These are Nationals' top 5 pitching seasons

After taking a look at the best single seasons by a Nationals position player, it’s time to explore the top individual years by pitchers. These rankings were deep with memorable performances, and there are pitchers who could have practically filled up a list on their own.

1) Max Scherzer, 2018
Key fact: Highest single-season WAR (8.4) by a Nationals pitcher

Scherzer reached the 300-strikeout milestone, and he needed just 220 1/3 innings to do so -- the fifth-fewest innings of all time in a 200-strikeout season. Only Randy Johnson (197 2/3 IP in ‘01 and 217 IP in ‘00), Pedro Martinez (203 2/3 IP in 1999) and Chris Sale (209 1/3 IP in ‘17) achieved the feat in fewer innings. Scherzer’s 150 hits allowed were the fewest all time in a 300-strikeout season.

Scherzer also topped National League pitchers in WHIP (0.911), opponents’ batting average (.188), strikeouts per nine innings (12.2), and he tied for first in wins (18-7 in 33 starts). His 2.53 ERA and 2.15 FIP were third best in the NL. Scherzer also earned his sixth straight All-Star nod and finished second in the NL Cy Young Award voting.

2) Stephen Strasburg, 2019
Key fact: First pitcher in baseball history to go 5-0 in the postseason

Strasburg set the stage for his spectacular World Series by leading the NL in wins (18-6, 3.32 ERA) and innings (209) over 33 regular-season starts. He also ranked in the top five among NL pitchers in strikeouts (251, second), opponents’ OPS (.620, fourth), opponents’ batting average (.210, fifth), WHIP (1.04, fifth) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.8, fifth).

In the postseason, Strasburg shined even brighter. He pitched three shutout frames out of the bullpen to advance the Nationals past the Brewers in the NL Wild Card Game. After, Strasburg returned to his starting duties, and he posted a cumulative 1.98 ERA in six postseason games (five starts). He tallied 47 strikeouts to only four walks, and held his opponents to a .091 batting average with runners in scoring position. He was named the 2019 World Series MVP for his 2-0 record and 2.51 ERA in two starts against the Astros.

3) Max Scherzer, 2017
Key fact: Won his second consecutive (third total) Cy Young Award

Either of Scherzer’s 2016 or ‘17 seasons could have been on here, but his ‘17 performance had an edge, with an NL-best 7.2 wins above replacement. In his second straight Cy Young-winning season, Scherzer went 16-6 over 31 starts with a career-best 2.51 ERA -- the lowest by a Nationals pitcher with a minimum of 170 innings.

He led the NL in WHIP (0.902), strikeouts (268), opponents’ batting average (.178), opponents’ OPS (.566) and hits per nine innings (5.7). His 178 ERA+ is tied with Strasburg (also in ‘17) for the franchise high mark. That season, Scherzer also hit his first (and only) career home run on Aug. 1 vs. the Marlins. He was named to his fifth straight All-Star team.

4) Gio González, 2012
Key fact: 21 wins are the most in Nats history

González led baseball in wins during his first season with the Nats. That year, the lefty went 21-8 while also leading all pitchers in FIP (2.82) and home runs per nine innings (0.4). Among the NL, he was first in strikeouts per nine innings (9.3), fourth in strikeouts (207) and sixth in ERA (career-best 2.89). His opponents’ .299 slugging percentage was best by a Nationals pitcher in a single season.

González threw two complete games that season, including an eight-strikeout, 10-0 shutout against the Cardinals on Aug. 31. His performance in his fifth big league season earned him his second consecutive All-Star nod, a third-place finish in the NL Cy Young Award voting and votes for the NL MVP Award.

5) Stephen Strasburg, 2017
Key fact: Led all pitchers with the fewest home runs per nine innings (0.6)

For the second season in a row, Strasburg finished 15-4. His career-best 2.52 ERA (third in the NL) was 0.01 shy of matching Scherzer for the franchise best, and his NL-leading 2.72 FIP was fourth-best in Nationals pitching history. Strasburg also tied Scherzer for the Nats’ best ERA+ (178) in a single season, led the NL in opponents’ slugging percentage (.317) and was worth 6.4 WAR.

Strasburg was 6-1 with an 0.86 ERA in 10 starts after the All-Star break, including a stretch of 35 scoreless frames from Aug. 19-Sept. 17. He was named to the All-Star team and finished third in the NL Cy Young Award voting.

Honorable Mention

Max Scherzer, 2015
Key fact: Threw two no-hitters in the same season

What a welcome to Washington. In Scherzer’s first season with the Nats, he became just the fifth pitcher in Major League history to toss a pair of no-hitters in a single season -- on June 20 vs. the Pirates (10 strikeouts) and Oct. 3 vs. the Mets (17 strikeouts). Only Johnny Vander Meer (1938), Allie Reynolds (‘51), Virgil Trucks (‘52) and Nolan Ryan (‘73) had accomplished the feat. Scherzer also became the first pitcher to throw no-hitters against two postseason-bound clubs in the same season.

Scherzer went 14-12 with a 2.79 ERA and 276 strikeouts. Among all pitchers, he led in strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.1) and tied for most shutouts (three) and complete games (four), including back-to-back complete games on June 14 vs. the Brewers and the June 20 no-hitter. Scherzer was the fifth Modern Era pitcher to allow one hit or less in consecutive complete games.