Tom Glavine Ace Rotation

Lore & Background

Glavine was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1984 NHL draft and by the Braves in the second round of the 1984 MLB draft. He chose baseball. He debuted August 17, 1987. After a 33–43 record from 1987–1990, he won 20 games in 1991 with a 2.55 ERA, earning his first Cy Young Award. He won 20 games in three straight years (1991–1993), becoming one of the few pitchers to achieve that feat, though he is not the last to do so. He won his second Cy Young in 1993 (22–6, 3.20 ERA). He was named World Series MVP in 1995, winning Game 2 and Game 6 (eight innings of one-hit shutout baseball). He also pitched in the World Series in 1991, 1992, 1996, and 1999, all losses.

In Their Own Story

The humidity hung heavy over the field at Fulton County Stadium, but inside the dugout, Tom Glavine remained ice cold. It was late summer, the pennant race tightening with every game against the Cubs. As he stepped onto the mound for his third inning, the crowd's roar faded into a rhythmic chant of 'G-L-A-V-I-N-E.' He wiped his cap on his jersey, nodded to catcher Johnny Estrada, and delivered a slider that snapped in just past the plate. The batter swung and missed, sending a wave of relief through the dugout. For Glavine, this wasn't just about winning; it was another step toward cementing the legacy of a rotation that would one day be called the greatest in history.

Reader's Guide

Glavine's career is defined by consistency and longevity. He was the ace of the Braves' rotation alongside Steve Avery, Charlie Leibrandt, and John Smoltz, and later with Greg Maddux and Smoltz. He left for the Mets in 2003, struggled initially, but rebounded to win 300 games on August 5, 2007, against the Chicago Cubs. He returned to the Braves in 2008 but was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career on April 18, 2008.

Did You Know?

• Glavine was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1984 NHL draft, two rounds ahead of Brett Hull and five ahead of Luc Robitaille.
• He is one of only 24 pitchers (and six left-handers) in MLB history to earn 300 career wins.
• Glavine won 20 games in three straight years (1991–1993), though he is not the last MLB pitcher to do so—Randy Johnson (1999–2002) and others have since matched the feat.
• He was named MVP of the 1995 World Series after pitching eight innings of one-hit shutout baseball in Game 6.