Detroit Tigers.
He pitched 18 years for the Indians, despite having his career interrupted in December 1941 with four years of service in the United States Navy during World War II. During that time, he won 20 games in six seasons, led the league in WAR twice, and led the league in innings pitched five times. Scouts, coaches and fellow players all agreed that no one could compare to his talent as a pitcher.
In 1962, Feller was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, and in 1956, the Indians retired his number 19 – the first number they had retired in franchise history. It’s not a bold statement to say that there will never be another pitcher in Indians history who can stand up to Bob Feller’s legacy.
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