Top 25 MLB pitching seasons of all time

12 of 25

Jul 25, 2015; Cooperstown, NY, USA; Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan and his wife wave to fans as they arrive at National Baseball Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports /

14. Nolan Ryan, 1973

The Numbers: 21-16, 2.87 ERA, 383 strikeouts, two no-hitters, 10.6 SO/9

In 1973, Nolan Ryan set the single-season MLB record with 383 strikeouts. He also threw the first two no-hitters of his career. By the time it was all said and done, Ryan would total seven no-hitters, the MLB record, 12 one-hitters, and 24 starts in which he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning or deeper.

No one in his generation threw harder than Ryan. He threw the fastest pitch ever in an MLB game at 100.9 mph (there are also unofficial claims he was clocked at 102.5), a velocity that is seen on an almost nightly basis in the game today. Hitters in the 1970s did not stand a chance. That velocity made Ryan a fearsome at-bat, especially because of his occasional bouts of wildness.

Ryan very easily could have struck out 400 batters in 1973, but it was the first year of the designated hitter in the American League. The year before, when he struck out the pitcher 42 times in 69 at-bats.

The best month of Ryan’s season came in September when he went 6-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 56 innings. He threw no-hitters in May and July. His second no-hitter against Detroit featured 17 strikeouts. All told, Ryan struck out more than 10 batters in 23 of his 41 starts. In addition to the no-hitters, he also tossed a one-hitter.

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