Beyond The Box Score: Kimbrel Warming Up For Elite Group of Strikeout Kings
By Bill Arnold
FAN CLUB
Philadelphia Phillie closer Craig Kimbrel has whiffed 1,158 batters in his 14 years on the mound. Forty-two more, and he’ll become the fourth reliever since 1893 to record 1,200 or more career strikeouts, joining Hoyt Wilhelm (1,363), Goose Gossage (1,340), and Lee Smith (1,225).
Earlier this season, he also became the eighth reliever to earn 400 saves and even tallied a save at the All-Star Game. Wilhelm, who leads the relief pitchers’ punchout pack, garnered an additional 247 strikeouts as a starter. The eight hurlers with the most relief strikeouts since 1893 are (through Wednesday):
Reliever, Seasons (Years), Strikeouts
Hoyt Wilhelm, 21 (1952-72), 1,363
Goose Gossage, 22 (1972-89, 1991-94), 1,340
Lee Smith, 18 (1980-97), 1,225
Billy Wagner, 16 (1995-2010), 1,196
Rollie Fingers, 17 (1968-82, 1984-85), 1,183
Jesse Orosco, 24 (1979, 1981-2003), 1,169
Lindy McDaniel, 21 (1955-75), 1,164
Craig Kimbrel, 14 (2010-present), 1,158
ALL THE NAME THAT FITS WE PRINT
Rookie infielder/designated hitter Christian Encarnacion-Strand, called up by the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, will be known, at least on his jersey, as Encarnacion-the only hunk of his 18-character moniker (including the hyphen) they could squeeze in. According to baseball-name historian David Firstman, Strand has the longest hyphenated surname in baseball history, beating out the 14 characters of the previous record holder, onetime infielder Dee Strange-Gordon. Former catcher Jarrold Saltalamacchia has the longest surname without a space or a hyphen: 14 letters.
MARK PORTUGAL DOESN'T COUNT
When Isiah Campbell debuted for the Mariners on July 7, he doubled the number of Portuguese-born players to grace the major leagues: two. That representation augmentation took 148 years: Campbell’s countryman Frank Thompson, first took the field for the Washington Nationals of the National Association on April 26, 1875.
AROUND THE HORN
... On Tuesday night, the major's 30 teams combined to score 197 runs, getting 286 hits, including 54 doubles, 9 triples, and 49 home runs. The evening's slash line was an astounding .270/.344/.477. Twelve of the 30 teams managed to plate 10 runs or more for the first time since 13 teams scored in double digits on July 4, 1894.
... Zack Gelof became the 18th Jewish-born player to play in the bigs this season when Oakland A's called him up from their Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators, and played him on July 14. The shortstop is the 181st Jewish-born player in MLB history. His younger brother Jake was selected as a third baseman last week during MLB's amateur draft, with the 60th overall pick by the Dodgers.
... Just four teams this season feature a player 21 or younger and a player 37 or older on their active rosters: the Diamondbacks (Justin Martinez, 21/ Evan Longoria, 37), the Mets (Francisco Alvarez, 21/ Justin Verlander, 40), the Reds (Elly De La Cruz, 21/ Joey Votto, 39), and the Rockies (Ezequiel Tovar, 21/ Daniel Bard, 38)
... Right-handed starter Quinn Priester and catcher Endy Rodriguez became the first starting battery born in 2000 or later to pitch and catch in a game when the youthful pair of Pirates faced the Guardians on Monday.
... The Braves haven't been shut out at home since August 28, 2021, a span of 146 straight games. Every other team during the period has been blanked at home at least four times.
... The Nationals, the Padres, and the Royals are the only teams that haven't strung together winning streaks longer than three games this season. The Royals are the only team in the bigs without a three-game winning streak.
... Since May 1, the top four home-run hitters in the A.L. have been the Angels' Shohei Ohtani (28), the White Sox's Luis Robert Jr. (23), the Rays' Jose Siri (17), and the Rangers' Adolis Garcia (16).
... Mile Mikolas is the first Cardinals pitcher since Nelson Briles to throw two games with two or fewer days of rest between. The right-hander started against the Nationals on 7/14 and took the mound against the Marlins on 7/17. Briles’ two near-bumpers were also in mid-July: 7/15 and 7/17 in 1966.
...Tuesday's Giants-Reds game was just the fourth game in MLB history to see one player hit his 350th career home run while another hit his first. The Reds' Joey Votto (350) and Christian Encarnacion-Strand (1). joined Duke Snider (350) and Larry Sherry (1) on August 15, 1959; Willie McCovey (350) and George Foster (1) on Sept. 25, 1970; and Billy Williams (350) and two matching first-time taters: Burt Hooton’s and Dave Rosello’s on Sept. 16, 1972.
... The Angels' Shohei Ohtani leads the majors in missed cycles when just one hit is needed to complete the feat.
... Luis Arraez became the first player in six years to lead off consecutive games with at-bats lasting 10 or more pitches. The Marlin had an 11-pitch leadoff outing on July 16 against the Orioles and a 10-pitch AB against the Cardinals on Monday. In 2017, Adam Frazier, then with the Pirates, went 14 and 11 pitches against the Reds on Sept. 15 and 16.
... Rockies rookie Ezequiel Tovar has yet to appear off the bench for the team. Through Wednesday, he's started all 98 games he's played without entering the game as a defensive replacement or pinch-hitter for manager Bud Black.
... The Giants lead the N.L. in games won without the help of a single homer: 14. Leading the majors in such soft-power victories are the Guardians (18) and Orioles (16).
... Julio Rodriguez became the fifth Mariner to record at least 50 RBIs in each of his first two seasons with the team when he drove in his half-century score-maker against the Twins on Monday. The shortstop joins Alvin Davis, who accomplished the feat in 1984 and 1985, Ken Griffey Jr. (1989-90), Ichiro Suzuki (2001-02), and Kenji Johjma (2006-07).
... Griffin Channing of the Angels tied Logan Webb of the Giants for most strikeouts recorded against the Yankees in a game this season when he K'd 12 Bombers on Monday night. Webb whiffed his dozen on Opening Day.
... The A's have won just six-day games this season. The modern record since 1960 - when night games became popularized - for the fewest daytime wins in an entire season (one not shortened by a strike or pandemic) is nine games, held by the 1970 Braves.
... Guardian batters lead the majors season with the fewest strikeouts this season, 672.
... The 2023 Dodgers are tied with the 1999 and 2002 Guardians and 2018 Yankees for most players to record multiple grand slams in a season-each team boasting four. This year, Angelenos Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Chris Taylor, and James Outman have all cleared loaded bases twice.
... On Thursday morning, the Orioles found themselves in first place for the A.L. East this late in the season for the first time since 2016. The last time the Birds outright won the East was in 2014.
... On Wednesday, the Reds' starting infield featured four rookies (1B Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 2B Matt McLain, SS Elly De La Cruz), and 3B Spencer Steer). It was the first time that the team had used an all-noob starting infield (1B Tim Costo, 2B Jeff Branson, SS Freddie Benevides, and 3B Willie Greene) since Sept. 30, 1992.