top3_k_bb_9

Tarik Skubal is on pace to be the first pitcher in MLB history to finish the season leading the majors in both strikeouts per nine innings (K/9) and walkers per nine innings (BB/9). Since integration, 1947, there have only been 7 pitchers who finished the season top three in both, shown in the graphic above. Two of them one the Cy Young award in their league (Martinez in 2000 and Burnes in 2021), three finished second (Schilling in 2001 and 2002 and Verlander in 2018), and somehow Max Scherzer finished fifth in 2015 (this was the crazy Arrieta vs. Greinke vs. Kershaw year).

Skubal is truly having a dominant season – it’ll be fun to see if he can keep this up!

(If you extend to the turn on the century, only four more names are added to this list: Walter Johnson, Cy Young, and Satchel Paige twice. But still, none lead the league in both!)

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