Jose Berrios was dazzling in the Twins’ 4-0 win over the White Sox Thursday night at Target Field. The 23-year-old right-hander tied a career-high with 11 strikeouts. He didn’t issue any walks and allowed just 2 hits as the Twins improved to 7-4 on the season.
“You don’t want to downplay what Jose did,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said after the game. “That was masterful, maybe one of his better outings – even after he threw a shutout a couple starts ago – in terms of being in command of where you saw the baseball and using all his pitches.”
The Twins haven’t had an electric arm in the starting rotation like Berrios since the days of Johan Santana and Francisco Liriano.
Related:
In fact, Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw has as many double-digit strikeout games the last three seasons (31) as the Twins have had in the last decade (24).
Here’s the list.
- Aug. 30, 2017 – Jose Berrios 11K vs. White Sox
- May 18, 2017 – Jose Berrios 11K vs. Rockies
- Aug. 21, 2016 – Ervin Santana 10K vs. Royals
- Apr. 18, 2016 – Hector Santiago 10K vs. White Sox
- Sep. 5, 2015 – Ervin Santana 11K vs. Astros
- Aug. 30, 2015 – Ervin Santana 10K vs. Astros
- Sep. 14, 2014 – Trevor May 10K vs. White Sox
- Sep. 13, 2014 – Phil Hughes 11K vs. White Sox
- July 18, 2012 – Francisco Liriano 10K vs. Orioles
- July 13, 2012 – Francisco Liriano 15K vs. Athletics
- June 18, 2011 – Scott Baker 10K vs. Padres
- Aug. 1, 2010 – Francisco Liriano 11K vs. Mariners
- July 3, 2010 – Francisco Liriano 10K vs. Rays
- June 16, 2010 – Scott Baker 12K vs. Rockies
- June 11, 2010 – Francisco Liriano 11K vs. Braves
- June 5, 2010 – Francisco Liriano 10K vs. Athletics
- April 27, 2010 – Francisco Liriano 10K vs. Tigers
- June 12, 2009 – Kevin Slowey 10K vs. Cubs
- June 4, 2009 – Scott Baker 10K vs. Indians
- Aug. 29, 2008 – Kevin Slowey 10K vs. Athletics
- Aug. 19, 2008 – Kevin Slowey 12K vs. Athletics
- July 29, 2007 – Matt Garza 11K vs. Indians
- May 18, 2007 – Boof Bonser 11K vs. Brewers
Johan Santana posted double-digit strikeout games 28 times from 2004-07, including an astonishing 17 against the Rangers in 2007 and a stretch of doing it seven times in nine games during the 2004 season.
Twins fans have waited more than a decade for a pitcher like Berrios, and he’s hopefully just starting a long list of double-digit strikeout games.
