Astros: Gerrit Cole’s historic season continues, reaches 300 K’s
Houston Astros starter Gerrit Cole’s historic season continues as he becomes the first right-handed American League pitcher to reach 300 strikeouts since Pedro Martinez did it in 1999.
Houston Astros starter Gerrit Cole made his way into baseball’s record books on Wednesday as he notched his 300th strikeout of the season, becoming just the 18th major league pitcher since 1900 to strike out at least 300 batters in a season.
In the sixth inning of the Astros’ game against the Texas Rangers, Cole whiffed Shin-Soo Choo with an 89 mph changeup. This was the third out of the inning and Cole’s eighth strikeout of the game.
Cole ended up going eight innings, ending with 10 strikeouts, 302 on the season. He got his 18 th win of the season and lowered his ERA to a 2.61 with two starts left, Cole looks to add to his already tremendous season.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
The Astros managed to clinch a playoff berth with their 3-2 win over the Rangers. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Cole joins J.R. Richard and Mike Scott as the only Astros pitchers to ever record 300 strikeouts.
Cole reached 300 strikeouts in only 198 1/3 innings. According to Elias Sports Bureau data, this is the second-fewest innings pitched in major league history in a season at a time of a player’s 300thstrikeout. Only Randy Johnson did it quicker, recording it in 197 2/3 innings in 2001. Johnson went on to win Cy Young that season.
Cole’s main competitor for the 2019 AL Cy Young Award is his teammate Justin Verlander. Verlander leads the American League in ERA and wins.
The 29-year-old will be hitting free agency for the first time in November and is due for a huge payday after a historic season. He has an opportunity to receive one of the largest contracts a pitcher has ever received.
Yankees: Luis Severino shines in season debut. dark. Next
Gerrit Cole is the biggest pitching name on the market. The other big name on the market will be Anthony Rendon. Both had career-best seasons and are ready to cash in during their free agency.