Stop looking for 20 wins for your top pitchers. They are rare and becoming rarer.
Over the last five seasons, there have been 14 occasions in which a pitcher has picked up at least 20 wins. Compare that to 10 years ago (1998-2002) when there were 24. But, over the last five years there have 24 19+ game winners (there were 38 from 1998 to 2002).
Let’s take a look at the decrease in 20-game winners
From 1957 to 1983, there was only one season in which there was not at least one 21+ game winner
| Rk | Year | # | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1974 | 8 | Steve Busby / Mike Cuellar / Catfish Hunter / Fergie Jenkins / Jim Kaat / Gaylord Perry / Nolan Ryan / Luis Tiant |
| 2 | 1972 | 8 | Stan Bahnsen / Steve Carlton / Catfish Hunter / Mickey Lolich / Jim Palmer / Gaylord Perry / Tom Seaver / Wilbur Wood |
| 3 | 1963 | 8 | Jim Bouton / Dick Ellsworth / Whitey Ford / Sandy Koufax / Jim Maloney / Juan Marichal / Camilo Pascual / Warren Spahn |
| 4 | 1973 | 7 | Ron Bryant / Joe Coleman / Ken Holtzman / Catfish Hunter / Jim Palmer / Nolan Ryan / Wilbur Wood |
| 5 | 1970 | 7 | Mike Cuellar / Bob Gibson / Fergie Jenkins / Dave McNally / Gaylord Perry / Jim Perry / Clyde Wright |
| 6 | 1971 | 6 | Vida Blue / Catfish Hunter / Fergie Jenkins / Mickey Lolich / Dave McNally / Wilbur Wood |
| 7 | 1969 | 6 | Mike Cuellar / Fergie Jenkins / Juan Marichal / Denny McLain / Phil Niekro / Tom Seaver |
| 8 | 1968 | 6 | Bob Gibson / Juan Marichal / Denny McLain / Dave McNally / Mel Stottlemyre / Luis Tiant |
| 9 | 1965 | 6 | Tony Cloninger / Don Drysdale / Sammy Ellis / Mudcat Grant / Sandy Koufax / Juan Marichal |
| 10 | 1978 | 5 | Mike Caldwell / Ron Guidry / Dennis Leonard / Jim Palmer / Gaylord Perry |
| 11 | 1976 | 5 | Randy Jones / Jerry Koosman / Jim Palmer / Don Sutton / Luis Tiant |
| 12 | 1966 | 5 | Bob Gibson / Jim Kaat / Sandy Koufax / Juan Marichal / Gaylord Perry |
| 13 | 1962 | 5 | Don Drysdale / Joey Jay / Bob Purkey / Jack Sanford / Ralph Terry |
| 14 | 1980 | 4 | Steve Carlton / Tommy John / Mike Norris / Steve Stone |
| 15 | 1979 | 4 | Mike Flanagan / Tommy John / Joe Niekro / Phil Niekro |
| 16 | 1975 | 4 | Vida Blue / Catfish Hunter / Jim Palmer / Tom Seaver |
| 17 | 1961 | 4 | Whitey Ford / Joey Jay / Frank Lary / Warren Spahn |
| 18 | 1959 | 4 | Lew Burdette / Sam Jones / Warren Spahn / Early Wynn |
| 19 | 1983 | 3 | Richard Dotson / Ron Guidry / LaMarr Hoyt |
| 20 | 1967 | 3 | Jim Lonborg / Mike McCormick / Earl Wilson |
| 21 | 1958 | 3 | Bob Friend / Warren Spahn / Bob Turley |
| 22 | 1977 | 2 | Steve Carlton / Tom Seaver |
| 23 | 1964 | 2 | Larry Jackson / Juan Marichal |
| 24 | 1960 | 2 | Ernie Broglio / Warren Spahn |
| 25 | 1982 | 1 | Steve Carlton |
| 26 | 1957 | 1 | Warren Spahn |
| 27 | 1981 | 0 |
Look how those numbers have dropped over the last 25 seasons
| Rk | Year | # | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2003 | 5 | Roy Halladay / Esteban Loaiza / Jamie Moyer / Russ Ortiz / Andy Pettitte |
| 2 | 2002 | 4 | Randy Johnson / Derek Lowe / Curt Schilling / Barry Zito |
| 3 | 2001 | 4 | Randy Johnson / Matt Morris / Mark Mulder / Curt Schilling |
