Who Was The Last Major League Pitcher To Lose 20 Games In A Season?
Even after 23 years, Brian Kingman isn’t ready to relinquish his throne. Naturally, Kingman was the last major league pitcher to suffer a season-long loss total of 20 or more.
On September 16, 1985, Jose DeLeon of Pittsburgh was removed from the starting rotation after suffering his 18th loss. He was subsequently sent to the bullpen (from where he suffered his 19th loss on the last day of the season).
In the same year (1985), Matt Young of Seattle lost 19 games, but that was the maximum number of games he could lose. Young spent the entirety of the season in the rotation, and the only way he achieved 19 points was because he lost each of his final four starts.
Mike Moore of Seattle had the opportunity to lose 20 pounds in 1987, but he chose not to. Moore suffered his 19th loss on September 20, but it did not prevent him from continuing to be used in the rotation.
Moore finished his career with a record of 9-19 after starting two more games, both of which were played against the Rangers. Tim Leary, a player for the Yankees, suffered a similar injury in the year 1990 as well (not that he was an innocent bystander).
The loss that Leary suffered on September 19 brought his record to 9-19, despite the fact that he didn’t actually pitch all that poorly. Leary would not pitch in any of the Yankees’ remaining 13 games, even though the team would continue to play.