Once again, it’s time for Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye. (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” those one-of-a-kind accomplishments or statistics.
On March 25, The Roundtable’s Trivial(l) Tidbit Tuesday focused on batters’ accomplishments over their first ten MLB games … most hits, most HRs, most runs, etc. (For that post, click here.) This week, we’re going to move from the batter’s box to the mound and look at some hurlers’ “mosts” over their first ten MLB starts. I’ll give you the stats on these leaderboards and some background on players on the lists.
Once again, the usual pair of declaimers: Given statistical accuracy and game formats, I am restricting myself to the Modern Era (post-1900) and not all Negro League game stats have been fully documented and incorporated into the MLB record books. (In 2020, the Negro leagues form 1920-48 were designated major leagues.)
Before I get into individual statistical lists, let me just declare Harry Krause the “king” of this post. Krause appears among the top five in nearly all of the categories covered: number-one in shutouts over the first ten MLB starts; number-two in wins; number-two in fewest runs allowed; number-four in innings pitched; and, if they had tracked earned runs in his day, he would be in the top five in earned run average as well. More on King Krause later, let’s get into the charts, stats and stories.
LOWEST ERA OVER FIRST TEN MLB STARTS
Let’s start with an MLB unicorn and a pretty good trivia question. Which MLB pitcher recorded the lowest earned run average over his first ten starts? It’s kind of a trick question. The answer is John Brebbia of the 2022 Giants, who made 76 appearances that season – 65 in relief and eleven as the “designated opener.” Remember when those were really popular? (Still around, but not seen as often.) Brebbia, in fact, made 201 relief appearances before his first “opening/game-starting” assignment. In his ten “starts,” Brebbia pitched ten innings gave up zero runs – for an easily computed 0.00 ERA.
Brebbia remains active (Tigers). Through 2024, he had played in seven MLB seasons (2017-19, 2021-24), going 15-21, 3.80, with four saves in 354 appearances (21 starts). In those 21 starts, he pitched 22 2/3 innings. This season (as I key this post), the 34-year-old righty has made eight appearances (all in relief), with a 1-0, 1.00 record.
Three other “openers” made this list:
Erik Miller (still active, Giants), who made ten starts and 63 relief appearances as a Giants’ rookie in 2024 – while putting up a 4-5, 3.88 record, with 87 strikeouts over 67 1/3 innings. As I write this, Miller has appeared in nine 2025 games in relief, giving up one run in seven innings.
Shawn Armstrong (still active, Rangers), who made his first “start” in 2022 – in his eighth MLB season and after 192 career relief appearances. Armstrong’s first ten MLB starts were stretched over three seasons. Through 2024, Armstrong had pitched in 11 MLB seasons (Indians, Mariners, Orioles, Rays, Marlins, Cardinals, Cubs, Rangers), going 11-8, 4.15, with eight saves in 299 games (16 starts). As I key this post, he is 1-0, 3.38 in eight 2025 relief appearances.
Ryne Stanek (still active, Mets) made 29 starts as an opener for the Marlins in 2028 (pitching a total of 40 innings in those starts). Stanek is now in his ninth MLB season (Rays, Marlins, Astros, Mariners, Mets). Through 2024, his record was 17-17, 3.64, with 11 saves in 402 appearances (56 starts). In those 56 starts, he pitched a total of 83 innings. As I write this, he had made nine relief appearances in 2025, with a 1.08 EERA in 8 1/3 innings.
The Expos’ Steve Rogers is the first traditi0nal starter on this chart. Rogers made it to the big leagues as a 23-year-old in the middle of his third professional season – and got right down to business, giving up just two runs in his first three starts (26 innings, two shutouts). Over his first ten starts, he gave up just 11 earned runs (13 total) in 83 innings for a 1.19 ERA. Rogers went 6-3 over those ten first starts, with his three losses coming by scores of 2-1, 3-1 and 4-2). He finished his rookie campaign at 10-5, 1.54 in 17 starts (seven complete games, three shutouts), finishing second to Gary Matthews (.300-12-58, 17 steals) in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. Rogers went on to a 13-season MLB career (1973-85 … Expos), going 158-152, 3.17. He was a five-time All Star and won 15 or more games in five seasons.
