Every MLB Team's Best Homegrown Pitcher of the Last 25 Years
Developing pitching talent is a skill some organizations are far superior at than others, and it has helped teams like the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays remain competitive on a tight budget.
Every team is hoping to find its next homegrown ace when it takes a highly-touted pitcher in the first round of the draft or shells out significant money for a high-ceiling teenager on the international market.
Let's shine some light on the success stories.
Ahead we've highlighted each team's best homegrown pitcher of the last 25 years, focusing specifically on the contributions those players made with the team that developed them.
In order to be eligible for inclusion, a pitcher simply had to debut during or after the 2000 season and have made his mark with the franchise that ushered him into pro ball.
Let the debate begin!
Arizona Diamondbacks: RHP Brandon Webb
1 of 30
Acquired: 2000 draft (8th round, No. 249 overall)
For a short time in the 2000s, Brandon Webb was one of the best pitchers in baseball.
The sinkerballer won 2006 NL Cy Young honors and finished runner-up in the balloting in 2007 and 2008, piling up 19.0 WAR during that impressive three-year stretch.
- 2006: 33 GS, 16-8, 3.10 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 50 BB, 178 K, 235.0 IP
- 2007: 34 GS, 18-10, 3.01 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 72 BB, 194 K, 236.1 IP
- 2008: 34 GS, 22-7, 3.30 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 65 BB, 183 K, 226.2 IP
He started on Opening Day in 2009, but lasted just four innings before landing on the injured list with a shoulder injury that ultimately required season-ending surgery and ended up being his final MLB appearance as the injuries piled up from there.
Atlanta Braves: RHP Craig Kimbrel
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Acquired: 2008 draft (3rd round, No. 96 overall)
While first-round pick Brett DeVall and second-round pick Tyler Stovall both failed to reach the majors, the Braves crushed their third-round selection when they chose Craig Kimbrel out of Wallace State Community College in Alabama.
He debuted with a 0.44 ERA and 17.4 K/9 in 21 appearances serving as a setup man to Billy Wagner in 2010, and the following year he won NL Rookie of the Year honors with an NL-leading 46 saves and a 2.10 ERA in 79 games.
The electric right-hander went on to save 186 games in five seasons with the Braves before he was traded to the San Diego Padres prior to the 2015 season, and he currently ranks sixth on the all-time list and second among active pitchers with 427 career saves.
Baltimore Orioles: LHP Zack Britton
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Acquired: 2006 draft (3rd round, No. 85 overall)
Originally drafted and developed as a starting pitcher, Zack Britton went 11-11 with a 4.61 ERA in 154.1 innings over 28 starts as a rookie in 2011, but he struggled the next two seasons before he was moved to the bullpen.
Armed with a lethal sinker, he immediately took to his new bullpen role, posting three straight elite seasons, including one of the best individual performances ever by a reliever in 2016.
- 2014: 71 G, 37/41 SV, 1.65 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 7.3 K/9
- 2015: 64 G, 36/40 SV, 1.92 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 10.8 K/9
- 2016: 69 G, 47/47 SV, 0.54 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 9.9 K/9
Injuries limited him to 38 games in 2017 and he was traded to the New York Yankees the following year, but his 139 saves in an Orioles uniform rank second in franchise history behind only Gregg Olson (160).
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Boston Red Sox: LHP Jon Lester
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Acquired: 2002 draft (2nd round, No. 57 overall)
The Red Sox fortunes finally seem to be turning when it comes to developing starting pitching with Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford and Brayan Bello all homegrown arms in the current rotation.
However, there was a long drought of cultivating their own arms, going back to Clay Buchholz, Jonathan Papelbon and Jon Lester rising the ranks to make an impact during the 2000s.
Lester was just 23 years old in his second MLB season when he helped deliver a World Series title in 2007, tossing 5.2 scoreless innings in Game 4 of the World Series. By the time the 2013 World Series rolled around, he was the ace of the staff on another title team.
Over nine seasons in Boston, he went 110-63 with a 3.64 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 1,386 strikeouts in 1,519.1 innings.