| 4 | 1993 | 4 | John Burkett / Tom Glavine / Jack McDowell / Bill Swift |
| 5 | 1990 | 4 | Roger Clemens / Doug Drabek / Dave Stewart / Bob Welch |
| 6 | 1988 | 4 | Orel Hershiser / Danny Jackson / Dave Stewart / Frank Viola |
| 7 | 1985 | 4 | Joaquin Andujar / Dwight Gooden / Ron Guidry / John Tudor |
| 8 | 2011 | 3 | Ian Kennedy / Clayton Kershaw / Justin Verlander |
| 9 | 2005 | 3 | Chris Carpenter / Bartolo Colon / Dontrelle Willis |
| 10 | 1999 | 3 | Mike Hampton / Jose Lima / Pedro Martinez |
| 11 | 1986 | 3 | Roger Clemens / Jack Morris / Fernando Valenzuela |
| 12 | 1983 | 3 | Richard Dotson / Ron Guidry / LaMarr Hoyt |
| 13 | 2010 | 2 | Roy Halladay / CC Sabathia |
| 14 | 2008 | 2 | Cliff Lee / Brandon Webb |
| 15 | 1996 | 2 | Andy Pettitte / John Smoltz |
| 16 | 1992 | 2 | Kevin Brown / Jack Morris |
| 17 | 1989 | 2 | Bret Saberhagen / Dave Stewart |
| 18 | 2012 | 1 | Gio Gonzalez |
| 19 | 2004 | 1 | Curt Schilling |
| 20 | 2000 | 1 | Tom Glavine |
| 21 | 1997 | 1 | Roger Clemens |
| 22 | 2009 | 0 | |
| 23 | 2007 | 0 | |
| 24 | 2006 | 0 | |
| 25 | 1998 | 0 | |
| 26 | 1995 | 0 | |
| 27 | 1994 | 0 | |
| 28 | 1991 | 0 | |
| 29 | 1987 | 0 | |
| 30 | 1984 | 0 |
Here are 23+ game winners over the last 50 seasons
Justin Verlander is the only one since 2002.
| Rk | Year | # | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1970 | 5 | Mike Cuellar / Bob Gibson / Dave McNally / Gaylord Perry / Jim Perry |
| 2 | 1963 | 5 | Whitey Ford / Sandy Koufax / Jim Maloney / Juan Marichal / Warren Spahn |
| 3 | 1969 | 4 | Mike Cuellar / Denny McLain / Phil Niekro / Tom Seaver |
| 4 | 2002 | 3 | Randy Johnson / Curt Schilling / Barry Zito |
| 5 | 1988 | 3 | Orel Hershiser / Danny Jackson / Frank Viola |
| 6 | 1973 | 3 | Ron Bryant / Joe Coleman / Wilbur Wood |
| 7 | 1972 | 3 | Steve Carlton / Gaylord Perry / Wilbur Wood |
| 8 | 1971 | 3 | Vida Blue / Fergie Jenkins / Mickey Lolich |
| 9 | 1966 | 3 | Jim Kaat / Sandy Koufax / Juan Marichal |
| 10 | 1965 | 3 | Tony Cloninger / Don Drysdale / Sandy Koufax |
| 11 | 1980 | 2 | Steve Carlton / Steve Stone |
| 12 | 1975 | 2 | Catfish Hunter / Jim Palmer |
| 13 | 1974 | 2 | Catfish Hunter / Fergie Jenkins |
| 14 | 1968 | 2 | Juan Marichal / Denny McLain |
| 15 | 2011 | 1 | Justin Verlander |
| 16 | 1999 | 1 | Pedro Martinez |
| 17 | 1996 | 1 | John Smoltz |
| 18 | 1990 | 1 | Bob Welch |
| 19 | 1989 | 1 | Bret Saberhagen |
| 20 | 1986 | 1 | Roger Clemens |
| 21 | 1985 | 1 | Dwight Gooden |
| 22 | 1983 | 1 | LaMarr Hoyt |
| 23 | 1982 | 1 | Steve Carlton |
| 24 | 1979 | 1 | Mike Flanagan |
| 25 | 1978 | 1 | Ron Guidry |
| 26 | 1977 | 1 | Steve Carlton |
| 27 | 1964 | 1 | Larry Jackson |
Here are the 25+ game winners over the last 50 seasons
| Rk | Year | # | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1966 | 3 | Jim Kaat / Sandy Koufax / Juan Marichal |
| 2 | 1974 | 2 | Catfish Hunter / Fergie Jenkins |
| 3 | 1968 | 2 | Juan Marichal / Denny McLain |
| 4 | 1963 | 2 | Sandy Koufax / Juan Marichal |
| 5 | 1990 | 1 | Bob Welch |
| 6 | 1980 | 1 | Steve Stone |
| 7 | 1978 | 1 | Ron Guidry |
| 8 | 1972 | 1 | Steve Carlton |
| 9 | 1971 | 1 | Mickey Lolich |
