Lowest Career ERA in MLB History: All-Time Leaders

Career

Includes the 2026 season through September 25, 2026

As of September 25, 2026, the all-time leader in ERA is Ed Walsh with 1.82. Jim Devlin is second with 1.89 and Addie Joss is third with 1.89. This page ranks the top 100 players in ERA.

ERA (Earned Run Average):
Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.

Data updated

Ed Walsh holds the all-time MLB career ERA record with a 1.82 ERA, ahead of Jim Devlin (1.89) and Addie Joss (1.89).

Rankings cover the top 100 qualifying players (a minimum of 1,000 career innings pitched).

Top 10 ERA

Career. Click a bar to view the player.

Lowest Career ERA in MLB History: All-Time Leaders
Rank Player ERA Trend
1 Ed Walsh 1.82
T-2 Jim Devlin 1.89
T-2 Addie Joss 1.89
4 Jack Pfiester 2.02
5 Smoky Joe Wood 2.03
6 Mordecai Brown 2.06
7 John Ward 2.10
8 Christy Mathewson 2.13
9 Rube Waddell 2.16
10 Walter Johnson 2.17
11 Mariano Rivera 2.21
T-12 Orval Overall 2.23
T-12 Jake Weimer 2.23
14 Tommy Bond 2.25
T-15 Ed Reulbach 2.28
T-15 Babe Ruth 2.28
T-15 Will White 2.28
18 Jim Scott 2.30
19 Reb Russell 2.33
T-20 Andy Coakley 2.35
T-20 Eddie Plank 2.35
22 Larry Corcoran 2.36
T-23 Eddie Cicotte 2.38
T-23 Ed Killian 2.38
T-23 George McQuillan 2.38
T-26 Harry Coveleski 2.39
T-26 Doc White 2.39
T-28 Carl Lundgren 2.42
T-28 Nap Rucker 2.42
T-30 Joe Benz 2.43
T-30 Terry Larkin 2.43
T-30 Jim McCormick 2.43
T-30 Jeff Tesreau 2.43
34 Charles Bender 2.46
T-35 Sam Leever 2.47
T-35 Lefty Leifield 2.47
T-35 Hooks Wiltse 2.47
T-38 Bob Ewing 2.49
T-38 Hippo Vaughn 2.49
40 George Bradley 2.50
T-41 Ray Collins 2.51
T-41 Cy Morgan 2.51
43 Hoyt Wilhelm 2.52
44 Clayton Kershaw 2.53
45 Lew Richie 2.54
T-46 Noodles Hahn 2.55
T-46 Frank Owen 2.55
T-48 Pete Alexander 2.56
T-48 Slim Sallee 2.56
T-50 Russ Ford 2.59
T-50 Deacon Phillippe 2.59
T-50 Frank Smith 2.59
53 Ed Siever 2.60
54 Bob Rhoads 2.61
55 Fred Glade 2.62
T-56 Red Ames 2.63
T-56 Tim Keefe 2.63
T-56 Barney Pelty 2.63
T-56 Vic Willis 2.63
T-56 Cy Young 2.63
T-61 Nick Altrock 2.65
T-61 Claude Hendrix 2.65
T-61 Jack Taylor 2.65
T-64 Joe McGinnity 2.66
T-64 Dick Rudolph 2.66
T-64 Pete Schneider 2.66
T-67 Charlie Ferguson 2.67
T-67 Carl Weilman 2.67
T-69 Jack Chesbro 2.68
T-69 Cy Falkenberg 2.68
T-69 Johnny Lush 2.68
T-69 Old Hoss Radbourn 2.68
T-73 Jacob deGrom 2.69
T-73 Bill Donovan 2.69
T-73 Fred Toney 2.69
T-76 Larry Cheney 2.70
T-76 Vean Gregg 2.70
78 Mickey Welch 2.71
79 Ned Garvin 2.72
T-80 Nick Cullop 2.73
T-80 Fred Goldsmith 2.73
T-80 Bob Wicker 2.73
83 Harry Howell 2.74
T-84 Howie Camnitz 2.75
T-84 Whitey Ford 2.75
T-84 Roy Patterson 2.75
T-84 Luther Taylor 2.75
T-88 Babe Adams 2.76
T-88 Sandy Koufax 2.76
T-88 Dutch Leonard 2.76
T-88 Dan Quisenberry 2.76
T-92 Al Demaree 2.77
T-92 Jeff Pfeffer 2.77
T-94 Jack Coombs 2.78
T-94 Earl Moore 2.78
T-96 Ed Karger 2.79
T-96 Ron Perranoski 2.79
T-98 Frank Corridon 2.80
T-98 Phil Douglas 2.80
T-98 Jesse Tannehill 2.80

Reading the career ERA board

The board ends at rank T-98 with Jesse Tannehill at 2.80. Every decade from the 1870s to the 2020s appears in the era filter; the 1910s appear most often. The largest tie on the board is at T-56, where Red Ames, Tim Keefe, Barney Pelty, and Vic Willis and others share 2.63. Ed Walsh leads at 1.82. Second place belongs to Jim Devlin, at 1.89.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has the lowest career ERA (a minimum of 1,000 career innings pitched)?
Ed Walsh — a 1.82 ERA, among qualifying players (a minimum of 1,000 career innings pitched). Next are Jim Devlin (1.89) and Addie Joss (1.89).
What was Ed Walsh's career ERA?
Ed Walsh posted a 1.82 ERA — the lowest mark on this leaderboard.
Who else ranks in the top 5 for career ERA?
1. Ed Walsh (1.82); 2. Jim Devlin (1.89); 3. Addie Joss (1.89); 4. Jack Pfiester (2.02); 5. Smoky Joe Wood (2.03).
Who qualifies for this ERA leaderboard?
This leaderboard ranks qualifying players (a minimum of 1,000 career innings pitched), showing the top 100. Ed Walsh leads with a 1.82 ERA.