The best careers after age 35 in MLB history: 28. Babe Adams, 1918-26 (36-44)
- 81 wins (81-56)
- 3.02 ERA
- 20 shutouts
- 46 games finished
Since he broke into the league at 24-years-old in 1906, Babe Adams was one of the best control artists in MLB history. Adams turned 35-years-old in 1917 and pitched nine more seasons from 1918-26. In that span, the two-time World Series champion pitched 1216.2 innings while only walking one batter per nine innings. To put that into perspective, the league’s 2019 leader in BB/9 was Hyun Jin Ryu, who recorded a 1.183 mark.
Adams spent the entirety of his post-35 career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, leading the league with eight shutouts in 1920 and the NL in winning percentage (.737) in 1921. He won 81 games in 139 starts, but also provided a high level of success out of the bullpen. Adams saw action in 211 total games, finishing 46, saving 11, and recording 20 shutouts.
His average throughout that span provides another metric offering insight into his ability to keep runners off of the basepaths. Adams averaged 135 innings pitched per season after turning 35 and walked only 15 batters each year. The 19-year MLB player died on July 27, 1968, at 86-years-old.