Top 25 MLB pitching seasons of all time

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American baseball player Babe Ruth (1895 – 1948) in the uniform of the Boston Red Sox, late 1910s. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images) /

10. Babe Ruth, 1916

The Numbers: 23-12, 1.75 ERA, 9 shutouts, zero home runs allowed in 323.2 innings, World Series champion

Be it as a hitter or pitcher, Babe Ruth was destined for the Hall of Fame (granted, he did not know that at the time since it did not exist). The Babe still ranks 17th all time with a 2.28 career ERA. His finest full season as a pitcher came in 1916 when he led the league in six major pitching categories and did not allow a single home run in 323.2 innings pitched.

Ruth battled Hall of Famer Walter Johnson five times in 1916, winning four of the starts. He pitched a 13-inning shutout, and his nine total shutouts are the most for a left-handed pitcher in MLB history. In the World Series, Ruth threw a 14-inning complete game in Game 2, which is still the longest complete-game victory in World Series history.

Ruth continued as a full-time pitcher for one more season, but by 1918 he was only starting 19 games on the mound. He made 15 starts in his final year with Boston in 1919. In 1,221.1 innings as a pitcher, Ruth allowed only 10 home runs. His HR/9 of 0.07 is 13th in MLB history. He also went 3-0 with a 0.87 ERA in the World Series. Babe Ruth was definitely an alien sent from outer space.

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