Dodgers: Ranking the Top 5 starting pitchers in franchise history

Who are the best starting pitchers in Dodgers history?

The Dodgers might just have the deepest all-time pitching depth chart of any team in baseball history. As a result, this was not an easy list to make, and there are several pitchers who would be a lot higher on a list for basically any other franchise.

Since we have so many pitchers to talk about, let’s get right into the conversation with some honorable mentions before we rank the top five starters in Dodgers history.

Honorable Mentions:

Johnny Podres

Johnny Podres was a Dodger workhorse and World Series hero. A three-time World Series champion over a 13-year Dodger career, Padres is perhaps best known for his performance in the ‘55 series. He threw complete games in Game 3 and Game 7, giving up a total of two runs and being named the first ever Series MVP.

Podres’ best season came in 1957 when he led the NL with a 2.66 ERA and 1.08 WHIP, a feat even more impressive as he missed the previous season while serving in the Navy. He was a three-time All-Star, and posted a 3.66 ERA over his Dodger tenure. Podres compiled an impressive 2.13 ERA over six career World Series games, and hit .313 with a double in 16 Series at bats.

Tommy John

You may associate him with the reconstructive elbow surgery that bears his name, but Tommy John had quite the playing career. His 288 wins are the most of any pitcher not in the Hall of Fame, and he was a four-time All-Star. John posted some solid seasons after coming to the Dodgers in the Dick Allen trade, leading the NL in winning percentage in back-to-back seasons. He then suffered a debilitating elbow injury in 1974, and became the namesake of the innovative surgery he underwent to correct it. John actually had some of his best seasons after the surgery, finishing second in Cy Young voting in 1977. He posted a 2.97 ERA over six seasons in LA, and was the guinea pig for a procedure that has salvaged many a pitching career.

Dazzy Vance

We’re going back to the days of the Brooklyn Robins for this one. Charles Arthur Vance bounced around a couple teams before being included as a throw-in when the Robins acquired catcher Hank DeBerry. Vance and DeBerry ended up blossoming into arguably the most dynamic battery duo of the 1920’s. Dazzy’s best season came in 1924, when he won the pitcher’s Triple Crown and was named Most Valuable Player. He struck out nearly twice as many batters as the runner up, and set the then-record for strikeouts in a game with 15. Over 12 years in Brooklyn, Vance totaled 190 wins, 29 shutouts, 1,918 strikeouts, and a 3.14 FIP. We could only imagine what his numbers would’ve looked like if he pitched more than 33 innings in his twenties.

Fernando Valenzuela

Fernando Valenzuala had one of the most dramatic and highly publicized rises to stardom in all of baseball history. Fernandomania swept the nation as the 20-year-old lefty became the first player ever to win the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season. He posted a stellar 2.48 ERA, threw eight shutouts, and led the league in innings and strikeouts.

The 1981 season began a six-year streak of All-Star appearances for the screwball specialist, and he finished in the top five in Cy Young voting three other times in that span. Fernando was also no slouch with the bat in his hands and with the glove, winning a Gold Glove and two Silver Sluggers, as well as hitting .368 as a pinch hitter. He totaled a 3.31 ERA and 1,759 strikeouts over an 11-year Dodger career, and remained active with the team after his retirement. Valenzuela joined the Dodgers’ Spanish broadcast team in 2003, and maintains a devout following in the Latino community.

Claude Osteen

Claude Osteen may have just been the most dominant high school pitcher in the nation when the Reds signed him to a big league contract at age 17. As a senior at Reading High School, he fanned 221 batters in just 103.2 innings with a microscopic 0.13 ERA. However, Osteen never really figured it out in Cincinnati, and was traded to the Washington Senators. The Jim Nabors lookalike pitched better than his record in Washington, and soon became a hot commodity as a stellar pitcher on a not so stellar team.

The Dodgers traded for Gomer in 1964 and he furthered his reputation as one of the premier pitchers in the Senior Circuit. Osteen was a three-time All-Star in LA, and posted an ERA as low as 2.64. He was also noted for his ability to keep the ball in the yard, leading the majors with a .2 HR/9 in 1966. Over a 9 year Dodger career, Osteen compiled 147 wins, a 3.09 ERA, and 34 shutouts, and was a part of the 1965 World Series team.

Orel Hershiser

Orel Hershiser wasn’t a highly touted prospect when the Dodgers drafted him, but he became one of if not the most valuable Dodgers of the 1980’s. The 17th round pick out of Bowling Green cruised through the minor leagues despite less than lofty expectations, and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting during his first full season.

Hershiser blossomed the following year, finishing third in Cy Young voting with a 2.03 ERA and 19-3 record. He had a run of three consecutive All-Star seasons, punctuated with a historic 1988 campaign. Bulldog won the Cy Young unanimously after throwing an MLB 59 consecutive scoreless innings, as well as becoming the only player to win the Cy Young, NLCS MVP, and World Series MVP in the same season. Hershiser lost a couple seasons after his historic run to injury, but remained an effective pitcher after he recovered. He ended his 13 year Dodger career with a 3.12 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 1,456 strikeouts, and is currently part of the Dodger broadcast team.

