Knuckleballers are a rare breed. The pitch that made legends like Hoyt Wilhelm and Tim Wakefield famous is so hard to control most pitchers shy away from the pitch. With so much emphasis on spin rate and velocity, it makes sense that there is little priority on learning how to master the knuckleball. Tuesday night, San Diego’s Matt Waldron chalked up eight strikeouts, using the knuckleball as the third strike all eight times. Even more impressive was Waldron’s zero walks. So, where does last night’s game rank in the most dominant knuckleballer games since 2000?
7 scoreless innings and 8 Ks from Matt Waldron tonight. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/qBQ8kCvpoY
— MLB (@MLB) May 29, 2024
The Most Dominant Knuckleballer Games Since 2000
Matt Waldron vs Atlanta Braves May 17th, 2024
Matt Waldron faced a dangerous Atlanta Braves team earlier this May. Waldron rang up 10 Braves batters, including the hot Marcell Ozuna twice, through just 5.2 innings pitched. The former Cornhusker only issues two free passes. Five of Waldron’s ten strikeouts came with a knuckleball on the third strike. At some point during each strikeout, Waldron utilized his knuckleball. The right-handed pitcher only gave up one run en route to a 3-1 win.
Steven Wright vs Los Angeles Dodgers August 5th, 2016
It should come as no surprise that Wright’s lone All-Star season is the same year he had his most dominant performance. Squaring off against Scott Kazmir and the second-place Dodgers, the former Rainbow Warrior took the mound for the Boston Red Sox. Steven Wright scattered three hits over his complete game shutout. Wright gave up a double to Justin Turner in the first inning and would not give up another hit until the ninth. He struck out nine batters to his one walk while cruising to his 13th victory of the season. Wright utilized his knuckleball in all nine of his strikeouts.
Tim Wakefield vs New York Yankees September 11th, 2005
2005 was a prime year for the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry. This Sunday day game was a pitcher’s duel between New York’s Hall of Famer Randy Johnson and Boston knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. The 55,000+ at Yankee Stadium saw these two legends pitch their A games as the season dwindled to October. After getting the first two outs in the first inning, Wakefield gave up a solo home run to Jason Giambi. This ended up being the only run that Wakefield gave up through an eight-inning complete game. This was also the only run the Yankees would need to get the win. Despite only giving up three hits and one walk Wakefield would be the losing pitcher this day. Wakefield struck out 13 Yankees in one of the most dominating complete game losses you can pitch.
Tim Wakefield, Knuckleball (Slow/HP view). pic.twitter.com/YCID459Dyk
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) December 15, 2018
R.A. Dickey vs Baltimore Orioles June 18th, 2012
The 2012 National League Cy Young winner had lots of bright spots during his breakout season with the Mets. R.A. Dickey would lead the league in strikeouts, complete games, shutouts, and innings pitched in 2012. Of his 20 wins during 2012, one stood out among the rest. After pitching a complete game one-hitter on June 13th, the 6’3 Knuckleballer from Tennessee would take the mound again just five days later. Facing a Baltimore team that was second in the AL East at the time, R.A. Dickey would take the mound for the Metropolitans in Queens.
Dickey would serve up a heavy dose of knuckleballs to the O’s and carry a no-hitter to the fifth inning. Wilson Betemit singled on a line drive to right field after striking out Matt Wieters and Mark Reynolds using exclusively knuckleballs. With the score knotted up at zero’s headed into the bottom of the 6th. Dickey led off the inning with a single off Jake Arrieta helping his cause. Jordany Valdespin doubled, and Lucas Duda walked, bringing up Ike Davis. Davis hit the first pitch he saw off of Arrieta over the center field wall for a grand slam. Those four runs would be all Dickey needed for his 11th win of the season. Dickey struck out 13 Orioles to his two walks and the lone hit to Betemit, completing arguably the most dominant game pitched by a knuckleballer since 2000.
Main Photo Credits: Kris Craig/Providence Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
