Astros Daily - Pitcher Top 10 & Awards

Pitching Top 10 Lists and League Leaders
Top Career and Single-Season Marks in Franchise History

(Through 2021 season)

Titles and Awards    Earned Run Average    Wins    Won-Loss Pct    Hits Per 9IP    Walks Per 9IP
Strikeouts Per 9IP    Games Pitched    Saves    Innings Pitched    Strikeouts    Games Started
Complete Games    Shutouts    Home Runs    Walks    Hits Allowed    Losses    Earned Runs
Wild Pitches    Hit Batsmen    Games Finished

Joe Niekro Mike Scott Dallas Keuchel

144 wins as an Astro 1986 NL Cy Young Award 2015 AL Cy Young Award

NL Cy Young Award Winners
1986 - Mike Scott
2004 - Roger Clemens
AL Cy Young Award Winners
2015 - Dallas Keuchel
2019 - Justin Verlander
Led NL In Wins
1979 - Joe Niekro, 21*
1989 - Mike Scott, 20
1999 - Mike Hampton, 22
2004 - Roy Oswalt, 20
* - tied for lead.
Led AL In Wins
2015 - Dallas Keuchel, 20
2019 - Justin Verlander, 21
Led NL In Earned Run Average
1979 - J.R. Richard, 2.71
1981 - Nolan Ryan, 1.69
1986 - Mike Scott, 2.22
1987 - Nolan Ryan, 2.76
1990 - Danny Darwin, 2.21
2005 - Roger Clemens, 1.87
2006 - Roy Oswalt, 2.98
Led AL In Earned Run Average
2019 - Gerrit Cole, 2.50
Led NL In Strikeouts
1978 - J.R. Richard, 303
1979 - J.R. Richard, 313
1986 - Mike Scott, 306
1987 - Nolan Ryan, 270
1988 - Nolan Ryan, 228
Led AL In Strikeouts
2018 - Justin Verlander, 290
2019 - Gerrit Cole, 326
Led NL In Saves
1964 - Hal Woodeshick, 23
1969 - Fred Gladding, 29
2008 - Jose Valverde, 44
Led AL In Saves
2019 - Roberto Osuna, 38

50 decisions or 500 innings pitched required for career rate statistics.

