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Houston Astros: Top 10 Starting Pitchers in Franchise History

By Cody Poage |
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Who are the top ten starting pitchers in Houston Astros history?

There have been many great starting pitchers to represent the Colt .45’s/Astros franchise since their inception in 1962. Whether it be clutch performances in the playoffs or masterful regular seasons of Cy Young caliber, the Astros have been fortunate to have such a rich history at the position.

Over at Climbing Tal’s Hill, our editors and staff writers have compiled a list of whom we believe the top ten starting pitchers in franchise history. There are names, new and old; that appear on the list. And each provided the Astros and their fans with memorable moments that we won’t soon forget. Many of the best Astros squads had starting pitchers that were the heart and soul of the team.

We used criteria such as the pitcher’s WAR, must have pitched three seasons with the Houston Astros, and we tried to be impartial with regards to our favorite pitchers. Yes, throwing one or more no-hitters would help your cause. Everyone has their own top-ten favorite all-time pitchers, here is our opinion.

But where do the best of the best rank in franchise history?

Next: Honorably Mentioned #1

Honorably Mentioned #1

Bob Knepper by Cody Poage

Not all of the Astros best pitchers were necessarily stars of the team. But that doesn’t mean that they didn’t step up and provide the team with solid results. Bob Knepper is one of these players.

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Knepper came over to the Astros in 1981 after spending the first four full seasons of his major league career with the San Francisco Giants. While he struggled in the final two seasons of his first stint with the Giants, Knepper managed to turn it around in his first year in Houston. In fact, he was named to the All-Star and The Sporting News Come Back Player of the Year after finishing the 1981 season with a 9-5 record and 2.18 ERA/2.86 FIP.

Even though he had his fair share downs with the Astros, Knepper also had some notable seasons after his impressive 1981 season. He won 17 games in 1986 and finished with his highest WAR for a season (3.5). Knepper also made the All-Star game a second time during the 1988 season, which he finished with a 14-5 record with a 3.14 ERA/3.74 FIP.

Even though he was eventually released from the Astros during the 1989 season, he is known for being one of the Astros more solid pitchers of the 1980’s. In fact, he finished his Astros career with a 14.7 WAR and a 91-99 record. And despite his losing record, he had a 3.70 ERA/3.73 FIP in 267 starts.

Not every pitcher can be a star, but every team needs solid pitchers. Knepper was one of those. And because of his contributions, he helped the Astros reach new heights in the ’80’s.

Next: Honorably Mentioned #2

Honorably Mentioned #2

Dallas Keuchel by Elliott Jenkins

The Houston Astros drafted Dallas Keuchel in the 7th round of the 2009 Draft out of the University of Arkansas. He debuted in 2012 and turned in largely forgettable seasons in 2012 and 2013. However, as he lowered his FIP, refined his control, and got a little help from Brent Strom, he quickly became one of the brightest stories of the 2014 season. Keuchel won a Gold Glove and a Fielding Bible Award for his 2014 efforts, but he did not stop there.

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To the surprise of even die-hard Astros fans, Keuchel emerged as a legitimate ace in 2015. He led the American League in WAR for pitchers (7.2), WHIP (1.017), innings pitched (232), shutouts (2), batters faced (911), and wins (20). His 7.2 WAR was 4th-highest all-time among Astros pitchers behind Larry Dierker, Mike Scott, and Roger Clemens. It was also 5th-highest in the AL, behind only Mike Trout, Josh Donaldson, Kevin Kiermaier, and Lorenzo Cain. Keuchel also finished 8th all-time in single-season WHIP (1.017) and 10th all-time in Astros career K/BB ratio (2.753).

Keuchel was voted to and started the 2015 All-Star Game. In November, King of weak contact and groundball percentage was voted the AL Cy Young winner ahead of the Oakland Athletics’ Sonny Gray and the Toronto Blue Jays’ David Price. Keuchel became the third Astro to win the award after Mike Scott in 1986 and Roger Clemens in 2004. Not bad company in the slightest.

So why honorable mention for only the third Astro to win the Cy Young award? We certainly discussed it at length. On what metrics and what grounds do we rank someone over our bearded 27-year-old poster child of the future? Would it be a little overeager to put Keuchel high on this list? Maybe. Is he really better than JR Richard? Tough to say at this point. But with his Cy Young award in hand, Dallas could become the pitcher who tops this list. Instead, consider this list a collection of the Titans and misfits that have masterfully painted the Astros’ illustrious history.

