Ranking the 10 greatest pitchers in Blue Jays history

The Toronto Blue Jays just signed Kevin Gausman to a five-year $110 million dollar contract this offseason. He’s expected to be a mainstay at the top of a rotation that has the potential to be among the league’s best, including guys like Jose Berrios, Alek Manoah, and Hyun-Jin Ryu. Gausman essentially replaced Robbie Ray who just won the 2020 American League Cy Young Award.

The Jays have had some very solid pitching the last couple of years and they are hoping Gausman or any of their other current starters can make their way on a list like this.

Who are the 10 greatest Blue Jays pitchers in franchise history?

10. David Wells

David Wells had two different stints with the Blue Jays, one from 1987-1992, the other from 1999-2000. The two stints were very different. When first called up, Wells was used exclusively in relief. He was initially used as a long reliever before being utilized in more high leverage spots as he continued to pitch well.

In each of the following three seasons, Wells split time between the rotation and bullpen and performed well. Overall, he had a 3.78 ERA in 237 appearances (69 starts) from 1987-1992. He threw 687.1 innings, which is a ton for a guy who pitched most of the time out of the bullpen. His 108 ERA+ in that span shows that he was a tick above average as a pitcher.

He was a contributor in the postseason as well. He allowed no runs in his one inning pitched in the 1989 ALCS. He allowed two runs in four games (7.2 IP) in the 1991 ALCS. He also allowed no runs in four games (4.1 IP) in the 1992 World Series victory.

When Wells was traded back to the Blue Jays after the 1998 season, he arrived with a lot of pressure. He was coming off of three straight 200+ inning seasons with the Orioles and Yankees and was traded in a package in exchange for Roger Clemens, who had just won two Cy Young Awards with the Jays.

Wells might not have been Roger Clemens, but he was a really solid arm for the Jays in the two seasons he pitched for them. His ERA’s were high, but a big reason for that was due to the very heavy workload. Wells led the American League with 231.2 innings pitched and seven complete games in the 1999 season.

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He followed that up with another 229.2 innings pitched in a league-leading 35 starts and nine complete games in the 2000 season. He was an All-Star, finished third in the Cy Young balloting, and finished 17th in the MVP balloting. He also was the first Jays lefty to win 20 games in a season.

What was so impressive about those two seasons was his ability to limit walks. He walked just 2.4/9 in the 1999 season and 1.2/9 in the 2000 season. He also kept the ball in the ballpark as he allowed 1.2 HR/9 in 1999 and 0.9 HR/9 in 2000. For a pitcher who allowed a lot of hits and didn’t have the best stuff in the world at that time, those two things were crucial to Wells performing like a top-end starter.

Wells wasn’t a flashy pitcher, but he pitched for the Jays for a while and had a lot of success in Toronto. He’s ninth in bWAR among pitchers, sixth in wins, seventh in innings pitched, and seventh in strikeouts.

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.

8. Jim Clancy

Jim Clancy is a prime example of longevity mattering when making a list like this. He wasn’t the best pitcher the Jays have ever had, but pitching in Toronto for 12 years helps his case a lot.

The Jays got their hands on Clancy in the 1976 Expansion Draft. He made 13 starts in their inaugural season of 1977, posting a 5.05 ERA and walking (5.5 BB/9) more batters than he struck out (5.2 K/9). Clancy was very raw, but was solid in his first full season in the majors, posting a 4.09 ERA and a 95 ERA+. He was serviceable for a team that had very little talent.

Clancy’s best season came in 1980 when he went 13-16 with a 3.80 ERA in 34 starts. His 131 ERA+ was the highest mark he had in his career and his 5.5 bWAR was also a career-best. He struck out 152 batters in 250.2 innings pitched, and he also led the league with 128 walks. The lack of control was a big issue for Clancy but it’s something he was able to work at and improve on.

In the 1982 season, he lowered his walk rate from 4.6 BB/9 to 2.6 BB/9. That season he led the league with 40 starts and he pitched 266.2 innings while having a 3.71 ERA. He made the All-Star team that year as well, the only appearance he would make in the Midsummer Classic.

Clancy was inconsistent in his tenure with the Blue Jays but he was one of the few serviceable starters they had while he was in Toronto. He’s second in games started and innings pitched and he’s third in strikeouts and shutouts, leaving his name all over the franchise pitching leaderboards.