Chicago Cubs: RHP Carlos Zambrano
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Acquired: 1997 international signing (Venezuela)
A burly 6'4", 275-pound right-hander with a fiery temper and a potent bat, Carlos Zambrano was must-see TV during his time at the ace of the staff for the Chicago Cubs.
He was a three-time All-Star and made six straight Opening Day starts from 2005 through 2010, spending 11 of his 12 big league seasons with the North Siders before closing out his career with the Miami Marlins.
During his time with the Cubs, he went 125-81 with a 3.60 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 1,542 strikeouts in 1,826.2 innings, racking up 37.7 WAR to rank ninth all-time among Cubs pitchers in more than 100 years of history.
Chicago White Sox: LHP Mark Buehrle
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Acquired: 1998 draft (38th round, No. 1,139 overall)
This one was a tough call between Mark Buehrle and Chris Sale, so let's take a quick side-by-side look at their numbers with the White Sox.
- Buehrle: 161-119, 3.83 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 1,396 K, 2,476.2 IP, 48.9 WAR
- Sale: 74-50, 3.00 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 1,244 K, 1,110.0 IP, 30.1 WAR
Sale was the more dominant pitcher at his peak, but Buehrle did it for much longer and was a reliable workhorse, logging at least 200 innings in 11 straight seasons. He also tossed a no-hitter and a perfect game, and served as the ace of the staff for the 2005 World Series winning squad.
There's a strong case for both guys, but Buehrle gets the nod, and he also deserves a shoutout for being one of the biggest steals in MLB draft history as a 38th-round selection.
Cincinnati Reds: RHP Johnny Cueto
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Acquired: 2004 international signing (Dominican Republic)
Signed for just $35,000 out of the Dominican Republic, Johnny Cueto quickly developed into one of the top pitching prospects in the Cincinnati Reds farm system.
After going 12-9 with a 3.07 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 170 strikeouts in 161.1 innings across three minor league levels while reaching Triple-A in 2007, he began the following season ranked No. 34 on the Baseball America Top 100 prospect list.
He established himself as a staple in the starting rotation as a rookie in 2008 and steadily progressed into the staff ace, peaking in 2014 when he finished 20-9 with a 2.25 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 242 strikeouts in 243.2 innings to finish runner-up in NL Cy Young voting.
All told, he went 92-63 with a 3.21 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 1,115 strikeouts in 1,339 innings with the Reds, and there is a case to be made that he is the greatest pitcher in franchise history.
Cleveland Guardians: LHP CC Sabathia
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Acquired: 1998 draft (1st round, No. 20 overall)
CC Sabathia was a top-of-the-rotation workhorse from the jump in Cleveland, going 17-5 with a 4.39 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 180.1 innings as a 20-year-old rookie during the 2001 season when he was runner-up to Ichiro Suzuki in AL Rookie of the Year balloting.
The imposing 6'6", 300-pound southpaw spent eight seasons in Cleveland, earning three All-Star selections while going 106-71 with a 3.83 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 1,265 strikeouts in 1,528.2 innings.
He won 2007 AL Cy Young by going 19-7 with a 3.21 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 209 strikeouts in 241 innings, and the following year he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers ahead of his first trip to free agency, bringing back a package of prospects that included a young Michael Brantley.
The Cleveland organization has done a terrific job developing pitching talent in recent years, but they have yet to find a starter better than CC Sabathia.
Colorado Rockies: RHP Ubaldo Jiménez
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Acquired: 2001 international signing (Dominican Republic)
There is no debate that Ubaldo Jiménez authored the greatest single-season pitching performance in Colorado Rockies history in 2010.
The 26-year-old went 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 214 strikeouts in 221.2 innings, earning the starting nod in the All-Star Game and finishing third in NL Cy Young voting.
On the strength of that 7.5-WAR season, he is the franchise's all-time leader among pitchers with 18.9 WAR. He went 56-45 with a 3.66 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 773 strikeouts in 851 innings during his six seasons with the Rockies, tossing eight complete games and three shutouts along the way.
