On Saturday night in Atlanta, Parker Messick was brilliant against, holding the Braves scoreless through 6 2/3 innings.
It was Messick’s 10th career start and lowered his career ERA to 2.04.
Over the last 100 seasons, only 34 players have posted an ERA of 2.04 or lowers through their first 10 career outings with at last 50 innings pitched.
Here are the most recent to do it:
- 2024 Shota Imanaga, CHC
- 2023 Andrew Abbott, CIN
- 2014 Kyle Hendricks, CHC
- 2014 James Paxton, SEA
- 2013 Jarred Cosart, HOU
- 2012 Jose Quintana, CHW
- 2005 Zach Duke, PIT
- 1992 Pedro Astacio, LAD
- 1985 Tom Browning, CIN
Messick mark is the best by a Cleveland pitcher in the last 100 years, surpassing Gene Bearden’s mark of 2.18 during his first 10 starts which spanned the 1947 and 1948 seasons.
I can’t say for certain if it’s an all-time franchise record due to lack of game-by-game earned run data in some early seasons of MLB.
If we change the criteria slightly and say 10 career starts (instead of 10 career games), it’s the second lowest ERA in team history trailing only Fred Link (1.94 ERA through 10 starts in 1910).

