WATCH: Gerrit Cole Sets NY Yankees' Single-Season Strikeout Record
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Moments after New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge set a new American League single-season home run record, starting pitcher Gerrit Cole set a new record of his own Tuesday night.
The right-handed pitcher set the New York Yankees single-season strikeout record in the second inning of Tuesday's game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.
Cole recorded strikeout number 249, a total no Yankees pitcher had reached before.
Cole passes Ron Guidry's Yankees single-season strikeout record of 248, a total Guidry compiled in 1978.
Cole had to work for his 249th strikeout, as he punched out Nathaniel Lowe. Lowe is seventh in the American League in batting average this season. The 27-year-old Rangers first baseman is enjoying his best big league season, slashing .301/.356/.848 with 27 home runs and 76 RBI.
After striking out Lowe, Yankees catcher Jose Trevino tossed the baseball over to the Yankees' dugout, so that the ball could be kept as a relic.
Cole would pitch six innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits, no walks, and one home run, striking out nine.
Cole finishes his 2022 regular season with 257 strikeouts.
The Yankees will need a great effort from Cole in the postseason. The Yankees will have the two-seed in the American League playoffs and a bye from the AL Wild Card Series.
The three-seed Cleveland Guardians will host the six-seed Tampa Bay Rays for a best-of-three series beginning Friday, with all three games being played in Cleveland. The winner will advance to face the Yankees in the American League Division Series, beginning Tuesday, Oct. 11.
