Updating an article I wrote on 4/11/24 to now include the full season of 2024 data. Newly added 2024 data highlighted, underlined and bolded.
A focused look at starting pitching data using Baseball Reference as the source. I reviewed by year from 1950 to the current season and averaged by decades the following data sets for the entirety of the major leagues : average Innings pitched per start per team, average pitches per start per team (from 1988 to 2024 - no data (ND) is available prior to 1988), average complete games per team, average walks per nine inning per team (includes relievers - couldn’t find data specific to just starters) and average strikeouts per nine inning per team (includes relievers - couldn’t find data specific to just starters).
Average Innings Pitched Per Start Per Team :
The average starting pitcher innings per game length was relatively consistent from 1950 to 1979 sitting at 6.5 innings. That started to trend downwards from 1980 to 1999 falling to 6.1 innings per start - from 2000 to 2019 it dropped to a twenty year average of 5.8 innings per start and from 2020 to 2023 it fell to 5 innings per start - in 2024 that bounced back up a bit to 5.2 innings per start. The Phillies staff was tied for the second highest average in 2024 at 5.6 IP/start with the Braves and Royals - the Mariners led all of MLB baseball at 5.8 IP/start. Zack Wheeler, Seth Lugo, Logan Gilbert and Framber Valdez each averaged 6.3 IP/start to lead all individual pitchers.
Average Pitches Per Start Per Team :
Data is only available from 1988 forward but it was relatively consistent till 2020 - the thirty two year average from 1988 to 2019 was 94 pitches per start. That’s trended down significantly since as the average from 2020 to 2023 fell to 83 pitches - discounting 2020 since it was a shortened season the 2021 to 2023 average was still just 84 pitches - in 2024 the MLB average was 85 pitches per start - the Phillies starters averaged 89 pitches per start (tied for fourth with Orioles & Padres). The highest average belonged to the Yankees (92) with the Royals (91) second and the Braves, Astros and Mets tied for third (90). Hunter Greene at an average of 99 pitches per start led MLB with Zack Wheeler (98) and Aaron Nola, Logan Webb, Chris Sale, Cole Ragans, Dylan Cease and Carlos Rodon next (tied at 97).
Complete Games Average per team :
Way back in the day when pitching staffs were smaller in regards to roster slots allotted complete games were much more frequent. During the 1950’s teams averaged 52 complete games per season. That started to trend downwards over the next twenty years (1960-1979) as it went to an average of 40 per team. That was halved from 1980 to 1999 as complete games fell to an average of 18 per team. From 2010 to 2019 it was more than halved as the average fell to 5 per team over those twenty years. It’s dropped now to being a rare occasion - in 2024 there were only 28 complete games in total - the Phillies led the way with five. There were 35 in 2023, 36 in 2022, 50 in 2021 and 29 in 2020 (2020-2021 included seven inning games). Max Fried, Christopher Sanchez and Kevin Gausman led the way in 2024 with two complete games apiece.
Walks and Strikeouts :
Since starters average pitch counts were relatively steady from 1988 to 2019 I was curious why innings pitched per start dropped. I looked at walks and strikeouts. Average walks per team per nine innings from 1950 to 2023 held relatively steady at 3.3 (the 50’s era at 3.6 and the 90’s era at 3.5 being the outliers) so that doesn’t seem to be a root cause. In 2024 average walks per team per nine innings was 3.1.
However, average strikeouts per team per nine innings have continually trended upwards. From 1950 to 1989 the average strikeouts per team per nine innings was 5.2. There was a big spike from 1990 to 2009 (an average of 6.4) and even more so in the next 14 years (2010 to 2023) with an average of 8.3 - In 2024 the average strikeouts per team per nine innings was 8.6. The data reflects that the drop over time in innings pitched per game by starters at least partially correlates to efficiency of pitches - in general it takes more pitches to rack up K’s. Even more so though the build up of bullpen specialists also has had a huge play and the willingness/desire to use them earlier in games (high impact spots) - the strikeout numbers include those hammered by high velocity and/or high spin rate reliever arms that can pitch more than once every five days - the strikeout increase is clearly inclusive of that.
It’s only data - just thought ya all might be curios like I was is all.
Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️
Here’s the complete breakdown of the data :
IP Avg per start per team - Avg Pitches per start per team - Avg CG per team - Avg BB/9 per team - Avg K/9 per team
Five Year Average (2020-2024) - 5.2 - 84 -1.2 - 3.3 - 8.8
Ten Year Average (2010-2019) - 5.7 - 93 - 4 - 3.1 - 7.9
Ten Year Average (2000-2009) - 5.9 - 95 - 6 - 3.4 - 6.6
Ten Year Average (1990-1999) - 6 - 95 - 12 - 3.5 - 6.2
Ten Year Average (1980-1989) - 6.2 - ND - 24 - 3.2 - 5.3
Ten Year Average (1970-1979) - 6.5 - ND - 41 - 3.3 - 5.2
Ten Year Average (1960-1969) - 6.4 - ND - 40 - 3.1 - 5.6
Ten Year Average (1950-1959) - 6.5 - ND - 52 - 3.6 - 4.5
IP Avg per start per team - Avg Pitches per start per team - Avg CG per team - Avg BB/9 per team - Avg K/9 per team
2024 - 5.2 - 85 - 1 - 3.1 - 8.6
2023 - 5.1 - 85 - 1 - 3.3 - 8.7
2022 - 5.2 - 85 - 1 - 3.1 - 8.5
2021 - 5.0 - 83 - 2 - 3.3 - 8.9
2020 - 4.8 - 80 - 1 - 3.5 - 9.1
2019 - 5.2 - 86 - 2 - 3.3 - 8.9
2018 - 5.4 - 88 - 1 - 3.2 - 8.5
2017 - 5.5 - 92 - 2 - 3.3 - 8.3
2016 - 5.6 - 93 - 3 - 3.1 - 8.1
2015 - 5.8 - 93 - 3 - 2.9 -7.8
2014 - 6.0 - 96 - 4 - 2.9 - 7.7
2013 - 5.9 - 95 - 4 - 3.0 - 7.6
2012 - 5.9 - 95 - 4 - 3.1 - 7.6
2011 - 6.0 - 97 - 6 - 3.1 - 7.1
2010 - 6.0 - 97 - 6 - 3.3 - 7.1
2009 - 5.8 - 95 - 5 - 3.5 - 7.0
2008 - 5.8 - 95 - 5 - 3.4 - 6.8
2007 - 5.8 - 94 - 4 - 3.3 - 6.7
2006 - 5.8 - 94 - 5 - 3.3 - 6.6
2005 - 6.0 - 95 - 6 - 3.2 - 6.4
2004 - 5.9 - 95 - 5 - 3.4 - 6.6
2003 - 5.9 - 94 - 7 - 3.3 - 6.4
2002 - 5.9 - 95 - 7 - 3.4 - 6.5
2001 - 5.9 - 95 - 7 - 3.3 - 6.7
2000 - 5.9 - 97 - 8 - 3.8 - 6.5
1999 - 5.9 - 96 - 8 - 3.7 - 6.5
1998 - 6.1 - 97 - 10 - 3.4 - 6.6
1997 - 6.0 - 96 - 10 - 3.5 - 6.7
1996 - 6.0 - 96 - 10 - 3.6 - 6.5
1995 - 5.9 - 94 - 10 - 3.6 - 6.4
1994 - 6.1 - 97 - 9 - 3.5 - 6.2
1993 - 6.1 - 95 - 13 - 3.4 - 5.8
1992 - 6.2 - 95 - 16 - 3.3 - 5.6
1991 - 6.1 - 95 - 14 - 3.3 - 5.8
1990 - 6.1 - 93 - 16 - 3.3 - 5.7
1989 - 6.2 - 94 - 19 - 3.2 - 5.6
1988 - 6.4 - 96 - 24 - 3.1 - 5.6
1987 - 6.1 - ND - 22 - 3.4 - 6.0
1986 - 6.2 - ND - 22 - 3.4 - 5.9
1985 - 6.2 - ND - 24 - 3.3 - 5.4
1984 - 6.3 - ND - 24 - 3.2 - 5.2
1983 - 6.3 - ND - 29 - 3.2 - 5.0
1982 - 6.2 - ND - 28 - 3.2 - 4.7
1981 - 6.2 - ND - 20 - 3.1 - 4.8
1980 - 6.3 - ND - 33 - 3.1 - 4.8
1979 - 6.3 - ND - 35 - 3.3 - 4.8
1978 - 6.5 - ND - 40 - 3.3 - 4.8
1977 - 6.3 - ND - 35 - 3.3 - 5.2
1976 - 6.5 - ND - 43 - 3.3 - 4.8
1975 - 6.5 - ND - 44 - 3.5 - 5.0
1974 - 6.5 - ND - 45 - 3.3 - 5.0
1973 - 6.6 - ND - 44 - 3.4 - 5.3
1972 - 6.7 - ND - 42 - 3.2 - 5.6
1971 - 6.6 - ND - 45 - 3.2 - 5.4
1970 - 6.4 - ND - 36 - 3.5 - 5.8
1969 - 6.4 - ND - 41 - 3.5 - 5.8
1968 - 6.6 - ND - 45 - 2.8 - 5.9
1967 - 6.4 - ND - 39 - 3.0 - 6.0
1966 - 6.3 - ND - 37 - 2.9 - 5.9
1965 - 6.3 - ND - 37 - 3.1 - 5.9
1964 - 6.3 - ND - 40 - 3.0 -5.9
1963 - 6.5 - ND - 43 - 3.0 - 5.9
1962 - 6.4 - ND - 42 - 3.0 - 5.8
1961 - 6.4 - ND - 41 - 3.4 - 5.5 - went to 162 games from 154
1960 - 6.4 - ND - 40 - 3.5 - 5.3
1959 - 6.5 - ND - 46 - 3.4 - 5.2
1958 - 6.4 - ND - 46 - 3.3 - 5.1
1957 - 6.4 - ND - 47 - 3.3 - 5.0
1956 - 6.4 - ND - 47 - 3.3 - 4.8
1955 - 6.3 - ND - 47 - 3.7 - 4.7
1954 - 6.6 - ND - 52 - 3.7 - 4.2
1953 - 6.5 - ND - 54 - 3.5 - 4.2
1952 - 6.8 - ND - 59 - 3.6 - 4.2
1951 - 6.7 - ND - 59 - 3.8 - 3.8
1950 - 6.7 - ND - 62 - 4.1 - 3.9
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