In a remarkable performance on Friday night, Max Scherzer reached a new milestone in his storied career as he surpassed Greg Maddux on Major League Baseball’s all-time strikeout list. With his strikeout of Ramón Urías in the second inning, Scherzer became the latest player to break through the 3,300 strikeouts barrier and move into eighth place on the all-time list.
While known for his command and control, Maddux had been holding a spot in the top 10 of the all-time strikeout list with 3,371 until this season. Verlander recently claimed the tenth spot with 3,393 strikeouts, just behind Walter Johnson’s 3,509 in ninth place. With only 18 strikeouts separating them from Verlander’s total, Scherzer is now closing in on his former teammate and the two pitchers might continue to compete against each other as they climb up the all-time rankings.
Other active pitchers like Clayton Kershaw, Chris Sale, and Gerrit Cole are also on the all-time strikeout list but are far behind Scherzer and Verlander. Kershaw currently sits at No. 21 with 2,944 strikeouts, Sale at No. 56 with 2,307, and Cole at No. 71 with 2,157 strikeouts. As they continue their pursuit of baseball history