Sale began the 2017 season by striking out 10 or more batters in eight consecutive starts, tying the major league record shared by Sale and Pedro Martínez. After going 11-4 with a 2.75 ERA and an MLB leading 178 strikeouts in the first half of 2017, Sale was named the American League's starting pitcher at the All-Star Game for the second consecutive season, the first pitcher to do so since Randy Johnson started for the National League in 2000 and 2001 and the first for the AL since Dave Stieb in 1983-84. Sale pitched two scoreless innings in the game, striking out two batters. In his second start after the All-Star break, Sale joined Johnson, Martínez and Nolan Ryan as the only four pitchers to have struck out 200 batters in their first 20 starts of a season. Pitching against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 29, Sale recorded his 1,500th career strikeout, becoming the fastest to do so in terms of innings pitched. At that point, he had reached 1,290 innings, surpassing Kerry Wood, who had done so in 1,303 innings. Sale reached 300 strikeouts for the season when he struck out 13 batters on September 20. It was the first 300 strikeout season since Clayton Kershaw in 2015, and the first in the American League since Martínez in 1999. In 32 starts of 2017, Sale finished with a 17-8 record, a 2.90 ERA, and an MLB-leading 308 strikeouts. The Red Sox clinched the AL East division with a 93-69 record, but lost to the Houston Astros in the Division Series.
6 сен 2024
