Two-time former teammates enter the year on the outside looking in of the top 10 in career strikeouts. Max Scherzer is 11th with 3,367 and Justin Verlander is tied with Phil Niekro for 12th at 3,342. Both pitchers are within striking distance of 10th all-time. Here’s the list which includes multiple Hall of Famers from different eras of the game. Only 19 pitchers have thrown at least 3,000 strikeouts in their careers.
- Nolan Ryan: 5,714
- Randy Johnson: 4,875
- Roger Clemens: 4,462
- Steve Carlton: 4,136
- Bert Blyleven: 3,701
- Tom Seaver: 3,640
- Don Sutton: 3,574
- Gaylord Perry: 3,534
- Walter Johnson: 3,515
- Greg Maddux: 3,371
Scherzer is the fifth pitcher with at least 3,000 career strikeouts to have appeared with the Texas Rangers. He joins Ryan (1989-94), Blyleven (1976-77), Perry (1975-77, 1980) and Fergie Jenkins (1974-75, 1978-81). Even though Verlander and Niekro are tied on the career strikeouts list, Verlander needed roughly 2,000 less innings to reach that mark.
Scherzer, Verlander Can Reach Top 10 in Career Strikeouts
There’s a strong chance that both pitchers will be in the top ten by the end of the season. Scherzer and Verlander will have to work tremendously to gain ground on the Hall of Famers that are ahead of them. Walter Johnson is No. 9 with 3,509 career strikeouts. Then, there’s two pitchers ahead of Johnson who have less than 3,600 strikeouts, No. 8 Perry (3,543) and No. 7 Sutton (3,574). After that, Seaver is at No. 6 with 3,640 strikeouts while Blyleven is No.5 with 3,701 strikeouts. The foursome at the top consists of Ryan (5,714), Johnson (4,875), Clemens (4,672) and Carlton (4,136).
Walter Johnson Founded the 3,000 Strikeout Club
2023 marked 100 years since Johnson himself became the founding member of baseball’s 3,000 strikeout club. When he achieved the milestone on July 23, 1923, only five other pitchers had as many as 2,000 strikeouts to their name. The next member of the elite club didn’t arrive until 51 years after Johnson. St. Louis Cardinals legend Bob Gibson became the second member on July 17, 1974. Perry joined the club in 1978 while Seaver and Carlton recorded their 3,000th strikeouts 11 days apart in April 1981. It wouldn’t be another nine years after that before Ryan surpassed Johnson’s career total. Interestingly enough, Clemens and Curt Schilling are the only Hall of Fame-eligible hurlers who are not in Cooperstown.
Will Any Other Pitchers Achieve the Milestone?
Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw have 2,979 and 2,944 career strikeouts respectively. They figure to be the next pitchers to join the club, yet Grenike remains unsigned entering the 2024 season. That could prevent him from achieving the milestone as he might be leaning towards retirement. Kershaw, on the other hand, will return midseason. It means that 3,000 is very much on the radar for the left-handed veteran. Kershaw has played 16 seasons, which is tied for the third-most in Los Angeles Dodgers franchise history. He’s behind Bill Russell and Zack Wheat, who have 18 each.
Main Photo: © Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
