Colson Montgomery Sets MLB Record With 224th Strikeout

Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery set the single-season MLB strikeout record Friday night, whiffing for the 224th time this season against the Colorado Rockies at Rate Field, according to the New York Post.

What record did Montgomery break?

The previous mark of 223 strikeouts in a season was set by Mark Reynolds in 2009, the Post reports. Montgomery, in his first full major league season, tied the record Thursday in Kansas City and broke it the following night at home.

How did the record-setting strikeout happen?

The 224th strikeout came in the fifth inning against Rockies right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano. With a full count, Montgomery watched a 93-mph fastball go by down the middle of the plate for a called third strike, the Post reports.

How has Montgomery performed this season overall?

Montgomery is batting .199/.285/.407 on the year, according to the Post. Despite the low averages, he has hit 31 home runs, driven in 87 runs, and posted a 1.9 WAR for Chicago. His September has been rougher: a .111 average with 38 strikeouts and eight walks over the month, per the Post. White Sox director of hitting Ryan Fuller called Montgomery's year "unbelievable," the Post reports, without elaborating on which stretch of the season he meant.

Asked about the strikeouts, Montgomery pointed to a comparison offered by someone close to him, the Post reports: "Did Shaquille O'Neal care about his free-throw percentage?"

Season snapshot

• Strikeouts: 224 (new MLB single-season record)
• Batting line: .199/.285/.407
• Home runs: 31
• RBIs: 87
• WAR: 1.9

Could Kyle Schwarber catch him before the season ends?

Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber sits at 218 strikeouts with two games remaining against the Rays, the Post reports, leaving him mathematically able to draw closer to Montgomery's new mark but not surpass it based on games left.

What does this mean for the White Sox?

The record chase has unfolded alongside a playoff push. Chicago clinched its first postseason berth since 2021 this week, the Post reports, and the team became the first in MLB history to reach the playoffs after back-to-back 100-loss seasons. The Thursday night celebration in Kansas City, when Montgomery tied Reynolds' mark, centered on the clinch rather than the strikeout total, according to the Post.

What's next to watch

• Whether Montgomery adds to his strikeout total in the White Sox's remaining regular-season games.
• Whether Schwarber closes the gap in Philadelphia's final two games against Tampa Bay.
• How Montgomery performs in Chicago's first playoff appearance since 2021.
• Whether the White Sox lineup adjusts his role given the .111 September average cited by the Post.

For readers who like testing their own recall of records like this one, trivia formats such as the Smorgi Challenge let fans quiz themselves on single-season marks across sports.