Top 25 MLB pitching seasons of all time

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Jul 26, 2015; Cooperstown, NY, USA; Hall of Fame Inductee Randy Johnson makes his acceptance speech during the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies at Clark Sports Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Randy Johnson, 2001

The Numbers: 21-6, 2.49 ERA, 372 strikeouts, 2.13 FIP, 13.4 SO/9, 5-1 postseason record, NL Cy Young, World Series MVP

If you’ll recall, 2001 was the year a guy by the name of Barry Bonds was doing something special in the NL West. Hall of Famer Randy Johnson was also doing something special, producing the all-time highest strikeout rate in MLB history. Johnson would finish 11 strikeouts shy of Nolan Ryan’s single-season record of 383, but he did so in nearly 90 fewer innings.

Against Bonds and the Giants, The Big Unit went 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA and did not surrender one of the 73 Bonds hit that year. Left-handed batters hit just .196/.306/.271 against Johnson in 2001. He was given the chance to face a lefty batter only 127 times for the entire season. Managers obviously knew there was no reason to waste an at-bat with a left-hander against Johnson’s slider.

Johnson struck out over 13 per nine in the first and second half. He also struck out over 60 hitters in every month of the season. The Big Unit had a 20-strikeout game on May 8 against Cincinnati, three 16-strikeout games (including 16 strikeouts in only 6.2 innings on September 27), and four 14-strikeout games.

After generating plenty of air conditioning in the regular season, Johnson went on an epic postseason run. He went 5-1 with a 1.52 ERA, In the World Series, Johnson won three games, including Game 7. In 17.1 innings in the Series against the Yankees, he allowed only 12 baserunners and struck out 19.

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