20 Wins Club American League Pitchers 1976

20 Wins Club : 1976 - 2008

Twenty wins in a single season is a truly a magical plateau. Jim Bouton wrote in his classic book Ball Four, "If you had a pill that would guarantee a pitcher twenty wins, but might take five years off his life, he'd take it."

Baseball Almanac is pleased to present the pitchers from 1976 through 2008 who are members of the American League 20 Wins Club. Note: A bold faced entry denotes that the player was active during the previous Major League season.

"You don't face (Nolan) Ryan without your rest. He's the only guy I go against that makes me go to bed before midnight." - Reggie Jackson

Twenty Wins Club '1976 - 2008' In Chronological Order
Name	Team	Wins	Losses	Year	Top 25
Jim Palmer⁽⁶⁾	Baltimore	22	13	1976	Top 25
Luis Tiant⁽⁴⁾	Boston	21	12
Wayne Garland⁽¹⁾	Baltimore	20	7
David Goltz⁽¹⁾	Minnesota	20	11	1977	Top 25
Dennis Leonard⁽¹⁾	Kansas City	20	12
Jim Palmer⁽⁷⁾	Baltimore	20	11
Ron Guidry⁽¹⁾	New York	25	3	1978	Top 25
Mike Caldwell⁽¹⁾	Milwaukee	22	9
Dennis Leonard⁽²⁾	Kansas City	21	17
Jim Palmer⁽⁸⁾	Baltimore	21	12
Dennis Eckersley⁽¹⁾	Boston	20	8
Ed Figueroa⁽¹⁾	New York	20	9
Mike Flanagan⁽¹⁾	Baltimore	23	9	1979	Top 25
Tommy John⁽²⁾	New York	21	9
Jerry Koosman⁽²⁾	Minnesota	20	13
Steve Stone⁽¹⁾	Baltimore	25	7	1980	Top 25
Tommy John⁽³⁾	New York	22	9
Mike Norris⁽¹⁾	Oakland	22	9
Dennis Leonard⁽³⁾	Kansas City	20	11
Scott McGregor⁽¹⁾	Baltimore	20	8
Not Accomplished	n/a	n/a	n/a	1981	Top 25
Not Accompished	n/a	n/a	n/a	1982	Top 25
La Marr Hoyt⁽¹⁾	Chicago	24	10	1983	Top 25
Richard Dotson⁽¹⁾	Chicago	22	7
Ron Guidry⁽²⁾	New York	21	9
Jack Morris⁽¹⁾	Detroit	20	13
Mike Boddicker⁽¹⁾	Baltimore	20	11	1984	Top 25
Ron Guidry⁽³⁾	New York	22	6	1985	Top 25
Bret Saberhagen⁽¹⁾	Kansas City	20	6	1985	Top 25
Roger Clemens⁽¹⁾	Boston	24	4	1986	Top 25
Jack Morris⁽²⁾	Detroit	21	8
Teddy Higuera⁽¹⁾	Milwaukee	20	11
Roger Clemens⁽²⁾	Boston	20	9	1987	Top 25
Dave Stewart⁽¹⁾	Oakland	20	13	1987	Top 25
Frank Viola⁽¹⁾	Minnesota	24	7	1988	Top 25
Dave Stewart⁽²⁾	Oakland	21	12
Mark Gubicza⁽¹⁾	Kansas City	20	8
Bret Saberhagen⁽²⁾	Kansas City	23	6	1989	Top 25
Dave Stewart⁽³⁾	Oakland	21	9	1989	Top 25
Bob Welch⁽¹⁾	Oakland	27	6	1990	Top 25
Dave Stewart⁽⁴⁾	Oakland	22	11
Roger Clemens⁽³⁾	Boston	21	6
Scott Erickson⁽¹⁾	Minnesota	20	8	1991	Top 25
Bill Gullickson⁽¹⁾	Detroit	20	9	1991	Top 25
Kevin Brown⁽¹⁾	Texas	21	11	1992	Top 25
Jack Morris⁽³⁾	Toronto	21	6
Jack McDowell⁽¹⁾	Chicago	20	10
Jack McDowell⁽²⁾	Chicago	22	10	1993	Top 25
Not Accomplished	n/a	n/a	n/a	1994	Top 25
Not Accomplished	n/a	n/a	n/a	1995	Top 25
Andy Pettitte⁽¹⁾	New York	21	8	1996	Top 25
Pat Hentgen⁽¹⁾	Toronto	20	10	1996	Top 25
Roger Clemens⁽⁴⁾	Toronto	21	7	1997	Top 25
Randy Johnson⁽¹⁾	Seattle	20	4
Brad Radke⁽¹⁾	Minnesota	20	10
David Cone⁽²⁾	New York	20	7	1998	Top 25
Roger Clemens⁽⁵⁾	Toronto	20	6
Rick Helling⁽¹⁾	Texas	20	7
Pedro Martinez⁽¹⁾	Boston	23	4	1999	Top 25
Tim Hudson⁽¹⁾	Oakland	20	6	2000	Top 25
David Wells⁽¹⁾	Toronto	20	8	2000	Top 25
Mark Mulder⁽¹⁾	Oakland	21	8	2001	Top 25
Roger Clemens⁽⁶⁾	New York	20	3
Jamie Moyer⁽¹⁾	Seattle	20	6
Barry Zito⁽¹⁾	Oakland	21	5	2002	Top 25
Derek Lowe⁽¹⁾	Boston	21	7
* Bartolo Colon⁽¹⁾	Cleveland ⁽¹⁰⁾ & Montreal^{(N.L. 10)}	20	8
Pedro Martinez⁽²⁾	Boston	20	4
Roy Halladay⁽¹⁾	Toronto	22	7	2003	Top 25
Esteban Loaiza⁽¹⁾	Chicago	21	9
Jamie Moyer⁽²⁾	Seattle	21	7
Andy Pettitte⁽²⁾	New York	21	8
Curt Schilling⁽³⁾	Boston	21	6	2004	Top 25
Johan Santana⁽¹⁾	Minnesota	20	6	2004	Top 25
Bartolo Colon⁽²⁾	Los Angeles	21	8	2005	Top 25
Not Accomplished	n/a	n/a	n/a	2006	Top 25
Josh Beckett⁽¹⁾	Boston	20	7	2007	Top 25
Not Yet Accomplished	Boston	20	7	2008	Top 25
Name	Team	Wins	Losses	Year	Top 25
*Twenty Wins Club \| = Two Leagues**

Did you know that the most home runs allowed by an American League twenty game winner is forty-two by Denny McLain in 1966?

During the 1974 season Nolan Ryan walked two-hundred two batters which is the most by any American League twenty game winner.

Which American League pitcher had the most saves during his twenty win season? Believe it not, it was Chief Bender with thirteen in 1913.

Copyright © 2000-2008. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Design by Geisler Young. Hosted by Hosting 4 Less.
Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Today in Baseball History.