"Gonsolin is the better of the three" "JV about got the CY Young wrapped" - MLB fans debate the best pitcher from a three-way tie for most wins between Verlander, Gonsolin & Wright

Baseball fans were left debating after MLB announced a three-way tie for most wins by a pitcher at sixteen. The tie came after Kyle Wright dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday afternoon, going seven innings and only allowing two hits. Kyle Wright, Tony Gonsolin, and Justin Verlander are all tied at sixteen wins apiece.

As we near September, each pitcher has carved a path for their team to get into the postseason. The Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers sit comfortably among their respective divisions. The Atlanta Braves sit one game behind the New York Mets for the lead in the NL East.

With these pitchers having a great season up to this point, some fans are debating who the best pitcher in the league is.

Some fans believe that Tony Gonsolin is the better pitcher among the three. Gonsolin has a 16-1 record this year with a 2.10 ERA (earned run average). Gonsolin ranks second among all of MLB in ERA. Gonsolin also has the third-best WHIP (walks + hits per inning) in baseball, at 0.86.

Some fans believe that Justin Verlander is the best pitcher in MLB right now. Verlander is 16-3 with MLB's best 1.87 ERA. Verlander also leads the league in WHIP, with a 0.85 WHIP. Verlander holds these statistics while in his sixteenth season after coming off of Tommy John surgery in 2020.

Some fans think that Kyle Wright stacks up with Gonsolin and Verlander. Having a 16-5 record this year, he doesn't have as great of an ERA or WHIP as the other two. Wright has a 2.99 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP this season.

As MLB has a three-way tie for pitcher wins, other stats make for a better argument for who the best pitcher is

With most fans debating over who the best pitcher is, some fans took to Twitter to express that pitcher wins aren't everything to look at. While every pitcher strives to win the game, there are things that are out of the pitcher's control. A pitcher's record doesn't account for blown saves by the bullpen or a pitcher being carried by a good team.

Stats like ERA and WHIP are better for arguing a pitcher's value. While ERA is not a perfect measure of a pitcher's true value, it gives a better baseline than pitcher wins. WHIP is more accurate to a pitcher's true value, accounting for walks and hits per inning pitched.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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