7. Duane Ward

Duane Ward was the ninth overall pick in the 1982 MLB draft by the Atlanta Braves. He was initially supposed to be a starter but once he started struggling in the minor leagues, the Blue Jays acquired him in exchange for Doyle Alexander. They traded a solid starter, but Alexander is not on this list, Ward is.

The Jays had transformed Ward into a reliever, a decision they were very pleased with. He became a dominant set-up man for closer Tom Henke. He was a guy who made a boatload of appearances, often going multiple innings at a time. He was used in different situations, sometimes in the middle of games and sometimes at the end. He even accumulated 23 saves in the 1991 season. That year he finished ninth in the American League Cy Young balloting. He recorded double-digit saves every season from 1988-1993 while throwing over 100 innings in each season as well.

Ward’s Achilles heel throughout his career was his inability to throw strikes consistently. He had great stuff, but could never seem to control it as well as he wanted to. He had a 9.3 K/9 in his career with the Jays which is excellent, but he walked 3.9/9 which is not good at all.

Even with the walks being an issue, his ability to keep the ball in the ballpark (0.4 HR/9 in his career) helped him be extremely successful.

Once Henke left in free agency after the 1992 season, Ward was promoted to the full-time closer role and ran with it. He recorded 45 saves which led the American League for the eventual World Series champs and is still the single-season record for the Jays.

In his nine-year Jays career, Ward ranks second in appearances, second in ERA, and second in saves. He’s one of the best relievers the Jays have ever had.

6. Pat Hentgen

Pat Hentgen had plenty of ups and downs during his time in Toronto. He started off in the majors on a great note. In 1993, Hentgen pitched in his first full season in the Major Leagues and finished second in the American League with 19 wins in 34 appearances (32 starts).

He threw 216.1 innings and posted a 3.87 ERA. He was an All-Star and finished sixth in the Cy Young balloting. Hentgen also pitched very well in his lone World Series start, going six innings and allowing just one run while striking out six in the Game 3 victory. Hentgen was lined up to pitch Game 7 if Joe Carter’s historic walk-off home run didn’t happen.

In the next two seasons, Hentgen established himself as a staple in the Jays rotation. He was a premier innings eater and had grown into a very reliable arm.

The 1996 season was Hentgen’s best. He went 20-10 with a 3.22 ERA. He led the league with 265.2 innings pitched in 35 starts. He ended up winning the first Cy Young Award in Blue Jays history. His 8.6 bWAR that year is second in franchise history, only behind Roger Clemens’ 1997 season.

Following the Cy Young year, Hentgen had a 5.8 bWAR which is still very good. His final two seasons in Toronto weren’t very good at all and put a damper on his career numbers with the Jays.

Hentgen ranks fourth in bWAR for pitchers, and fifth in wins, innings pitched, and strikeouts. In my opinion, he’s a top-five starting pitcher in Blue Jays history, even if he falls just short for the purposes of this list.

5. Tom Henke

The best reliever in Blue Jays history is without a doubt Tom Henke. His career as a Blue Jay got off to a flying start as he had 13 saves in his first 28 appearances as a Blue Jay. Strangely enough, he finished seventh in the Rookie of the Year balloting and 20th in the American League MVP voting. He only threw 40 innings so it’s strange that he’d even be in MVP consideration.

Henke’s best season came in 1987 when he was an All-Star and had a 2.49 ERA in 72 appearances. He led the league with 34 saves in 42 opportunities. At the time those 34 saves set a single-season franchise record. He also struck out 12.3/9 which is an impressive number, especially in those days. His 182 ERA+ shows just how dominant he was that season.

Henke and Duane Ward were two dominant relievers pitching in the same bullpen for a long stretch, which was a key reason why the Jays were successful. It’s a shame that Henke left after the 1992 season, and Ward’s career was cut short by injury, but they both left a lasting impact on the franchise.

In his Blue Jays career, he went 29-29 with a franchise-best 2.48 ERA in 446 appearances. He had a franchise-record 217 saves while being the leader with 10.3 K/9 as well. He was dominant year after year for eight seasons, culminating in a World Series victory in the 1992 season when Henke had three saves in the ALCS, with two more in the World Series.

4. Jimmy Key

Jimmy Key is one of the most consistent pitchers the Blue Jays have had. He didn’t blow hitters away, but he didn’t walk many either, and the southpaw kept the ball in the ballpark. When Key was first called up in 1984 he was used exclusively as a reliever. Once the Jays took the training wheels off the following season and let Key start games, he made an immediate impact. His 141 ERA+ was fourth in the American League and he was an All-Star.

