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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Career ERA: 4.83
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Workload: G 430, IP 2,465.0
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Record: W 142, L 157
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Other stats: GS 397, SO 1,955, BB 1,375
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Span: 1986-2001
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Clubs: Diamondbacks, Indians, Marlins, Athletics, Cardinals, Rays, Rangers
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Career ERA: 4.81
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Workload: G 719, IP 2,036.2
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Record: W 97, L 130
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Other stats: GS 248, SO 1,189, BB 978
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Span: 1996-2014
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Clubs: Indians, Rockies, Royals, Dodgers, Brewers, Mariners, Giants, Cardinals, Rays, Rangers
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Career ERA: 4.72
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Workload: G 361, IP 2,055.1
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Record: W 116, L 126
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Other stats: GS 309, SO 1,113, BB 690
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Span: 1989-2000
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Clubs: Cubs, White Sox, Indians, Brewers
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Career ERA: 4.70
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Workload: G 448, IP 2,542.2
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Record: W 140, L 146
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Other stats: GS 417, SO 1,390, BB 871
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Span: 1995-2012
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Clubs: Diamondbacks, Red Sox, Royals, Brewers, Pirates, Padres, Cardinals
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Career ERA: 4.67
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Workload: G 392, IP 2,196.2
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Record: W 129, L 124
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Other stats: GS 343, SO 1,664, BB 726
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Span: 1992-2006
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Clubs: Red Sox, Rockies, Astros, Dodgers, Mets, Padres, Rangers, Nationals
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Career ERA: 4.65
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Workload: G 377, IP 2,099.0
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Record: W 126, L 114
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Other stats: GS 333, SO 1,382, BB 604
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Span: 1995-2008
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Clubs: White Sox, Dodgers, Yankees, Athletics, Pirates, Rangers, Blue Jays, Nationals
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Career ERA: 4.61
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Workload: G 404, IP 2,153.0
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Record: W 148, L 112
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Other stats: GS 352, SO 1,407, BB 798
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Span: 1993-2007
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Clubs: Angels, Red Sox, Dodgers, Mets, Mariners, Rangers
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Career ERA: 4.59
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Workload: G 389, IP 2,360.2
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Record: W 142, L 136
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Other stats: GS 364, SO 1,252, BB 865
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Span: 1990-2006
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Clubs: Orioles, Dodgers, Twins, Mets, Yankees, Rangers
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Career ERA: 4.44
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Workload: G 519, IP 3,189.0
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Record: W 178, L 177
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Other stats: GS 474, SO 1,976, BB 1,066
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Span: 1996-2012
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Clubs: Diamondbacks, Braves, Rockies, Marlins, Brewers, Twins, Expos, Mets, Giants, Nationals
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Career ERA: 4.41
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Workload: G 685, IP 2,575.2
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Record: W 124, L 142
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Other stats: GS 332, SO 1,325, BB 681
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Span: 1986-2006
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Clubs: Diamondbacks, Braves, Cubs, Indians, Dodgers, Twins, Yankees, Phillies, Pirates, Mariners, Giants