It certainly stands to reason that Keuchel’s progression and season are no flukes by any stretch of the imagination. The Astros are here to stay, and Keuchel has many years to prove that he can excel beyond every single legend on this list.

Next: 10th Best All-Time Astros Starter

10th Best All-Time Astros Starter

Ken Forsch by Elliott Jenkins

While not a necessarily a household name to younger Astros fans, Forsch’s legendary accomplishments stand tall among a who’s who of Astros pitching legends.

The Astros drafted Forsch out of Oregon State in the 18th round of he 1968 Draft. Forsch pitched in 1970 and found his way to the rotation in 1971. Forsch became the Astros’ closer in 1974. He was an All-Star closer in 1976, bookending a staff that included Larry Dierker, J.R. Richard, Joaquin Andujar, and Joe Niekro.

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The Astros moved him back to the rotation in 1979, and Forsch rewarded them with an April 7 no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves. He ended up leading the league in WHIP with 1.069 and a 1.8 BB/9. His only taste of the postseason would come as a part of the excellent 1980 pitching rotation that included Joe Niekro, Vern Ruhle, JR Richard, and some old rancher named Nolan Ryan. Forsch started the started the first game of the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Forsch is 9th all-time on the career Astros WAR leaderboard with 19.1, behind Shane Reynolds with 19.2 and ahead of Roger Clemens at 16.8. He is also 9th all-time in Astros ERA and 3rd all-time in Astros appearances as a pitcher. He is 10th all-time in Astros innings, 10thall-time in Astros complete games, and 9th all-time in Astros shutouts. He is 3rd all-time in single-season HR/9 in 1978 and 8th in career Astros HR/9. He and his brother Bob Forsch are the only two brothers in MLB history to each throw a no-hitter.

The Astros traded Forsch to the California Angels in 1981 for 23-year-old shortstop Dickie Thon. Thon’s WAR was 6.1 and 7.4 in 1981 and 1982 respectively, and in 1983, Thon was voted an All-Star, won the Silver Slugger at shortstop and finished 7th in the MVP race. Forsch had stellar 1981 with the Angels, leading the league in shutouts and making the All-Star team for the second and final time in his career. Forsch’s career achievements stand the test of time amid one of the league’s most hypercompetitive eras.

Next: 9th Best All-Time Astros Starter

9th Best All-Time Astros Starter

Nov 14, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Roger Clemen stands on the Houston Cougars sideline during the game against the Memphis Tigers at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Roger Clemens by Colin Gay

Coming in at a significant time in Houston Astros history, Roger “The Rocket” Clemens brought not only a winning attitude to this Astros time but also reestablished himself as one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball in the process.

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The shocking part of Clemens’ success was how late in his career it actually was. After his three seasons in an Astros uniform, he pitched one more year as a Yankee and then retired. In his three seasons as an Astro, Clemens, who was in his 41-43 age seasons, finished with a record of 38-18 with an ERA of 2.40. 2004 was his best season in an Astros uniform finishing 18-4 with 218 strikeouts and a 2.98 ERA. He won his seventh and final Cy Young award that season and finished eighth in MVP voting. In 2005, Clemens led the American League with a 1.87 ERA and hits per nine innings with 6.4.

Clemens’ presence in the locker room was WAR in 2004, his first year with the Astros, was at 5.7 which was his highest since his 1998 Cy Young award winning season with the Blue Jays. In 2005, Clemens posted the highest runners left on base percentage of his career, which was at 82.3% and had the lowest BABIP average since 1986 with the Red Sox at .243.

With Clemens’ performance being at such a high level in these three years, it really affected the winning ways of this team finishing in second place in each of his seasons including two NLCS appearance in 2004 and 2005 and a World Series appearance in 2005.

With so much success at such a late time in his illustrious career, Clemens cements himself into Astros history as one of their top ten pitchers of all time.

Next: 8th Best All-Time Astros Starter

8th Best All-Time Astros Starter

Shane Reynolds by Eric Huysman

During the 2015 playoff run, I was leaving a game early because the Astros were being blown out and I had to get my son home for school the next day. As I was walking out to the staircase, out walks this tall, broad-shouldered guy. It took me a second to realize who it was; it was one of my all-time favorite pitchers Shane Reynolds. He didn’t have the most overpowering stuff, but I remembered how he shrugged his shoulder before each pitch.

