Legendary Blue Jays Pitcher Appears on MLB All-Quarter Century Team

This Toronto Blue Jays pitcher is now in the Baseball Hall of Fame and was one of the best to pitch in 25 years.

July 19, 2009; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Roy Halladay (32) delivers a pitch against the Boston Red Sox at the Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays beat the Red Sox 3-1. | Tom Szczerbowski-Imagn Images

When his career started in 1998, Roy Halladay broke in with the Toronto Blue Jays and pitched in just two games.

More than 25 years later, he is considered one of the best pitchers of the last 25 years.

The Athletic (subscription required) recently selected its all-quarter century team. Jayson Stark, who wrote the piece, installed Halladay as one of the five best pitchers from 2000 to today.

Why Roy Halladay Made the All-MLB Quarter Century Team

Big things were expected from the right-hander when the Blue Jays selected him in the first round of the 1995 MLB Draft out of Arvada, Colo. The prep star needed three years to position himself for his MLB debut.

His first four seasons were filled with fits and starts. He nearly threw a no-hitter to end the 1998 season. At times he worked as a part-time starter. He posted a 10.64 ERA in 2000, the worst for any pitcher with at least 50 innings in history. He worked with a sports psychologist on his approach on the mound.

In 2002, he broke through. He went 19-7 with a 2.93 ERA in 34 starts, with 168 strikeouts and 62 walks in an American League-high 239.1 innings. He made the AL All-Star team.

From there, he kept on rolling. In 2003 he won his first AL Cy Young award, as he went 22-7 with a 3.25 ERA. He set MLB highs in starts (36), complete games (nine), innings pitched (266) and strikeouts (253).

In 12 seasons with Toronto, he went 148-76 with a 3.43 ERA with six All-Star Game appearances and four Top 5 Cy Young finishes. He struck out 1,495 and walked 455 in 2,046.2 innings. He also set a team record with seven straight starts on opening day.

After the 2009 season, Toronto traded him to Philadelphia. He spent the final four seasons of his career with the Phillies, as he won a National League Cy Young and made two NL All-Star Game appearances. During that Cy Young season in 2010 he had an MLB-high 21 wins with a 2.44 ERA. He also had MLB highs with nine complete games, four shutouts and an NL-high 231 strikeouts.

During that 2010 season he also threw his first career perfect game and became the second player in Major League history to throw a postseason no-hitter.

In four seasons with Philadelphia, he went 55-29 with a 3.25 ERA, with 622 strikeouts and 127. walks. For his career he went 203-105 with a 3.38 ERA, with 2,117 strikeouts and 592 walks.

After he opted to retire in 2013, he signed a one-day contract with Toronto to retire a Blue Jay. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017 and had his number retired by Toronto. He died in November of 2017 in a plane crash in Florida.