In Major League Baseball, the winning pitcher is defined as the pitcher who last pitched prior to the half-inning when the winning team took the lead for the last time. There are two exceptions to this rule. The first is that a starting pitcher must complete five innings to earn a win (four innings for a game that lasts five innings on defense). If he fails to do so, he is ineligible to be the winning pitcher even if he last pitched prior to the half-inning when his team took the lead for the last time, and the official scorer awards the win to the relief pitcher who, in the official scorer's judgment, was the most effective. The second exception applies if the relief pitcher who last pitched prior to the half-inning when the winning team took the lead for the last time was "ineffective in a brief appearance" in the official scorer's judgment, in which case the win is awarded to the succeeding relief pitcher who, in the official scorer's judgment, was the most effective.
Charles Radbourn holds the record for the most wins in a single-season, winning 60 games in 1884. John Clarkson (53 in 1885) and Guy Hecker (52 in 1884) are the only other pitchers to win more than 50 games in a single-season.
Key Rank Rank amongst leaders in single-season wins. A blank field indicates a tie. Player Name of player. W Total single-season wins.Year Season wins were recorded.*Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame.
List RankPlayerWYear1Old Hoss Radbourn *6018842John Clarkson *5318853Guy Hecker5218844John Clarkson *4918895Charlie Buffinton481884Old Hoss Radbourn *4818837Albert Spalding *471876John Montgomery Ward *4718799Pud Galvin *461883Pud Galvin *461884Matt Kilroy46188712George Bradley451876Silver King451888Jim McCormick45188015Bill Hutchison441891Mickey Welch *44188517Tommy Bond431879Larry Corcoran431880Billy Taylor431884Will White431879Will White43188322Lady Baldwin421886Tim Keefe *42188624Jack Chesbro *411904Dave Foutz411886Bill Hutchison411890Tim Keefe *411883Ed Morris411886Charlie Sweeney41188430Tommy Bond401877Tommy Bond401878Bob Caruthers401885Bob Caruthers401889Jim McCormick401884Bill Sweeney401884Ed Walsh *401908 RankPlayerWYearWill White40188238Ed Morris391885John Montgomery Ward *391880Mickey Welch *39188441John Clarkson *381887Kid Gleason381890Toad Ramsey38188644Pud Galvin *371879Tim Keefe *371884Jack Lynch371884Christy Mathewson *371908Toad Ramsey371887Jim Whitney37188350John Clarkson361886Bill Hutchison361892Walter Johnson *361913Frank Killen361893Jim McCormick361882Sadie McMahon361890Tony Mullane361884Amos Rusie *361894Cy Young *36189259Larry Corcoran351884Jim Devlin351877Tim Keefe351887Tim Keefe351888Silver King351889Joe McGinnity *351904Sadie McMahon351891Tony Mullane351883Kid Nichols *351892Ed Seward351888Jack Stivetts351892Cy Young *35189571Larry Corcoran341883George Haddock341891 RankPlayerWYearEd Morris341884Kid Nichols *341893Mike Smith341887Scott Stratton341890Mickey Welch *341880Will White341884Smoky Joe Wood341912Cy Young *34189381Grover Cleveland Alexander *331916Mark Baldwin331890John Clarkson *331888John Clarkson *331891Dave Foutz331885Walter Johnson *331912Christy Mathewson *331904Jouett Meekin331894Tony Mullane331886Henry Porter331885Old Hoss Radbourn *331882Amos Rusie *331891Amos Rusie *331893Jack Stivetts331891Mickey Welch *331886Cy Young *33190197Ice Box Chamberlain321889Jesse Duryea321889Bob Emslie321884Tim Keefe *321885Silver King321887Kid Nichols *321894Lee Richmond321880Amos Rusie *321892Gus Weyhing321892Cy Young *321902
See also
Baseball statistics List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders 300 win club
References
External links Baseball-Reference