Top 25 MLB pitching seasons of all time

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NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 14: Pedro Martinez #45 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, June 14, 2000 in the Bronx Borough of New York City. The Yankees won the game 2-1. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

5. Pedro Martinez, 2000

The Numbers: 18-6, 1.74 ERA, 284 strikeouts, 4 shutouts, 291 ERA+ (best in modern era), 5.3 hits per nine, 0.737 WHIP (best in MLB history), AL Cy Young

Following an epic 1999 effort (more on that later), Pedro Martinez showed out for his second AL Cy Young in a row. Over the two-year span, he went 41-10 with a 1.90 ERA and 597 strikeouts. This was the third of Martinez’s five MLB ERA titles. In each of those seasons, he had an ERA+ over 200. His mark of 291 in 2000 is the second-highest in ML history and the best in the live-ball era.

Martinez had an ERA below 1.00 as late as June 14 in 2000 and it did not climb above 1.50 until the end of August. Martinez struck out over 10 in 15 of his 29 starts, including a 17-K game and a 15-K game.

The Red Sox went 21-8 in his starts, while he made 25 quality starts out of 29. Martinez allowed more than three runs in only two starts and also only went fewer than six innings twice. One of those starts was a five-inning effort at the end of the year after it was clear the Red Sox would not make the playoffs.

It is almost impossible to comprehend how impressive Martinez’s 1.74 full-season ERA was in 2000. It was almost three times better than the average MLB starter. There may never be a pitcher who dominates the league with so many external factors working against the men on the mound than turn-of-the-century Pedro Martinez.

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