Gerrit Cole's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Gerrit Cole.

Gerrit Cole is a professional baseball pitcher currently playing for the New York Yankees in MLB. He previously played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros. Before turning pro, Cole played high school baseball at Orange Lutheran and was drafted by the Yankees in 2008, but chose to attend UCLA and play college baseball for the Bruins instead.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

September 2013: Named NL Rookie of the Month

In September 2013, Gerrit Cole was named the National League (NL) Rookie of the Month.

April 2015: Won NL Pitcher of the Month Award

Gerrit Cole won the NL Pitcher of the Month Award for April 2015, after going 4–0 with a 1.76 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 30+2⁄3 innings pitched for the month.

April 29, 2018: Broke Astros Strikeout Record

On April 29, 2018, Gerrit Cole broke the Astros strikeout record for April with 61 strikeouts in the first month.

September 8, 2019: Recorded 14+ Strikeouts in Third Consecutive Game

On September 8, 2019, Gerrit Cole became the second pitcher in MLB history to record 14 or more strikeouts in three consecutive games.

September 18, 2019: 300 Strikeouts in a Season

On September 18, 2019, Gerrit Cole became the 18th pitcher in major league history to strike out at least 300 batters in a season.

September 24, 2019: Broke Single-Season Strikeout Record for Astros Pitcher

On September 24, 2019, Gerrit Cole struck out 14 batters to break the single-season strikeout record for any Astros pitcher, bringing his total to 316 on the year.

September 29, 2019: Set MLB Record

On September 29, 2019, Gerrit Cole set an MLB record with his ninth consecutive outings with at least 10 strikeouts.

2019: 2019 Season Performance and Cy Young Award

In 2019, Cole finished the season with a 20–5 record and a 0.895 WHIP, leading the American League with a 2.50 ERA. He also led the major leagues in strikeouts (326), strikeout percentage (39.9%), and strikeouts per nine innings (13.82), averaging more than 1.5 strikeouts per inning, making him the first full-time starting pitcher in MLB history to do so. He finished second in voting for the 2019 Cy Young Award.

2019: Astros Strikeout Record

In 2019, Gerrit Cole held the franchise record for strikeouts in a single season for the Astros, with 326.

August 4, 2020: Major League Record

As of August 4, 2020, Gerrit Cole's 242 strikeouts marked a Major League record since his last loss.

September 11, 2020: Complete Game Shutout

On September 11, 2020, Gerrit Cole ended his 3-game losing streak by throwing a 2-hitter complete game shutout against the Baltimore Orioles in a 7-inning doubleheader game.

September 29, 2020: Yankees Playoff Debut

On September 29, 2020, Gerrit Cole made his Yankees playoff debut in Game 1 of the wild card series against the Cleveland Indians. He struck out 13 batters without a walk, tying Tom Seaver's record and becoming the first Major Leaguer to win three postseason games with 12 or more strikeouts.

2020: All-MLB Second Team Selection

In 2020, Gerrit Cole was selected for the All-MLB Second Team while playing for the Yankees. This was determined by a combination of fan vote and a panel of media members, former players, and baseball officials.

May 12, 2021: 1,500th Career Strikeout

On May 12, 2021, Gerrit Cole reached his 1,500th career strikeout, becoming the second-fastest pitcher in history to reach the milestone, only behind Randy Johnson.

2021: 2021 Season Performance and Cy Young Award Nomination

In 2021, Cole finished the season with a 3.23 ERA and 243 strikeouts in 181+1⁄3 innings over 30 starts. He led the American League with 16 wins and a 5.93 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He finished second in American League Cy Young Award voting behind Robbie Ray.

October 4, 2022: Sets Yankees Strikeout Record

On October 4, 2022, Gerrit Cole recorded his 249th strikeout of the season against the Texas Rangers, surpassing Ron Guidry for the Yankees franchise record.

2022: Inducted into UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame

In 2022, Gerrit Cole became a member of the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame. He also held the franchise record for strikeouts in a single season for the Yankees.