Chris Sale joins elite company with Tuesday’s dominant performance

Over his last two outings, Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale has done something that had previously only been accomplished once in MLB’s modern era.

Sale went seven innings against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday, striking out 17 hitters with no walks. In his previous outing against the Baltimore Orioles, Sale struck out 14 with no walks. Per ESPN Stats & Info, that’s had only been done once in the modern era, by Dwight Gooden in 1984.

Chris Sale struck out 17 batters tonight. He struck out 14 in his last start. He didn't walk a batter in either game.

Sale is just the 2nd pitcher in Modern MLB History to strike out 30+ batters and walk none over a 2-start span, joining Dwight Gooden in 1984. h/t @EliasSports

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 15, 2019

Sale also became the first Red Sox pitcher to strike out 10 or more over two outings while issuing no walks since Cy Young in 1905.

So, he’s keeping pretty good company.

This is a far cry from the man that we saw in the season’s opening weeks.

By his own admission, Chris Sale struggled in the early part of the season. But judging by these last two outings, it’s safe to say that he’s turned a pretty sharp corner.