Detroit Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander
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Acquired: 2004 draft (1st round, No. 2 overall)
In one of the all-time biggest draft blunders, the San Diego Padres selected high school shortstop Matt Bush with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 draft, passing on an Old Dominion right-hander named Justin Verlander in the process.
The Tigers pounced on Verlander with the No. 2 pick and he made his MLB debut the following year before taking home 2006 AL Rookie of the Year honors when he finished 17-6 with a 3.63 ERA in 186 innings.
He went on to earn six All-Star selections and finish in the Top 10 in AL Cy Young voting six times during his 13 seasons in Detroit, including a brilliant 2011 campaign where he won Cy Young and MVP while going 24-5 with a 2.40 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 250 strikeouts in 251 innings.
While the trade that sent him to the Houston Astros ended up being a bust, his time in Detroit was still a massive success as he finished 183-114 with a 3.49 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 2,373 strikeouts in 2,511 innings.
Houston Astros: RHP Roy Oswalt
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Acquired: 1996 draft (23rd round, No. 684 overall)
Roy Oswalt is one of the most underrated pitchers of the last 25 years.
Armed with a big fastball and a knee-buckling curveball, he kicked off his MLB career in 2011 by going 14-3 with a 2.73 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 144 strikeouts in 141.2 innings.
That was the start of a brilliant eight-year stretch that saw him go 129-64 with a 3.13 ERA and 1,335 strikeouts in 1,622 innings, winning 20 games twice during that stretch while finishing in the top five in Cy Young voting five different times.
He finished his Houston career as the Astros all-time leader in WAR by a pitcher (45.7), while also ranking second in wins (143) and strikeouts (1,593).
Kansas City Royals: RHP Zack Greinke
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Acquired: 2002 draft (1st round, No. 6 overall)
Right-hander Zack Greinke was the No. 6 overall pick in a 2002 draft class that also included Cole Hamels, Prince Fielder, Scott Kazmir, Nick Swisher, Matt Cain, Denard Span and B.J. Upton.
The future Hall of Famer found some early success as a 20-year-old rookie in 2004, but he dealt with some ups and downs early in his career before everything finally clicked in 2009 when he went 16-8 with a 2.16 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 242 strikeouts in 229.1 innings.
He was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers prior to the 2011 season in a deal that brought Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar and Jake Odorizzi to Kansas City and spent 11 years playing elsewhere before making his way back to the Royals in 2022.
Will he be wearing a Royals hat on his Hall of Fame plaque?
Los Angeles Angels: RHP Jered Weaver
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Acquired: 2004 draft (1st round, No. 12 overall)
Jered Weaver went 15-1 with a 1.62 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and 213 strikeouts in 144 innings during his junior season at Long Beach State in 2004, and he might have been the No. 1 overall pick if not for high bonus demands.
He ended up getting a $4 million bonus as the No. 12 overall selection, more than Matt Bush ($3.15 million) and Justin Verlander ($3.12 million) who were the first two players off the board.
Weaver proved to be well worth the investment, going 150-93 with a 3.55 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 1,598 strikeouts in 2,025 innings over 11 seasons in an Angels uniform.
Tip of the cap to homegrown pitchers John Lackey and Francisco Rodríguez for their key role on the 2002 Angels team that won the World Series and solid overall careers with the organization.
Los Angeles Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw
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Acquired: 2006 draft (1st round, No. 7 overall)
Clayton Kershaw is the greatest pitcher of his generation and will fly into the Hall of Fame as a first-ballot selection once he decides to hang up his spikes, but for now he is still eyeing a midseason return to the Dodgers rotation.
The 36-year-old is no longer the workhorse he was in the prime of his career, but he was still pitching at a frontline level last year, going 13-5 with a 2.46 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 137 strikeouts in 131.2 innings.
In 16 seasons, he has gone 210-92 with a 2.48 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 2,944 strikeouts in 2,712.2 innings, and his 76.8 WAR checks in 28th on the all-time list among pitchers.
