Friars On Base
Fansided

San Diego Padres: Top Strikeout Pitchers In Team History

By Nick Stevens

LOS ANGELES - JUNE 30: Jake Peavy #44 of the San Diego Padres pitches in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium June 30, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - JUNE 30: Jake Peavy #44 of the San Diego Padres pitches in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium June 30, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
San Diego Padres
5 Jul 1998: Pitcher Andy Ashby #43 of the San Diego Padres in action during a game against the Colorado Rockies at the Qualcomm Park in San Diego, California. The Padres defeated the Rockies 7-2. Mandatory Credit: Todd Warshaw /Allsport /

Coming in at number five on the list, Andy Ashby.

Despite only producing a strikeout rate between 13-19% with the San Diego Padres, Andy Ashby comes in at number five with 892 career strikeouts.

Ashby wasn’t drafted out of college but signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as a free agent in 1986. He started 32 games for the Phillies, going 6-15 with a 6.14 ERA. Over the course of his short career in Philadelphia, Ashby averaged just five strikeouts/nine innings while walking nearly four/9 IP and giving up 1.4 HR/9 IP.

Things didn’t improve for Asby after being drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 1993 expansion draft. In nine starts, Ashby posted an 8.40 ERA and a 33/32 K/BB ratio in 54 innings.

His longest tenure with any team was with the San Diego Padres. Ashby pitched with the Friars from 1993-1999, returning in 2004 to finish his career and retire with the team. The Padres sent LHP Bruce Hurst and RHP Greg Harris to the Rockies in exchange for catcher Brad Ausmus and Ashby.

He never possessed over-powering stuff, relying on a mid-upper 80’s fastball, a slider, changeup, and the occasional curveball.

https://twitter.com/Padres/status/954204671354191873

However, Ashby had a very successful ride with the Padres, recording 70 wins (also good for fifth most in franchise history) and making the 1998 and 1998 all-star teams. He started one career game in the World Series, coming in 1998 with the Padres. Unfortunately, Ashby lasted just 2.2 innings and gave up 10 hits and seven runs (four earned) against the New York Yankees.

After eight seasons in the organization, Ashby left with a 3.59 ERA and 829 strikeouts in 1, 212 innings. His best stretch was from 1997-1999. He won 40 games, pitched more than 200 innings in each of those seasons, and struck out 144, 151, and 132 hitters, respectively.

Home/Padres All-Time Lists