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Pitching has always been a vital component of success in major league baseball.

Having a reliable ace is a treasured asset for franchises and the Milwaukee Brewers have been blessed with some of the top arms.

Spring training is complete and Opening Day is Thursday for the Brewers and the rest of the league. Last season, the Brewers registered 1,530 strikeouts (third in the MLB) while giving up 1,238 hits (fifth fewest) as well as ranking 12th in ERA (3.83).

As the Brewers’ No. 1 pitcher, right-hander Corbin Burnes (12-8) racked up the second-most strikeouts in the majors (243) while finishing eighth in WHIP (0.97) along with an ERA of 2.94 last season. Burnes amassed at least 10 strikeouts in nine contests, with the highest amount being 14 when he allowed one run and three hits vs. the San Francisco Giants on Sept. 8.

Yet, even with Burnes’ lofty numbers, the Brewers didn’t reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Still, Burnes has collected 670 strikeouts with a 35-19 record since beginning his career with the Brewers in 2018. This has resulted in Burnes making the All-Star Game twice, in addition to capturing the Cy Young Award in 2021.

Leading up to the March 30 season opener at the Chicago Cubs, here’s a look at the five greatest pitchers in Brewers history.

During his prime, Higuera was perhaps the most elite lefty in the AL.

Higuera posted a 15-8 record during his rookie season in 1985. In his second season, Higuera announced his dominance to the baseball world.

In 1986, Higuera (20-11) became the second Mexican in MLB history with at least 20 wins, while also recording 207 strikeouts with a 2.79 ERA. Higuera was runner-up to Roger Clemens for the AL CY Young Award.

Higuera followed up in 1987 with an 18-10 record and career-high 240 strikeouts to finish sixth in CY Young voting. In 1988, Higuera went 16-9 with 192 strikeouts and a career-low 2.45 ERA.

A rotator cuff injury five appearances into the 1991 season resulted in Higuera missing almost three seasons before closing out his career with modest numbers in 1993 and 1994.

Higuera is rated by Baseball Reference as the No. 5 Brewers player of all time with a WAR of 30.3. For career figures, Higuera is third in wins (94) and strikeouts (1,081), and fifth in ERA (3.61) in Brewers history.

Higuera was inducted into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011 and also included in the Brewers’ Wall of Honor and the American Family Field Walk of Fame.

Sheets fought through ailments to produce four All-Star Game appearances (2001, 2004, 2007, 2008) during his time with the Brewers.

The first trip to the All-Star Game came during a rookie season in which he finished with an 11-10 record and 94 strikeouts. In Sheets’ ninth career start, he pitched a five-hit shutout vs. the St. Louis Cardinals.

A bulging disc caused Sheets to regress in 2002 and 2003 before bouncing back with a career-best campaign in 2004.

During that season, Sheets made the All-Star Game for the second time as he set a franchise record for strikeouts (264). Sheets recorded a Brewers-best 18 strikeouts vs. the Atlanta Braves on May 16, 2004. Sheets also had an immaculate inning (three strikeouts on nine pitches) in a loss to the Houston Astros on June 13, 2004.

After 2004, Sheets suffered a string of more injuries but capped off his time with the Brewers with his last two All-Star appearances in 2007 and 2008.

On Opening Day in 2007, Sheets tossed a complete-game two-hitter in a win vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2008, Sheets became the first pitcher in franchise history to start in the All-Star Game.

In franchise history, Sheets ranks second in strikeouts (1,206), sixth in wins (86) and eighth in ERA (3.72). Baseball Reference regards Sheets as the eighth-best Brewers player ever (22.8 WAR). Sheets is a part of the Brewers’ Wall of Honor.

Gallardo followed in the footsteps of Higuera as another dominant Mexican pitcher for the Brewers.

Gallardo began his career with a 9-5 record and 101 strikeouts in 2007. A knee injury cost Gallardo to practically miss the entire next season. However, once that cleared up, Gallardo’s career took off.

Gallardo produced five consecutive winning seasons from 2009-13, which included an All-Star Game appearance in 2010. Gallardo had at least 200 strikeouts every season from 2009-12.

In 2010, Gallardo posted a 14-7 record, 3.84 ERA, 200 strikeouts and two shutouts. Gallardo also flashed his versatility as the NL’s Silver Slugger recipient for pitchers that season. He hit .254 with four home runs and 10 RBIs and a .508 slugging percentage. For his career, Gallardo hit 12 home runs, including one off Randy Johnson in a 1-0 victory vs. the Giants.

Gallardo (17-10, 3.52 ERA, 207 strikeouts) finished seventh in CY Young voting in 2011. In 2012, Gallardo (16-9, 3.66 ERA, 204 strikeouts) led NL pitchers with 33 starts and set a career high with 14 strikeouts vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Gallardo is the franchise leader in strikeouts (1,226), fifth in wins (89), and seventh in ERA (3.69). Gallardo is deemed by Baseball Reference as the No. 18 Brewers player of all time (18.3 WAR). Gallardo is on the Brewers’ Wall of Honor.