In the 1987 season, Key led the American League with a 2.76 ERA. He went 17-8 in 36 starts and 261 innings pitched. He led the league with a 164 ERA+ and a 1.057 WHIP. He ended up finishing second in the American League Cy Young race behind Roger Clemens. Key being this dominant while only striking out 5.6/9 is impressive.

Key was outstanding in the 1992 postseason for the Jays. In his one appearance in the ALCS, he delivered three shutout innings in a win. In his lone World Series start, he went 7.2 innings allowing just one run on five hits, with no walks and six strikeouts in a 2-1 Jays win that put them up 3-1 in the series.

Key would then come out of the bullpen just two days later and pitch in the decisive Game 6. He tossed 1.1 innings allowing an unearned run. He ended up being the winning pitcher in the series clincher.

Key did not throw hard and did not strike out many hitters, but he was extremely effective in his nine years in Toronto, including on the biggest stage. He ranks third in bWAR for pitchers, third in ERA (first for starting pitchers), fourth in innings pitched, and second in WHIP.

3. Roger Clemens

When coming up with a top 10 pitchers in franchise history list, there are a bunch of factors that need to be considered. Longevity is crucial as it is hard to rank someone who barely pitched for the franchise. However, if the pitcher is as successful as Roger Clemens was in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, exceptions can be made.

The Jays signed Clemens in the 1996 offseason to a four-year $40 million-dollar deal. He was joining a rotation that included the 1996 American League Cy Young Award winner Pat Hentgen, and also Juan Guzman. It’s safe to say that signing paid off.

In Rocket’s first season with the Blue Jays, he won the fourth Cy Young Award of his career. He went 21-7 with a 2.05 ERA in 34 starts, and he struck out 292 batters in 264 innings pitched. He led the American League in wins, ERA, innings pitched, strikeouts, pretty much every major statistical category. He won the Triple Crown and had the best individual season a Blue Jays pitcher has ever had.

He followed that up with another Cy Young Award. He went 20-6 with a 2.65 ERA in 33 starts. Clemens again won the Triple Crown as he led the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. He might not have been as dominant as he was the year prior, but Clemens again had one of the best single seasons a Blue Jays pitcher has ever had.

Those two seasons were all we had of Roger Clemens in Toronto. He had somehow re-found his form after appearing to be on a steady decline. Whether that’s due to the usage of performance-enhancing drugs is a whole other conversation, but Clemens absolutely deserves to be ranked highly as one of the best pitchers to ever wear a Blue Jays uniform.

1. Roy Halladay

The best pitcher in Blue Jays history is Roy Halladay. As I stated before, it was between Halladay and Stieb for this number one spot and I went with Halladay for a couple of different reasons. First, Halladay won a Cy Young Award while playing for the Blue Jays. Second, Halladay is in the Hall of Fame while Stieb is on the outside looking in. Third, I believe Halladay had a better peak.

Either way, it’s neck and neck. Halladay struck out more batters because of the era he played in, while Stieb threw more innings than Halladay because of the era he played in. Stieb struck out a decent amount of hitters for his era, while Halladay led the league in innings pitched three times even if he didn’t throw quite as many as Stieb did some years.

In the 2000s Roy Halladay was one of, if not the best pitcher in the game. He was consistently dominant for some Jays teams that were not very good at all. From 2002-2009 Halladay won a Cy Young, finished in the top five four other times, and made six All-Star teams. In 2003, Halladay went 22-7 with a 3.25 ERA in 36 starts. He led the league in wins, starts, and his 266 innings pitched led the league as well. That was the year he won the Cy Young award. The best stat from that season was the fact that he walked just 1.1/9. From 2002-2009 Halladay walked over 2.0/9 just once.

The Blue Jays have had some very talented pitchers in their 45-year history. These are the 10 best to play for the franchise.

From 2002-2009 Halladay led the American League in ERA and fWAR. He won the one Cy Young Award with the Jays, but probably should’ve won at least one more. In his prime, he had a great argument for the best pitcher in baseball.

While Stieb is the leader in bWAR, Halladay is second. Halladay is also the franchise’s leader in fWAR. Halladay is in the top three in pretty much every relevant pitching stat, often behind Stieb because he didn’t throw as many innings. Halladay is the most dominant pitcher the Jays have ever had and in my opinion the best pitcher in Jays history.