Dodgers' Max Scherzer Becomes 19th Pitcher in MLB History with 3,000 Strikeouts

Los Angeles Dodgers ace Max Scherzer became the 19th pitcher in MLB history to record 3,000 career strikeouts Sunday.

The three-time Cy Young winner entered his home start against the San Diego Padres needing just six more K's to reach the mark. He got there by the fifth inning, striking out one in the first, three in second—an immaculate inning, no less—one in the third and one in the fifth, using 51 pitches total to hit the milestone. Eric Hosmer served as Scherzer's 3,000th victim.

Scherzer joins Walter Johnson, Bob Gibson, Gaylord Perry, Nolan Ryan, Tim Seaver, Steve Carlton, Fergie Jenkins, Don Sutton, Phil Niekro, Bert Blyleven, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, CC Sabathia and Justin Verlander.

Over the duration of his 14-year-and-counting career, Scherzer recorded 1,610 strikeouts with the Washington Nationals, 1,081 with the Detroit Tigers, 240 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and 69 with the Dodgers.

He's gone over the 250-K mark in a season five times and exceeded 200 K's in nine consecutive seasons with the exception of 2020's pandemic-shortened campaign. The Missouri native still finished with 92 strikeouts in 67.1 innings.

Per MLB.com's Matt Kelly, Scherzer’s current career strikeout rate of 29.4 percent will be the highest in the 3,000-K club, besting Randy Johnson's 28.6 percent. Scherzer is also the second-fastest player to the 3,000-K mark, requiring just 404 appearances. Johnson still holds the record there with 362 appearances.

Already a surefire future Hall of Famer, Scherzer has added a membership to one of baseball's most exclusive clubs to a resume that includes eight All-Star appearances and a 2019 World Series title with the Nationals.

He may very well add another ring to his collection as the Dodgers look poised to make another deep postseason run this October. That's in part because of Scherzer's addition. Entering Sunday, the trade deadline pick-up has tossed 43 innings for Los Angeles with a 1.05 ERA and 0.767 WHIP.