Single-Season Leaders Career Leaders

ERA
Rank Player    ERA    Year

1. Nolan Ryan 1.69 1981

2. Doug Jones 1.85 1992

3. Roger Clemens 1.87 2005

4. J.R. Richard 1.90 1980

5. Dave Smith 1.93 1980

6. Hal Woodeshick 1.97 1963

7. Xavier Hernandez 2.11 1992

8. Chris Devenski 2.16 2016

9. Bob Knepper 2.18 1981

10. Danny Darwin 2.21 1990

ERA
Rank Player    ERA    IP

1. Roger Clemens 2.40 539.0

2. Joe Sambito 2.42 536.0

3. Dave Smith 2.53 762.0

Billy Wagner 2.53 504.3

5. Mike Cuellar 2.74 700.3

6. Nolan Ryan 3.13 1854.7

7. J.R. Richard 3.15 1606.0

Don Wilson 3.15 1748.3

9. Ken Forsch 3.18 1493.7

10. Danny Darwin 3.21 769.0

Wins
Rank Player    W    Year

1. Mike Hampton 22 1999

2. Jose Lima 21 1999

Joe Niekro 21 1979
Justin Verlander 21 2019
5. 8 Tied With 20

Wins
Rank Player    W    IP

1. Joe Niekro 144 2270.0

2. Roy Oswalt 143 1932.3

3. Larry Dierker 137 2294.3

4. Mike Scott 110 1704.0

5. J.R. Richard 107 1606.0

6. Nolan Ryan 106 1854.7

7. Don Wilson 104 1748.3

8. Shane Reynolds 103 1622.3

9. Bob Knepper 93 1738.0

10. Wandy Rodriguez 80 1306.7

Won-Loss Pct
Rank Player    wlp    Year

1. Randy Johnson .909 1998

2. Xavier Hernandez .900 1992

3. Brad Peacock .867 2017

4. Mike Hampton .846 1999

Charley Kerfeld .846 1986

6. Juan Agosto .833 1988

Charlie Morton .833 2018

8. Roy Oswalt .824 2001

9. Roger Clemens .818 2004

Mark Portugal .818 1993

Won-Loss Pct
Rank Player    wlp    IP

1. Roger Clemens .679 539.0

2. Roy Oswalt .636 1932.3

3. Mark Portugal .634 782.3

4. Collin McHugh .624 753.3

5. Jim Ray .609 565.3

6. Scott Elarton .604 483.3

7. Mike Hampton .603 1138.0

8. J.R. Richard .601 1606.0

9. Lance McCullers .600 671.0

10. Wade Miller .598 768.0

Hits Allowed/9IP
Rank Player    H/9IP    Year

1. J.R. Richard 5.15 1980

2. Justin Verlander 5.53 2019

3. Hal Woodeshick 5.92 1963

4. Mike Scott 5.95 1986

5. Nolan Ryan 5.98 1981

6. Nolan Ryan 6.02 1986

Gerrit Cole 6.02 2019

8. Nolan Ryan 6.14 1983

9. J.R. Richard 6.28 1978

10. Gerrit Cole 6.42 2018

Hits Allowed/9IP
Rank Player    H/9IP    IP

1. Billy Wagner 5.94 504.3

2. Roger Clemens 6.83 539.0

3. J.R. Richard 6.88 1606.0

4. Nolan Ryan 6.99 1854.7

5. Joe Sambito 7.40 536.0

6. Lance McCullers 7.59 671.0

7. Pete Harnisch 7.61 736.0

8. Don Wilson 7.61 1748.3

9. Mike Scott 7.63 1704.0

10. Dave Smith 7.63 762.0

Bases on Balls/9IP
Rank Player    BB/9IP    Year

1. Hal Brown 0.51 1963

2. Jose Lima 1.23 1998

3. Doug Jones 1.37 1992

4. Shane Reynolds 1.44 1999

5. Vern Ruhle 1.45 1982

6. Bob Bruce 1.47 1964

7. Bob Bruce 1.49 1965

8. Turk Farrell 1.51 1965

9. Shane Reynolds 1.52 1994

10. Roy Oswalt 1.53 2001

Bases on Balls/9IP
Rank Player    BB/9IP    IP

1. Turk Farrell 1.88 1015.0

2. Ken Johnson 1.97 690.7

3. Jose Lima 1.97 804.0

4. Shane Reynolds 1.99 1622.3

5. Vern Ruhle 1.99 749.7

6. Greg Swindell 2.03 514.7

7. Roy Oswalt 2.08 1932.3

8. Don Nottebart 2.32 508.0

9. Mike Cuellar 2.33 700.3

10. Danny Darwin 2.35 769.0

Strikeouts/9IP
Rank Player    SO/9IP    Year

1. Gerrit Cole 13.82 2019

2. Octavio Dotel 12.43 2001

3. Gerrit Cole 12.40 2018

