HISTORY: Clayton Kershaw becomes 20th pitcher in MLB to record 3,000 strikeouts

Rodney Knuppel

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HISTORY: Clayton Kershaw becomes 20th pitcher in MLB to record 3,000 strikeouts image

Clayton Kershaw, 37, became the 20th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to reach 3,000 career strikeouts.

The feat came in the top of the sixth inning. After he struck out Lenyn Sosa for 2,999 to end the fifth inning, the fans erupted.

Kershaw started the 6th inning with 92 pitches. The first batter of the inning was Mike Tauchman. After a three pitch out to Mike Tauchman, up stepped up Michael A. Taylor.  The 34-year old veteran came into the at-bat 5-for-17 with four strikeouts in his career. Taylor saw the first pitch and doubled to left. Fans wondered if Kershaw would stay in the game to get to 3,000. Dave Roberts obliged. 

Up stepped Vinny Capra, the White Sox third baseman.  The first pitch was a called strike, and Taylor was also caught stealing third for the second out. Pitch #98 was inside on a curve all. The 99th pitch was a swinging strike, and pitch #100 was the magical pitch. Capra looked at strike 3.

The last pitcher to hit that milestone was Max Scherzer in 2021, when he struck out Eric Hosmer, then playing for the San Diego Padres. Scherzer reached 3,000 strikeouts in 2,891 innings pitched.

Kershaw’s outing wasn’t particularly sharp. He lasted just 5.1 innings, allowed eight hits, and four runs, while walking a batter, and striking out just three.

It was his ninth start of the season, and before this outing, he had tossed 38.2 innings, and struck out 29 and walked 13. He held a 4-0 record with a 3.03 ERA.

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Andrew Benintendi got things going for the White Sox in the top of the first with an RBI single to right field. After Los Angeles took a 2-1 lead, Kershaw surrendered it in the third. Austin Slater hit his third home run of the season, and Edgar Quero followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2 in favor of Chicago.

With 3,000 career strikeouts, Kershaw is now just 84 behind John Smoltz for 19th on the all-time list. C.C. Sabathia, who retired with 3,093 strikeouts, is also within reach.

Nolan Ryan remains the all-time leader in strikeouts with an astounding 5,714. Randy Johnson is second with 4,875.

Among active pitchers, Chris Sale is next in line with 2,528 strikeouts. At 36 years old, Sale would need a strong run to reach 3,000 and appears to be a long shot. Gerrit Cole, 34, is currently out for the season and still needs 749 strikeouts to reach the milestone. Charlie Morton, now 41, sits at 2,124 and is also unlikely to reach 3,000.

The Dodgers and White Sox will wrap up their three-game series on Thursday. Aaron Civale is scheduled to start for Chicago, while Dustin May takes the mound for Los Angeles

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Rodney Knuppel

Rodney Knuppel is a freelance writer for The Sporting News. When not watching, listening or writing about sports, Rodney enjoys following the travels of his three kids, who are all active in their own sports and activities. A huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, Rodney also enjoys St. Louis Blues hockey and is a big Kansas Jayhawks basketball fan.