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Reynolds was drafted in the third round of the 1989 draft out of the University of Texas. He made his debut with the Houston Astros out of the bullpen for a few games to get his feet wet; then he started working in the rotation. His first two seasons were nothing special, like Keuchel, he doesn’t rely on overpowering speed. He took a while to develop his pitch, but when he developed his split-fingered fastball, he quickly became a great pitcher.

In the strike-shortened 1994 season, Reynolds finished 11th in the NL Rookie of the year voting after going 8-5 with a 3.05 ERA in 124 innings. While 1994 wasn’t his first season, Reynolds did meet the criteria to be a rookie.

During his 11 years with the Astros, Reynolds went 103-86 with a 3.95 ERA in 1622.1 while striking out 1309 hitters. Until Oswalt came around, Reynold was the ace of the Astros staff for a good stretch of time through the Killer B’s years. Like Mike Hampton and Kuchel, Reynolds was an above average (almost elite) fielding pitcher which helped his cause on many occasions.

Unfortunately, Reynolds did not finish his career with the Houston Astros, making stops in Atlanta (2003) and Arizona (2004), but he was not the same pitcher. He was not a flame-thrower, but he knew how to pitch.

Next: 7th Best All-Time Astros Starter

7th Best All-Time Astros Starter

J.R. Richard by Cody Poage

Coming in at number seven on our list is none other than J.R. Richard, who may be the one of the most tragic figures in Astros franchise history.

Drafted by the Astros with the second overall pick in the 1969 amateur draft, the Vienna, Louisiana native made his major league debut on September 5th, 1971 as the starting pitcher against the San Francisco Giants. In the same game, he struck out fifteen Giants, three of which came against the legendary Willie Mays. However, the imposing right-hander didn’t become a mainstay within the Astros rotation until 1975 due to command issues.

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But once he was given an opportunity in to stay in the rotation, Richard dominated his opponents. From 1976-80, the imposing right-hander never finished with less than 18 wins, and actually finished with 20 wins in 1976. He also led the National League in strikeouts twice and was the ERA leader in 1979 (2.71).

And it appeared in 1980 that he had only improved from the previous seasons. In 17 starts that season, Richard had a record of 10-4 with a 1.90 ERA/1.94 FIP. He was truly on the top of his game. And this was the same season that Richard earned his lone All-Star nomination.

Unfortunately, the success wasn’t meant to last as Richard suffered a stroke in July of that year and was unable to resume his major league career afterward. However, Richard left a lasting effect on the Astros as he finished his career with 105 career wins, a 32.2 WAR, and a 3.12 career ERA, which is among the best in franchise history. And it is amazing to think that in roughly 5 1/2 seasons as a starter, Richard accumulated 76 complete games and 19 shutouts. That all came in 220 starts, which is frankly incredible.

One can’t help but wonder how Richard’s career would’ve unfolded if it wasn’t for his unfortunate stroke. It was truly tragic that his career ended the way it did. But he did provide some of the best moments in Astros history, and will always be remembered as one of the top pitchers that the franchise will ever have.

Next: 6th Best All-Time Astros Starter

6th Best All-Time Astros Starter

Joe Niekro by Cody Poage

Not many pitchers can ride a knuckleball to major league success. After all, the knuckleball is one of the most difficult pitches to master. But most pitchers who tried weren’t like the late Joe Niekro.

Even though he spent time with seven different franchises, Niekro is mostly known for his success with the Astros. After stops with the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers, and Atlanta Braves to start his career, the right-hander eventually found himself in Houston after the team purchased his contract for just $35,000.

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From the time of his acquisition in 1975 to 1977, Niekro mostly found himself pitching out of the bullpen. But that all changed in 1978 when the Astros decided to make his transition from reliever to starter. From that point on, Niekro helped lead the Astros to the team’s first sustained run of relevance.

Over the course of his Astros career, most notably as his time as a starter from 1978-85, Niekro provided the team with many great seasons and memories. He made the All-Star team in 1979, and also provided the Astros with the franchise’s first 20-game winner in the same year. That outstanding season was followed up by another 20-win season in 1980.

But arguably the most notable moment of Niekro’s career came in 1980 when he led the Astros to their first playoff appearance after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-1 in a one-game playoff. Niekro held the Dodgers to just one run and six hits over nine masterful innings. He also pitched a gem in Game 3 of the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies, which the Astros were victorious by a score of 1-0.