Cisco Carlos is a bit of a surprise here, after a 3-2, 1.21 record in his first ten MLB starts (1967-68) for the White Sox, he went on to an 11-18 3.72 record (73 games, 36 starts) over four MLB seasons (1967-70 … White Sox, Senators).
Cy Blanton was in his fifth professional season when he got a September call up to the Pirates (1934). He got one start (eight innings, five hits, three runs and a loss). His next MLB appearance would be in April 19, 1935 – and he would twirl a one-hit shutout, as the Pirates beat the Cardinals 3-0 in Pittsburgh. Over his first ten starts, Blanton would go 7-3, 1.23, with nine complete games and two shutouts. He finished his first full MLB season at 18-13 leading the NL in ERA (2.58) and shutouts (4). The two-time All Star would pitch in the majors for nine years, going 68-71, 3.55.
Fernando Valenzuela. Okay, I would find it hard to believe that anyone reading this post does not know about Fernando-mania which took Los Angeles and MLB by storm in 1981 – when Valenzuela was both Rookie of the Year and the NL Cy Young Award winner (in his age-20 season). After 10 relief appearances in a 1980 call up to the Dodgers, Valenzuela won a starting role out of Spring Training in 1981. His very first MLB start was five-hit shutout (a 2-0 win over the Astros) – and he was just getting started. In his first seven starts, he went 7-0, with a 0.29 ERA – six complete games and five shutouts. After ten starts, he was 8-1, 1.24 and he finished the (strike-shortened) season at 13-7, 2.48, leading the league in starts (25), CG (11), shutouts (8), strikeouts (180) and admirers (countless). Valenzuela went on to a 17-season MLB career (1980-91, 1993-97 … Dodgers, Angels, Orioles, Phillies, Padres, Cardinals). Note: He played with the Dodgers his first 11 seasons. Valenzuela was a six-time All Star (1981-86) and his final stat line was 173-153, 3.54.
Since MLB didn’t tracks earned versus unearned runs before 1912, I thought it would be fair to include a chart of total runs allowed in a pitchers first ten MLB starts.
Only one new name appears in the top three.
Harry Krause started his streak as 19-year-old rookie – making two starts, among five appearances in 1908. (Krause was 1-1, in four 1908 appearances, giving up 11 runs in 21 innings pitched, nine in his two starts). He completed his first-ten-starts streak in 1909 with eight starts in his first 11 appearances. In his first ten MLB starts, he tossed six shutouts and ten complete games. In 94 innings, he gave up just 60 hits and 15 walks (61 strikeouts). As an aside, had the distinction between earned versus unearned runs been made in 1908-09 – and even if all 12 of Krause’s runs over his first ten starts were earned – he would have made the lowest earned run average list with a 1.14 ERA. In his first full MLB season (1909), the 20-year-old Krause went 18-8, with 16 complete games and seven shutouts. Despite the fast break out of the gate, Krause pitched in just five MLB seasons (1908-1912 … Athletics, Indians), going 36-26 in 85 games (57 starts). Krause did develop a sore arm in 1912 and was sent down to the Double-A Toledo Mud Hens. A native-Californian (San Francisco-born), who began his professional career in the California State League, Krause returned to his home state in 1913 and pitched in the Pacific Coast League until 1929 (winning more than 200 games and earning a spot in the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame.)
AT LEAST NINE WINS IN FIRST TEN STARTS
White Sox’ southpaw George “Hooks” Wiltse is the only MLB pitcher to win all ten of his first ten MLB starts, going 10-0, giving up 22 runs in 82 innings. His ten-start run included eight complete games (two shutouts). The 24-year-old’s streak began after he opened his MLB career with three relief appearances. Wiltse went 13-3, 2.85 in 1904 (24 games/16 starts) and 139-90, 2.47 over a 12-season MLB career (1904-15 … all with Giants except 1915, when he played with Brooklyn of the Federal League). Wiltse was a two-time 20 game winner (23-14 in 1908 and 20-11 in 1909).
