Ranking the 10 greatest New York Mets of all time

8. Jerry Koosman, LHP (1967-78)

Koosman had his No. 36 retired by the Mets in 2021 and remains the top left-handed pitcher in franchise history. The southpaw’s best years came early in his career as he made back-to-back All-Star appearances in 1968 and 1969. The 1969 season was highly impressive for Koosman in particular as he won 17 games with a 2.28 ERA and 180 strikeouts, leading the Mets to their first-ever World Series title. Koosman, who’s also a member of the Mets Hall of Fame, is among the franchise leaders in several pitching categories, ranking third in wins with 140 and strikeouts with 1,799, sixth in ERA at 3.09, and No. 2 in both complete games (108) and shutouts (26).