Dave Stieb

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Stieb was primarily an outfielder at Oak Grove High School, San Jose City College, and Southern Illinois University. In his 1978 junior season, he hit .394 with 12 home runs and 48 RBIs, and was named to The Sporting News All-American team. Scouted by Bobby Mattick and Al LaMacchia as an outfield prospect, his pitching in a varsity game convinced the Blue Jays to draft him in 1978. He was initially reluctant to pitch until told that pitching was the quickest way to the majors. He debuted in 1979 after just 128 innings in the minors. Stieb led the AL in ERA in 1985, finishing in the top five four other times (1982, 1983, 1984, and 1990). He twice led the AL in innings pitched (1982 and 1984). Injury prevented him from playing in the 1992 postseason, where the Blue Jays won their first World Series. After a stint with the Chicago White Sox, he retired, then made a brief return as a reliever for the Blue Jays in 1998 before retiring for good.

In Their Own Story

On September 2, 1990, Dave Stieb accomplished what he had nearly done four times before: he pitched a no-hitter. Defeating the Cleveland Indians 3–0, he secured the first and only no-hitter in franchise history as of 2025. This triumph capped years of near-misses, including two successive starts in 1988 where he was a single strike away from perfection on September 24 against Cleveland and September 30 against Baltimore, both broken up on 2-2 counts by the 27th batter (Julio Franco and Jim Traber). His career faced another turning point after an excellent 1990 season when shoulder and back injuries in early 1991 ended his effective years as a starter. Despite being released after a 4–6 season in 1992, he was awarded a World Series ring for the Blue Jays' first championship that year, even though injury prevented him from playing in the postseason.

Reader's Guide

Stieb won 140 games in the 1980s, the second-highest total by a pitcher in that decade, behind only his rival (and later teammate) Jack Morris. He was known for flirting with no-hitters, having reached the ninth inning with no hits four times in five years before accomplishing the feat in 1990. As of 2025, Stieb's no-hitter is the only one in Blue Jays history. He led the AL in hit batsmen in 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, and 1989 (five times), and was in the top three in 1985, 1988, and 1990.

Did You Know?

• Stieb pitched a no-hitter on September 2, 1990, the only no-hitter in Blue Jays history as of 2025.
• He was a seven-time All-Star, not six.
• Stieb's 56.9 bWAR is the highest of any Blue Jays player, according to the source.
• He led the AL in hit batsmen five times (1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1989), not six.