Detroit Tigers rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle made history on Wednesday afternoon against the Washington Nationals when he singled to center in the sixth inning. It was the 261st time this season that he reached base safely, and it broke a Tigers record that had stood for 73 years, since Harvey Kuenn reached base 260 times in 1953.

McGonigle finished the game with three hits, a double in the third and singles in the sixth and ninth, according to ESPN’s play-by-play, and he has now reached base safely 262 times this season. The Tigers lost to the Nationals, 4-2. Detroit has three games left, all at home against Pittsburgh, so there is still room to add to the number.

The company he is keeping says as much as the record does. McGonigle is just the fifth major league rookie to reach base 262 times in a season since 1990, MLB.com reported. The other four are Aaron Judge, Ichiro Suzuki, Albert Pujols and Ben Grieve, and all four won Rookie of the Year.

Kevin McGonigle Speaks on Breaking the 73-Year-Old Tigers Record

After the game, McGonigle spoke to Jason Beck of MLB.com about passing Kuenn. He said:

“It’s a pretty cool accomplishment. First off, I don’t think it would be possible without the guys in this clubhouse, the way they push me every day, the way we build off each other. They’ve been amazing this year for my rookie season. … To have my name up there with guys like that is pretty special.”

He also told Beck that the approach behind the number is not complicated.

“I kind of want to get on base as much as I can. When you have guys on the bases, good things happen, usually, and that’s my mindset. Just get on base and get the bat to the guy behind me.”

A Rookie of the Year Case That Is Hard to Argue With

This has been a tremendous rookie season for McGonigle, who is only 22 years old. He is hitting .278 with 165 hits in 153 games, per ESPN, and the record he just took is the kind that tends to travel with an award. It will not be a surprise when he wins American League Rookie of the Year.