Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
The Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday afternoon, but it wasn’t without Edgardo Henriquez making a bit of history.
The right-hander entered in the bottom of the eighth inning with the score even at one apiece and began his appearance by striking out Dillon Dingler on a 103.6 mph sinker that caught the edge of the zone. Dingler challenged the call but wasn’t successful. It was the fastest pitch ever recorded for a strikeout by a Dodger since MLB began tracking this kind of data in 2008.
The sinker tied Henriquez’s career high, which he previously reached in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 2. Henriquez entered Saturday having thrown 22 of the fastest tracked pitches thrown by a Dodgers pitcher and 14 of the franchise’s 16 fastest strikeout pitches.
Henriquez matched Jonathan Broxton’s Dodgers tracking-era record last August when he threw a 103.3 mph four-seam fastball to Ryan O’Hearn. Broxton was one of the premier flamethrowers of his era and recorded 84 saves in parts of seven seasons with L.A.
According to Baseball Savant, Henriquez is averaging 100.8 mph on his sinker and 100.5 mph on his four-seamer this season. Those are ideal speeds for a modern-day reliever, where velocity can be the difference-maker.
Edgardo Henriquez’s 2026 stats
Henriquez is in his first full season and third overall with the Dodgers. He has emerged as one of the team’s most reliable arms, going 4-1 with a 2.77 ERA, 2.61 FIP, 0.98 WHIP and 10.2 strikeouts per nine in 55.1 innings across 55 appearances (one start).
Henriquez has been receiving more opportunities in high-leverage situations due to his success and injuries to Edwin Díaz and Blake Treinen.
The 24-year-old should continue to be a key part of the bullpen going forward, even with the expected returns of several injured pitchers and others moving to relief roles.
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