| 10 | 1969 | 1 | Tom Seaver |
| 11 | 1965 | 1 | Sandy Koufax |
Here are the 44 20-game winners since 2000
There have been 69 19-game winners since 2000
| Rk | Player | W | Year | Tm | L | IP | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Justin Verlander | 24 | 2011 | DET | 5 | .828 | 251.0 | 2.40 |
| 2 | Randy Johnson | 24 | 2002 | ARI | 5 | .828 | 260.0 | 2.32 |
| 3 | Curt Schilling | 23 | 2002 | ARI | 7 | .767 | 259.1 | 3.23 |
| 4 | Barry Zito | 23 | 2002 | OAK | 5 | .821 | 229.1 | 2.75 |
| 5 | Cliff Lee | 22 | 2008 | CLE | 3 | .880 | 223.1 | 2.54 |
| 6 | Brandon Webb | 22 | 2008 | ARI | 7 | .759 | 226.2 | 3.30 |
| 7 | Dontrelle Willis | 22 | 2005 | FLA | 10 | .688 | 236.1 | 2.63 |
| 8 | Roy Halladay | 22 | 2003 | TOR | 7 | .759 | 266.0 | 3.25 |
| 9 | Matt Morris | 22 | 2001 | STL | 8 | .733 | 216.1 | 3.16 |
| 10 | Curt Schilling | 22 | 2001 | ARI | 6 | .786 | 256.2 | 2.98 |
| 11 | Gio Gonzalez | 21 | 2012 | WSN | 8 | .724 | 199.1 | 2.89 |
| 12 | Clayton Kershaw | 21 | 2011 | LAD | 5 | .808 | 233.1 | 2.28 |
| 13 | Ian Kennedy | 21 | 2011 | ARI | 4 | .840 | 222.0 | 2.88 |
| 14 | Roy Halladay | 21 | 2010 | PHI | 10 | .677 | 250.2 | 2.44 |
| 15 | CC Sabathia | 21 | 2010 | NYY | 7 | .750 | 237.2 | 3.18 |
| 16 | Chris Carpenter | 21 | 2005 | STL | 5 | .808 | 241.2 | 2.83 |
| 17 | Bartolo Colon | 21 | 2005 | LAA | 8 | .724 | 222.2 | 3.48 |
| 18 | Curt Schilling | 21 | 2004 | BOS | 6 | .778 | 226.2 | 3.26 |
| 19 | Esteban Loaiza | 21 | 2003 | CHW | 9 | .700 | 226.1 | 2.90 |
| 20 | Jamie Moyer | 21 | 2003 | SEA | 7 | .750 | 215.0 | 3.27 |
| 21 | Russ Ortiz | 21 | 2003 | ATL | 7 | .750 | 212.1 | 3.81 |
| 22 | Andy Pettitte | 21 | 2003 | NYY | 8 | .724 | 208.1 | 4.02 |
| 23 | Derek Lowe | 21 | 2002 | BOS | 8 | .724 | 219.2 | 2.58 |
| 24 | Randy Johnson | 21 | 2001 | ARI | 6 | .778 | 249.2 | 2.49 |
| 25 | Mark Mulder | 21 | 2001 | OAK | 8 | .724 | 229.1 | 3.45 |
| 26 | Tom Glavine | 21 | 2000 | ATL | 9 | .700 | 241.0 | 3.40 |
| 27 | Jered Weaver | 20 | 2012 | LAA | 5 | .800 | 188.2 | 2.81 |
| 28 | R.A. Dickey | 20 | 2012 | NYM | 6 | .769 | 233.2 | 2.73 |
| 29 | David Price | 20 | 2012 | TBR | 5 | .800 | 211.0 | 2.56 |
| 30 | Adam Wainwright | 20 | 2010 | STL | 11 | .645 | 230.1 | 2.42 |
| 31 | Roy Halladay | 20 | 2008 | TOR | 11 | .645 | 246.0 | 2.78 |
| 32 | Mike Mussina | 20 | 2008 | NYY | 9 | .690 | 200.1 | 3.37 |
| 33 | Josh Beckett | 20 | 2007 | BOS | 7 | .741 | 200.2 | 3.27 |
| 34 | Roy Oswalt | 20 | 2005 | HOU | 12 | .625 | 241.2 | 2.94 |
| 35 | Johan Santana | 20 | 2004 | MIN | 6 | .769 | 228.0 | 2.61 |
| 36 | Roy Oswalt | 20 | 2004 | HOU | 10 | .667 | 237.0 | 3.49 |
| 37 | Pedro Martinez | 20 | 2002 | BOS | 4 | .833 | 199.1 | 2.26 |
| 38 | Bartolo Colon | 20 | 2002 | TOT | 8 | .714 | 233.1 | 2.93 |
| 39 | Jon Lieber | 20 | 2001 | CHC | 6 | .769 | 232.1 | 3.80 |
| 40 | Jamie Moyer | 20 | 2001 | SEA | 6 | .769 | 209.2 | 3.43 |
| 41 | Roger Clemens | 20 | 2001 | NYY | 3 | .870 | 220.1 | 3.51 |
| 42 | David Wells | 20 | 2000 | TOR | 8 | .714 | 229.2 | 4.11 |
| 43 | Tim Hudson | 20 | 2000 | OAK | 6 | .769 | 202.1 | 4.14 |
| 44 | Darryl Kile | 20 | 2000 | STL | 9 | .690 | 232.1 | 3.91 |
