Tampa Bay Rays’ All-Time ERA Leaders

The Tampa Bay Rays have only been around since 1998, and were mostly abysmal for the first decade before reaching the World Series in 2008. As I write this in 2010, they are one of baseball’s powerhouses, mostly due to their outstanding pitching staff. Here is a short list (a very short list since our source only listed the top two) of the Rays’ all-time leaders to date in earned run average (ERA):

Scott Kazmir (3.92)—Scott Kazmir was a Mets’ prospect that was traded to Tampa in 2004 for Victor Zambrano. Yeah, I don’t remember that guy, either, and I’m a Mets’ fan. Anyway, Kazmir pitched in Tampa from 2004 to 2009, and he ranks first in the Rays’ brief history with a 3.92 ERA. Kazmir had a career best 3.24 mark in 2006, but his best season so far was 2007. That year, he had a 3.48 ERA, but with career highs in wins (13-9) and strikeouts (239, which led the American League). Kazmir was traded to the Angels in 2009, and is pitching for them as I write this.

James Shields (3.98)—James Shields has been with the Rays since 2006 and he ranks second in franchise history with a 3.98 earned run average. Shields had his best season in 2008, when he had career best numbers in wins (14-8) and ERA (3.56), with 160 strikeouts.