The Philadelphia Phillies have existed since 1883. In being around for so long, some of the game’s best pitchers have appeared on the mound for the franchise.
Whether it be a great homegrown talent, like Cole Hamels or Aaron Nola, or someone who spent the middle years of their career in Philadelphia, like Steve Carlton, many great pitchers have piled up plenty of strikeouts during their Phillies careers.
With that, here are the top 10 leaders in strikeouts in Phillies franchise history:
10. Brett Myers, 986
Myers, a first-round pick by the Phillies in the 1999 draft, spent the first eight years of his big-league career in Philadelphia. His single-season best of 208 strikeouts came in 2005 as a 24-year-old when he made 34 starts. Myers’ best season in terms of strikeouts per nine innings, 10.9, came in 2007, a year he mostly spent as a late-game reliever. Myers’ strikeout of Washington’s Will Mo Peña secured a Game 162 win that year, clinching the NL East crown and sending the Phillies to the playoffs for the first time in 14 years.
9. Curt Simmons, 1,052
Simmons, a Pennsylvania-born ballplayer and Phillies Wall of Famer, started his career in Philadelphia in the late 1940s. He remained with the Phillies through the middle of the 1960 season. The left-hander appeared in 325 games during his Phillies tenure, posting a 115-110 record with a 3.66 ERA. His career-high of 146 strikeouts came in 1950 in 214 2/3 innings pitched.
8. Jim Bunning, 1,197
Bunning tossed the first perfect game in Phillies history on Father’s Day 1964 against the New York Mets. His No. 14 is retired by the Phillies. The right-hander was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1984. A two-time All-Star with the Phillies, Bunning pitched parts of six seasons in Philadelphia. He led baseball with 253 punch outs in 1967, finishing second in NL Cy Young Award voting that season. Bunning posted four straight 200+ strikeout seasons with the Phillies from 1964 to 1967.
7. Grover Alexander, 1,409
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1938 and the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1981, Alexander started and ended his career with Philadelphia. As a 24-year-old in 1911, the right-hander posted 227 strikeouts in an NL-best 367 innings while also finishing third in the NL MVP race. His career-high of 241 strikeouts in a season came four years later in 1915. Alexander led baseball in strikeouts twice and led the NL in the same category five times as a Phillie. He didn’t wear a number while playing for the franchise, so Alexander is recognized with the Phillies “P” logo from the 1915 season on the wall above Ashburn Alley at Citizens Bank Park.
6. Curt Schilling, 1,554
Another Phillies Wall of Famer, Schilling was acquired before the 1992 season in a trade with the Houston Astros. He spent parts of nine seasons with the Phillies, the most of any team he ever played for. The right-hander was a three-time All-Star with Philadelphia and led the majors with 319 strikeouts in 1997 and the NL in strikeouts in 1998 with 300. He racked up his 1,554 strikeouts as a Phillie in 1,659 1/3 innings.
5. Aaron Nola, 1,582
A first-round pick by the Phillies in 2014, Nola holds the Phillies record of five consecutive 200+ strikeout campaigns in five consecutive full seasons. Outside of his debut year in 2015, Nola has averaged more than nine strikeouts per nine innings pitched every year of his major-league career. The right-hander’s five 200+ strikeouts campaigns are the second-most in Phillies history. After signing a seven-year contract to remain a Phillie earlier this offseason, Nola will only continue to climb this list.
4. Chris Short, 1,585
Inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1992, Short was a two-time All-Star with the Phillies. He spent the first 14 years of his 15-year career in Philadelphia and had two 200+ strikeouts seasons (1965 and 1968), with his career-high of 237 coming in ’65. He compiled a 132-127 record as a member of the organization and racked up his 1,585 Ks in 2,253 innings of work.
3. Cole Hamels, 1,844
Nicknamed “Hollywood” by teammate Jimmy Rollins for his Southern California roots and ability to shine in big moments, Hamels was a first-round pick by the Phillies in the 2002 draft. A three-time All-Star for Philadelphia, the left-hander started two no-hitters during his Phillies career, starting and finishing the second one in his final start for the team at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs on July 25, 2015. The 2008 World Series champion and MVP compiled three 200+ strikeout campaigns during his decade in red pinstripes. Hamels officially retired in August and will be honored this upcoming season in a pregame ceremony on Friday, June 21.
2. Robin Roberts, 1,871
Roberts was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1976 and was the first player ever inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame two years later in 1978. He spent 14 years with Philadelphia from 1948 to 1961 and his No. 36 is retired by the franchise. The right-hander was a seven-time All-Star with the Phillies. He led the majors in strikeouts in 1953 and 1954, reaching his career-best of 198 in ’53. Roberts never eclipsed the 200-strikeout mark during his career, but had five top-10 NL MVP finishes as a Phillie. Roberts’ 1,871 strikeouts came in 3,739 1/3 innings.
1. Steve Carlton, 3,031
Also known as “Lefty”, Carlton’s No. 32 is retired by the Phillies. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1989. Acquired via trade with the St. Louis Cardinals before the 1972 season, Carlton won four Cy Young Awards with the Phillies in 1972, 1977, 1980 and 1982. He spent 15 years with the franchise and put together seven 200+ strikeout seasons, the most in franchise history. All of Carlton’s 499 appearances for Philadelphia were starts. He led the NL in strikeouts five times as a Phillie, while leading the majors three times and posting his career-high of 310 Ks in his first year with the team.
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