This … is … HISTORY! #SaleDay pic.twitter.com/usBiCs6451

— Red Sox (@RedSox) September 21, 2017

Heading into yesterday’s slate of games, there had only been 34 times a pitcher had struck out 300 batters in a season. After Chris Sale’s masterful performance against the Orioles last night, that number has been changed to 35. Sale notched 13K’s last night, with his final K in the bottom of the 8th being his 300th of the season. The 300K club is an exclusive club, but what’s even more exclusive is the Red Sox 300K club. Heading into last night, here was the list of Red Sox pitchers who had struck out 300 batters in a season:

1. Pedro Martinez – 313 in 1999

I’ve been known to sneak Pedro’s otherworldly Red Sox stats into everyday conversation, but referencing him is actually appropriate here. Plus, everybody knows Pedro and I are best friends:

Sale has been magnificent this year, and the feeling in Fenway when he takes the mound has had a certain Pedro feeling to it this year. With an Angels loss late last night, the Red Sox clinched a postseason berth, and the magic number to clinch the AL East is down to 8. Regardless of when the Red Sox make their postseason debut, Chris Sale will be the man on the mound looking to give them a win.

-Ryan