Fastest to 200 strikeouts?
That would be Spencer Strider. Again.
Strider needed 123-1/3 innings to record 200 strikeouts this season, the milestone number coming in the first inning of Tuesday’s 5-1 win when he struck out the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani. Strider broke his own record – set last season – when he recorded 200 strikeouts in 130 innings. The previous mark was held by Randy Johnson who reached 200 strikeouts in 130-2/3 innings in 2001.
Strider struck out nine in the win, bringing his season total to a major-league leading 208. Strider just missed a fifth consecutive game with double-digit strikeouts. In his 22 starts this season, Strider has struck out at least nine batters in 17 games.
Strider is the fifth pitcher since 1893 to collect at least 200 strikeouts in his first two full major league seasons, joining: Cleveland’s Herb Score (1955-56), the Mets’ Dwight Gooden (1984-85), the Dodgers’ Hideo Nomo (1995-96) and the Rangers’ Yu Darvish (2012-13).
Among Braves, Strider is the fourth pitcher with multiple 200-strikeout seasons. The others are Charlie Morton (2021-22) and Hall of Famers John Smoltz, (five times, 1992-93, ‘96-97, 2006) and Phil Niekro, (three times, 1977-79).
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