It's starting to look like the Boston Red Sox will not get to defend their World Series title. The reigning champs are 17.5 games back in the AL East and 7.5 games back from the second wild-card spot with a little over six weeks left in the season. FanGraphs gives them just a 6.6 percent chance to make the playoffs. So while the team might not be doing any celebrating anytime soon, it might be able to take solace in one of its own making history. On Tuesday night, Chris Sale became the quickest pitcher ever to reach 2,000 strikeouts, surpassing another former Sox ace, Pedro Martinez, in the process. It's been a rough year for Sale. His ERA has more than doubled from last year, and he has mustered up only six wins thus far. So this will likely be the lone highlight for the perennial Cy Young contender as he hopes to return to form, along with the Sox, in 2020.
Which brings us to today's quiz of the day. Sale may have become the quickest pitcher to reach 2,000 Ks in his career, but he is not the overall active leader in strikeouts. As of August 2019, 26 active MLB pitchers have 1,400 or more strikeouts in their careers, including Sale who currently ranks ninth among active hurlers. So with that in mind, how many of the 26 can you name in five minutes?
Good luck!