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Tampa Bay Rays Top 10 Pitching Seasons Ever

By Austin Reimann
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JULY 15: Pitcher James Shields #33 of the Tampa Bay Rays checks a runner at first base against the Boston Red Sox July 15, 2012 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - JULY 15: Pitcher James Shields #33 of the Tampa Bay Rays checks a runner at first base against the Boston Red Sox July 15, 2012 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) /
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ST PETERSBURG, FL – SEPTEMBER 29: Blake Snell #4 (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, FL – SEPTEMBER 29: Blake Snell #4 (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

#1 Blake Snell’s 2018

I have never witnessed a Rays pitcher take the mound every five days and dominate the way Blake Snell did in 2018. The numbers don’t lie either as his name is all over the Rays record book now. Snellzilla has arrived.

Breakdown:

  • Record: 21-5
  • ERA: 1.89
  • IP: 180.2
  • ERA+: 219
  • K: 221
  • WAR: 7.5

Blake Snell made a handful of adjustments at the end of 2017 that resulted in him having the best year in Tampa Bay Rays history. His walk rate went down and his ERA plummeted. He threw more first pitch strikes and really began to attack hitters with his dominant repertoire.

A season that should conclude with his first Cy Young award and the second ever won by a Rays pitcher, can be summed up in two words…pure dominance. He led the league in W, ERA, ERA+. He holds the single season records for the most wins, the lowest earned run average, the highest ERA+, the most K/9, the lowest WHIP, and the best WAR in Rays history. Should I continue?

Prior Rankings

Next. # 15 No No. dark

Next. #s 14 and 13 - A pair of closers. dark

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If this season is a sample of what is yet to come from the south paw, then 2018 could mark the beginning of the greatest run by a pitcher in Rays history.

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