The MLB record for most immaculate innings in a career is now shared between two southpaws.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale threw the third immaculate inning of his career on Thursday, striking out three Minnesota Twins on nine pitches in the third inning.
Here’s all nine pitches:
For years, Sale has been among the most unhittable pitchers in the majors when healthy thanks to his velocity, movement and unconventional mechanics. Unfortunately, that “when healthy” qualifier has been doing some work over the last few years. He struggled with elbow inflammation in 2019 and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020 (he also thinks he might have had COVID-19).
Thursday’s start was only Sale’s third since returning from surgery.
Despite those woes, Sale threw his previous two immaculate innings in 2019 on May 8 and June 5. Add in a third immaculate inning and you tie Los Angeles Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax for the most in MLB history.
Sale remains just one of three active pitchers with multiple immaculate innings to their names, alongside Max Scherzer and Kevin Gausman.
Sale would finish Thursday with 5.1 innings pitched, two hits, two runs (both earned), two walks and eight strikeouts.
