1967–1986 · P

Tom Seaver

6' 1", 195 lbs·Lived to 76·Bats R / Throws R

Hall of Fame · 19923×Cy Young AwardROYAll-Star

The Almanac's Take

The Franchise delivered exactly what his nickname promised — a foundation sturdy enough to transform the laughingstock Mets into champions. Seaver's 1969 Cy Young season (25-7, 2.21 ERA) anchored the Miracle Mets' improbable World Series run, turning a franchise that had never finished above .500 into baseball royalty.

Those 3,640 strikeouts tell only part of the story. Seaver's 130 career ERA+ across two decades proves his sustained dominance, but it was his drop-and-drive delivery and four-seam fastball that redefined pitching mechanics. He struck out 200-plus batters in nine consecutive seasons, a feat that speaks to both power and durability in an era when starters routinely threw 250-plus innings.

The Hall of Fame welcomed him with 98.8% of the vote in 1992, the highest percentage at the time. Three Cy Youngs and 311 wins cemented his legacy, but it was that 1969 magic that made him immortal in Queens.

Career Highs

1.76

Best ERA · 1971

Most W · 1969

289

Most K · 1971

0.946

Best WHIP · 1971

Career Arc · OPS

17 seasons

Career Arc · ERA

20 seasons

Statistical Comps

Zack Wheeler

99%

2021 season

K/9 10.4 · BB/9 1.9 · HR/9 0.68 · SP · FB 97.0 mph · Whiff% 24

Framber Valdez

98%

2020 season

K/9 9.7 · BB/9 2.0 · HR/9 0.64 · SP · FB 93.1 mph · Whiff% 24

Walker Buehler

98%

2021 season

K/9 9.2 · BB/9 2.3 · HR/9 0.82 · SP · FB 95.4 mph · Whiff% 24

Career · Hitting

20 seasons

Year	Team	G	AB	HR	RBI	AVG	OPS	OPS+
1967	NYM	36	77	0	5	.143	.399	—
1968	NYM	38	95	0	3	.158	.363	—
1969	NYM	39	91	0	6	.121	.354	—
1970	NYM	42	95	1	10	.179	.499	70
1971	NYM	39	92	1	7	.196	.506	74
1972	NYM	36	89	3	4	.146	.495	74
1973	NYM	39	93	1	5	.161	.457	65
1974	NYM	32	71	0	4	.099	.299	43
1975	NYM	37	95	0	5	.179	.439	63
1976	NYM	35	82	0	3	.085	.261	38
1977	CIN	33	86	3	9	.198	.545	75
1978	CIN	36	74	0	4	.122	.342	49
1979	CIN	33	76	2	8	.158	.445	61
1980	CIN	26	46	0	3	.130	.441	62
1981	CIN	23	55	1	6	.200	.570	83
1982	CIN	22	34	0	0	.176	.458	64
1983	NYM	34	64	0	4	.156	.444	62
1984	CWS	34	0	0	0	—	—	—
1985	CWS	35	0	0	0	—	—	—
1986	CWS	28	0	0	0	—	—	—
Career		677	1315	12	86	.154	—	—

Career · Pitching

20 seasons

Year	Team	G	IP	W	L	ERA	ERA+	SO	WHIP
1967	NYM	35	251.0	16	13	2.76	120	170	1.203
1968	NYM	36	277.7	16	12	2.20	135	205	0.980
1969	NYM	36	273.3	25	7	2.21	163	208	1.039
1970	NYM	37	290.7	18	12	2.82	138	283	1.077
1971	NYM	36	286.3	20	10	1.76	197	289	0.946
1972	NYM	35	262.0	21	12	2.92	112	249	1.115
1973	NYM	36	290.0	19	10	2.08	180	251	0.976
1974	NYM	32	236.0	11	11	3.20	113	201	1.161
1975	NYM	36	280.3	22	9	2.38	155	243	1.088
1976	NYM	35	271.0	14	11	2.59	136	235	1.063
1977	CIN	33	261.3	21	6	2.58	155	196	1.014
1978	CIN	36	259.7	16	14	2.88	128	226	1.182
1979	CIN	32	215.0	16	6	3.14	127	131	1.153
1980	CIN	26	168.0	10	8	3.64	105	101	1.185
1981	CIN	23	166.3	14	2	2.54	141	87	1.118
1982	CIN	21	111.3	5	13	5.50	70	62	1.617
1983	NYM	34	231.0	9	14	3.55	109	135	1.242
1984	CWS	34	236.7	15	11	3.95	96	131	1.170
1985	CWS	35	238.7	16	11	3.17	123	134	1.223
1986	BOS	28	176.3	7	13	4.03	98	103	1.338
Career		656	4782.6	311	205	—	—	3640	—

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