Woo continues to wow Mariners with record streak of pitching 6 innings and few walks

SEATTLE — Bryan Woo keeps going deep in games for the Seattle Mariners, and isn’t giving up many free passes along the way.

While extending his season-opening franchise record with his 23rd consecutive start pitching at least six innings Sunday in a 6-3 win over Tampa Bay, Woo also tied the MLB record set by Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal in 1968 for the most consecutive games at the start of the season pitching that long and also allowing two walks or fewer.

Woo (10-6) matched his career high of nine strikeouts for the second game in a row, and walked only one in six innings against the Rays, finishing his outing with an empathic fist pump after striking out his final batter. It was his 45th consecutive start with two walks or fewer, the longest active streak in the majors.

The 25-year-old right-hander is the first MLB pitcher since Clayton Kershaw in 2019 throw at least six innings in the first 23 starts of a season.

Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson and Mark Langston share Seattle’s overall record for consecutive six-inning starts at 31. Johnson had his from August 1992 until July 1993, which included the first 20 games of 1993 that was the previous season-opening mark. Langston’s 31-game stretch was from July 1987 to June 1988.

Félix Hernández had a 30-game stretch from May 2010 to April 2011, and Johnson recorded another 29-game span from May 1995 to April 1996.