“Hooks” Wiltse earned his nickname with an effective, hard-breaking curveball. Notably, in the realm of nicknames, Hooks’ brother Lewis (also a major leaguer) was known as “Snake” Wiltse for is contorted pitching motion.
Here’s a brief look at the pitchers who recorded nine wins in their first ten MLB starting assignments.
Lefty Joe Boehling got an MLB “look-see” with the Nationals in 1912, at gave up four runs over five innings of relief in three games. He got his first start in June of 1013, after 10 relief appearances (2-0, 4.44). In his first ten starts, he put up a 1.48 ERA. Boehling pitched in seven MLB seasons (1912-17, 1920 … Nationals, Indians), going 56-50, 2.97. 1913 was his best season (17-7, 2.14).
Paul “Daffy” Dean broke into the major leagues with a bang, recording nine wins in his first ten starts (9-0, 3.61). He finished his debut season at 19-11, 3.43 in 39 appearances, (26 starts) and followed up with a 19-12, 3.37 season in 1935. Dean suffered a shoulder injury in 1936 and never regained his early form, winning just 12 more MLB games after his first two seasons. He pitched in nine MLB seasons (1934-41, 1943 … Cardinals, Giants), going 50-34, 3.75 in 159 games (87 starts).
Dave “Boo” Ferris played for the Mississippi State University varsity in 1941 and 42 (pitcher/first base) and was signed by the Red Sox in 1942. He played at Class B Greensboro in 1943 (7-7, 2.22), before missing two seasons while in the Army (where he served as a physical training instructor and played military-league baseball). He returned to professional baseball in 1945 and was an instant success, pitching a five-hit shutout in his MLB debut (a 2-0 win over the Athletics), four shutouts in his first six games and going the distance in each of his first ten starts. The 23-year-old finished his inaugural MLB season at 21-10, 2.96, with 26 complete games in 31 starts. He followed that up with a 25-6, 3.25 season in 1946. Ferriss suffered a serious shoulder injury during the 1947 seasons and pitched just three more seasons. His final MLB stat line (1945-50 … Red Sox) was 65-30, 3.64.
Mark “The Bird” Fidrych burst on the scene as an energetic and eccentric 21-year-old in 1976 – after just two minor-league campaigns. After two brief relief appearances, he made his first start on May 15 and went the distance in a 2-1 win over the Indians (two-hits, one walk, five strikeouts). In his first ten starts, he went 9-1, 1.87, with nine complete games. (He went eight innings in his only non-complete start.) Fidrych finished his rookie season at 19-9, 2.34, with 24 complete games in 29 starts. During Spring Training 1977, Fidrych suffered a knee injury (that required surgery) while shagging flies. He was back on the mound by late May and pitched well (6-2, 1.83 with seven complete gams in eight starts) until arm issues surfaced early July. He pitched in just three more games that season (going 0-2 and giving up 13 runs in 12 innings). To keep a short story short, Fidrych won just four more MLB games (going 4-6, 5.67 in 1978-80) and finished his MLB career (1976-80 … Tigers) at 29-19, 3.10. His mound antics and early brilliance, however, have assured “The Bird” a sport in baseball lore.
MOST SHUTOUtS SHUTOUT IN FIRST TEN MLB STARTS
Harry Krause leads the way here (see MORE bio information under the Fewest Runs Given Up In First Ten MLB Starts chart. In his first two MLB starts (May 27 and June 12, 1908), Krause was touched up for nine runs in 17 innings. But he came back with a vengeance in 1909. In his first eight starts of that season, he picked up eight wins, tossed eight complete games, threw six shutouts and gave up a total of three runs over 78 innings. As noted earlier, he finished the 1909 season at 18-6, surrendering just 49 runs in 213 innings. Remember, earned versus unearned runs weren’t officially tracked until 1912.
