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The 10 Best Pitchers in Atlanta Braves History

Theo

2. John Smoltz (1988-2008)

Best season as a Brave: 1996 – 24-8 with a 2.94 ERA, 149 ERA+, 2.64 FIP, 1.001 WHIP, 276 strikeouts, seven complete games and 8.4 fWAR

Career Stats as Brave: 210-147, 3.26 ERA, 127 ERA+, 3.23 FIP, 1.170 WHIP, 3,011 strikeouts, 53 complete games, 154/168 (92%) on save attempts and 78.2 fWAR

Smoltz spent 20 of 21 years as a major leaguer with the Braves and was a power pitcher who thrived as both a starter and dominant at various points in his career.

As a starter, Smoltz won the 1996 NL Cy Young Award, one of 10 seasons in his career where he pitched more than 200 innings. Between 1989 and 1998 – his first inning as a starter – Smoltz finished in the top five among all starting pitchers in innings pitched (2,164), strikeouts (1,905) and fWAR (47.3). .

After missing the entire 2000 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Smoltz served as Bobby Cox’s closer starting in 2001, and actually full-time from 2002 to 2004. Not surprisingly, Smoltz thrived late in the season. game, recording 144 saves during that three-year span, second only to Eric Gagné.

Smoltz returned starting in 2005, his age-38 season. Over the next three seasons, Smoltz finished fifth in both innings pitched (667 1/3) and fWAR (16.7) among starting pitchers. Being able to record three additional 200+ inning seasons at the end of his career was truly a remarkable accomplishment.

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