Chris Sale is striking out batters at a historic rate this season.
The Red Sox left-hander became the first pitcher in the majors to reach 200 strikeouts this season during Boston's game against the Minnesota Twins on Friday, and also became the fastest pitcher in American League history to reach the 200-strikeout plateau, doing so in just 136 innings. Sale held the previous record when he reached the mark in 141 1/3 innings last season, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com.
He collected the milestone K by getting Twins catcher Mitch Garver to swing and miss on a 99-mph fastball to end the first inning.
(Video courtesy: MLB.com)
Sale has reached the 200-strikeout mark in each of the last six seasons and is coming off a year in which he punched out a career-high 308 batters. He entered Friday's start having struck out 68 batters over his last 40 innings.
The seven-time All-Star finished the night with 10 strikeouts over six shutout innings.
