Mark Reynolds’ 17-year-old strikeout record? Gone. Colson Montgomery of the Chicago White Sox officially claimed it Friday night, striking out for the 224th time this season in the fifth inning. That historic whiff came against Colorado right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano, a 3-2, 93-mph fastball for the second out and a new single-season major league mark. He had tied Reynolds’ 2009 record of 223 just the night before in Kansas City, courtesy of Royals reliever Anthony Gose. This isn’t just an MLB record, either: he also blew past former White Sox slugger Adam Dunn’s American League record of 222 K’s from 2012. Yeah, 224 strikeouts for a 24-year-old shortstop in his first full big-league season. Wild, right? It’s a record you never want to own.
The New King of Whiffs (But There’s a Catch)
You’d think breaking *that* kind of record would have a player burying his face in his hands. Not Montgomery. The dude celebrated in the clubhouse with his teammates after Thursday’s game, and it wasn’t for the dubious K mark. Nope. It was because the White Sox just punched their ticket, clinching their first playoff berth since 2021! Seriously, how insane is that? This team is the first in major league history to reach the postseason after suffering back-to-back 100-loss seasons. It’s an absolutely wild comeback story, even with a guy making strikeout history. You almost can’t make this stuff up.
The Power That Comes With The Punchouts
So, why are the White Sox living with Montgomery’s sky-high strikeout numbers? It’s simple: what else he brings to the plate. This isn’t just a whiff machine. Heading into Friday’s game, this young shortstop had absolutely crushed it for 31 home runs and driven in a massive 87 RBI. That’s serious power from a crucial position. Sure, his .202 average and a brutal September, hitting just .111 with 38 strikeouts and eight walks through Thursday, probably tested everyone’s patience. But Chicago manager Will Venable says Montgomery hasn’t let the K’s get to him, and the entire team has his back. The kid admits he’s “still developing as a hitter,” a real honest take from a guy in his first full season.
And this notorious record? He might not even hold it for long. Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber was nipping at his heels, entering Friday with 218 strikeouts and three games left against Tampa Bay. Mark Reynolds, who held this record for 17 years, told The Athletic back in July that he wasn’t rooting for anyone to catch him. “How many big-league records do you have?” Reynolds asked. Can’t blame him for wanting to keep that one!
The White Sox have two more games against Colorado to finish up the regular season before their totally unexpected playoff journey begins. It’s going to be wild to see if Montgomery hangs onto this infamous record, and even more interesting to watch how his powerful bat, and those unavoidable K’s, play out in the intensity of the postseason. Talk about high stakes for a young player in Chicago!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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