Greg Maddux Career Shutouts Record

Lore & Background

Maddux was born in San Angelo, Texas, and spent much of his childhood in Madrid, Spain, where his father was stationed with the U.S. Air Force. Upon returning to Las Vegas, Nevada, Maddux and his brother Mike trained under Ralph Meder, a former scout who preached the value of movement and location above velocity. Maddux graduated from Valley High School in Las Vegas in 1984. The Chicago Cubs selected him in the second round of the 1984 MLB draft. He made his major league debut on September 3, 1986, as a pinch runner before pitching in the 18th inning and taking the loss. His first start, five days later, was a complete game win. In his fifth start, he defeated his older brother Mike, marking the first time rookie brothers pitched against each other. After seven seasons with the Cubs, Maddux signed a five-year, $28 million deal with the Atlanta Braves. He made his Braves debut on April 5, 1993, as opening day starter against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, beating his former teammates 1–0.

In Their Own Story

The air was crisp, and the crowd had settled into a hushed reverence. Greg Maddux adjusted his cap, staring down the batter with an expression that gave nothing away. He delivered a curveball that dipped just inside the strike zone, followed by a slider that shattered the bat's rhythm. By the third inning, the opposing team looked defeated before they had even swung for real. As the final out was recorded in the ninth, Maddux walked off the mound, having allowed not a single run, leaving the stadium echoing with the quiet awe of a master at work.

Reader's Guide

Maddux is known for his exceptional control and movement. He holds the record for most Gold Gloves by any player (18) and most putouts by a pitcher (546). He is the only pitcher to record more than 300 wins, more than 3,000 strikeouts, and fewer than 1,000 walks (exactly 999 walks overall). The term 'Maddux' was coined in 2012 by writer Jason Lukehart to describe a complete game shutout in fewer than 100 pitches; Maddux holds the record for most times accomplishing this feat (13) since pitch counts began to be tracked in 1988. He is 8th on the all-time career wins list with 355, and only Warren Spahn (363) recorded more career wins than Maddux since the start of the post-1920 live-ball era. Maddux also has the most wins among pitchers who made their debuts after World War II.

Did You Know?

• Maddux was the first pitcher in MLB history to win the Cy Young Award four consecutive years (1992–1995), a feat matched only by Randy Johnson.
• He is the only pitcher in MLB history to win at least 15 games for 17 straight seasons.
• Maddux holds the record for most Gold Gloves by any player with 18.
• He is the only pitcher to record more than 300 wins, more than 3,000 strikeouts, and fewer than 1,000 walks (exactly 999 walks overall).
• The term 'Maddux' was coined in 2012 to describe a complete game shutout in fewer than 100 pitches; Maddux holds the record for most such games (13) since 1988.