4. Justin Verlander 12.20 2018

5. Justin Verlander 12.11 2019

6. Nolan Ryan 11.48 1987

7. Brad Peacock 10.98 2017

8. Charlie Morton 10.83 2018

9. Lance McCullers 10.26 2021

10. Octavio Dotel 10.22 2000

Strikeouts/9IP
Rank Player    SO/9IP    IP

1. Billy Wagner 12.38 504.3

2. Lance McCullers 10.06 671.0

3. Brad Peacock 9.66 540.3

4. Nolan Ryan 9.05 1854.7

5. Collin McHugh 8.77 753.3

6. Roger Clemens 8.43 539.0

7. Bud Norris 8.39 689.7

8. J.R. Richard 8.37 1606.0

9. Wade Miller 7.72 768.0

10. Wandy Rodriguez 7.52 1306.7

Games Pitched
Rank Player    GP    Year

1. Octavio Dotel 83 2002

2. Juan Agosto 82 1990

3. Joe Boever 81 1992

Chad Qualls 81 2006

5. Doug Jones 80 1992

Brad Lidge 80 2004

7. Chad Qualls 79 2007

Brandon Lyon 79 2010

9. 4 tied with 78

Games Pitched
Rank Player    GP    IP

1. Dave Smith 563 762.0

2. Billy Wagner 464 504.3

3. Ken Forsch 421 1493.7

4. Joe Niekro 397 2270.0

5. Chad Qualls 380 384.7

6. Brad Lidge 378 401.0

7. Joe Sambito 353 536.0

8. Larry Dierker 345 2294.3

9. Will Harris 309 297.0

10. Roy Oswalt 303 1932.3

Saves
Rank Player    SV    Year

1. Jose Valverde 44 2008

2. Billy Wagner 44 2003

3. Brad Lidge 42 2005

4. Billy Wagner 39 1999

Billy Wagner 39 2001

6. Roberto Osuna 38 2019

7. Doug Jones 36 1992

8. Billy Wagner 35 2002

9. Ken Giles 34 2017

10. Dave Smith 33 1986

Saves
Rank Player    SV    IP

1. Billy Wagner 225 504.3

2. Dave Smith 199 762.0

3. Brad Lidge 123 401.0

4. Fred Gladding 76 264.0

5. Joe Sambito 72 536.0

6. Jose Valverde 69 126.0

7. Doug Jones 62 197.0

8. Ken Giles 61 159.0

9. Ken Forsch 50 1493.7

Roberto Osuna 50 87.7

Innings Pitched
Rank Player    IP    Year

1. Larry Dierker 305.3 1969

2. J.R. Richard 292.3 1979

3. J.R. Richard 291.0 1976

4. Jerry Reuss 279.3 1973

5. J.R. Richard 275.3 1978

Mike Scott 275.3 1986

7. Joe Niekro 270.0 1982

8. Larry Dierker 269.7 1970

9. Don Wilson 268.0 1971

10. J.R. Richard 267.0 1977

Innings Pitched
Rank Player    IP    IP

1. Larry Dierker 2294.3 2294.3

2. Joe Niekro 2270.0 2270.0

3. Roy Oswalt 1932.3 1932.3

4. Nolan Ryan 1854.7 1854.7

5. Don Wilson 1748.3 1748.3

6. Bob Knepper 1738.0 1738.0

7. Mike Scott 1704.0 1704.0

8. Shane Reynolds 1622.3 1622.3

9. J.R. Richard 1606.0 1606.0

10. Ken Forsch 1493.7 1493.7

Strikeouts
Rank Player    SO    Year

1. Gerrit Cole 326 2019

2. J.R. Richard 313 1979

3. Mike Scott 306 1986

4. J.R. Richard 303 1978

5. Justin Verlander 300 2019

6. Justin Verlander 290 2018

7. Gerrit Cole 276 2018

8. Nolan Ryan 270 1987

9. Nolan Ryan 245 1982

10. Don Wilson 235 1969

Strikeouts
Rank Player    SO    IP

1. Nolan Ryan 1866 1854.7

2. Roy Oswalt 1593 1932.3

3. J.R. Richard 1493 1606.0

4. Larry Dierker 1487 2294.3

5. Mike Scott 1318 1704.0

6. Shane Reynolds 1309 1622.3

7. Don Wilson 1283 1748.3

8. Joe Niekro 1178 2270.0

9. Wandy Rodriguez 1093 1306.7

10. Darryl Kile 973 1200.0

Games Started
Rank Player    GS    Year

1. Jerry Reuss 40 1973

2. J.R. Richard 39 1976

3. Bob Knepper 38 1986

Joe Niekro 38 1979

Joe Niekro 38 1983

Joe Niekro 38 1984

J.R. Richard 38 1979

8. Larry Dierker 37 1969

