From the first pitch in April to the final out in November, the 2016 MLB season never failed to entertain fans. To celebrate one of the most historic baseball years in recent memory, let’s take a look back at the ten most significant events that took place during it.
10. Trevor: the Story of April
No player got off to a better start this season than an unknown rookie shortstop for the Rockies.
When what you’re accomplishing hasn’t been done since just after the turn of the 20th century, you know it’s something special. The 23-year-old became the first player to hit two home runs while debuting in the big leagues on Opening Day. He then added a home run the next night in Arizona and remarkably went deep again the following evening—becoming the first player since 1900 to begin his MLB career with homers in each of his first three games.
Story would finish April with 10 round-trippers—the most by any first-year performer—and fortified his Rookie of the Year candidacy by accumulating 27 home runs by the latter part of July. However, a torn ulnar collateral ligament would later cut his season short.
9. Gary Sanchez’s power surge
None of the many Yankee legends—not Lou Gehrig, not Joe DiMaggio, not Mickey Mantle — enjoyed the type of start to their respective careers in pinstripes like Sanchez did.
The 23-year-old catcher from the Dominican Republic quickly shook off any rookie jitters and displayed Ruthian power with 11 home runs in a 15-game span (from Aug. 10-25). He also batted .389 during the entirety of that month and reached base at a clip of 47 percent.
Despite playing just 53 games and making just 229 plate appearance, Sanchez finished with 20 homers, a .299 batting average, and is in serious discussion for the AL Rookie of the Year. More significantly, he’s helping give Yankee fans hope that future success isn’t far away.
8. Second no-hitter for Jake Arrieta
Just as he did some eight months and a mere 10 starts ago, Arrieta completed a no-hitter on April 21 at Great American Ballpark.
It was last August 30 when the Chicago Cubs right-hander dominated the Los Angeles Dodgers for his first career no-no. That came in the midst of a historic post-All-Star break tear that saw him win 12 out of 13 decisions with an ERA of 0.75 en route to the NL Cy Young Award.
Now, after starting 2016 at 4-0 with a 0.87 ERA, a WHIP of 0.68, and his spectacular performance versus the Reds, he’s somehow added to his lengthy list of career accomplishments.
Arrieta has posted 24 consecutive quality starts. During that streak, he’s gone 20-1 with an 0.86 ERA. In 14 of those outings, he hasn’t been scored upon.
7. Ichiro reaches 3,000 MLB hits
Ichiro Suzuki’s place as a worldwide baseball icon and a future Hall of Famer was secure even before this season. What took place for him during 2016 only added to his long list of accolades.
First, on June 15, the 42-year-old reached 4,257 professional hits (combining his totals in MLB and Japan), surpassing Pete Rose’s celebrated number. The quality of this mark was put into question due to Ichiro playing against weaker competition overseas.
However, you cannot cry inferiority about what he did nearly two months later at Coors Field. On Aug. 7, a drive to right field, which resulted in a triple, raised his MLB hit total to the magical 3,000—quite the accomplishment considering he began his big league tenure in 2001 (at age 27).
6. A Bartolo Colon home run…seriously
At age 42, Colon amazed us with his ability to remain a quality big league pitcher—at a less-than-optimal body type. Well, amazing doesn’t begin to describe what was witnessed on May 7 in San Diego.
Colon, who spent most of his career in the American League, has been made to look foolish as a hitter several times over. Each turn at the plate was an event—and each hit was celebrated.
But when he connected off of the Padres’ James Shields and lifted one over the left-field wall, it was the climax of Bart-mania. Twitter went nuts, and Mets announcer Gary Cohen went nuts. The jubilant Mets dugout vacated. And Shields, who had a horrible 2016, probably still hasn’t been able to live this down.
Naturally, Colon savored his trot around the bases—clocked at 31 seconds.
5. 20 K’s for Scherzer
In 2015, Max Scherzer pitched two no-hitters. In May 2016, he did something even more rare—striking out 20 against his former team, the Detroit Tigers, to tie an MLB nine-inning record.
Scherzer fanned Miguel Cabrera for No. 19 for the first out in the top of the ninth. Following a single by Victor Martinez, Scherzer got Justin Upton swinging to become the fourth pitcher ever to reach that magical mark. He had a chance to stand alone in the record books, but James McCann managed to ground into a fielder’s choice to end it. In his complete game effort, Scherzer threw 119 pitches—96 strikes and just 23 balls.
Roger Clemens reached 20 strikeouts on two occasions (in ’86 and ’96), Kerry Wood did it in ’98, and Randy Johnson completed the feat in 2001.
4. David Ortiz goes out in style
Most players can only dream of having that kind of season (at any state in their career). Ortiz defied age by producing one of his best years. At 40, it couldn’t have gone much better: 38 home runs, 127 RBIs, a .315 batting average, and what seems like hundreds of ceremonies in his honor.
His efforts seemed to be a boost for the Boston Red Sox, who used a late September push to claim the American League East.
All that was left to make this more special? A long Red Sox postseason run and one more clutch performance by the man who provided so many over the years for the Fenway faithful. Only it was not to be, as the Cleveland Indians provided Boston a quick October exit. However, it in no way diminished Ortiz’s grand farewell.
3. Vin Scully hangs up the mic
He is an icon for generations of Dodgers fans, both in Brooklyn and Los Angeles. The same reverence holds true for players, managers, and fellow broadcasters.
Tributes to Vin Scully poured in during what was his 67th and final season. But the ultimate showing of thanks came during his final series in Los Angeles. A sensational pre-game ceremony on that Friday night preceded a stirring Sunday conclusion that proved there is such a thing as a baseball God.
The Dodgers, needing a win to clinch the NL West, were down a run in the last of the ninth—until rookie Corey Seager went deep to right field. One inning later, Charlie Culberson made sure Vin’s final play-by-play call at Dodger Stadium was a walk-off homer.
One week later, at the home of the rival San Francisco Giants, fans at AT&T Park paid homage to the legendary Scully—proving how universally loved he really is.
2. Dee Gordon homers for Jose
How does a baseball team marshal it’s emotions and play on after losing a 24-year-old who happened to be one of the game’s brightest pitching stars? There’s no reasonable answer, but the Miami Marlins made a point to play in honor of the life of Jose Fernandez, which was tragically cut short on Sept. 25 in a boating accident.
The Marlins returned to the field two days later—all wearing uniforms with “Fernandez” and No. 16 on the back. It was a stirring evening, made more so by what took place when lead-off hitter Dee Gordon came to the plate in the bottom of the first. Once he took the first pitch in a right-handed stance similar to his fallen teammate, Gordon switched back to his comfortable left-handed stance. On a 2-0 count, he hit one over the right field fence.
It was his first home run of the season.
And as he rounded the bases and went back into the dugout, Gordon couldn’t hold back is tears. A storybook moment, for sure.
1. Cubs are champs at long last
The Chicago Cubs won the World Series.
Some statements are so rarely true that they instantly lack credibility when first seen. But after 108 years, the time finally arrived.
Dexter Fowler started off Game 7 with a home run. Kris Bryant threw out Michael Martinez to finish it. In between was a string of heart-stopping moments that had two title-starved fan bases on edge and helped create an epic Game 7—an 8-7 Cubs win that saw them complete the comeback from trailing three games to one.
The drought, curse, and jinx have all come to an end—meaning the party in the Windy City may not.
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