13–6 record, a 4.03 ERA, 63 strikeouts, 47 walks, and 212 hits allowed in innings pitched. After Phil Niekro's retirement, John became the oldest player in the major leagues in 1988; he turned 45 on May 22. On April 27, he held the Royals to two hits and no runs in innings, though Kansas City ultimately won 3–1. For the first time since 1963 (a year he only made three starts), he did not complete a game; his longest outing came on May 14, when he allowed two runs over innings in a 6–2 victory over the Angels. On July 27, he set a record by committing three errors on one play against the Brewers. First, he dropped a ground ball hit back to the mound by Jeffrey Leonard. Picking it up, he threw it about 10 feet wide of first base. Jim Gantner tried to score, and John cut off a throw to home, then threw it by the head of the catcher for his third error of the game. However, he would pitch eight innings as the Yankees went on to win 16–3. In 35 games (32 starts), he had a 9–8 record, a 4.49 ERA, 81 strikeouts, 46 walks, and 221 hits allowed in innings. Bill Madden of the New York Daily News speculated that John, a ground-ball pitcher, suffered from late-season injuries to Yankee infielders Willie Randolph and Mike Pagliarulo, their replacements not being quite as capable fielders. Ten times, he left a game after at least five innings with a lead and received a no-decision, often due to runners he had left on base scoring when relievers replaced him. At 45, he was the only Yankee starter to go the full year without missing time due to injury. By 1989, John was doing a "ten-part cardiovascular and muscular endurance program" which Jeff Mangold, the Yankees' former strength coach, had helped him develop. At 45, he was the Opening Day starter for the Yankees, his first Opening Day start for the ballclub in eight years, allowing two runs in seven innings and outpitching 1988 AL Cy Young Award winner Frank Viola as the Yankees defeated the Twins 4–2 on April 4. With the start, John matched Deacon McGuire's record for most MLB seasons played with 26, a record that would later be broken by Nolan Ryan. On April 27, he held the Royals to two runs