- Four different Blue Jays have won the Cy Young Award.
- Dave Stieb has the highest bWAR among pitchers in franchise history.
- Tom Henke leads all Jays pitchers in ERA+.
The best Toronto Blue Jays pitchers have been a major factor to consider when evaluating the team’s MLB odds. Some have gone on to win the Cy Young Award, while others have amassed multiple All-Star selections and delivered in the postseason.
As ever with all-time rankings, the challenge lies when comparing the value of durability with peak performances.
Here are the 10 best Blue Jays pitchers ever:
10 Best Toronto Blue Jays Pitchers
| Rank | Player | Blue Jays Years |
| 1 | Roy Halladay | 1998-2009 |
| 2 | Dave Stieb | 1979-1992, 1998 |
| 3 | Jimmy Key | 1984-1992 |
| 4 | Roger Clemens | 1997-1998 |
| 5 | Tom Henke | 1985-1992 |
| 6 | Pat Hentgen | 1991-1999, 2004 |
| 7 | Duane Ward | 1986-1996 |
| 8 | Doyle Alexander | 1983-1986 |
| 9 | Marcus Stroman | 2014-2019 |
| 10 | Kevin Gausman | 2022-Present |
1. Roy Halladay
Winner of the Cy Young and with five All-Star selections as a Blue Jay, Roy Halladay pips Dave Stieb to the top spot on this list. Halladay’s 133 ERA+ is the best of any starting pitcher in franchise history.
Despite Halladay’s performances, Toronto never reached the postseason during his time with the franchise.
2. Dave Stieb
With the highest bWAR among pitchers in franchise history and a 123 ERA+, Dave Stieb combined quality with quantity.
Named an All-Star seven times, Stieb was a star in the early years of the franchise. He had passed his peak by the time the Jays were a regular baseball odds favourite for the World Series.
3. Jimmy Key
Jimmy Key was integral to the Jays between 1985 and 1992. While he was only a two-time All-Star, Key still sits third in pitcher bWAR for the franchise.
Only five pitchers can boast a better ERA+ for the Jays than Key.
4. Roger Clemens
One of the most opinion-splitting pitchers of the last four decades, Roger Clemens played just two seasons with the Blue Jays, but what a remarkable two seasons they were.
Clemens won the Cy Young Award in each of those campaigns. He’s seventh in pitcher bWAR with a 196 ERA+. Even with the steroid allegations, Clemens deserved a place in these rankings.
5. Tom Henke
With the most saves in Toronto Blue Jays history by a landslide, Tom Henke is the first reliever to appear in these rankings. His 167 ERA+ speaks to his dominance out of the bullpen.
🏆 🎂 Lock it down, Terminator! Happy 60th birthday to our all-time leader in saves – Tom Henke! 💍🎈 pic.twitter.com/qOZA4kqt9o
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) December 21, 2017
His WHIP is also the lowest in franchise history. He pitched to a 2.26 ERA with 34 saves in 1992 and was excellent in the postseason as the Jays won their first title.
6. Pat Hentgen
Winner of the Jays’ first Cy Young in 1996, Pat Hentgen is fourth in bWAR and fifth in ERA+.
While he was very durable, and twice led the majors in innings pitched, Hentgen also saw his effectiveness fluctuate with a 92 ERA+ in 1995 and a 89 ERA+ in 1998.
7. Duane Ward
Henke is the only pitcher with more saves for the Blue Jays than Duane Ward. Winner of two World Series, Ward led the American League in saves in 1993 and received Cy Young votes in two separate seasons.
The former first-round pick also seemed to pitch at his best when the lights were brightest. He had a 1.13 ERA over eight World Series innings.
8. Doyle Alexander
Doyle Alexander might have only made 106 appearances for the Blue Jays in the 1980s, but his impact was significant.
He was sixth in Cy Young voting in 1985 and ranks in the top 10 in franchise history in bWAR and ERA+. On top of that, the Cordova native is also fourth in WHIP.
9. Marcus Stroman
Marcus Stroman never had a FIP above 3.91 over six seasons with the Blue Jays. His 114 ERA+ is ninth in franchise history, and he was a member of the rotation on consecutive runs to the ALCS in 2015 and 2016.
For a period, it looked like Stroman was on course to rank much higher on this list, but his Jays career was cut short when he was traded to the Mets in 2019.
10. Kevin Gausman
With only two full seasons under his belt, perhaps it’s a bit early to include Kevin Gausman on this list. His 116 ERA+ and 1.23 WHIP suggest otherwise, however, with Gausman making a stunning start to his Jays career after signing from the Giants.
The former Oriole has received Cy Young votes in each of his first two years. He led the American League in FIP in 2022 before a league-leading 237 strikeouts in 2023.