Mark Alan Buehrle (; born March 23, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Chicago White Sox, playing twelve seasons for the team and winning the World Series with them in 2005. Buehrle also pitched for the Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays.
Buehrle pitched a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers on April 18, 2007, surrendering just one walk to Sammy Sosa who was then picked off at first base. Two seasons later, Buehrle pitched the 18th perfect game in baseball history against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 23, 2009.
In White Sox pitching history, Buehrle is fifth all-time in strikeouts, sixth in games started, and eighth in wins and innings pitched.
High school, college and the minor leagues
Buehrle was born in St. Charles, Missouri, and attended Francis Howell North High School in St. Charles. In his sophomore year, Buehrle was cut from the school's baseball team.
After high school, Buehrle attended Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Missouri. He was later selected in the 38th round of the 1998 draft by the Chicago White Sox organization.
Buehrle began his professional career in 1999 with the White Sox' Single-A Burlington Bees. He went 7–4 with three saves and a 4.10 ERA in 20 games (14 starts), including a complete-game shutout. Buehrle followed this up with an excellent year in 2000, going 8–4 with a 2.28 ERA in 16 starts for the Double-A affiliate Birmingham Barons in Hoover, Alabama, giving up only 17 walks in 119 innings. He would be named the Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher that season and was the winning pitcher in the Futures Game, then rated as the No. 8 prospect in the White Sox organization.
Buehrle made a total of 36 appearances in the minor leagues before joining the White Sox roster.
Major League career
Chicago White Sox (2000-2011)
2000–2004
Buehrle made his major league debut on July 16, 2000, pitching one inning of relief against the Milwaukee Brewers and allowing a run. Three days later he started against Minnesota, allowing six hits and two runs in seven innings while earning a win.
In 2001, Buehrle's first year as a major league starter, he went 16–8 with a 3.29 ERA in 32 starts. He threw consecutive scoreless innings from May 26 to June 7, the most by a White Sox pitcher since Tommy John threw 25 scoreless innings in 1967. Buehrle recorded his first complete game on May 26 against the Detroit Tigers and later pitched two consecutive complete games on August 3 against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (a one-hitter) and on August 8 against the Anaheim Angels.
In 2002, Buehrle posted a 19–12 record in 34 starts, and ranked among the American League leaders in innings pitched (second, 239), games started (tied second, 34), complete games (tied second, 5), shutouts (tied second, 2), wins (tied fourth, 19) and quality starts (tied fifth, 23). Buehrle pitched at least six innings 30 times and at least eight innings nine times. FOX Sports Net Chicago honored him as the White Sox Player of the Year. He was selected as a member of the Major League All-Star Team that played in Japan in November. In his one start, he allowed four runs on five hits over three innings, before leaving with a bruised left shoulder sustained when he was hit with a line drive off the bat of Hideki Matsui.
Buehrle set a career high with 35 starts in 2003, posting a 14–14 record with a 4.14 ERA. He ranked among the American League leaders in starts (tied second), quality starts (third, 24) and innings pitched (fifth).
In 2004, Buehrle led the American League in innings pitched with , in games started with 35, and in complete games with five. He ranked among the AL leaders in quality starts (third, 23), walks per nine innings (fifth, 1.87), wins (tied sixth, 16), strikeout to-walk ratio (seventh, 3.24), ERA (eighth, 3.89) and strikeouts (ninth, 165). Buehrle lasted at least six innings in each of his last 28 starts. On July 21 in Cleveland, he faced the minimum 27 batters in a two-hit shutout of the Indians.