5 Greatest Los Angeles Angels Pitchers of All Time

Jered Weaver became one of the most reliable pitchers in Angels history during his nine seasons with the club. He made an immediate impact in his rookie season, going 11–2 with a 2.56 ERA and winning his first nine major-league decisions.

Weaver developed into the Angels’ ace, earning three All-Star selections and leading the American League in wins in 2012. That season, he went 20–5 with a 2.81 ERA and finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting.

He finished his Angels career with 150 wins, 1,598 strikeouts, and a 3.55 ERA. 

4. Frank Tanana (1973-1980)

Frank Tanana became one of the Angels’ most dependable pitchers after breaking into the majors in 1973. Over his seven seasons with the club, he developed into an ace and earned three consecutive All-Star selections from 1976 to 1978.

Tanana enjoyed his best season in 1977, when he went 20–13 with a 2.54 ERA, 205 strikeouts, and 15 complete games. He finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting that year.

He finished his Angels career with 102 wins, 1,233 strikeouts, and 1,615 innings pitched. His 24 shutouts rank second in franchise history.

3. Dean Chance (1961-1966)

Dean Chance was the Angels’ first true ace and became the first player in franchise history to win a Cy Young Award.

In 1964, he went 20–9 with a 1.65 ERA, 15 complete games, and 11 shutouts, earning the American League Cy Young Award and establishing himself as one of the game’s premier pitchers.

Chance finished his Angels career with a 2.83 ERA, the second-lowest mark in franchise history. He also recorded 21 shutouts as an Angel, which ranks third in team history. 

2. Nolan Ryan (1972-1979)

Nolan Ryan became one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball history during his eight seasons with the Angels from 1972 to 1979.

Known as the “Ryan Express,” he established himself as a strikeout machine, leading the American League in strikeouts seven times and surpassing 300 strikeouts in five seasons.

In 1973, Ryan struck out a then-record 383 batters, breaking Sandy Koufax’s single-season mark by one. He also threw four of his record seven career no-hitters as an Angel, along with six one-hitters. In 1972, opposing hitters batted just .171 against him, one of the lowest marks in baseball history.

Ryan finished his Angels career with 138 wins, 2,416 strikeouts, and 40 shutouts. 

1. Chuck Finley (1986-1999)

Chuck Finley was inducted into the Angels’ Hall of Fame in 2009 after a remarkable career. He spent 14 of his 17 MLB seasons with the Angels, winning at least 15 games six times.

Finley holds franchise records for wins (165), innings pitched (2,675), and starts (379). The five-time All-Star also struck out 2,151 batters, second-most in Angels history behind Ryan.

Finley’s best stretch came from 1989 to 1991, when he went 16–9, 18–9, and 18–9 for a combined 52–27 record. In 1990, he posted a career-best 2.40 ERA, which ranked second in the American League.