Happy 38th birthday to three-time MLB All-Star, 2014 National League strikeout champion and 2019 World Series champion and MVP, Stephen Strasburg!
Strasburg was one of the most hyped pitching prospects of a generation, with the Washington Nationals selecting him with the first-overall pick of the 2009 MLB Draft out of San Diego State. Strasburg rocketed through the minor leagues, making his MLB debut almost exactly one year after being drafted.
His debut was one of the most scintillating introductions to Major League Baseball of all-time, with the 21 year old striking out 14 Pittsburgh Pirates in seven innings of two-run ball without a single walk.
While injuries would become a major theme of his career, Strasburg was generally a dominant force when he was on the mound. He led the National League with 242 strikeouts in 2014, one of three seasons he’d surpass the 200-strikeout milestone.
In the Washington Nationals 2019 World Series campaign, he finished first in the N.L. in starts and innings pitched while punching out a career-high 251 in the regular season. His dominance continued in the postseason, going 5-0 with a 1.98 ERA in six starts. In his Fall Classic starts, he shut down the Houston Astros for 14 1/3 innings over two starts with 14 K’s to earn World Series MVP honors.
But Strasburg would make just eight more starts in his career before retiring due to a litany of injuries.
Which brings us to today’s quiz. On his day, Strasburg was nearly untouchable, something he proved both in the regular and postseason. With that being said, can you name the MLB pitchers to strike out at least 12 batters in a playoff game?
Good luck!
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