Los Angeles Dodgers: Top starting staffs in LAD history

1974 Los Angeles Dodgers

Starter Wins: 73

Starter ERA: 2.98

The 1974 Dodgers set a record for wins (102) since moving to Los Angeles and had their relief ace, Mike Marshall, win the Cy Young Award, but their starters proved quite capable, too. Dodgers starters combined to win 73 starts, good for fifth in LA Dodgers history, while also posting a 2.98 ERA.

Andy Messersmith and Don Sutton were twin aces, as they combined for 39 wins, 23 complete games, and eight shutouts. Both players were instrumental in the Dodgers winning their first NL Pennant since 1966, as they took all three wins in the NLCS.

Doug Rau proved to be a capable starter, winning 13 games in 35 starts and giving the Dodgers 198 innings while backing up Messersmith and Sutton.

One of the reasons the Dodgers had to rely so much on Marshall was the loss of another starting pitcher, Tommy John. Before John went down with an elbow injury (the surgery to repair it would bear his name), John had a 13-3 record with a 2.59 ERA and three shutouts. Geoff Zahn would step in when John went down, starting eight games, pitching 52 innings and carrying a 1.90 ERA.