Ranking the Top 5 D-backs Starting Pitchers

In the first half of the Diamondbacks top starting pitchers ranking we covered those players ranked 6th through 10th. While all of them were exceptional pitchers, none quite reached the level of the top five. Each of the pitchers presented here have taken turns as the ace of the Diamondbacks staff over a multi year span, and several have put up Hall of Fame level careers.

#5 Zac Gallen, RHP

Zac Gallen was acquired from the Marlins in a 2019 trade deadline deal that sent then top ranked D-backs prospect Jazz Chisholm to Miami. Gallen made a good first impression for his new club, pitching to a 2.89 ERA in eight starts. He was excellent once again during the 2020 Pandemic-shortened season, posting a 2.75 ERA in 12 starts, 72 innings. Gallen took a step back in 2021 however, as a couple of injuries limited him to 23 starts in which he posted a career-worst 4.30 ERA.

A determined Gallen came back in 2022 with a vengeance. After a solid first half he emerged after the All-Star break as one of the best pitchers in baseball. He tossed 44.1 consecutive scoreless innings over an eight start span, propelling him to a 2.54 ERA, and league best 0.913 WHIP, resulting in a 5th place finish in the Cy Young race. He got off to a good start in 2023 as well, and posted another scoreless streak of 28 innings in April. His first half earned him the start in the 2023 All-Star Game in Seattle.

From the 2022 All-Star break to the 2023 All-Star break, nobody in baseball was better as he went 19-5 with a 2.37 ERA during that span. Gallen hit a few bumps in the road in a second half of 2023 that did not live up to his lofty standards. Still, he finished in the top five of the Cy Young voting again, this time coming in 3rd. After a few rough starts in the postseason he responded with six hitless innings in Game 5 of the World Series before giving up three hits and a run in the 7th.

#4 Zack Greinke, RHP

Zack Greinke was signed to a six-year, $206 million dollar free agent contract prior to the 2016 season. His first year was not great however, as an oblique injury led to a six week injured list stint and a couple of blowup games late in the season inflated his ERA. Still, he finished 13-7 despite the 4.37 ERA. From that point forward however Greinke pitched like the ace of the staff that he was signed to be.

In 2017 he went 17-7 with a 3.20 ERA and 5.7 WAR in 32 starts. He followed that up in 2018 by going 15-11 with a 3.21 ERA and 4.0 WAR. Then in 2019 he was enjoying an even better season, going 10-4 with a 2.90 ERA and 4.3 WAR through July 31st. During this span from 2017 to the 2019 trade deadline, Greinke made more starts (88) and threw more innings than anyone except Justin Verlander, and went 42-22 with a 3.12 ERA.

Greinke also won the Gold Glove all three of those seasons and even won the Silver Slugger for pitchers in 2019, batting .280 with four doubles, a triple, and three homers. Greinke was a true craftsman on the mound, changing speeds and exhibiting pinpoint command. He was moved at the 2019 trade deadline to relieve the team of his contract, however. Still, Diamondbacks fans got to enjoy a future Hall of Famer for 3+ seasons at nearly the top of his game.

#3 Brandon Webb, RHP

Brandon Webb was an unheralded 8th round draft pick out of the university of Kentucky in 2000. After three solid but unremarkable minor league seasons honing his sinker, he was called up early in 2003 to make his Major League debut. He was great from the start, throwing seven shutout innings in his first start. He went 10-9 with a 2.84 ERA, good for a spectacular 165 ERA+, and finished 3rd in the Rookie of the Year vote. 2004 was a rough season in pitching in front of the worst infield defense in franchise history, not ideal for a ground ball pitcher.

