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Baseball

Most Underrated Pitchers in MLB History

AP Photo

Know that incessant “o-ver-ra-ted!” chant at ballparks? It’s so overdone that it has become (get ready for it) overrated! Besides, isn’t anyone underrated anymore? Where’s the love for them? Well, kids, you’ve come to the right place.

Here are the 30 most unsung, under-the-radar, underrated pitchers in Major League Baseball history. No one-year wonders or self-promoters here. These guys had solid career resumes and often came up big in big games, yet they seldom, if ever, received widespread acclaim. A few even deserved a Cy Young Award or should be in the Hall of Fame.

OK, let’s hear it now. Un-der-ra-ted!  

30. David Wells

New York Yankees starter David Wells pitching
Ron Frehm / AP Photo

Career: 21 seasons (1987-2007)

Teams: Toronto Blue Jays (1987-92, 1999-2000), Detroit Tigers (1993-95), Cincinnati Reds (1995), Baltimore Orioles (1996), New York Yankees (1997-98, 2002-03), Chicago White Sox (2001), San  Diego Padres (2004, 2006-07), Boston Red Sox (2005-06), Los Angeles Dodgers (2007) 

Career statistics: 239-157 record/4.13 earned run average/13 saves

Bottom Line: David Wells

David Wells pitches delivers a pitch
Mark Duncan / AP Photo

Boomer played for so many years with so many teams — three more than once — it was hard to keep track of him. That explains why he had some of the quietest 239 wins in baseball history, 192 of them in his 30s. 

If there’s a Baseball Geezers Hall of Fame, then this guy deserves to be there. 

29. Virgil Trucks

Virgil Trucks on way to pitching second no-hitter of year
JL / AP PHoto

Career: 17 seasons (1941-43, 1945-1958)

Teams: Detroit Tigers (1941-43, 1945-52, 1956), St. Louis Browns, (1953), Chicago White (1953-55), Kansas City Athletes (1957-58), New York Yankees (1958)

Career statistics: 177-135/3.39/30

Bottom Line: Virgil Trucks

Virgil Trucks in action
AP Photo

His numbers got a boost in the war years but not much. After the big leagues returned to normal, the righty won 19 games twice and 20 once in a season. In 1952, he authored a pair of no-hitters, one of only three pitchers in MLB history to do so. 

Then, there was his most important win of all — a  4-1 route job in Game 2 of the 1945 World Series. All this for two All-Star Game invitations.