Bob Knepper 37 1985

Denny Lemaster 37 1969

Mike Scott 37 1986

Games Started
Rank Player    GS    IP

1. Larry Dierker 320 2294.3

2. Joe Niekro 301 2270.0

3. Roy Oswalt 291 1932.3

4. Nolan Ryan 282 1854.7

5. Bob Knepper 267 1738.0

6. Mike Scott 259 1704.0

7. Shane Reynolds 248 1622.3

8. Don Wilson 245 1748.3

9. J.R. Richard 221 1606.0

10. Wandy Rodriguez 218 1306.7

Complete Games
Rank Player    CG    Year

1. Larry Dierker 20 1969

2. J.R. Richard 19 1979

3. Don Wilson 18 1971

4. Larry Dierker 17 1970

5. Mike Cuellar 16 1967

Joe Niekro 16 1982

J.R. Richard 16 1978

8. Larry Dierker 14 1975

J.R. Richard 14 1976

10. 3 Tied With 13

Complete Games
Rank Player    CG    IP

1. Larry Dierker 106 2294.3

2. Joe Niekro 82 2270.0

3. Don Wilson 78 1748.3

4. J.R. Richard 76 1606.0

5. Mike Scott 42 1704.0

6. Turk Farrell 41 1015.0

Bob Knepper 41 1738.0

8. Mike Cuellar 38 700.3

Nolan Ryan 38 1854.7

10. Ken Forsch 36 1493.7

Shutouts
Rank Player    SHO    Year

1. Dave Roberts 6 1973

2. Larry Dierker 5 1972

Bob Knepper 5 1981

Bob Knepper 5 1986

Joe Niekro 5 1979

Joe Niekro 5 1982

Mike Scott 5 1986

Mike Scott 5 1988

9. 9 Tied With 4

Shutouts
Rank Player    SHO    IP

1. Larry Dierker 25 2294.3

2. Joe Niekro 21 2270.0

Mike Scott 21 1704.0

4. Don Wilson 20 1748.3

5. J.R. Richard 19 1606.0

6. Bob Knepper 18 1738.0

7. Nolan Ryan 13 1854.7

8. Dave Roberts 11 843.7

9. Ken Forsch 9 1493.7

Tom Griffin 9 863.3

Home Runs Allowed
Rank Player    HRA    Year

1. Jose Lima 48 2000

2. Brandon Backe 36 2008

3. Justin Verlander 36 2019

4. Woody Williams 35 2007

5. Jose Lima 34 1998

6. Mike Fiers 32 2017

7. Larry Dierker 31 1970

Wade Miller 31 2001

Brett Myers 31 2011

10. Jose Lima 30 1999

Zack Greinke 30 2021

Home Runs Allowed
Rank Player    HRA    IP

1. Larry Dierker 177 2294.3

2. Shane Reynolds 171 1622.3

3. Roy Oswalt 167 1932.3

4. Bob Knepper 148 1738.0

5. Wandy Rodriguez 147 1306.7

6. Mike Scott 144 1704.0

7. Joe Niekro 139 2270.0

8. Jose Lima 133 804.0

9. Don Wilson 119 1748.3

10. Dallas Keuchel 115 1189.3

Walks Allowed
Rank Player    BBA    Year

1. J.R. Richard 151 1976

2. J.R. Richard 141 1978

3. J.R. Richard 138 1975

4. Jerry Reuss 117 1973

5. Nolan Ryan 109 1982

6. Joe Niekro 107 1979

7. J.R. Richard 104 1977

8. Mike Hampton 101 1999

Joe Niekro 101 1983

Nolan Ryan 101 1983

Walks Allowed
Rank Player    BBA    IP

1. Joe Niekro 818 2270.0

2. Nolan Ryan 796 1854.7

3. J.R. Richard 770 1606.0

4. Larry Dierker 695 2294.3

5. Don Wilson 640 1748.3

6. Darryl Kile 562 1200.0

7. Bob Knepper 521 1738.0

8. Mike Scott 505 1704.0

9. Wandy Rodriguez 454 1306.7

10. Roy Oswalt 446 1932.3

Hits Allowed
Rank Player    HA    Year

1. Jerry Reuss 271 1973

2. Joe Niekro 268 1980

3. Dave Roberts 264 1973

4. Larry Dierker 263 1970

5. Shane Reynolds 257 1998

6. Jose Lima 256 1999

7. Bob Knepper 253 1985

8. Jose Lima 251 2000

9. Shane Reynolds 250 1999

10. Chris Holt 247 2000

Hits Allowed
Rank Player    HA    IP

1. Larry Dierker 2090 2294.3

2. Joe Niekro 2052 2270.0

3. Roy Oswalt 1865 1932.3

4. Bob Knepper 1748 1738.0