It might seem early for this coronation, but in the past three seasons, Burnes has asserted himself as one of the top arms in the NL.

Burnes’ rise was preceded by a rocky start to his career. Burnes went 7-0 with a 2.61 ERA as a reliever in his 2018 rookie campaign. However, when thrust into the rotation the next season, Burnes went 1-5 with an 8.82 ERA.

Burnes was demoted to Class AAA and he floundered in the minors until reinventing his game in 2020. Burnes developed a vicious cut fastball and posted a 4-1 mark with a 2.11 ERA during the pandemic-shortened campaign. Burnes finished sixth in NL CY Young voting.

That set the tone for the comeback story’s apex in 2021. Burnes won the NL CY Young Award and was an All-Star behind an 11-5 record, 2.43 ERA, and 234 strikeouts. Burnes became the third Brewers pitcher to win the award. His masterful control was on full display, as he got his first 58 strikeouts with zero walks to set an MLB record.

Last season, Burnes was a pitching finalist for the NL Golden Glove Award.

During the past two seasons, Burnes failed to earn victories in 17 games in which he threw a quality start, which consists of six-plus innings while allowing three or fewer earned runs.

Burnes holds the franchise single-season record for strikeouts per nine innings (12.6 in 2021) as well as second in ERA (2021) and sixth in WAR (5.6 in 2021). Burns also tied an MLB record with 10 consecutive strikeouts vs. the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 12, 2021.

The legendary reliever with perhaps the most famous mustache in MLB history graced the Brewers with the final four seasons in his 17-year career.

With the arrival of Fingers, one of the game's trailblazing relievers, the Brewers qualified for the postseason for the first time in franchise history in 1981. Fingers won both MVP and the CY Young Award for the AL as he recorded 28 saves and 61 strikeouts with a 1.04 ERA.

Then the following season, the Brewers captured the AL pennant before falling to the St. Louis Cardinals in a seven-game World Series. In 1982, Fingers had 29 saves, 71 strikeouts and a 2.60 ERA to earn an All-Star selection.

However, Fingers missed the World Series and the entire 1983 season due to injury.

Fingers surpassed Sparky Lyle's AL record for career saves (232) in a road victory vs. the Minnesota Twins on Sept. 4, 1985.

The Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher had 97 saves during his stint with the Brewers and is the lone pitcher to have his number retired by the franchise. Fingers' number also is retired by the Oakland Athletics, making him one of only 10 players with the multiple-team distinction.

Caldwell began his career with the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, and Cincinnati Reds, but the best stretch of his career came with the Brewers.

The trade of minor leaguers Dick O’Keefe and Garry Pyka to the Reds for Caldwell goes down as one of the most significant in the history of the franchise.

Caldwell shook off a slow start with the Brewers in 1977 to set a single-season franchise record for wins (22) in 1978.

During that campaign in which he finished second in AL Cy Young voting, Caldwell registered a 2.36 ERA, an AL-best 23 complete games and three shutouts vs. the eventual World Series champion New York Yankees. Caldwell earned the moniker “Yankee killer” for his 12-5 record and 2.66 ERA vs. the Yankees from 1977-82.

In 1982, Caldwell (12 complete games) registered 17 wins, including two in the World Series vs. the Cardinals as the Brewers captured the AL pennant.

Caldwell earned double-figure victories for six straight seasons with the Brewers (1978-83).

He retired as the winningest lefty pitcher in Brewers history (102), which also ranks second for the franchise. Caldwell also is the franchise leader in complete games (81) and second in shutouts (18).

Caldwell (17.3 WAR) is the 21st best Brewers player according to Baseball Reference. Caldwell is recognized on the Brewers’ Wall of Honor.

It was a glorious lone season in Milwaukee for Sabathia.

The lefty arrived with the Brewers in 2008 via a midseason trade from the then-Cleveland Indians.Sabathia registered an 11-2 mark witha 1.65 ERA, 1.003 WHIP, 128 strikeouts and only 25 walks.

Sabathia tossed a complete-game, four-hit shutout in the regular-season finale vs. the Chicago Cubs, which coupled with a loss by the New York Mets, clinched a wild card berth for the Brewers.

Sabathia finished fifth in Cy Young voting and sixth in the MVP race in the NL despite not spending a full season in the league. Sabathia additionally captured his second consecutive Warren Spahn Award.

Sabathia spent the final 11 seasons of his career with the New York Yankees.

Slaton spent the majority of his career in Milwaukee and is the franchise leader in wins (117), shutouts (19), games started (268), and innings pitched (2,025.1).

Slaton is also second in complete games (69) and fourth in strikeouts (929) in Brewers history. In 1977, Slaton was selected to the All-Star Game and finished with 104 strikeouts and a 3.58 ERA.

Slaton was the Brewers' winning pitcher in Game 4 of the 1982 World Series vs. the St. Louis Cardinals, throwing two scoreless innings in replacement of Moose Haas.

In a dozen seasons with the Brewers, Slaton averaged a 3.86 ERA. Slaton is recognized on the Brewers' Wall of Honor.