4. Best Dodgers starters of all-time: Don Sutton

Although not an overpowering pitcher, Don Sutton was one of the most durable and dependable right-handed pitchers of the modern era.

Sutton had been mentored by Henry Roper, a schoolteacher who pitched in the Giants organization from an early age. Despite being one of the best high school pitchers in the state of Florida, Sutton had no professional offers and played at a local community college. He finally caught the Dodgers’ attention after transferring to Whittier and putting on an impressive showing.

Sutton made his big league debut April 14 1966, the same exact day fellow Hall of Fame hurler Greg Maddux was born. Sutton had no issues sliding into the already star-laden staff, finishing his rookie season with a 2.99 ERA. His 209 strikeouts were the most by a rookie since 1911, and were even more impressive next to just 52 walks.

Sutton showed great poise on the mound, and although he struggled at times during the next few seasons, he established himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball by 1971. He made his first All-Star appearance, one of four in the decade, in 1972, and finished fifth in Cy Young voting with a 2.08 ERA, as well as leading the league in WHIP and shutouts. Sutton would finish in the top 5 in Cy Young voting the next four years, and developed a reputation as a workhorse, throwing as many as 276 innings in a season. He seemed like a lock to win the award in 1976 after ending the year on a 14-1 streak (he had a 1.62 ERA in that span), but ultimately finished third behind Randy Jones and Jerry Koosman.

Despite Sutton’s introverted personality sometimes clashing with the outspoken style of new manager Tommy Lasorda, he continued to pitch well and helped lead the Dodgers to back to back pennants in 1977 and ‘78. Sutton never won the World Series with the Dodgers, however, as he was granted free agency after the 1980 season despite leading the majors in ERA and WHIP.

He found his way back to the Dodgers at the end of his career for part of the 1988 season, but the then 43 year old Sutton’s arm gave out before the historic World Series run. Sutton still holds the Dodger records for wins (233), innings (3,816.2), strikeouts (2,486), and shutouts (52) and his number 20 was retired in 1998.

3. Best Dodgers starters of all-time: Don Drysdale

The Dodgers sure had a propensity for developing right-handed pitchers named Don. They signed a 17-year-old Don Drysdale out of high school despite him having just a year of pitching experience. The SoCal native grew up playing baseball and being coached by his dad, but didn’t try his hand at pitching until his senior year of high school. Despite his rawness, Drysdale was in the majors just two years later.

After getting some starts here and there during his rookie campaign, he made the rotation the following season in 1957. The 20-year-old quickly made a name for himself among the league’s elite, finishing third in ERA and garnering a handful of MVP votes. He also established himself as being one of the most uncomfortable at bats of all time. Drysdale coupled his already intimidating 6’6” frame and potent fastball with a propensity for throwing inside. He knocked down and hit a lot of batters, which bettered his ability to pitch outside as hitters were cautious about crowding the plate. This technique wasn’t always well received, as Drysdale was involved in many a scuffle and was disciplined by the league. His pitching results however were indisputable.

The Pride of Van Nuys was one of the most dominant pitchers in an era chock full of dominant pitchers. He took a bit of a step back during the team’s first year in LA but was lights out for much of the 1960’s. Drysdale won the Cy Young in 1962 after going 25-9 and leading the majors in strikeouts, the third time he had accomplished that feat (he led the league in hit batters five times). The three-time World Series champ also led the league in innings twice and in WHIP in 1960, and was a nine-time All-Star. Drysdale set the then record for consecutive scoreless innings with 58.2 in 1966, which stood until fellow Dodger Orel Hershiser twirled 59 shutout in 1988.

Unfortunately, rotator cuff issues ended Drysdale’s  career at just age 32 after the 1969 season. Despite his short career, there weren’t a lot of pitchers that hitters feared more than Don Drysdale. Frank Robinson said he felt like he “had been wrestling a bear” after a duel with Drysdale.

Big D was an accomplished hitter as well, hitting seven homers in a season multiple times, and even pinch hit in a World Series game. He played his entire 14 year career with the Dodgers, compiling a 2.95 ERA, 209 wins, 49 shutouts, 2,486 strikeouts, and a 1.148 WHIP. The Dodgers retired his number 53 in 1985, the same year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

2. Best Dodgers starters of all-time: Clayton Kershaw

If I’m not mistaken, Clayton Kershaw is the first active Dodger to appear on one of our best-of lists. We have been privileged to watch a player of his caliber for so long. I was fortunate enough to be at his big league debut. I’d be lying if I said I knew what he would become from that first outing, but to be fair I had recently turned eight and wasn’t exactly a professional scout.

Unlike me, the Dodgers front office knew what they were doing and drafted Kershaw out of high school seventh overall in the 2006 draft. The former Highland Park High School star was coming off of a Gatorade Player of the Year season, and was teammates with future Dodger Shawn Tolleson and Lions quarterback Matt Stafford.

