Padres' Jeremiah Estrada Sets Record Dating to At Least 1961

A Record-Setting Night.

David Frerker-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego Padres relief pitcher Jeremiah Estrada has inserted himself into the record books. In the Padres' 4-0 shutout win over the Miami Marlins, Estrada notched three straight strikeouts to bring his total to 13 consecutive strikeouts. He struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth inning of the game.

Estrada has struck out the 13 consecutive hitters he's faced, achieving this feat over the last three games he's played. This is an MLB record since the Expansion Era began in 1961, breaking Philadelphia Phillies pitcher José Alvarado's record for most strikeouts in a row.

It was an incredible achievement for Estrada. Not only did he break a record, but he did so less than seven months after being placed on waivers by the Chicago Cubs last offseason. Estrada had limited major league experience with the Cubs and struggled with consistency and allowing walks while with Chicago in 2023.

The Padres picked him up off of waivers, in what now looks like one of the most unheralded moves of the offseason.

“It's kind of hard to believe,” Estrada said after setting the record, via MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. “Still sinking in. I just feel like I did my job ... I knew how it felt to be in the dark, knowing that it was a tough thing to get through. But that's where you find things, where you find a light.”

Estrada now has a 0.55 ERA across 12 games and 16.1 total innings. He's up to 28 total strikeouts and has given up just one earned run. Notably, he's also allowed just four walks after allowing 12 walks last season in fewer innings. These stats and the record have cemented Estrada's spot in the bullpen, and the fact that he's an absolute steal for the Padres' front office.