Ranking the 10 greatest pitchers in Blue Jays history

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SAN DIEGO, CA – JULY 1992: Juan Guzman #66 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitching to the National League at Jack Murphy Stadium during the 1992 All-Star Game on July 14, l992 in San Diego, California. The American League defeated the National League 13-6. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images) /

9. Juan Guzman

Juan Guzman became a Blue Jay thanks to one of the better trades the franchise has made. The Jays sent Mike Sharperson to the Dodgers in exchange for Guzman. The former amateur free agent signee made an immediate first impression with the Jays in the 1991 season, going 10-3 with a 2.99 ERA in 23 starts. He finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year race. In his lone playoff start, he went 5.2 innings allowing just two earned runs in what ended up being the Jays’ only win of that series.

From that point until the 1998 season, Guzman had his spot in the Blue Jays rotation. In his first full season, he made his only All-Star team and had a sub 3.00 ERA again.

He once again excelled in the postseason. The Jays won all three games he started, and he allowed just four runs in 21 innings pitched that postseason, for an ERA well below 2.00. Overall in his postseason career, Guzman went 5-1 with a 2.44 in eight career starts. A very underrated piece of the consecutive World Series victories.

The rest of Guzman’s Jays career was pretty up and down, but he did lead the league with a 2.93 ERA in the 1996 season.

Guzman ranks sixth in bWAR for pitchers, seventh in strikeouts, and fourth in strikeouts in Blue Jays history. Overall, he was a consistent presence in the Blue Jays rotation for 7.5 seasons who really stepped up in the Postseason, helping them win two World Series championships.

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