Kerry Wood

Who is Kerry Wood?

Kerry Lee Wood is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his career he played for the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and New York Yankees. Wood first came to prominence as a twenty-year old rookie when he recorded twenty strikeouts in a one-hit shutout against the Houston Astros, which some have argued may be the greatest single-game pitching performance in Major League Baseball history. The game also made Wood the co-holder of the MLB record for strikeouts in a single game, and earned Wood the nickname Kid K. He was later named the 1998 National League Rookie of the Year. Wood would go on to record over 200 strikeouts in four out of his first five seasons, with a high of 266 in 2003, and holds several MLB strikeout records.

Though he struggled with injuries throughout his career, Wood was twice named an All-Star. Wood transitioned to a relief pitching in 2007 due to continued struggles with injuries, ultimately reviving his career as a closer. During his career Wood was placed on the disabled list 14 times in 13 major league seasons, which included missing the entire 1999 season due to Tommy John surgery.