Weaver completes 1st 'Maddux' of MLB season with only 1 strikeout
Jered Weaver has had a rough go of it in 2016. His strikeout numbers have fallen, his velocity has dipped considerably - his fastball now averages 83.3 mph - while the 18 home runs he's allowed lead all of baseball.
But on Sunday, save for the velocity, Weaver looked like his old three-time All-Star self for the first time in ages.
The Los Angeles Angels right-hander tossed baseball's first "Maddux" of 2016 with a complete-game shutout of the Oakland Athletics 2-0 on just 95 pitches. Perhaps even more incredibly, he did it while striking out just one batter.
A 3-hit shutout on just 95 pitches? What a performance by Jered Weaver. #Angelshttps://t.co/mTvqdmcr7o
— Angels (@Angels) June 20, 2016
Weaver's the 25th pitcher ever to throw a "Maddux" with one strikeout or less, and the first since Rick Porcello did it in 2014, coincidentally also against Oakland. He's the second Angels pitcher to throw a one-K-or-less Maddux, joining Ken Forsch, who recorded a zero-strikeout Maddux, on May 12, 1981.
MOST RECENT 1-K MADDUXES
| Date | Pitcher | Team | K | H | Pitches | Gm. Sc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/02/2001 | Brad Radke | Twins | 1 | 3 | 97 | 80 |
| 6/30/2006 | Josh Fogg | Rockies | 1 | 2 | 91 | 83 |
| 6/19/2007 | Johan Santana | Twins | 1 | 4 | 92 | 80 |
| 8/6/2007 | Paul Byrd | Indians | 1 | 4 | 99 | 79 |
| 7/1/2014 | Rick Porcello | Tigers | 0 | 4 | 95 | 79 |
| 6/19/2016 | Jered Weaver | Angels | 1 | 3 | 95 | 81 |
(Courtesy: Baseball-Reference)
The 33-year-old came into the start allowing 11.4 hits per nine innings, but allowed just three Athletics hits, all of them singles. He also issued just one walk. Weaver clearly didn't overwhelm the A's, as his fastest pitch of the afternoon clocked in at 85.7 mph, but still left them shaking their heads in search of an answer.
Albert Pujols provided all the run support Weaver would need by grounding into a first-inning fielder's choice that scored Yunel Escobar from third base. Carlos Perez added a homer in the fifth inning off hard-luck loser Eric Surkamp.