It’s Thanksgiving week, which means it’s time to take stock of what we’re thankful for. Every baseball fan is familiar with certain moments, outcomes and games attributed to luck -- things that feel extra worthy of gratefulness. Sometimes, it’s a ball that seems like a certain flyout off the bat carrying for a homer. Other times, it’s a pitcher earning the win on a day he wasn’t at his best.

Whether it’s thanks to strong run support, a well-placed line drive, or a lucky bounce, sometimes you end up in the win column regardless of how well you pitched. To be clear: a win is a win, and this is all in good fun. But sometimes a box score line really stands out, and taking a look at these has become an annual tradition. We did this in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019.

With those concepts in mind, here are seven times this season a pitcher had reason to give thanks.

Graham Ashcraft, CIN: April 8 vs. Brewers

Stats: 5 2/3 IP, 9 H, 6 R (5 ER), 1 BB

Final score: CIN 10, MIL 8

Ashcraft’s six runs were tied for the most by any pitcher in a win this season, and he was the first to do so (Tajuan Walker on April 28, Zach Eflin on July 4, Cooper Criswell on Aug. 16). The key to winning when allowing six-plus runs? Your team scoring 10, including nine while Ashcraft was the pitcher of record. Those nine runs included a six-run fourth inning by the Reds, making it 8-0. That means that when the Brewers scored three in the top of the fifth, it was still a healthy lead at 8-3. When Ashcraft left the game, the score was 9-6, and the bullpen never surrendered the lead.

Miles Mikolas, STL: April 26 at Mets

Stats: 5 2/3 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 BB

Final score: STL 4, NYM 2

Mikolas’ line may look harmless enough, but five of those hits he allowed were extra-base hits, tied with six other pitchers for the most in a win this year. He had just a single one-two-three inning, but was able to work out of trouble, with only two of those extra-base hits scoring runs. He allowed a solo homer in the fifth inning and an RBI double in the sixth. The rest of his hits were stranded by a double play, five strikeouts and more defense behind him.

Zac Gallen, AZ: July 20 at Cubs

Stats: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 6 BB

Final score: AZ 3, CHC 0

Gallen did not allow a run, but he still makes this list because of how impressive this scoreless start was. He walked six batters, tied for the most by a pitcher in a game where he got the win this season (Andrew Abbott June 27). But the other instance involved allowing a run, something Gallen did not do. He was one of just two pitchers to walk at least six batters in a scoreless outing in 2024, along with Javier Assad in relief two days later. All but one of Gallen’s walks came with two outs, and he was aided by his defense and four timely strikeouts to keep those runners from scoring.

Sonny Gray, STL: July 20 at Braves

Stats: 7 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 0 BB

Final score: STL 9, ATL 5

Gray allowed five extra-base hits, tied with six others, including his teammate Mikolas noted above, for the most in a win this season. Four of those extra-base hits were home runs, tied for the most by a winning pitcher this year (Kutter Crawford Aug. 2). A good way to win even when allowing four home runs is to make sure that none of those homers come with anyone on base, as Gray did. The other extra-base hit he allowed, a leadoff triple to Jarred Kelenic, did come around to score, but other than that, Gray racked up 10 strikeouts and did not walk a batter. Gray is the only pitcher since at least 1901 to win a game where he recorded 10 strikeouts while giving up four-plus homers and zero walks.

Tarik Skubal, DET: July 22 at Guardians

Stats: 7 IP, 10 H, 1 R, 1 BB

Final score: DET 8, CLE 2

The unanimous AL Cy Young winner makes this list thanks to a day when he worked in and out of trouble to allow just one run. Skubal allowed 10 hits, tied for the second-most by a pitcher in a game where he got the win this season. His one run was the fewest among the 123 instances of a pitcher allowing at least 10 hits in a game this season. He’s one of just four pitchers since the start of 2020 to allow one run or fewer on at least 10 hits in a game, with Ranger Suárez in 2023, Mike Minor in ’22 and Chris Flexen in ’21.

Cooper Criswell, BOS: Aug. 16 at Orioles

Stats: 3 1/3 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 4 BB

Final score: BOS 12, BAL 10

Criswell is the only relief appearance to make our list, but he did so in a bullpen game where he provided the bulk innings. He entered in the top of the second with the Red Sox up, 2-0. His six runs were tied for the most in a win, as noted above. He also allowed 13 baserunners, the second-most in a win this year, with nine hits and four walks. But the Red Sox offense was there to pick him up and then some, and Criswell departed with one out in the fifth and his team ahead 8-6. They would go on to add to that lead and eventually win, 12-10. Criswell was the first reliever to get a win while allowing at least 13 baserunners in fewer than four innings since Paul Zahniser on July 13, 1924.

(If you were curious, and if you’re reading this story, you very likely may be, the most baserunners allowed by a reliever in a win since at least 1901 is 39 by Eddie Rommel on July 10, 1932, in a 17-inning appearance where he allowed 29 hits and his team won 18-17 in 18 innings.)

Tyler Anderson, LAA: Aug. 20 at Royals

Stats: 6 IP, 11 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB

Final score: LAA 9, KC 5

Anderson allowed 14 baserunners, the most by a winning pitcher this season. He yielded 11 hits and two walks and one batter reached on an error. But throughout all of the traffic, the Angels never trailed in the game, taking a 2-0 lead in the fourth. Anthony Rendon, Kevin Pillar and Logan O’Hoppe each had two RBIs in support of their starter, and Jo Adell, Jack Lopez and Zach Neto each added one. The Angels turned three double plays – two with Anderson on the mound, and one to end the inning where he was removed, erasing one of his runners left on.