Astros Valdez Ties deGrom for Single-Season Quality Start Streak Record
Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez delivered a gem for his club Monday, tossing a six-hit, complete-game shutout, in the Astros' 7-0 win over the Tigers in Detroit.
Valdez tied a Major League single-season record with his 24th consecutive quality start.
A pitcher records a quality start, when he throws at least six innings, allowing three earned runs or fewer.
He is now tied with New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom for the longest streak of quality starts in a single season.
Valdez will have a chance to set a new single-season record in his next start, Saturday evening at Minute Maid Park in Houston against the Oakland Athletics.
The most consecutive quality starts record in Major League history is held by deGrom and St. Louis Cardinals great Bob Gibson, who each reached 26, over the course of two seasons.
If Valdez remains healthy, he will have a chance to break the record, as he is on-schedule to receive three more starts this season.
“You know, he’s on a roll," Astros manager Dusty Baker said. "And when you’re on a roll, you get positive thoughts and good things happen. He threw a great game …who knows if he’ll ever be back to this point again? I mean, that’s a tough streak to keep going. It’s a monumental streak.”
Monday was also Valdez's first career shutout.
“It means a lot to me,” Valdez said of the shutout. “It is one of those goals I had for myself, and something that’s going to help me a lot in the future.”
With the win, the Astros improve to 91-50 in 2022, well on their way to securing homefield advantage throughout the American League playoffs, as well as a round one by from the Wild Card Series in the new MLB playoff format.
