When Roger Clemens first set the record with 20 strikeouts in a nine innings in 1986, he threw 138 pitches. When he did it again 10 years later, he needed 151 pitches. Kerry Wood threw 122 pitches, Randy Johnson 124 and Max Scherzer a relatively efficient 119 pitches when he fanned 20 in 2016.
How many Colorado Rockies could Chris Sale have punched out? Would he have set the record? Would he have fanned at least four batters with six outs to play with?
We'll never know. Sale was magnificent on a February-like night at Fenway Park, striking out a career-high 17 batters through seven innings.