Bert Blyleven is the best pitcher for the Minnesota Twins. In a list of the greatest pitchers of the Minnesota Twins which include Johan Santana, Frank Viola, Johan Santana, and many others, it could be judged that Bert Blyleven is the best even though it would not be an easy declaration.
Given the fact that Blyleven is the only pitcher to be inducted into Cooperstown who also wore a Twins cap, it’s only fair that he comes in at the top of our list. Despite the fact that the Dutchman’s first seven seasons in Minnesota were all outstanding, his 1973 campaign stood out above the rest.
He threw a career-high 325 innings that season, including nine shutouts, and set career highs in FIP (2.32), ERA (2.52), and strikeouts. He finished the season with career highs in FIP (2.32), ERA (2.52), and strikeouts (258). He garnered only one vote for the American League Cy Young Award that season, despite earning the greatest WAR (9.7, according to Baseball-Reference) of any of the nine pitchers who received votes — and the most single-season WAR among pitchers in Twins franchise history.
When it comes to complete games (141), shutouts (29), and strikeouts, Blyleven’s performance that year was a microcosm of the skillset — fueled by his knee-buckling curveball — that propelled him to the top of the Minnesota record books (2,035).
