Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw Records 5th Straight 200-Strikeout Season

During Tuesday's 4-1 victory over the Washington Nationals, Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers surpassed 200 strikeouts for a fifth straight season, joining Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers in franchise history to accomplish such a feat, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Kershaw's recent streak ties him for the third longest in National League history, trailing only Tom Seaver and Koufax. Per Complete Baseball Encyclopedia (via GammonsDaily.com), Seaver had nine such seasons from 1968 to 1976, while Koufax accumulated six (1961-66). Hall of Famers Bob Gibson (1962-66) and Ferguson Jenkins (1967-71) are the two pitchers tied with Kershaw.

Along with Seaver, Kershaw joins Bert Blyleven as the only hurlers to record 200-plus strikeouts in five of their first seven MLB seasons, per ESPN Stats & Info.

If Kershaw is able to record another 200 strikeouts, and a 8.50 K/9 rate in his 2015 campaign, he'll tie Koufax for the most consecutive seasons of that sort in National League history, according to Complete Baseball Encyclopedia (via GammonsDaily.com).

Despite missing most of April due to inflammation of the teres major muscle in his back, the southpaw now leads the majors with 17 wins. Tuesday's victory also brought his season ERA down to 1.70, which would be the lowest mark for a left-hander since Carl Hubbell's 1.66 in 1933, per ESPN Stats & Info.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise specified.