Worst ERAs of the Modern Era
Bobby Witt rang up strikeouts (which was good) and earned runs (which was not)
Bobby Witt could bring the heat, that’s for sure. His fastball could intimidate the hardiest of big-league hitters, often zipping close to 100 miles per hour. He rang up 174 strikeouts in just 158 innings during his rookie season with the Texas Rangers in 1986.
The problem was that Witt didn’t always know where the ball was headed. He dished out 143 walks that same year, the worst total in the American League, and he compounded his difficulties with 22 wild pitches, also a league-leading sum.
“I wasn’t going to finesse you,” Witt laughed years later. “My thought process was to go out there and let it go.”
Witt improved his control as the years rolled along — he would play 16 seasons with seven different teams — but he never attained precision. He averaged 5.0 walks per nine innings during his career, topping the AL three times in walks and twice in wild pitches. The result was a career earned-run average of 4.83, the worst for any pitcher who worked at least 2,000 innings in baseball’s Modern Era (1961 to the present).
Shown below are the 10 pitchers (above that 2,000-inning threshold) who posted the era’s very highest ERAs.
Inclusion on this list doesn’t mean these pitchers were the worst of the period, not in the least. All were dependable enough to stick around for at least a dozen seasons, and Terry Mulholland actually lasted two full decades. And they generally kept the needle around .500, combining for 1,342 wins against 1,364 losses.
But there’s no denying that these 10 pitchers surrendered more runs than anybody else who got regular work in the big leagues after 1960. They’re ranked below by ERA. Other stats shown include games, innings pitched, wins, losses, games started, strikeouts, and walks.
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1. Bobby Witt
Career ERA: 4.83
Workload: G 430, IP 2,465.0
Record: W 142, L 157
Other stats: GS 397, SO 1,955, BB 1,375
Span: 1986-2001
Clubs: Diamondbacks, Indians, Marlins, Athletics, Cardinals, Rays, Rangers
2. Jamey Wright
Career ERA: 4.81
Workload: G 719, IP 2,036.2
Record: W 97, L 130
Other stats: GS 248, SO 1,189, BB 978
Span: 1996-2014
Clubs: Indians, Rockies, Royals, Dodgers, Brewers, Mariners, Giants, Cardinals, Rays, Rangers
3. Jaime Navarro
Career ERA: 4.72
Workload: G 361, IP 2,055.1
Record: W 116, L 126
Other stats: GS 309, SO 1,113, BB 690
Span: 1989-2000
Clubs: Cubs, White Sox, Indians, Brewers
4. Jeff Suppan
Career ERA: 4.70
Workload: G 448, IP 2,542.2
Record: W 140, L 146
Other stats: GS 417, SO 1,390, BB 871
Span: 1995-2012
Clubs: Diamondbacks, Red Sox, Royals, Brewers, Pirates, Padres, Cardinals
5. Pedro Astacio
Career ERA: 4.67
Workload: G 392, IP 2,196.2
Record: W 129, L 124
Other stats: GS 343, SO 1,664, BB 726
Span: 1992-2006
Clubs: Red Sox, Rockies, Astros, Dodgers, Mets, Padres, Rangers, Nationals
6. Esteban Loaiza
Career ERA: 4.65
Workload: G 377, IP 2,099.0
Record: W 126, L 114
Other stats: GS 333, SO 1,382, BB 604
Span: 1995-2008
Clubs: White Sox, Dodgers, Yankees, Athletics, Pirates, Rangers, Blue Jays, Nationals
7. Aaron Sele
Career ERA: 4.61
Workload: G 404, IP 2,153.0
Record: W 148, L 112
Other stats: GS 352, SO 1,407, BB 798
Span: 1993-2007
Clubs: Angels, Red Sox, Dodgers, Mets, Mariners, Rangers
8. Scott Erickson
Career ERA: 4.59
Workload: G 389, IP 2,360.2
Record: W 142, L 136
Other stats: GS 364, SO 1,252, BB 865
Span: 1990-2006
Clubs: Orioles, Dodgers, Twins, Mets, Yankees, Rangers
9. Livan Hernandez
Career ERA: 4.44
Workload: G 519, IP 3,189.0
Record: W 178, L 177
Other stats: GS 474, SO 1,976, BB 1,066
Span: 1996-2012
Clubs: Diamondbacks, Braves, Rockies, Marlins, Brewers, Twins, Expos, Mets, Giants, Nationals
10. Terry Mulholland
Career ERA: 4.41
Workload: G 685, IP 2,575.2
Record: W 124, L 142
Other stats: GS 332, SO 1,325, BB 681
Span: 1986-2006
Clubs: Diamondbacks, Braves, Cubs, Indians, Dodgers, Twins, Yankees, Phillies, Pirates, Mariners, Giants