Max Scherzer becomes fifth MLB pitcher with 100 games of 10+ strikeouts

Max Scherzer of St. Louis, MO made Major League Baseball history on Saturday by becoming the fifth pitcher with 100 games of 10 or more strikeouts. The 36-year-old right-hander accomplished the feat on Saturday when he struck out 14 in a 4-3 Nationals loss to the New York Yankees.

This was the second time this season that Scherzer had reached double-digits in strikeouts for a game. On April 16, Scherzer struck out 10 in a 1-0 Nationals win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The four other pitchers with 100 games of 10+ strikeouts were Nolan Ryan of Refugio, TX (215), Randy Johnson of Walnut Creek, CA (212), Roger Clemens of Dayton, OH (110), and Pedro Martinez of Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic (108). Of Scherzer’s 100 games with 10 or more strikeouts, three games came with the Arizona Diamondbacks, 22 games with the Detroit Tigers, and 75 games with the Nationals.

Scherzer is also one of three players in Major League Baseball history to have 20 strikeouts in a game. He accomplished that feat on May 11, 2016, in a 3-2 Nationals win over the Detroit Tigers. The other two players with 20 strikeouts in a game were Clemens and Kerry Wood of Irving, TX. Clemens had 20 strikeouts with the Boston Red Sox on September 18, 1996, in a 4-0 win over the Tigers. Meanwhile, Wood had 20 strikeouts with the Cubs on May 6, 1998, in a 2-0 win over the Houston Astros.

Scherzer is 20th all-time in Major League Baseball strikeouts. He has 2845 in his career. The all-time leader is Ryan with 5714. Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander of Manakin Sabot, VA is the active all-time leader in strikeouts with 3013.

So far this season, Scherzer has a record of two wins and two losses with 61 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings pitched. He has an earned run average of 2.33 and a marvelous WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 0.78.

Despite being last in the National League East with a record of 13 wins and 17 losses, the Nationals are not all that far out of first place. They are only three and a half games back of the first-place New York Mets.