The all-time wins leader in franchise history (144) saw his Houston career end in 1985 after being traded to the New York Yankees midseason. He later finished his career with the Minnesota Twins. But in Astros history, he finished appeared in 302 starts and finished with a 3.21 ERA/3.61 FIP and 20.2 WAR. But the most impressive fact about Niekro throughout his Astros career was his remarkable 82 complete games and 21 shutouts while he was a starter.

Unfortunately, Joe Niekro passed away on October 27, 2006, shortly before his 62nd birthday. But we continue to carry on his memory in part because of the great seasons he had as a member of the Houston Astros. And I believe we can all agree that Niekro was truly one of the best pitchers that put on the Astros uniform.

Next: 5th Best All-Time Astros Starter

5th Best All-Time Astros Starter

Mike Scott by Colin Gay

Scott, a key pitcher for the Houston Astros in the 1980’s, is on the shortlist of the top ten pitchers in Astros history.

In his nine years as an Astro, Scott finished with a record of 110-81 with an ERA of 3.30. During the five seasons of 1985-89, Scott was one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball finishing with a record of 86-49 and has his three All-Star seasons.

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In 1986, Scott won the NL Cy Young Award. Comparing the stats of the other pitchers that season, he was by far the most dominant leading the league in ten categories, which included ERA with 2.22, shutouts with five, and WHIP with .923. To prove how dominant he was in 1986, Scott posted a WAR of 8.4 with was much better than second-place finisher Fernando Valenzuela, who had a WAR of 5.4. He also finished tenth in MVP voting that season. Scott helped lead that 1986 Astros team to a first-place finish with a 96-66 record and an NLCS berth.

Scott is in the top ten in Astros history in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, and shutouts and is in the top twenty for ERA.

Next: 4th Best All-Time Astros Starter

4th Best All-Time Astros Starter

Larry Dierker by Austin Swafford

Years before Larry Dierker became arguably the best manager in Astros history, and he was a stud in the early days of the franchise. He broke on with the Colt .45s at the age of 17, and while it took him a while to get a toe hold as a star, he took off mightily when he finally did.

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In 1969, coming off a season in which he led the league with an astonishing 20 wild pitches, he suddenly found himself the star of the team, leading in WAR (8.6). It was the best season of Dierker’s career, posting career bests in wins (20), complete games (20), ERA (2.33), WHIP (1.02), ERA+ (152) and strikeouts (232). From ’69-’72, Dierker went 63-69 with a 3.07 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 19.1 WAR and two all-star selections.

He also threw the club’s 5th no-hitter in 1976 against the Montreal Expos. His 13-year run with the club gives him an undeniable place among the Astros greats, amassing a 34.2 WAR over the length of his career. He is third all-time in wins (137), fourth in strikeouts (1,487), and holds club records for games started (320), complete games (106), shutouts (25) and innings pitched (2,294.1).

Next: 3rd Best All-Time Astros Starter

3rd Best All-Time Astros Starter

Don Wilson by Elliot Jenkins

Don Wilson’s pitching brilliance established him as one of the greatest pitchers to ever put on an Astros uniform.  With so many sterling achievements over his nine years with the Astros, one can only wonder how big has career could have truly blossomed had it not taken such a tragic and disastrous turn.

Wilson was signed as an amateur free agent out of Compton Community College by the Houston Colt .45s in 1964. He was a flamethrower with an electric fastball that he relied on heavily throughout his career. He pitched his first game in 1966 at 21. He became a staple of the Astros rotation in 1967, leading the team in ERA and throwing a no-hitter on June 18th against the Atlanta Braves. The no-hitter was the first ever in the Astrodome.

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He threw his second no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds on May 1, 1969. It was the Astros’ first away no-hitter, and Wilson allowed a franchise-record eight baserunners. Curiously, the Reds no-hit the Astros the very day before, making it the second case of back-to-back series no-hitters in history. In 1971, Wilson led the league with an impressive 6.549 hits per 9 innings and was named to his first and only All-Star team.

He is 3rd in career Astros pitchers’ WAR with 27.7 over 1,748 innings, which also puts him 5th all-time for Astros innings pitched. Only Larry Dierker and Roy Oswalt are ahead of him. He is 3rd all-time in career Astros complete games, behind Dierker and Joe Niekro, with 78. He is 4th in Astros career shutouts with 20 behind only Dierker, Niekro, and Mike Scott.  He is 7th all-time in career Astros ERA (3.15), career Astros wins (104), career Astros H/9 (7.614), and career Astros strikeouts (1,283). He is 10th all-time in career Astros FIP with 3.10.

