Last Updated: October 1st, 2026 by Matthew Brown
The 1980s can be looked at as a decade of revolution in baseball. Closers became more prominent, speed was in a new gear, and sluggers found a new way to gain an advantage.
Don't lose this article. Enter your email below, and I'll send it to you right now. Plus, we'll send you other unbelievable stories from baseball's past.
Steroids didn't really come into the fold until the end of the decade, so we wanted to go through some of the best pitchers who dominated the era before they faced the power spike.
12. Nolan Ryan’s Texas Heat: The Strikeout King’s 100-mph Stare
It was the back half of the legendary career for Nolan Ryan. He was arguably at his best as he won the two ERA titles of his career in this decade.
He also continued his dominant ways, leading the league in strikeouts in three straight seasons. Ryan recorded an incredible 2,167 Ks in the '80s as he still looked strong in his early 40s.
11. Jack Morris and the Moustache That Meant Business
Jack Morris simply had the look of a workhorse. He led the league in innings one year and was a constant force on the mound all 10 seasons. He earned 162 wins in the 1980s while beginning his playoff legacy.
Morris earned two complete-game victories, allowing just four runs total to lead the Tigers to the 1984 World Series championship.
10. Dave Stieb’s Slider: Toronto’s Unhittable Secret Weapon
No starting pitcher has done more for the Blue Jays franchise than Dave Stieb. He electrified the '80s, leading the league in pitching WAR for three straight seasons. He won the ERA title in 1985 as he rose to stardom with his no-hit bids.
Stieb was so valuable to the team that he even got a save when he was temporarily moved to the bullpen during a down year.
9. Orel Hershiser’s Bulldog Days and Scoreless Nights
Okay, I've mentioned workhorses, but how about a Bulldog? Orel Hershiser only started his career in 1983, but became an absolute icon by the end of the decade.
He led the league in innings three straight seasons and held an impressive sub-3.00 ERA through all of it. He ran away with the 1988 Cy Young Award, riding a record-setting 59 consecutive shutout innings to lead the Dodgers to a World Series championship.
8. Dwight “Doc” Gooden’s Magical First Two Years at Shea
It's pretty amazing to think about how Dwight Gooden took the league by storm in the mid-1980s. His legendary 1985 will be remembered in Queens forever, as he went 24-4 with an incredible 1.53 ERA, leading the league in complete games and innings pitched.
You have to go back to the Dead-ball Era to find a season with a higher pitching WAR than Doc's 12.2 that year.
7. Fernando Valenzuela: Fernandomania and the Screwball Revolution
It's almost hard to describe the magical run that Fernando Valenzuela had to someone who wasn't around to witness it. Yes, he earned six consecutive All-Star selections. Yes, he won the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season.
But it was less about the actual accomplishments and more about what he meant to the people of Mexico and the city of Los Angeles.
6. Bret Saberhagen’s Baby Face and World Series Brilliance
Starting his career in 1984, Bret Saberhagen quickly rose to stardom, winning a Cy Young Award in 1985 at just 21 years of age.
He then bookended the decade with an even more dominant 1989, when he won the Cy Young with an MLB-leading 23 wins, 2.16 ERA, 12 complete games, 262.1 innings, and 9.7 WAR. He was the ace that Kansas City needed for their success in the 1980s.
5. Mike Scott’s Mysterious Split-Finger and the 1986 Astros Surge
Mike Scott might have had the most underrated Cy Young season of the decade. His 1986 season consisted of an ERA title of 2.22 with a league-leading five complete-game shutouts and an 8.4 WAR. He rose to become the ace of an Astros staff that contained the aging but still great Nolan Ryan as they created a menacing 1-2 punch.
4. Rick Sutcliffe’s Roaring Red Beard and Comeback Fire
Big Rick Sutcliffe was a force on the mound throughout this decade. He won a Cy Young Award in 1984 after being traded midseason to the Chicago Cubs.
That run was one of the great post-trade performances in baseball history, as Sutcliffe earned 16 wins to just one loss with a 2.69 ERA. That set him up for a great second half of the decade as he earned two All-Star selections in Chicago.
3. Bob Welch: Oakland’s Silent Assassin on the Mound
His signature 27-win season came right after the 1980s, but Bob Welch was still a very valuable pitcher throughout the decade. Even though you may remember him as an Oakland A's pitcher, Welch actually spent most of the '80s with the Dodgers, having arguably his best season in 1987, when he led the league with 7.1 pitching WAR on a 15-9 record and a 3.22 ERA.
2. Ron Guidry’s Cajun Lightning Strikes the Bronx
Louisiana Lightning struck more during the years leading up to the 1980s, but he was still the ace that the Yankees needed through their Bronx Zoo years.
Ron Guidry won 22 games in 1985, when he finished second in Cy Young voting. His defense became a big strength as he earned five straight Gold Gloves before his career came to a close in 1988.
1. Steve Carlton’s Final Philly Phantasmagoria
The great Steve Carlton finished off his 24-year career in 1988 as he labored through his final seasons. He still looked as good as ever at the start of the decade, as he won Cy Young Awards in 1980 and 1982, leading the league in wins, innings pitched, and strikeouts.
It's pretty cool to think that he was able to dominate in the third decade that his career touched.
