Baseball has been a beloved sport for generations, and its fans have grown to love the intricacies of the game. A crucial part of the game is the Earned Run Average (ERA) statistic, which measures a pitcher’s effectiveness. It is a calculation of the number of earned runs a pitcher gives up during a nine-inning game, and is used to gauge the quality of a pitcher’s performance. With over a century of baseball history to draw from, who holds the record for the highest ERA in Major League Baseball (MLB) history?
The History of the ERA Statistic
The first use of the ERA statistic to measure a pitcher’s performance dates back to the late 19th century. It was created by Henry Chadwick, the man credited with creating the box score, and was an attempt to measure a pitcher’s effectiveness. In the modern era, ERA is one of the most important statistics for pitchers and is used to compare their performance to others.
The Definition of ERA
ERA is defined as the number of earned runs a pitcher gives up in a nine-inning game, divided by the total number of innings pitched. It is a cumulative statistic that takes into account all of the runs a pitcher has allowed in his career. The lower the ERA, the better the pitcher’s performance, and the higher the ERA, the worse the performance.
How ERA is Calculated
To calculate a pitcher’s ERA, the following equation is used: (Earned Runs/Innings Pitched) x 9. This equation takes into account all of the runs a pitcher has allowed in his nine-inning games, including earned runs and unearned runs. The earned runs are the runs that were a direct result of the pitcher’s performance, and the unearned runs are the runs that resulted from an error or a wild pitch.
The Lowest ERA in MLB History
The record for the lowest ERA in MLB history is held by Dutch Leonard, a pitcher who played in the early 20th century. Leonard played for the Boston Red Sox and the Washington Senators, and had an ERA of 0.96 in 1914. This record has stood for over a century, and is unlikely to be broken anytime soon.
The Highest ERA in MLB History
The record for the highest ERA in MLB history is held by Ed Walsh, a pitcher who played in the early 20th century. Walsh pitched for the Chicago White Sox and had an ERA of 2.49 in 1908. Walsh was a Hall of Fame pitcher, and is considered one of the best pitchers of all time.
The Most Recent Highest ERA in MLB History
The most recent pitcher to hold the record for the highest ERA in MLB history is Justin Verlander. Verlander pitched for the Houston Astros and had an ERA of 4.42 in 2019. This is the highest ERA ever recorded by a pitcher in the modern era, and is a testament to the dominance of pitching in the modern game.
Notable Pitchers with High ERAs
There have been a number of pitchers throughout MLB history who have had high ERAs. Some of the more notable pitchers with high ERAs include:
• Bob Welch (5.48 ERA in 1991)
• Dave Stieb (5.35 ERA in 1989)
• Mike Moore (5.17 ERA in 1988)
• Scott Erickson (5.15 ERA in 1996)
• Rick Sutcliffe (5.14 ERA in 1988)
• Dwight Gooden (4.96 ERA in 1993)
• Phil Niekro (4.90 ERA in 1979)
• Roger Clemens (4.90 ERA in 2005)
• Randy Johnson (4.81 ERA in 2004)
Conclusion
The record for the highest ERA in MLB history is held by Ed Walsh, a pitcher who played in the early 20th century. Walsh pitched for the Chicago White Sox and had an ERA of 2.49 in 1908. The most recent holder of the record is Justin Verlander, who pitched for the Houston Astros and had an ERA of 4.42 in 2019. There have been a number of notable pitchers throughout MLB history who have had high ERAs, but Walsh and Verlander hold the record for the highest ever.