The 2024 MLB season was nothing short of a pitcher’s paradise. While big names like Shohei Ohtani didn’t get to show their power, the mound still showcased amazing pitchers. From perfectly paced sliders to jaw-dropping fastballs, the magic just kept going. Veterans like Chris Sale were still on top of their game, and international players like Shota Imanaga left everyone thinking, “How does he make it look so easy?” There was even a player who started as a stand-in by chance and yet turned heads.

Now, let’s look at some of the top pitching powerhouses from the 2024 season of Major League Baseball.

Chris Sale

Chris Sale gave everyone a masterclass in resurgence! The Red Sox traded Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves, and it seemed like a salary dump. No one thought about what followed in the season. Sale’s performance silenced everyone, with an 18-3 record, a 2.38 ERA, and 225 strikeouts, he cemented himself as one of the best pitchers this season. In fact, Chris is in the first position on Major League Baseball’s list! He won the NL Triple Crown, edging Zack Wheeler to claim NL Cy Young honors. With that, he made Atlanta’s decision to give him a two-year, $38 million deal in January. And that was his masterstroke.

Tarik Skubal

Tarik Skubal underwent flexor tendon surgery in 2023. He shared his hopes of things getting better the next season. And well, he kept his word to make it to one of the top pitchers. He won the AL Triple Crown and earned the AL Cy Young honors unanimously. His performance and dominance helped the Detroit Tigers to get into contention. Plus, his 2.50 FIP just highlights that this was no fluke. Skubal now is in a pivotal off-season, as a potential chance of going into free agency after 2026 looms high for him.

Zach Wheeler

Zack Wheeler just wrapped up his five-year deal of $118 million with the Philadelphia Phillies. And to be honest, it was one of the greatest nine-figure pitcher deals in MLB. Over those five seasons, Wheeler had a 25.4 WAR. But his 2024 season was truly the cherry on top, with a stellar 2.57 ERA while leading the NL with a .096 WHIP. Plus, out of Wheeler’s 32 appearances, a league-leading 26 were quality starts. Speaks volumes about his consistency. But seems like that wasn’t enough for him. Zack finished his season with seven scoreless innings of one-hit magic in the NLDS. A true star.

Shōta Imanaga

Shota Imanaga’s debut MLB season with the Chicago Cubs made all the buzz. How? Well, he finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting and fifth in Cy Young balloting. He proved that the move from Japan to MLB was no problem at all. Yes, he had one rough start that did shake his stats a little, but nothing major. Imanaga has a 2.91 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP over 173.1 innings, and it’s proof that he is a dominant force. If you let go of that one mishap, he, as a pitcher, would be at a 2.43 ERA over his other 28 outings. A campaign, a rookie can only aspire to achieve.

These are some of the key pitchers of the 2024 season, but not all. There is Corbin Burnes, who had another elite season with a 2.92 ERA and 181 strikeouts over 200 innings. There is Ronel Blanco, who began as a stand-in for Justin Verlander but turned heads with his performance. He had a 2.80 ERA and 166 strikeouts over 167.1 innings.

Who was your favorite pitcher of this season? Let us know in the comments!