5. Shane Reynolds 1738 1622.3

6. Don Wilson 1479 1748.3

7. Mike Scott 1444 1704.0

8. Nolan Ryan 1441 1854.7

9. Ken Forsch 1439 1493.7

10. Wandy Rodriguez 1295 1306.7

Losses
Rank Player    L    Year

1. Dick Farrell 20 1962

2. Bob Bruce 18 1965

Doug Drabek 18 1993

4. Lucas Harrell 17 2013

Ken Johnson 17 1963

Bob Knepper 17 1987

Denny Lemaster 17 1969

8. 8 Tied With 16

Losses
Rank Player    L    IP

1. Larry Dierker 117 2294.3

2. Joe Niekro 116 2270.0

3. Bob Knepper 100 1738.0

4. Nolan Ryan 94 1854.7

5. Don Wilson 92 1748.3

6. Shane Reynolds 86 1622.3

7. Wandy Rodriguez 84 1306.7

8. Roy Oswalt 82 1932.3

9. Ken Forsch 81 1493.7

Mike Scott 81 1704.0

Earned Runs Allowed
Rank Player    ER    Year

1. Jose Lima 145 2000

2. Chris Holt 123 2000

3. Larry Dierker 116 1970

Jerry Reuss 116 1973

5. Brandon Backe 112 2008

6. Woody Williams 110 2007

7. Brett Myers 107 2011

8. Bob Knepper 104 1987

9. Larry Dierker 103 1975

Scott Elarton 103 2000

Dave Giusti 103 1967

Earned Runs Allowed
Rank Player    ER    IP

1. Larry Dierker 837 2294.3

2. Joe Niekro 811 2270.0

3. Shane Reynolds 712 1622.3

4. Bob Knepper 706 1738.0

5. Roy Oswalt 696 1932.3

6. Nolan Ryan 645 1854.7

7. Mike Scott 625 1704.0

8. Don Wilson 611 1748.3

9. Wandy Rodriguez 587 1306.7

10. J.R. Richard 562 1606.0

Wild Pitches
Rank Player    WP    Year

1. Joe Niekro 21 1985

2. Larry Dierker 20 1968

J.R. Richard 20 1975

4. Joe Niekro 19 1979

Joe Niekro 19 1982

J.R. Richard 19 1979

7. Nolan Ryan 18 1982

8. Mike Fiers 17 2016

9. 4 Tied With 16

Wild Pitches
Rank Player    WP    IP

1. Joe Niekro 128 2270.0

2. Nolan Ryan 104 1854.7

3. Larry Dierker 102 2294.3

4. J.R. Richard 92 1606.0

5. Don Wilson 77 1748.3

6. Darryl Kile 58 1200.0

7. Dave Giusti 56 913.3

8. Tom Griffin 55 863.3

9. Lance McCullers 46 671.0

10. Dallas Keuchel 44 1189.3

Hit Batsmen
Rank Player    HBP    Year

1. Jack Billingham 16 1971

Darryl Kile 16 1996

Charlie Morton 16 2018

4. Darryl Kile 15 1993

5. Wade Blasingame 13 1971

Mike Fiers 13 2017

Charlie Morton 13 2017

8. Bob Bruce 12 1962

Darryl Kile 12 1995

Woody Williams 12 2007

Hit Batsmen
Rank Player    HBP    IP

1. Darryl Kile 72 1200.0

2. Roy Oswalt 68 1932.3

3. Larry Dierker 48 2294.3

4. Don Wilson 47 1748.3

5. Wandy Rodriguez 45 1306.7

6. Nolan Ryan 44 1854.7

7. Joe Niekro 41 2270.0

8. Bob Bruce 40 907.0

9. Lance McCullers 38 671.0

10. Shane Reynolds 33 1622.3

Collin McHugh 33 753.3

Games Finished
Rank Player    GF    Year

1. Jose Valverde 71 2008

2. Doug Jones 70 1992

3. Billy Wagner 67 2003

4. Brad Lidge 65 2005

5. Billy Wagner 61 2002

6. Doug Jones 60 1993

7. Billy Wagner 58 2001

8. Roberto Osuna 56 2019

9. Billy Wagner 55 1999

Ken Giles 55 2017

Games Finished
Rank Player    GF    IP

1. Dave Smith 400 762.0

2. Billy Wagner 379 504.3

3. Joe Sambito 229 536.0

4. Brad Lidge 206 401.0

5. Ken Forsch 171 1493.7

6. Fred Gladding 163 264.0

7. Doug Jones 130 197.0

8. Frank DiPino 119 291.3

9. Frank LaCorte 117 281.7

10. Jose Valverde 116 126.0

Thanks to Baseball Reference.com for much of the information contained on this page.