Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael Griffin
The late 1990s and the first ten years or so of the new millennium had some great pitchers. Roy Halladay was one of them, a workhorse who wasn’t afraid to go the distance. He led the league in complete games seven times during his career. That’s impressive given that most starting pitchers start glancing at the bullpen around the sixth inning. Here are ten examples of this Hall of Famer’s brilliance:
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That 2010 Playoff No-Hitter— The Night He Joined Don Larsen In The Postseason Record Books
October 6, 2010: Halladay, who had already had one magnificent start this season (more on that in the next slide), spun a no-hitter in his first postseason start. The fact that it was the second in postseason history was the exclamation mark on an incredible year, though the Phillies wouldn’t be able to get him a championship.
That Perfect Game Against the Marlins
Halladay, who had joined the Phillies that year to help form the vaunted starting rotation that comprised of two Roys (Halladay and Oswalt) and Cole Hamels. The former Blue Jay made his mark early on, throwing a perfect game against the Marlins. He joined Jim Bunning as the second Phillie to do just that.
Mowing Down the Marlins
The Marlins must have HATED seeing that they were facing Halladay. Throughout his career, he was simply dominant against them, racking up impressive strikeout totals. The Florida hitters probably started hoping he’d be sick the next time they played Philadelphia in a series.
The 10-Inning Masterpiece vs. Detroit— What Pitch Count?
September 6, 2003: While most pitchers count pitches, Halladay just counted outs—30 of them, to be exact, across 10 innings. Nolan Ryan was surely nodding his head in appreciation when he saw the highlights of this game.
Two Cy Youngs
Halladay won Cy Youngs in two different leagues … and he also did it in two different countries. How impressive is THAT? It’s too bad the late legend isn’t around now to talk about his pitching strategies.
Mr. Efficient
Remember when baseball games could seemingly last as long as presidential terms? Halladay was the antidote. He was known for his incredible pace, working quickly and challenging hitters to keep up. The sheer efficiency left fans marveling as they headed home, sometimes wondering if they’d accidentally hit some kind of cosmic fast-forward button.
Four Straight Years of 200+ Strikeouts
Halladay could strike people out in several different ways. He could get them to chase some pitches. The right-hander was also a master at hitting his exact spot, leaving the hitter silently fuming as the umpire rang them up for strike three. The result? Four years of reaching at least 200 strikeouts on the season.
The Master of Bending and Not Breaking
Halladay wasn’t the type to have a Pedro Martinez-like 1.00 ERA. He could give up hits — he led the league in hits allowed a couple of times. His ERA would be in the threes or mid-twos, which meant that he could buckle down and minimize any damage when he wanted.
Sinkerball Symphony: Bats Snapped Like Breadsticks
Halladay’s sinker had a nasty habit—turning bats into kindling. You could almost hear the collective groan from equipment managers as another handle exploded, the barrel spinning toward second base like a lost boomerang.
The 2003 Cy Young Clincher: One Last Dose of Doc’s Dominance
In his final start of 2003, Halladay went the distance for his 22nd win, slamming the door on a Cy Young season. Toronto’s faithful watched, savoring the greatness that made them think of Dave Stieb.