Sonny Gray got the attention because it was his Yankees’ debut, but Corey Kluber was the star of Thursday’s Indians-Yankees game. He struck out 11 New York batters in the game, which caused him to tie a mark that only three pitchers in history have managed. That start made 12 in a row where Kluber punched out at least eight batters, a feat that puts him alongside Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, and Nolan Ryan.
Corey Kluber’s 11 strikeouts put him in elite, historic company
Corey Kluber matched a feat only three pitchers in history have managed.
Just three Hall of Fame starters and two of the absolute greatest pitchers of all-time, no big deal.* Ryan managed this one time, Martinez nailed it twice, and Johnson, despite not even figuring out how to throw pitches where he meant to until the second half of his career, completed the impressive run on four separate occasions, with the longest of them going 17 games.
Kluber has thrown 86 innings during these 12 starts (over seven innings per) and struck out 131 batters — that’s 13.7 strikeouts per nine innings, and even better/scarier, Kluber has walked just 15 batters during this time. Kluber has had the minimum eight strikeouts twice, but otherwise has hit double-digits in each game.
Also, this moment brought us the most emotion Klubot has ever shown while on the job.
“All three are guys I grew up watching and idolizing,” Kluber said. “To be mentioned with them is definitely an honor, and it’s cool.”
You know it had to be a special moment for this guy to break kayfabe.
MLB.tv
*Unit and Pedro, sorry, Nolan.
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