As the calendar prepares to flip to 2018, it leaves behind another Major League Baseball season which concluded with the Houston Astros winning their first World Series title in franchise history.
Many impressive performances took place on the mound between Opening Day and Game 7 of the World Series; some of which had baseball fans on the edge of their seats watching in excitement, while others caused traumatic heartbreak.
Here are the 10 best pitching performances from 2017.
10. Rich Hill throws 9-inning no-hitter, loses to Pirates
Unfortunately, this list starts with heartbreak. On Aug. 23 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Los Angeles Dodgers breaking-ball specialist Rich Hill was absolutely dealing, but luck wasn't on his side. Hill threw nine innings of no-hit ball against the Pirates, but because of a lack of offense from his teammates, was not credited with a no-hitter as the game was notched at zeroes heading into extra innings. In the 10th, Pirates infielder Josh Harrison crushed Hill's no-hit dreams by driving a 2-1 fastball past a leaping Curtis Granderson and over the left-field fence for a walk-off home run and a 1-0 victory.
9. Klu-bot's 11-K gem vs. Rockies
Only Minnesota Twins starter Ervin Santana tossed as many complete games as 2017 American League Cy Young winner Corey Kluber this season, but it was the Cleveland Indians ace who hurled 200-plus innings for a fourth consecutive season (in just 29 starts). Despite recording three shutouts over the year, Aug. 8 against the Colorado Rockies may have been Kluber's finest work of the season. The 31-year-old allowed just three hits and a single earned run (a lead-off home run to Charlie Blackmon in the first) before settling in and striking out 11 Rockies. Raimel Tapia was the only player in the Colorado lineup who Kluber didn't sit down on strikes.
8. Verlander makes an impression on Astros
The Astros may have pulled off the trade of the year when they acquired 2011 AL MVP Justin Verlander from the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 31. Verlander would become an important piece in their World Series run and was a perfect 5-0 for them in the regular season. In just his second start for Houston, Verlander struck out nine Los Angeles Angels hitters during a 112-pitch, one-hit performance.
7. Tanaka sits down 15 Blue Jays
In his last start of the regular season, New York Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka squashed any doubts of his credentials as an ace when he completely carved up the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. During the afternoon affair, Tanaka struck out 15 Toronto hitters - including 2015 MVP Josh Donaldson three times - on 106 pitches across seven innings. The 15 Ks were a career-high for Tanaka, who struck out 14 three months earlier against the Tampa Bay Rays.
6. Sale makes easy work of Rays
On the same day Kluber was chewing up the Rockies in Cleveland, a fellow Cy Young candidate was showing what he was made of in Tampa. Boston Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale made pitching look too easy against the Rays when he struck out 13 hitters en route to an eight-inning, two-hit performance that earned him an impressive game score of 90 - good for the sixth-highest of the season. It was the perfect way for Sale to recover from his previous start, when he allowed a season-high seven earned runs against Kluber's Indians.
5. Santana 1-hits White Sox
Santana had a career year for the Minnesota Twins, aiding them in a magical turnaround season which took them from the worst record in baseball to the postseason. Santana got things going right off the bat, too. In just his third start of the season, the right-hander tossed a complete-game, one-hit shutout against the Chicago White Sox, striking out eight and walking one in the process. The White Sox had no answer for Santana, who was marvelous at spreading the love to his teammates, recording 10 ground outs and nine fly balls.
4. Morton, McCullers team up for Game 7 magic
This one is a bit different, but needs to be included. During Game 7 of the American League Championship Series between the Astros and Yankees, pitchers Charlie Morton and Lance McCullers teamed up to shut out New York in a memorable performance. After Morton held the opposition to just two hits over five innings, McCullers finished them off over the final four frames, allowing a lone hit and throwing 24 straight curveballs to help Houston win the pennant. Incredibly gusty performances from the pair.
3. Bundy gives the business to Mariners
It's been well-documented just how bad starting pitching has been for the Baltimore Orioles over the years, and that continued last season as their rotation posted an MLB-worst 5.70 ERA. But, one standout in 2017 was youngster Dylan Bundy, who saw his share of his ups and downs, too. Bundy, however, fashioned one of the season's best pitching performances on Aug. 29 when he tore through a potent Seattle Mariners offense for a one-hit, complete-game shutout. Bundy struck out 12 - including Danny Valencia four times - en route to a game score of 95. Kyle Seager recorded the Mariners' only hit of the night - a bunt single.
2. Verlander's epic Game 2 performance in ALCS
Leave it to a legend like Verlander to make this list twice. But, when you're good, you're good, and in Game 2 of the ALCS against the Yankees, Verlander was outstanding. The 34-year-old veteran was an absolute horse, tossing 124 pitches on his way to a complete-game, five-hitter with 13 strikeouts. Everything Verlander threw on the evening looked sharp, from his breaking ball to the high-rising fastball he's become famous for. It was a pitching performance for the ages, which, combined with his outing in Game 6, earned him series MVP.
1. Volquez's no-no
The Marlins recently released injured pitcher Edinson Volquez from his contract as the organization continues to purge contracts amid a rebuild, but it wasn't always bad for the veteran during his tenure in Miami. On June 3, in front of 21,458 fans at Marlins Park, Volquez tossed the first no-hitter of his career when he dominated the Arizona Diamondbacks to the tune of 10 strikeouts. Volquez needed just 98 pitches to add himself to the growing list. The hurler nearly lost the no-no in the fourth inning when Paul Goldschmidt appeared to get a hit, but the call was overturned after a challenge. What might have been most sentimental about the performance was Volquez dedicated the no-hitter (MLB's only one of 2017) to former teammate Yordano Ventura - who died in a tragic auto accident in January and would have turned 26 that same day.