Russ Ford made his MLB debut with the New York Highlanders (Yankees) on April 28, 1909 – a three-inning relief stint in which he gave up six runs to the Red Sox (part of 12-2 Highlander loss) on four hits, four walks and three hit batsmen. Not an auspicious beginning. In fact, it got him sent down to the Jersey City Skeeters of the Class A Eastern League, where he went 13-13 in 32 starts. Ford, however, was working on a new pitch that would turn the tide. He came back came to the Highlanders with an “emery ball.” Using a piece of emery board (hidden in his glove), he would scuff the ball on one side which enabled to create a range of baffling breaking pitches. Ford disguised the new offering as a, then legal, spitball. (The scuffed ball pitch, by the way, was banned in 1915.)
On April 21, 1909, four days before his 27th birthday, Ford (using his new pitch) threw a shutout for the New York Squad in his first MLB start – a tight 1-0 win over the Athletics in Philadelphia. He gave up five hits, walked none and fanned nine (a high total for the time). He went on to throw nine complete games and five shutouts over his first ten games – giving up a total of just 15 runs. Ford picked up eight wins, one loss and one no decision. Over his first full MLB season, Ford went 26-6, recorded eight shutouts and 29 complete games in 33 starts (36 appearances), fanned 209 batters and gave up only 69 runs in 299 2/3 frames. His 26 wins remain the rookie record (post-1900). Ford pitched in seven MLB seasons (1909-1915 … Yankees and Buffalo of the Federal League), going 100-71 and winning 20 or more games in three seasons.
Fernando Valenzuela (check out is bio info in the Lowest ERA In First Ten MLB Starts section). Suffice it to say, Valenzuela tossed five shutouts (and gave up just two total runs) in his first seven MLB starts (Dodgers, 1981). Included in that run were four games of ten or more strikeouts. Again, lots more on Fernando in the ERA section.
MOST STRIKEOUTS FIRST TEN STARTS

Photo: bryce_edwards on Flickr (Original version) User UCinternational (Crop), CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Kerry Wood made his MLB debut (at age 20) on April 12, 1996 – and he took a loss (lasting 4 2/3 innings giving up four bits, three walks and four runs). He did, however, fan seven batters in his stint – the first step on his way to the top of this list. Over his first ten starts, Wood would go 6-2, 2.79, and would fan 94 batters in just 61 1/3 innings.
Wood went 13-6, 3.40, with 233 strikeouts in 166 2/3 innings in his rookie season (winning the Rookie of the Year award). Wood missed the 1999 season (Tommy John surgery). He came back and from 2000 through 2005 went 57-48, 3.72 … in 159 games (148 starts), although he was beset by series of injuries (triceps, rotator cuff, knee). After shoulder surgery in 2005, he returned as a relief pitcher (257 relief appearances and four starts from 2006-2012), saving a career-high 34 games for the Cubs in 2008. Wood pitched in 14 MLB seasons (1998-99, 2000-2012 … Cubs, Indians, Yankees), going 86-75, 3.67, with 63 saves (178 starts/268 relief appearances).
Twenty at Age Twenty
On May 6, 1998, the Cubs Kerry Wood (at age 20 and in just his fifth MLB appearance) threw a one-hit shutout in a 2-0 win over the Astros. In the game, he did not walk a batter and tied the record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game with 20. It would be the only game that season when he did not walk a single batter.
Herb Score made his MLB debut, in his fourth professional season, as a 21-year-old in 1955 – when he won the Rookie of The Year award with a 16-10, 2.85 season (leading the AL in strikeouts with 245). In his first ten starts, he went 6-3, 2.89, with five complete games and 92 strikeouts in 81 innings. He followed that up with a 20-9, 2.53 season in 1956, again leading the AL in whiffs with 263. He started his 1957 season in same form (2-1, 2.04, with 39 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings after four starts). Then, on May 7, disaster struck. In the top of the first inning of a start against the Yankees, New York SS Gil McDougald lined a fastball back at Score (that struck him between the nose and right eye) ending Score’s season and, at the time, many thought his career.
