Baseball history is filled with legendary arms that dominated their eras, but not every highly regarded pitcher lives up to the hype. Some benefited from great offenses behind them, favorable ballparks, or simply had their reputations inflated beyond what the numbers support.
Whether it’s a Hall of Famer who wasn’t as dominant as people think or a modern ace who fell short when it mattered most, these 15 pitchers have been overrated in one way or another.
15. Barry Zito
Zito’s big looping curveball and early success made him a fan favorite, but his career was a rollercoaster. While he won a Cy Young in 2002, his ERA+ was barely above average over his career (104), and his massive contract with the Giants turned out to be one of the worst signings in MLB history.
14. Jack Morris
Morris had an iconic World Series performance in 1991, but was he really an all-time great? He had a career 3.90 ERA, which is the highest for any Hall of Fame pitcher. He was durable, yes, but his ERA+ (105) suggests he was barely better than league average.
13. Jim “Catfish” Hunter
Hunter won five World Series titles, but his individual numbers are underwhelming. His 3.26 career ERA doesn’t seem bad, but when adjusted for the era he played in, his ERA+ (104) shows he was just slightly above average. His success was largely due to dominant teams behind him.
12. Bartolo Colón
Colón’s longevity and charisma made him beloved, but his pitching career was more about endurance than dominance. He won a controversial Cy Young in 2005 (Johan Santana was far superior) and finished with a career ERA of 4.12. His numbers don’t scream “elite,” yet he’s often talked about as if he was.
11. Cole Hamels
Hamels was a great postseason performer in 2008, but his regular-season numbers don’t quite match his reputation. He had a solid 3.43 ERA, but he was never truly dominant, failing to win a Cy Young or lead the league in major pitching categories outside of innings pitched once.
10. Jake Peavy
Peavy’s 2007 Cy Young season was fantastic, but his career as a whole? Not quite as impressive. Injuries played a role, but even when healthy, he struggled outside of pitcher-friendly Petco Park. His 3.63 ERA isn’t bad, but he was never consistently elite.
9. Jack McDowell
A Cy Young winner in 1993, McDowell had a few solid years but wasn’t a dominant force for long. He had a 3.85 ERA and was largely a compiler rather than a true ace. His postseason struggles also hurt his legacy.
8. David Price
Price had his moments, but he never quite lived up to the hype. His 2012 Cy Young season was strong, but he struggled in the postseason for much of his career (until 2018). He often faltered in big games, making him more of a very good regular-season pitcher rather than a true ace.
7. Dizzy Dean
Dean’s peak was fantastic, but his career was incredibly short. He’s in the Hall of Fame based on basically five elite seasons. A 3.02 career ERA is solid, but his longevity wasn’t there, and he benefited from playing in an era with inflated offensive numbers.
6. Fernando Valenzuela
Valenzuela’s rookie season and early dominance created “Fernandomania,” but the rest of his career was rather ordinary. He finished with a career 3.54 ERA and a mediocre 104 ERA+. His legacy is built more on his cultural impact than long-term dominance.
5. Jim Bunning
Bunning is in the Hall of Fame, but his 3.27 career ERA isn’t elite, and he never won a Cy Young. He had a few great seasons but wasn’t a dominant pitcher over time. His election to the Hall was likely helped by his post-baseball career in politics.
4. Don Drysdale
Drysdale was a workhorse, but his numbers don’t stack up to other greats. He had a 2.95 ERA, but when adjusted for the pitcher-friendly 1960s, his ERA+ of 121 isn’t as dominant as it sounds. Sandy Koufax overshadowed him for a reason.
3. Nolan Ryan
This one will ruffle feathers. Yes, Ryan had seven no-hitters and 5,714 strikeouts, but he also had a career 3.19 ERA and led the league in walks eight times. His 112 ERA+ suggests he was just a bit above average for much of his career. He was more of an entertainer than a consistently elite pitcher.
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2. Madison Bumgarner
Bumgarner’s postseason heroics were legendary, but his regular-season career has been underwhelming. A 3.42 ERA is solid, but his peak was short-lived, and he was never truly dominant outside of October. His falloff with the Diamondbacks further proves he wasn’t an all-time great.
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1. Tommy John
John is better known for the surgery named after him than his actual pitching. He was durable but not dominant, finishing with a 3.34 ERA and just a 111 ERA+. He compiled wins over a long career, but he was never the best pitcher in any given year.
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