Kershaw cruised through the minor leagues and was one of the most hyped prospects in baseball at the time of his debut. He stuck in the rotation the rest of the season, and pitched out of the bullpen in the playoffs. Kershaw continued to find himself the following season, leading the league in batting average against and amassing a 2.79 ERA, but was also second in the NL in walks. He toed the rubber in game one of the 2009 NLCS, becoming the third youngest player to start a playoff season opener at just 21.

Kershaw continued to hone his control the following season, which allowed him to go deeper into games, and he pitched 200 innings for the first time. His 2011 season really established him as one of the game’s elites, as he won his first Cy Young Award and the pitcher’s Triple Crown. Kershaw was also named to the All-Star team, a feat he would accomplish the next six seasons.

From 2012 to 2015, he never finished lower than third in Cy Young voting, winning it in 2013 and 2014. His historic 2014 effort also earned him NL MVP honors, as he went 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA, .857 WHIP, and 239 strikeouts. Kershaw became the 11th pitcher ever to strikeout 300 batters in a season in 2015, and led the league with 232.2 innings.

Though still his dominant self, 2016 marked the beginning of a series of debilitating back injuries for Kershaw. He had a brief disabled list stint with back pain in 2014, but the herniated disc he suffered in 2016 was the first time in his career he missed considerable time. Although unable to reach the 180 inning mark, Kershaw rebounded with a healthier 2017, leading the MLB in wins with 18. He’s dealt with more back issues and declining velocity the last couple of years, but was still an All-Star in 2019.

His velocity has been back to its Cy Young form in so far this season, which is an encouraging sign. Kershaw’s still going strong but has already compiled the lowest ERA and WHIP in the live ball era, three Cy Youngs, an MVP, eight All-Star appearances, five ERA titles, and a Gold Glove in his relatively short career.

1. Best Dodgers starters of all-time: Sandy Koufax

I was looking at the numbers and Kershaw has Koufax beat in a lot of statistical categories. Kersh has the edge in Wins, ERA, strikeouts, strikeout rate, WHIP, and strikeout to walk rate, and he’s still going. However, Koufax’ impeccable playoff resume and the aura surrounding him puts him on the top of our list.

Believe it or not, Sandy Koufax was once considered more of a basketball prospect. He only played baseball his senior year of high school and walked onto the team at the University of Cincinnati. The 17-year-old lefty was raw, walking 30 batters in 31 innings, but his blistering fastball caught the attention of big league scouts.

Luckily for the Dodgers, they won the Koufax sweepstakes and the rest is history, although it may have not looked that way initially. Koufax got his first call up in 1955 (Tommy Lasorda was optioned to Montreal to make room for him), and was promising but wild. After a couple more trial runs of varying degrees of success, Koufax stuck in the rotation in 1958. Even with some big league innings under his belt, he was still more of a thrower than a pitcher. The first category he led the majors in was wild pitches. Koufax was missing bats, but also missing the zone, walking 405 batters in 691.2 innings the first six years of his career.

However, Koufax found himself in 1961 after making a simple adjustment: take a little off. He had previously been overly concerned with his velocity, but now was able to relax his muscles and throw more off-speed pitches. The results were tremendous. Koufax went from a serviceable starter with potential to an All-Star every year of his career from then on.

He became the first player to win three Cy Young awards, and remains the sole pitcher to do so when only one was awarded for the entire major leagues. Koufax was named the MVP in 1963 after posting a 1.88 ERA over 311 innings, including a league leading (and Dodger record) 11 shutouts. The 1961-66 accolades of Sandy Koufax could be a lengthy story on its own, but for the purposes of this article, let’s just say it was arguably the greatest display of pitching dominance of all time.

Sadly we weren’t able to see the full extent of what Sandy was capable of. Koufax was no stranger to pitching through injuries, as he was frequently plagued with shoulder and finger issues for most of his career. However, he started developing arthritis in his elbow in 1963 which would sideline him for games at a time. It took a turn for the worst in 1965, as Koufax had to resort to a topical numbing agent and painkillers that have since been determined unfit for human consumption.

The pain didn’t slow him down, as he set major league records for strikeouts and WHIP that season. His elbow got so bad the following season he needed to get his suit jackets tailored to mask the permanent bend in his arm. Nevertheless, Koufax set a career best 1.73 ERA and won his third Cy Young. His arm was finally pushed to the breaking point, and he retired at just age 30 following a losing decision in the World Series. Despite being outdueled by Jim Palmer in that particular outing, Koufax compiled a miniscule 0.95 postseason ERA and was twice named the World Series MVP.

It really is a shame we didn’t get to see more of Sandy Koufax, and we can only wonder if his career could have been salvaged by modern medical science. What we do know is that he was the greatest left-handed pitcher of all time. Koufax totaled 165 wins, a 2.76 ERA, 1.106 WHIP, 2,396 strikeouts, seven All-Star appearances, three World Series titles, three Cy Youngs, an MVP, five ERA titles, and three pitcher’s triple crowns, and four no hitters, including a perfect game.

He was the youngest Hall of Famer of all time at age 36, and at the time received the most Hall of Fame votes. The Dodgers retired his number 32 in 1972, the same year he was inducted.