In a heartbreaking turn of events, Wilson died in his garage with his car engine running on January 5, 1975. He was 29. The Astros retired his number 40 on April 13, 1975.

Next: 2nd Best All-Time Astros Starter

2nd Best All-Time Astros Starter

Jul 27, 2014; Cooperstown, NY, USA; Hall of Fame player

Nolan Ryan

responds to being introduced during the class of 2014 national baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony at National Baseball Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Nolan Ryan by Thomas O’Banion

Nolan Ryan holds a special place in the hearts of Astros fans. The fireballer from nearby Alvin had some excellent seasons in a Houston uniform, and his longevity and dominance on the mound put him squarely at the top of the list as one of the franchise’s best pitchers.

Ryan signed with the Astros in 1980, after spending 12 full seasons in MLB, four with the New York Mets and eight with the California Angels. With his contract, Ryan became the first player in Major League history to sign a million dollar contract. And Ryan certainly held up his end of the bargain, helping lead Houston to the team’s first NL West division title and first playoff berth in 1980. He helped take Houston back to the playoffs in 1981, and again in 1986.

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In his nine seasons in an Astros uniform, “The Ryan Express” posted a 106-94 record with a 3.13 ERA/1.21 WHIP/2.87 FIP. The flame-throwing Texan pitched 200+ innings in five seasons, 38 complete games, and 13 shutouts. On September 26, 1981, he pitched his fifth career no-hitter, and in 1983, set the record for strikeouts, which he continued to build on. His 25.4 WAR is good for fourth all-time among Astros pitchers.

Ryan’s other remarkable feats in a Houston uniform include setting the franchise record for strikeouts with 1866, over 1854.2 innings, which led to a phenomenal 9.1 Ks/9 innings. He also had a 2.34 K to BB ratio. In 1981, Ryan set the franchise record for lowest ERA in a season with a sterling 1.69. Surprisingly, despite his dominance and durability, Ryan’s highest win total in a season was 16.

Unfortunately, Houston and Ryan could not come to a contract agreement following the 1988 season, and Ryan left for Arlington to finish out his career. Nevertheless, the living legend is still a fan favorite in the Bayou City and his tenure in Houston helped the team finally find the postseason. The Astros retired the Hall of Famer’s #34 in 1996.

Next: Best All-Time Astros Starter

Best All-Time Astros Starter

Apr 5, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; former Houston Astro Roy Oswalt is honored prior to the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Richardson-USA TODAY Sports

Roy Oswalt by Blake Permenter

For the greater part of the 2000’s, the city of Houston was engulfed with the “Killer Bees” and the devastating, famous pitching staff. Not only did the likes of Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens dwarf the presence of Roy Oswalt in height, but also in the national spotlight. Both Pettitte and Clemens left New York for Houston, picking up all of the headlines, yet there has never been a better pitcher in Astros history than the other guy, Roy Oswalt.

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The importance of “The Wizard of Os” to the Houston Astros organization cannot be overstated. Being a fixture at the top of the rotation from 2001-2009, Oswalt piled up 5 top 5 Cy Young award finishes and three seasons of 19+ wins. I am not a big WAR guy, but this stat speaks for itself:

Top 3 WAR in Astros History for a pitcher:

Roy Oswalt: 45.5 – 1932 IP
Larry Dierker: 34.2 – 2294 IP
Don Wilson: 27.7 – 1748 IP

Along with Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman, and Craig Biggio, Roy Oswalt WAS the Astros. While the “star power” of Pettitte and Clemens was short lived, the longevity of Oswalt is what makes him different than all of the others. Oswalt had a career win % of .636 as an Astro (143-82), the only other player with a winning % over .600 and an inning count north of 1,500 is J.R. Richard (.601).

Next: Houston Astros: Assessing the Catcher Situation

While All-Time greats such as Ryan, Randy Johnson, and Clemens have all worn Astros uniforms, there is little doubt Roy Oswalt’s accomplishments and dedication to the franchise trumps them all. Since Oswalt won 20 games back-to-back years in 2004 and 2005, no other Astro has been able to accomplish this feat. Your move, Keuchel.

***Stats from Baseball-Reference and Fangraphs***

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