Note: MLB began officially tracking pitch counts as a stat in 1988. In this post, I will use statistics from 1988 forward (stathead.com does provide some pre-1988 numbers).
Tuesday (April Fool’s Day, 2025), Rangers’ righty Nathan Eovaldi pitched a “Maddux” – a shutout of at least nine innings, while throwing fewer than 100 pitches. Eovaldi came in just under the wire, using 99 pitches (four hits, no walks, eight strikeouts) in a 1-0 win over the Reds in Cincinnati). In the contest, Eovaldi faced 30 batters. In 11 of those instances, the plate appearance lasted two pitches or less (two one-pitch plate appearances.) Only one batter saw a ball three and only eight saw a ball two. It was just Eovaldi’s fifth complete game and third shutout in 277 starts over 14 MLB seasons (2011-16, 2018-25 … Dodgers, Marlins, Yankees, Rays, Red Sox, Rangers). To date, he has a 92-81, 4.04 stat line. Side note: It may surprise you to learn that we saw five “Madduxes” in 2024: Max Fried (92 pitches); Joey Estes (92); Tanner Houck; (94); Braxton Garrett (95 pitches); Keider Montero (96). Since 1988, there have been 327 Madduxes.
Longest Maddux Ever
Roy Halladay threw the only extra-inning Maddux, using 99 pitches in a Blue Jays’ ten-inning 1-0 win over the Tigers on September 6, 2003.
Now, while Eovaldi’s gem prompted this post, I really want to take a look at the career of Zane Smith – and whether a case can be made for calling Eovaldi’s accomplishment a “Smitty.” Greg Maddux is clearly the King of the “Madduxes” by volume. Maddux threw 13 career shutouts that met the criteria. However, he did it over 23 seasons and 740 starts (one every 56.9 starts). Next on the list is southpaw Zane Smith with seven Maddux-qualifying shutouts – and he did it over 13 seasons and 281 starts (one every 40.1 starts).
Maddux threw his first “Maddux” on April 29, 1990, Smith on September 5 of the same season.
When it comes to “Madduxes” thrown in a season (again looking at stats since 1988), Maddux and Smith are tied at the top of the list with three and Smith did it first (Smith-1991, Maddu -1998).
The fewest pitches Maddux ever thew in a shoutout of at least nine innings was 84 (July 2, 1997 versus the Yankees). For Smith, it was 89 (May 29, 1991 versus the Cardinals.
Fewest Pitches in a Maddux
Jon Lieber of the Cubs threw the fewest pitches in a shutout of at least nine innings (since 1988) at 78 – in a 3-0 win over the Reds (May 24, 2001). Lieber tossed a one-hitter, with one walk and two strikeouts. Thanks to two double plays, he faced the minimum 27 batters – and retired seven on the first pitch of the plate appearance. As an aside, with one out in the ninth, Lieber had tossed just 65 pitches, but then gave up a six-pitch walk, before getting the final batter to ground into a double play on the seventh pitch of the at bat.
A few other tidbits:
- There were more Madduxes thrown in 1988 (25) than in any other season. By comparison, we’ve seen a total of 23 Madduxes since 2018.
- 13 of the 327 Madduxes tossed since 1988 have been no-hitters another 29 were one hitters.
- The fewest number of pitches thrown in a no-hitter in the pitch-tracking era is 88 – by Yankee David Cone in a 6-0 win over the Expos on July 7, 2018. He fanned ten in that contest.
- The first officially tracked Maddux (before the term was coined) was thrown by Roger Clemens, who shut out the Brewers on 94 pitches in a 4-0 Red Sox win on April 24, 1988.
- Strikeouts use a lot of pitches. Still, the most strikeouts in a Maddux are 12: The Phillies’ Cliff Lee (April 14, 2011) and Indians’ Carlos Carrasco (September 17, 2014). Note: Stathead does show a 12-strikeout Maddux by Sandy Koufax in 1964).
- Jamie Moyer threw four Madduxes … with the first and last coming 18 seasons apart (1988 & 2006). He is the oldest pitcher to toss a Maddux (again pitch counts have been officially tracked since 1988) at 43-years-196 days of age.
Getting a Maddux the Hard Way
The most hits allowed in a Maddux are 11. The Twins’ Carlos Silva gave up 11 hits and two walks in a 10-0, 99-pitch win over the Angels on August 3, 2004. His effort was aided by six double plays. Silva also allowed the most baserunners in a Maddux (14 – 11 hits, two walks, one safe on an error).
Primary Resource:Stathead.com.
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