Miami Marlins: RHP Josh Beckett
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Acquired: 1999 draft (1st round, No. 2 overall)
The debate here came down to Josh Beckett vs. José Fernández, and there is a strong case for both hard-throwing right-handers to be the pick for the Miami Marlins.
Here's a quick look at how they fared in a Marlins uniform:
While Fernández had the superior numbers across the board in his brief time with the team before his tragic death, Beckett gets the nod on the strength of his performance during the 2003 postseason.
Just 23 years old at the time, he posted a 2.11 ERA in 42.2 innings during the team's run to a World Series title, tossing a five-hit shutout at Yankee Stadium in the decisive Game 6 of the Fall Classic.
Milwaukee Brewers: RHP Corbin Burnes
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Acquired: 2016 draft (4th round, No. 111 overall)
The Brewers had three strong candidates for their pick, with 2000s ace Ben Sheets and recent co-ace Brandon Woodruff also receiving strong consideration.
However, Corbin Burnes has a Cy Young Award on his mantle and that was enough to give him the edge in a close race.
Now pitching for the Baltimore Orioles after he was traded this past offseason, Burnes spent six seasons in Milwaukee. He broke through during the shortened 2020 campaign before logging an NL-best 2.43 ERA with 234 strikeouts in 167 innings in 2021 to win Cy Young honors.
Freddy Peralta could make a play for the top spot in the coming years if he continues to pitch at a frontline level.
Minnesota Twins: RHP José Berríos
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Acquired: 2012 draft (1st round, No. 32 overall)
The Twins have had a tough time developing pitching talent in recent years, with their last major success story being José Berríos who became the highest-drafted pitcher ever out of Puerto Rico when he went No. 32 overall in the 2012 draft.
A two-time All-Star during his six seasons with the Twins and the team's Opening Day starter in 2019 and 2020, Berríos had a 4.08 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 779 strikeouts in 781.1 innings before he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays at the 2021 deadline.
With Brad Radke debuting in 1995, Francisco Liriano acquired in a trade with the Giants and Johan Santana picked up in the Rule 5 draft, the options were limited for the Twins.
New York Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom
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Acquired: 2010 draft (9th round, No. 272 overall)
A late-bloomer who made his MLB debut just a few days before his 26th birthday, Jacob deGrom quickly made up for lost time by winning 2014 NL Rookie of the Year and developing into a lights out ace in the years that followed.
He joined fellow homegrown starter Matt Harvey in helping to lead the team to the World Series in 2015, then went on to win NL Cy Young in 2018 and 2019 when he put together two of the most dominant seasons by a pitcher in recent memory.
The 35-year-old has made just six appearances so far over the first two seasons of a five-year, $185 million deal with the Texas Rangers, and he may ultimately fall short of putting together a Hall of Fame resume, but he was the best pitcher in the game during his peak with the Mets.
New York Yankees: RHP David Robertson
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Acquired: 2006 draft (17th round, No. 524 overall)
The well has run a bit dry since the Yankees farm system produced Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera during the 1990s, and while guys like Chien Ming-Wang and Luis Severino had their moments, the team has generally turned to outside help to anchor the rotation.
Aces CC Sabathia and Gerrit Cole both started their careers elsewhere, while Masahiro Tanaka was an established ace in Japan before making his way stateside, so that leaves us with one of the best setup relievers in MLB history as the Yankees pick.
In nine seasons spanning two different stints with the Yankees, David Robertson made 501 appearances in a Yankees uniform, posting a 2.75 ERA and 12.0 K/9 with 53 saves, 145 holds and 12.9 WAR.
Oakland Athletics: LHP Barry Zito
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Acquired: 1999 draft (1st round, No. 9 overall)
The Oakland Athletics starting rotation was anchored by a homegrown "Big Three" of Barry Zito, Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder during the 2000s.
Since Hudson made his MLB debut in 1999, he was not eligible for inclusion, and that left Zito as the clear choice with his signature looping curveball and 2002 AL Cy Young Award.
He went 23-5 with a 2.75 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 182 strikeouts in 229.1 innings to take home the hardware in what would end up being the best season of his career, and after seven years in Oakland he jumped ship and joined the San Francisco Giants on a seven-year, $126 million deal that was the largest contract ever given to a pitcher at the time.
