“Braxton Garrett did WHAT?!”
Imagine that it is Sunday, August 23, 2026. All 30 Major League Baseball teams are in action, and with all due respect, outside of Miami, there aren’t many eyeballs focused on the series finale between the Marlins (66-64) and Washington Nationals (49-82).
The main attraction at loanDepot park today is supposed to be Agustín Ramírez. The sophomore slugger is leading the Fish in OPS this season (.847) and serving as the starting catcher for this game. A crowd of nearly 20,000 fans is expected for his much-anticipated “Gus Bus” bobblehead day.
However, it quickly becomes apparent that Garrett is going to be the main character for the day. By 4:14 p.m. ET, he’ll be a national trending topic for breaking the all-time MLB single-game strikeout record.
The rebuilding Nationals are especially vulnerable at this juncture of the season. They already had one of the league’s worst offenses, and that was before trading shortstop CJ Abrams at the deadline. The next week, they placed All-Star outfielder James Wood on the injured list with a hamstring strain. Today, they are wrapping up a three-city, 10-day road trip, mired in a six-game losing streak.
Here is Washington’s getaway day starting lineup:
SS Nasim Nuñez
LF Daylen Lile
1B Andrés Chaparro
DH Luis García
3B Brady House
CF Dylan Crews
C Harry Ford
2B José Tena
RF Joey Wiemer
The Marlins jump out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, in part thanks to Ramírez’s RBI double. After three innings, the lead has swelled to 6-0 and Josiah Gray has been sent to the showers. The outcome of the game is pretty much decided, but nobody is in a hurry to leave their seats because Miami’s veteran lefty is cooking early.
Braxton Garrett certainly isn’t known as a strikeout artist. His lifetime 23.1 K% since debuting in 2020 is right on par with the MLB average during that span. His career-high for a single game is 13, which he set more than three years ago (6/22/23). So far in 2026, he ranks third on his own team in strikeouts (trailing Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez).
The conditions are ripe for an outlier performance from the 29-year-old.
Garrett strikes out the side in the first and Lile has already burned one of the Nationals’ ABS challenges after taking a called third strike on a nasty sinker. Garrett strikes out the side again in the second. Ford leads off the third by drawing a walk, but Garrett picks him off, then punches out Tena and Wiemer.
First time through the order, the Nats are 0-for-8 with 8 Ks.
Garrett is going up against a fatigued, inexperienced, Triple-A-caliber group. Some of the Nats saw him earlier in the year, but he’s throwing a tick harder this time around (averaging 93 mph on his four-seam fastball). He also tweaked his changeup grip in his last pitch design session and it’s working exactly as hoped. They were not prepared for this version of Brax.
The no-hitter gets broken up by an infield single in the fourth. After a hit-by-pitch and a passed ball—remember, Ramírez is behind the plate—Washington is threatening with runners on second and third and nobody out. But Garrett leaves them both stranded with three consecutive strikeouts.
After four innings, the Marlins lead 8-0. Garrett has 11 strikeouts.
After five innings, the Marlins lead 9-0. Garrett has 13 strikeouts.
After six innings, the Marlins lead 9-0. Garrett has 15 strikeouts.
Ricky Nolasco finally has some company. Garrett’s 16th strikeout to begin the top of the seventh ties Nolasco’s Marlins franchise record. Chaparro reaches base, though, because the slider he chased in the dirt gets past Ramírez. García follows with a single, then House puts the visitors on the scoreboard with a three-run homer.
Recently recalled Bradley Blalock is now getting loose in the Marlins bullpen. Pitching coach Daniel Moskos goes out for his first mound visit of the afternoon. Garrett is nearing the finish line…or maybe not! He responds with back-to-back Ks and a groundout to stop the bleeding.
After seven innings, the Marlins lead 9-3. Garrett has 18 strikeouts and 106 pitches thrown. It’s uncharted territory for the veteran southpaw—who is coming off elbow surgery, mind you—but Blalock has sat down. There’s no action in the ‘pen. Manager Clayton McCullough sends Garrett back out there for the eighth.
The MLB record is 20 strikeouts in a game, shared by Roger Clemens (x2), Randy Johnson, Max Scherzer and Kerry Wood. Garrett joins that exclusive club with two more K’s in the eighth.
Entering the ninth, it’s clear that Garrett will not be finishing this game. He’s at 116 pitches and Blalock is warming up again. McCullough is giving him one shot to reach 21.
Garrett falls behind 3-0 to Chaparro. His next pitch misses inside for ball four. McCullough is on the verge of stepping out of the Marlins dugout when Ramírez calls for an ABS challenge and gets it overturned! Still alive.
The 3-1 pitch is a whiff at a slider.
The 3-2 pitch is the same pitch and same result. The celebration ensues.
Garrett’s final line for this historic outing: 8.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 21 K (122 pitches/89 strikes).
It is by no means an apples-to-apples comparison. Bam Adebayo is undisputedly a better player at his sport than Braxton Garrett is at his. But the way that Adebayo, in the midst of his ninth professional season, veered from his usual offensive approach and erupted for the second-highest-scoring game in NBA history reminded me of a finesse pitcher becoming uncharacteristically overpowering.
Even on his very best day, Garrett would need a lot of help from factors beyond his control. That wouldn’t make the achievement any less legitimate.