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Who are the top strikeout pitchers in MLB history? Here is our top 10 countdown:
10. Tom Seaver: as a Met, Seaver led the league in strikeouts 5x and fanned 200+ batters for nine straight years; though he became less of a strikeout pitcher in his 30s, he nevertheless had 3,640 career strikeouts.
9. Bob Gibson: perhaps the most feared pitcher of his era, Gibson actually only had one strikeout crown (during his dominant 1968 season), though struck out 200+ batters in a season 9x and had 3,117 career strikeouts.
8. Steve Carlton: one of only four players in MLB history with 4,000+ career strikeouts, Carlton led the league in strikeouts 5x, including a career-best 310 in his incredible 1972 season.
7. Pedro Martinez: despite his slight frame, Martinez was a 3x strikeout king and twice went over 300 strikeouts in a season en route to 3,154 career strikeouts.
6. Sandy Koufax: though his career was cut short by injury, Koufax was sensational at his peak, striking out 200+ batters each season from 1961-1966, including a career-best 382 in 1965, and leading the league in strikeouts 4x during that span.
5. Bob Feller: the dominant power pitcher of the World War II era, Feller led the league in strikeouts in seven of eight seasons played between 1938-1948 (he missed three seasons for military service), including a career-high 348 in 1946.
4. Roger Clemens: known as “The Rocket”, Clemens amassed 4,672 career strikeouts and is the only pitcher with two career 20-strikeout games, though his career is tainted by steroid use accusations.
3. Walter Johnson: an overpowering mound presence during the dead-ball era, Johnson led baseball in strikeouts 12x and held the career record with 3,509 strikeouts for nearly 60 years.
2. Randy Johnson: the greatest left-handed power pitcher ever, Johnson accumulated 4,875 career strikeouts, leading the league in strikeouts 9x (including 6x with 300+).
1. Nolan Ryan: baseball’s all-time strikeout king, Ryan led the league in strikeouts 11x (including 6x with 300+) en route to 5,714 career strikeouts and seven no-hitters (also the most all-time).
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
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