He returned to Oakland for three starts to close out his time in the big leagues in 2015, and wrapped up his Athletics career with a 3.58 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 1,098 strikeouts in 1,437.1 innings.
Philadelphia Phillies: LHP Cole Hamels
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Acquired: 2002 draft (1st round, No. 17 overall)
The Phillies built one of the best starting rotations ever assembled in 2011 thanks in large part to acquiring Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt in trades, with Cole Hamels the homegrown fourth ace on that staff.
Hamels debuted as a top prospect in 2006 and two years later he won NLCS and World Series MVP while leading the Phillies to a World Series title.
In 10 seasons with the Phillies before he was traded to the Texas Rangers at the 2015 deadline, Hamels was a three-time All-Star, received Cy Young votes four times and finished 114-90 with a 3.30 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 1,844 strikeouts in 1,930 innings while racking up 42.0 WAR.
Pittsburgh Pirates: RHP Gerrit Cole
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Acquired: 2011 draft (1st round, No. 1 overall)
Since the start of the 2000 season, Paul Maholm (11.8), Gerrit Cole (11.0) and reliever Tony Watson (9.4) are the only pitchers who have tallied at least 9.0 WAR during their time with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
That makes Cole a fairly easy choice as the Pirates pick.
His career didn't fully take off until he was traded to the Houston Astros prior to the 2018 season, but he was still the clear ace of the staff in Pittsburgh, going 59-42 with a 3.50 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 734 strikeouts in 782.1 innings during his five seasons with the team.
He was an All-Star and finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting in 2015 when he finished 19-8 with a 2.60 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 202 strikeouts in 208 innings for a Pirates team that won 98 games.
San Diego Padres: RHP Jake Peavy
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Acquired: 1999 draft (15th round, No. 472 overall)
Since Trevor Hoffman was acquired in a trade with the Marlins, there is a strong case to be made that Jake Peavy is the best homegrown pitcher since the San Diego Padres inception as a franchise back in 1969.
In eight seasons with the Padres, Peavy went 92-68 with a 3.29 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 1,348 strikeouts in 1,342.2 innings, and his 26.8 WAR during that time is the third-highest total in team history behind only Tony Gwynn (69.2) and Dave Winfield (32.0).
He led the NL in ERA in 2004, strikeouts in 2005 and won NL Cy Young in 2007 when he went 19-6 with a 2.54 ERA and 240 strikeouts in 223.1 innings to take home the pitching Triple Crown.
San Francisco Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner
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Acquired: 2007 draft (1st round, No. 10 overall)
The homegrown trio of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner was the catalyst for the San Francisco Giants winning three World Series titles in a five-year span.
Lincecum won back-to-back NL Cy Young Awards in 2008 and 2009 and was squarely in the best pitcher in baseball conversation at his peak, but that peak lasted roughly four seasons before his production fell off dramatically.
Meanwhile, Bumgarner spent 11 seasons in the Giants rotation and made five Opening Day starts during that stretch, going 119-92 with a 3.13 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 1,794 strikeouts in 1,846 innings as one of baseball's best workhorses.
His performance during the 2014 postseason when he won NLCS and World Series MVP and slammed the door with a five-inning save in Game 7 just two days after he tossed a four-hit shutout in Game 5 was truly legendary.
Seattle Mariners: RHP Félix Hernández
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Acquired: International signing (2002, Venezuela)
"King Felix" was just 19 years old when he made his MLB debut in 2005, and he went on to post a 2.67 ERA in 84.1 innings all before his 20th birthday.
From there, he quickly developed into a bona fide ace and hands down the best pitcher to wear a Seattle Mariners uniform since Randy Johnson was mowing hitters down during the 1990s.
Hernández won 2010 AL Cy Young with an AL-best 2.27 ERA, helping to usher in a new age of analyzing pitcher stats beyond just win-loss total as he went 13-12 that year pitching for a 101-loss team.