Score returned in 1958 and went 2-3, 3.95 with 48 strikeouts in 41 innings over 12 starts before an elbow injury curtailed his season and eventually did end his career. Some speculated that Score altered his delivery after the line-drive injury, but Score rejected that theory. Whatever the cause, Score was not the same. In 1955-57, he had gone 38-20, 2.64 in 73 games. From 1958 through 1962, he went 17-26, 4.43. The two-time All Star’s final stat line (1955-62 … Indians, White Sox) was 55-46, 3.36.
Gary Nolan made his debut with the Reds on April 15, 1967 at the age of 18 and picked up a win (against the Astros) with 7 1/3 innings of three-run, six-hit ball (two walks and eight strikeouts). In his first ten starts, he went 3-1, 2.64 with two complete games and one shutout. Nolan pitched in ten MB seasons (1967-73, 1975-77 … all for the Reds, except part of his final season with the Angels). He went 110-70, 3.08, with 45 complete games and 14 shutouts. He was an All Star in 1972, when he went 15-5, 1.99.
Jose DeLeon debuted with the Pirates on July 23, 1983 – picking up a win over the Giants with eight innings of two-run ball (four hits, four walks, nine strikeouts). When called up, he was 11-6, 3.04 at Triple-A. In his first ten MLB starts, he went 6-2, 2.37, with 85 strikeouts in 76 innings. He finished the season at 7-3, 2.83 in 15 starts, with 118 strikeouts in 108 innings. DeLeon pitched in 13 MLB seasons (1983-95 … Pirates, White Sox, Cardinals, Phillies, Expos), going 86-119, 3.76 in 415 games (264 starts).
Bob Feller deserves special recognition, he made his MLB debut, as a 17-year-old, on July 19, 1936 (one inning of relief for the Indians versus the Nationals). He made five more relief appearances before his first MLB start – August 23, versus the St. Louis Browns. It was a pretty good game for a 17-year-old (who would return home to finish high school after the season). Feller threw a complete game, giving up one run on six hits, while walking four and fanning 15. In his first ten starts, Feller went 5-5, 3.38, with 85 strikeouts in just 64 innings.
One for the Books
On September 13, 1936, 17-year-old Bob Feller fanned 17 batters (two hits, two runs, nine walks) in a 5-2 win over the Athletics. The 17 strikeouts tied the MLB record (since broken).
Feller spent his entire MLB career with the Indians – 18 MLB seasons (1936-41, 1945-56, with 3+ years lost to military service). He went 266-162, 3.25 and fanned 2,581 batters in 3,837 innings pitched. The Hall of Famer was an eight-time All Star, six times won 20 or more games in a season (leading the AL in wins each time) and seven times led the AL in strikeouts (348 in 1946).
A LITTLE BONUS – THE BIG SIX’S FIRST TEN
Christy “The Big Six” Mathewson – but for one start in 1900 – would have had his name written all over these lists. September 26, 1900, Mathewson made his first MLB start – and gave up eight runs in an 8-7 Giant’s loss to the Braves. (That season, the 19-year-old Mathewson would go 0-3 and give up 32 runs in 33 2/3 innings over six appearances (one start) with the Giants. Then in 1901, Mathewson went 20-17 for the New York club. In his fist ten starts that season (career starts 2-11), Mathewson went 8-2, pitched nine complete games, tossed four shutouts and gave up nine total runs in 85 innings.
