Last Updated: May 23rd, 2024 by Michael Schatz
Pedro Martinez is one of the greatest players in baseball history. His mastery on the mound, coupled with his charismatic personality, made him a favorite among fans and critics alike.
For nearly 20 seasons Pedro dominated some of the best hitters in baseball – and made it look easy. His career is a laundry list of achievements and milestones. So sit back, relax, and get ready to delve into the best moments of Pedro Martinez’s illustrious career.
Impressing as a Rookie
Pedro Martinez made his MLB debut in 1992 as a September call-up for the Dodgers. He only appeared in two games but impressed enough that he got the call back to The Show in 1993. That year, as a 21-year-old, he appeared in 65 games, working primarily out of the bullpen. He went 10-5 with a 2.61 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 107 innings, setting the stage for the remarkable career that was to follow.
1997 National League Cy Young Award Winner
After being traded to the Expos, Pedro Martinez officially announced his presence as one of the best pitchers in baseball when he took home the NL Cy Young in 1997, the first Montreal Expos to ever do so.
His numbers that year were something from a video game. He went 17-8 with an insane 1.90 ERA in 241.1 innings. He also added a ridiculous 305 strikeouts and an MLB-leading 13 complete games. It would be the first in a 7 season period of complete dominance.
1999 American League Pitching Triple Crown
In 1999, Pedro Martinez outdid everyone. He took home the AL Triple Crown by posting a 2.07 ERA, 313 strikeouts, and 23 wins, with his ERA and win total leading all of Major League Baseball.
Consecutive Cy Young Awards
That Triple Crown in ’99 wasn’t the only thing Pedro Martinez won – he also nabbed his second Cy Young Award. At the time, he was one of only three pitchers to have won the Cy Young in both leagues.
But he didn’t stop there. He backed that dominant ’99 season up with another one in 2000, going 18-6 with a minuscule 1.74 ERA and 284 strikeouts in 217 innings. He would win his third Cy Young that year, ending any doubt that he was one of the – if not the – best pitcher in baseball.
Breaking The Curse
The Red Sox had come so close to breaking The Curse of the Bambino – especially in 2003. But we all know how that ALCS ended. They would get a chance at revenge against their bitter rivals the next year and pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in postseason history when they came back from an 0-3 hole to beat the Yankees in 7.
That set up a World Series matchup with the Cardinals, a series they would sweep. For his part, Pedro started Game 3 of the series and went 7 innings, giving up only 3 hits, 0 runs and striking out 6. The next night, Pedro would celebrate with all of Boston when the Sox finally won the World Series.
3,000 Career Strikeouts Milestone
On September 3, 2007, Pedro Martinez struck out Cincinnati Reds’ outfielder Aaron Harang for his 3,000th career strikeout. When his career was over, Pedro had struck out 3,154 batters, good enough for 15th on the all-time list.
Brilliant 1999 All-Star Game Performance
The 1999 season was something of a dream for Pedro Martinez. He took home the Triple Crown and Cy Young. But one of the best moments that year came at the All-Star Game. The game was played in Boston, and Pedro Martinez gave his home crowd something to remember. In his first inning of action, he struck out Barry Larkin, Larry Walker, and Sammy Sosa consecutively.
In his second inning, he got Mark McGwire to a pop-up before striking out Chipper Jones and Jeff Bagwell to end his night. The AL would go on to win the game and Pedro was named MVP.
Number 45 Retired by Boston Red Sox
Pedro Martinez is a Boston Red Sox legend. He won back-to-back Cy Youngs and helped the team win its first World Series since the early 1900s. So it came as no surprise that in 2015, the Red Sox would honor their ace by retiring his number 45.
His name will forever be in Fenway Park’s right field facade, and serve as a reminder of his legendary career.
The Call to The Hall
It was evident from the early stages of his career that Pedro Martinez was bound for Cooperstown. That became official in 2015 when he earned 91.1% of the votes, making him the second Dominican player bestowed with such distinction.
For his career, Pedro would finish with 219 wins, a 2.93 ERA, 3,154 strikeouts, 3 Cy Youngs, 8 All-Star Games, 5 ERA titles and a World Series ring.