He ended up spending his entire 15-year career pitching for the Mariners, going 169-136 with a 3.42 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 2,524 strikeouts in 2,729.2 innings while climbing to No. 4 on the franchise leaderboard with 49.7 WAR.
St. Louis Cardinals: RHP Lance Lynn
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Acquired: 2008 draft (1st round, No. 39 overall)
Adam Wainwright was acquired when he was still a prospect in a trade with the Atlanta Braves and Chris Carpenter began his career in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, so the two best St. Louis Cardinals pitchers of the last 25 years were not homegrown.
That leaves Lance Lynn, Carlos Martinez, Michael Wacha, Jack Flaherty and Jaime García as the leading candidates for the Cardinals and while everyone from that group had varying levels of an impressive peak, Lynn has the best overall body of work.
Now back for his second go-around with the Cardinals, the burly right-hander has a 74-49 record with a 3.39 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 967 strikeouts in 1,029 innings in seven seasons, and he won a ring with the team in 2011.
Tampa Bay Rays: LHP David Price
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Acquired: 2007 draft (1st round, No. 1 overall)
The Rays may have whiffed on Josh Hamilton (1999), Delmon Young (2003) and Tim Beckham (2008) when they had the No. 1 overall pick, but they knocked it out of the park when they selected Vanderbilt left-hander David Price first in the 2007 draft.
Price went 11-1 with a 2.63 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 194 strikeouts in 133.1 innings during his junior season on campus, and a year later he was pitching in the big leagues, serving as a major weapon out of the bullpen during Tampa Bay's unexpected run to the 2008 World Series.
He moved into the starting rotation the following year and by 2012 he was the AL Cy Young winner and one of the best pitchers in baseball.
As is so often the case with homegrown stars in Tampa Bay, the Rays ended up trading him before he reached free agency in the deal that brought back a young Willy Adames, but he made his mark on the organization with a 3.18 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 1,065 strikeouts 1,143.2 innings.
Texas Rangers: LHP C.J. Wilson
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Acquired: 2001 draft (5th round, No. 141 overall)
The Texas Rangers failed to make a World Series run during the 1990s due to their lack of pitching, as they had one of baseball's most potent lineups throughout the decade, and their inability to develop arms stretched well into the 2000s.
Left-hander C.J. Wilson pitched well enough during his time in Texas to earn a five-year, $77.5 million deal from the Los Angeles Angels in free agency once he departed, and he was a key cog in the team's back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011.
He actually began his career as a reliever, tallying 52 saves over his first five seasons in the majors before moving into the rotation. He was a top-tier starter in 2010 (15-8, 3.35 ERA, 170 K, 204.0 IP) and 2011 (16-7, 2.94 ERA, 206 K, 223.1 IP) before reaching free agency.
Toronto Blue Jays: RHP Marcus Stroman
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Acquired: 2012 draft (1st round, No. 22 overall)
Hall of Famer Roy Halladay made his MLB debut in 1998 or he would have been the obvious choice for the Toronto Blue Jays, and the drop-off after him is a steep one.
To that point, Halladay is first on the team among pitchers with 45.4 WAR since 2000, while Marcus Stroman sits second on that list with less than one-third of his total at 12.5 WAR over his six seasons with the team.
An undersized 5'7" right-hander who entered pro ball with questions about his ability to hold up to a starter's workload, Stroman worked 200 innings in back-to-back seasons in 2016 and 2017 to develop into a quality top-of-the-rotation option.
Washington Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg
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Acquired: 2009 draft (1st round, No. 1 overall)
It's up for debate whether Stephen Strasburg lived up to being one of the most hyped pitching prospects of all-time, but when he was healthy, he was every bit the frontline ace the Washington Nationals expected.
He only made 30 starts three times in his 13-year career, but he still finished 113-62 with a 3.24 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 1,723 strikeouts in 1,470 innings, earning three All-Star selections and finishing in the top 10 in NL Cy Young voting three times.
His defining performance came in 2019 when he went 18-6 with a 3.32 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 251 strikeouts in an NL-leading 209 innings, then went 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 36.1 innings during the playoffs en route to World Series MVP honors.
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