Ah yes, ground balls. By this time it was evident that Webb had one of the best sinkers in the game and his ground ball rates were continually at or near the top of the league. In 2005 he posted a 3.54 ERA and a 125 ERA+, and then truly broke out in 2006. He won the Cy Young award with a league leading 16 wins and 152 ERA+. He followed that up in 2007 by going 18-10 and again leading the league with a 158 ERA+, and finished 2nd in the Cy Young Voting. One more spectacular season was in the offing, as he went 22-7, with a 3.30 ERA , 140 ERA+. For a three year stretch from 2006-08 Webb was the best pitcher in the National League, posting a 150 ERA and 19 WAR while going 56-25. Only Johan Santana in the American league had comparable numbers.

Sadly, that was it for Webb, as a severe shoulder injury limited him to just one more game in his career, opening day 2009. He went on the injured list after that game and never pitched in the major leagues again. Webb is second in franchise history in games, innings pitched, WAR, and 3rd in ERA+. It was very hard not to rank him 2nd on this list.

#2 Curt Schilling, RHP

Curt Schilling was already a star and one of the most dominant pitchers in the National League when he was acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies just before the 2000 trade deadline . His resume included a couple of back to back 300 strikeout seasons, three All Star appearances and a good postseason track record. In 13 starts he posted a 130 ERA+, but went just 5-6 as the D-backs were not able to get back to the postseason.

In 2001, Schilling teamed up with Randy Johnson to form arguably the greatest tandem in MLB history. Schilling led the league in wins (22), Starts, (35), Innings pitched, (256.2) and complete games (6). He wasn't just a workhorse, however. He struck out 293 batters and walked just 39 for a league best 7.51 K/BB ratio and his 2.98 ERA, 157 ERA+ was 57% better than league average. Then he REALLY got down to business. In the 2001 postseason he made six starts, threw 48 innings, posting a microscopic 1.12 ERA, striking out 56 while walking just 6. He was the co-winner of the 2001 World Series MVP, leading the D-backs to the championship.

In 2002, Schilling might have been even better. He went 23-7, with a 3.23 ERA and a league best 2.40 FIP. He struck out an amazing 316 batters while walking just 33. His 9.58 K/BB ratio was the 4th best in MLB all time, and the best of any pitcher to strike out more than 200 batters. Schilling missed time in 2003 due to a bout with appendicitis, but in 24 starts he was still outstanding, posting a 2.95 ERA, 159 ERA+ and led the league in K/BB ratio for the third year in a row. Schilling was traded after 2003 in a cost-cutting move. His sheer level of dominance was exceeded by only one other pitcher in franchise history.

#1 Randy Johnson LHP

Randy Johnson's free agent signing with the Diamondbacks prior to the 1999 season at the age of 35 will go down as arguably the greatest free agent deal in MLB history. From the moment he arrived in Arizona, he was simply the best pitcher in the National League, bar none.

Johnson won the Cy Young award four straight seasons from 1999-2002. Pitching in the hitters paradise of Chase Field, he led the league in ERA in three of those seasons and in park adjusted ERA+ in all four. His strikeout totals were an astounding 364, 347, 372 & 334. He went 81-27 with a 2.48 ERA, 187 ERA+, averaging 10 WAR per year. He topped off his 2001 season by throwing 41.1 innings in the post season with a 1.52 ERA. Nobody who was there will ever forget seeing Johnson heroically come out of the bullpen in game seven of the World Series after having pitched seven innings the night before. He won three games in that series, lofting the MVP trophy up together with Schilling.

A knee injury sabotaged Johnson's 2003 season, but he bounced back in his age 40 season with another Cy Young caliber season in 2004, leading the league in starts, strikeouts, ERA+, FIP, WHIP and hits per nine. He threw a perfect game that year as well. He was unquestionably still the best, most dominant pitcher in the league. Due to playing on a bad team however his record was just 16-14 and the voters gave the award to Roger Clemens in a highly questionable decision.

Johnson was traded to the Yankees in 2005, but returned to the D-backs to make 40 more starts and post a 118 ERA+ over the 2007-2008 season. Somehow the team failed to bring him back in 2009 and he went to San Francisco to collect his 300th win before retiring. Johnson is an advisor with the D-backs today and pursues an active photography career.