# The 21 Greatest MLB Pitchers of All Time

> Dead Ball Era legends, strikeout kings, and dominant aces of the modern era all make the cut — spanning over a century of the art of the pitch. Which arm stands alone?

*By YPB Team · Published June 13, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-21-greatest-mlb-pitchers-of-all-time*

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## Current results (5 votes)

1. **Nolan Ryan** — 40% (2 votes · score 1000/1000)
   The Ryan Express — seven no-hitters and 5,714 career strikeouts, the all-time record holder.
2. **Cy Young** — 0% (0 votes · score 795/1000)
   The namesake of pitching's highest award — 511 career wins, the all-time record that will never be broken.
3. **Lefty Grove** — 20% (1 votes · score 702/1000)
   A 300-141 career record with a 3.06 ERA — the most dominant pitcher of the 1920s and 30s.
4. **Warren Spahn** — 20% (1 votes · score 636/1000)
   The winningest left-hander in history — 363 victories spanning four decades, including service in World War II.
5. **Randy Johnson** — 20% (1 votes · score 636/1000)
   The Big Unit — 4,875 career strikeouts and five Cy Young Awards, one of the most overpowering left-handers ever.
6. **Walter Johnson** — 0% (0 votes · score 537/1000)
   The Big Train — 417 wins and 110 career shutouts, the dominant force of the Dead Ball Era.
7. **Jim Palmer** — 0% (0 votes · score 537/1000)
   Three Cy Young Awards and never allowed a grand slam — the anchor of the Baltimore Orioles dynasty.
8. **Clayton Kershaw** — 0% (0 votes · score 537/1000)
   Three-time Cy Young winner and the best left-handed pitcher of his generation, a Dodgers franchise icon.
9. **Sandy Koufax** — 0% (0 votes · score 537/1000)
   Three consecutive Cy Young Awards in the 1960s, Koufax's dominance over a six-year peak has never been matched.
10. **Tom Seaver** — 0% (0 votes · score 454/1000)
   Tom Terrific — led the Miracle Mets to the 1969 World Series and finished with 311 wins and a 2.86 ERA.
11. **Satchel Paige** — 0% (0 votes · score 353/1000)
   The ageless Negro Leagues legend who dominated for decades before MLB integration and defied age to pitch into his 50s.
12. **Whitey Ford** — 0% (0 votes · score 353/1000)
   The Chairman of the Board — the best winning percentage (.690) of any 200-win pitcher in history.
13. **Bob Feller** — 0% (0 votes · score 353/1000)
   Rapid Robert — 266 wins and three no-hitters, achieved despite losing four prime seasons to WWII military service.
14. **Max Scherzer** — 0% (0 votes · score 353/1000)
   Mad Max — three Cy Young Awards and two no-hitters in a single season, one of the fiercest competitors in modern baseball.
15. **Justin Verlander** — 0% (0 votes · score 227/1000)
   Three Cy Young Awards across three different teams, still pitching at elite level into his 40s.
16. **Bob Gibson** — 0% (0 votes · score 227/1000)
   Gibby — his 1968 ERA of 1.12 prompted the lowering of the mound, symbolising how untouchable he was.
17. **Pedro Martinez** — 0% (0 votes · score 65/1000)
   Three Cy Young Awards and a 2.93 career ERA — his seasons with Boston in the steroid era were virtually untouchable.
18. **Steve Carlton** — 0% (0 votes · score 65/1000)
   Four-time Cy Young winner who compiled 241 of his 329 wins on losing Phillies teams — carrying a franchise alone.
19. **Greg Maddux** — 0% (0 votes · score 1/1000)
   Four straight Cy Young Awards and 18 Gold Gloves — the most cerebral pitcher in baseball history.
20. **Christy Mathewson** — 0% (0 votes · score 1/1000)
   Deadball Era legend who threw three consecutive shutouts in the 1905 World Series without allowing a single run.
21. **Roger Clemens** — 0% (0 votes · score 1/1000)
   The Rocket — 354 wins and a record seven Cy Young Awards across a legendary 24-year career.

Tags: usa, sports, baseball, players