Greatest LHPs in MLB history: 12. Hal Newhouser
- 1,796 strikeouts
- 3.06 career ERA
- 62.7 career WAR
The player with the best leg kick of all-time comes in as the 12th-best left-handed pitcher of all-time. Hal Newhouser is the first Hall of Famer to
make the list and it might seem absurd to have him this low but that is simply a testament to how many great left-handed pitchers there have been throughout the years.
The thing that hurts Newhouser the most, at least compared to his peers, is the strikeouts. Newhouser only recorded 1,796 strikeouts, and with us factoring in every detail in these rankings, it led to him ranking lower than you would expect.
He was still one of the most dominant pitchers of his era. Newhouser has two MVPs to his name (before the Cy Young was around) and led the entire league in ERA twice. He was a seven-time all-star, accomplished the pitching triple crown (as did Santana) and won the 1945 World Series.
Newhouser’s best years were from 1942 to 1949. In that stretch, he posted a 2.56 ERA with a 1.242 WHIP. All seven of his all-star appearances came in that span.
He was not as great outside of his prime but he still put together one of the most decorated careers by a left-handed pitcher all-time. His career ERA is the fifth-lowest on this list.