41. Rick Rhoden

The blueprint of a top league pitcher is usually based on health and velocity, but Rick Rhoden's career was built on hard work. After shining with the Dodgers and helping them win consecutive NL pennants, shoulder issues led to a trade to the Pirates before 1979. Skeptics were right; Rhoden’s arm was so bad he played only one game during the 1979 championship run. However, unlike others, the Pirates waited patiently, a display of athletic resilience.

Once his shoulder finally stabilized, Rhoden made durability a regular part of his season under the lights at Three Rivers Stadium. With a strategic, high-efficiency pitching style, the right-hander achieved five straight seasons with at least 10 wins from 1982 to 1986, providing a steady, low-variance presence in an evolving rotation.

His peak season in Pittsburgh was 1986, when Rhoden demonstrated exceptional run prevention. He led the staff with a career-best 15–12 record, a superb 2.84 ERA, and an impressive 1.131 WHIP. His advanced efficiency stats earned him his first All-Star selection in ten years and a solid fifth-place finish in the National League Cy Young Award voting, the only major award of his career.

Evaluating Rhoden solely as a pitcher overlooks the complex skills that made him a versatile threat. Known as the top hitting pitcher of the 1980s, he had a quick, effective right-handed swing that managers often exploited. Rhoden consistently excelled against opposing batters, earning three straight National League Silver Slugger awards from 1984 to 1986, with 127 hits and a remarkable .251 batting average while playing for Pittsburgh. Additionally, his spatial awareness and athletic ability made him an excellent defensive player, achieving a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage over five summers and effectively shutting down opposing baserunners.

With his market value reaching an all-time peak and the organization pivoting toward a younger, small-market rebuilding cycle under Jim Leyland, the front office moved aggressively. In a high-profile winter blockbuster after the 1986 calendar, management traded the veteran ace to the New York Yankees in a six-player deal that brought Doug Drabek to town. His Pittsburgh stats included a 3.51 ERA, 852 strikeouts, and a record of 79- 73.