Roger Clemens was only a Toronto Blue Jay for two seasons, and though sports history forgets this, his two-year performance in Canada was one of the best back-to-back regular seasons in MLB history.
Before Clemens signed with the Blue Jays, he was the young superstar for the Boston Red Sox. Clemens was, at that point, a 13-year veteran, but his skills looked to have eroded. Toronto thought otherwise, and while we can look at potential PED use by Clemens, it was a colossal return to greatness by the Pitcher and what arguably placed him in HOF contention.
Clemens signed with the Blue Jays after the 1996 Season, and many in Boston thought that their division rivals had made a mistake. The flamethrower reclaimed his past glory, and though Toronto was no longer a World Series contender, Clemens reclaimed his spot as the top Pitcher in the American League.
Clemens won the Pitcher's Triple Crown in 1996 and 1997 and was the Cy Young winner in both seasons. He also led the AL in ERA+ and FIP in both years, and was first in WHIP in 1996. There has never been a Jays Pitcher before or since who had back-to-back seasons this good. The problem for Clemens was that there was no similar talent around him, and the Jays were not threats to challenge for a Pennant while he was there.
Following the ’97 campaign, Clemens asked to be traded to a contender, and his wish was granted when the Jays traded him to the Yankees.
In his two-year stay in Toronto, Clemens had a bWAR over 20 with a 41-13 record.
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