MOST INNINGS PITCHED OVER FIRST TEN MLB STARTS
Ed Reulbach opened his MLB career with an eight-inning, complete game Cubs’ loss to the Giants on May 18, 1950. He followed up with another complete-game loss. This time, pitching 8 1/3 innings as his Cubs lost to the Superbas 4-3 in Brooklyn. He then won nine straight before his next loss. In his first ten starts, Reulbach pitched eight complete games (three shutouts), but the one that put him at the top of this chart came in his tenth start – on June 24, 1905 (versus the Cardinals). In that one Reulbach, went the distance as his Cubs beat the Cardinals 2-1 in 18 innings (in St. Louis). Surprisingly, that was not the rookie’s best (or even longest) performance of the season. On August 24, 1905, Reulbach went the distance in a 20 innings 2-1 win over the Phillies (in Philadelphia). His mound opponent (Tully Sparks) also went 20 innings that day (and got a loss to show for his body of work). Surprisingly (again), that 20-inning masterpiece also was not Reulbach best day on a major-league mound. (See the highlight below.)Oh-For-Two, The Hard Way
On September 26, 1908, Ed Reulbach – with his Cubs clinging a slim ½ game lead in the NL Pennant race – became the first (and still only) MLB pitcher to record shutout victories in both ends of a doubleheader. In a twin bill in Brooklyn, he shutout the Superbas 5-0 in Game One (a five-hitter) and came back to shut them down 3-0 in Game Two (a four-hitter).
Reulbach finished his rookie (age-22) season at 18-14, 1.42, with 28 complete games in 29 starts. Over the next three seasons, he went 19-4, 17-4 and 24-4 – leading the NL in winning percentage each time. He pitched in 13 MLB seasons (1905-17 … Cubs, Dodgers, Braves and Newark of the Federal League), going 182-106, 2.28 with 200 complete games (300 starts) and 40 shutouts. He won 16 or more games in seven seasons (20+ twice).
Jim “Hippo” Vaughn’s MLB Cup-O-Coffee came in the form of two mid-season relief appearances with the 1908 Highlanders (Yankees), as a 20-year-old, in 1908, giving up one run in 2 1/3 innings. It was back to the minors until Opening Day (April 14) 1910, when he started for the Highlanders and pitched 14 innings in a 4-4 tie with the Red Sox. Over his first ten MLB starts, Vaughn went 5-1 and gave up just 20 runs (nine complete games, four shutouts). Notably, his nine complete games saw three ending in ties – including one of 14 innings and one of 12.
Vaughn pitched in 13 MLB seasons (1908, 1910-21 … Highlanders, Nationals, Cubs), going 178-137 with 214 complete games and 41 shutouts in 332 starts (390 total appearances). He won 20 or more games in five seasons. In 1919, he led the NL with 22 wins, a 1.74 ERA, 33 complete games, eight shutouts, 290 1/3 innings pitches and 148 strikeouts
Nate Andrews made his MLB debut with the Cardinals on May 1, 1937 (four innings of relief). He did not make his first MLB start until August 28, 1939 (his eighth career MLB appearance) – going just four innings and giving up seven runs, as his Cardinals lost to the Braves 10-5. He got his next start on April 25, 1943 (his 24th MLB appearance) and things went quite a bit better ( a complete games 8-3 win for his Braves over the Giants) . In his first nine 1943 starts, he tossed seven complete games and went ten or more innings in four. Andrews, bouncing from the majors to the minors and back (He spent only three full campaigns in the majors … 1943-45), pitched in eight MLB seasons (1937, 1939-41, 1943-46 … Cardinals, Indians, Braves, Reds Giants). He went 41-54, 3.46 with 97 starts in 127 appearances. He was an All Star in 1944, when he went 16015, 3.22.
Dave “Boo” Ferriss … See detail on Ferriss the section on Pitchers With At Least Nine Wins in Their First Ten MLB Starts. Suffice to say here that Ferriss threw ten complete games (one of 14 innings) and four shutouts in his first ten starts.
Harry Krause … Details on Krause are included in the section on Pitchers With At Least Nine Wins in Their First Ten MLB Starts. Just to repeat a relevant stat here, his first ten starts included ten complete games and six shutouts
Primary Resources: Statehead.com; Dave Ferriss SABR Bio by Bill Nowlin; Kerry Wood SABR Bio by Steve Dunn; Russ Ford SABR Bio by T. Kent Morgan and David Jones.
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