Chris Sale now the MLB pitcher to reach 2,500 strikeouts the fastest

[True Dough]

Chris Sale became the fastest pitcher to reach 2,500 strikeouts, pitched six scoreless innings and the Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-3 on Thursday night to split a doubleheader.

Sale struck out Edmundo Sosa in the sixth inning for his eighth strikeout to reach the milestone. He did it in 2,026 innings, surpassing the record of 2,107⅔ set by Randy Johnson.

He allowed just two hits in six shutout innings and improved to 3-3 with a 3.06 ERA on the season.

Sale became the 40th pitcher in major league history to reach 2,500 strikeouts and joined Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer as the only active pitchers to have reached that mark.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45383544/braves-chris-sale-fastest-reach-2500-career-strikeouts

[ProfessorGAC]

1. Only Needs 3,200 More To Reach...

...Nolan Ryan's record.
It's still quite a feat, to average over a K per inning, for over 2,000 innings.

[True Dough]

2. Let's see...

It only took him 14 seasons (and that doesn't count a lost year when he sat out) to reach 2,500 Ks.

He's 36 years old. So maybe, if he can maintain his pace (a big IF), he'll be able to top Nolan Ryan by the time he reaches age 50.

Yeah, not likely!

[Capt. America]

3. Injuries have truly hurt him.

[LisaM]

4. I will always have a soft spot for him...

for sneaking into the locker room and cutting those stupid special uniforms to shreds. I don't like them in general, but apparently they were also uncomfortable for pitchers to wear.

The White Sox were playing the Tigers that day and I remember that the game was delayed and they couldn't really specify a reason (which we now know was the White Sox quickly finding grown up uniforms for the team to play in).

It still makes me laugh; baseball doesn't have as many characters as it used to, but once in a while something funny like this happens.