Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all time

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In baseball, a strikeout occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. Strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher and incompetence on the part of the batter.

The pitcher with the most career strikeouts in Major League Baseball, and the only pitcher to strike out over 5,000 batters, is Nolan Ryan with 5,714 career strikeouts. Roger Clemens with 4,502 is 2nd, and Randy Johnson at 4,372 finishes up the Top 3. Clemens, now of the Houston Astros, tops all active pitchers.

Contents

[edit] Key for league abbreviations

Abbrev. League Year(s)
AA American Association 1882–1891
AL American League Since 1901
FL Federal League 1914–1915
NA National Association 1871-1875
NL National League Since 1876
PL Players League 1890
UA Union Association 1884

[edit] The Club

All statistics are current through the end of the 2006 season.
† pitchers who are still active

Rank Pitcher Strikeouts Teams played for Seasons played
1 Nolan Ryan 5,714 New York (NL), California, Houston, Texas 1966, 1968–93
2 Roger Clemens† 4,604 Boston (AL), Toronto, New York (AL), Houston 1984–
3 Randy Johnson† 4,544 Montreal, Seattle, Houston, Arizona, New York (AL) 1988–
4 Steve Carlton 4,136 St. Louis (NL), Philadelphia (NL), Chicago (AL), San Francisco, Cleveland (AL), Minnesota 1965–88
5 Bert Blyleven 3,701 Minnesota, Texas, Pittsburgh, Cleveland (AL), California 1970–92
6 Tom Seaver 3,640 New York (NL), Cincinnati (NL), Chicago (AL), Boston (AL) 1967–86
7 Don Sutton 3,574 Los Angeles, Houston, Milwaukee (AL), California, Oakland 1966–88
8 Gaylord Perry 3,534 San Francisco, Cleveland (AL), Texas, San Diego, New York (AL), Atlanta, Seattle, Kansas City 1962–83
9 Walter Johnson 3,509 Washington (AL) 1907–27
10 Phil Niekro 3,342 Milwaukee/Atlanta, New York (AL), Cleveland (AL), Toronto 1964–1987
11 Fergie Jenkins 3,192 Philadelphia (NL), Chicago (NL), Texas, Boston (AL) 1965–83
12 Bob Gibson 3,117 St. Louis (NL) 1959–75
13 Greg Maddux† 3,169 Chicago (NL), Atlanta, Los Angeles 1986–
14 Curt Schilling† 3,015 Baltimore (AL), Houston, Philadelphia (NL), Arizona, Boston (AL) 1988–
15 Pedro Martinez† 2,998 Los Angeles, Montreal, Boston (AL), New York (NL) 1992–
16 Jim Bunning 2,855 Detroit (AL), Philadelphia (NL), Pittsburgh, Los Angeles 1955–71
17 Mickey Lolich 2,832 Detroit (AL), New York (NL), San Diego 1963–1976, 1978–79
18 Cy Young 2,803 Cleveland (NL), St. Louis (NL), Boston (AL), Cleveland (AL), Boston (NL) 1890–1911
19 John Smoltz† 2,778 Atlanta 1988–
20 Frank Tanana 2,773 California, Boston (AL), Texas, Detroit (AL), Baltimore/New York (AL), New York (NL) 1973–93
21 David Cone 2,668 Kansas City, New York (NL), Toronto, New York (AL), Boston (AL) 1986–2003
22 Chuck Finley 2,610 California/Anaheim, Cleveland (AL), St. Louis (NL) 1986–2002
23 Warren Spahn 2,583 Boston/Milwaukee, New York (NL), San Francisco 1942–65
24 Bob Feller 2,581 Cleveland (AL) 1936–56
25 Mike Mussina† 2,572 Baltimore (AL), New York (AL) 1991–
26 Tim Keefe 2,562 Troy, New York (AA), N.Y. Gothams/Giants, Philadelphia (NL) 1880–93
27 Jerry Koosman 2,556 New York (NL), Minnesota, Chicago (AL), Philadelphia 1967–85
28 Christy Mathewson 2,502 N.Y. Giants, Cincinnati (NL) 1900–16
29 Don Drysdale 2,486 Brooklyn/Los Angeles (NL) 1956–69
30 Tom Glavine† 2,481 Atlanta, New York (NL) 1987–
31 Jack Morris 2,478 Detroit (AL), Minnesota, Toronto, Cleveland (AL) 1977–94
32 Mark Langston 2,464 Seattle, Montreal, California/Anaheim, San Diego, Cleveland (AL) 1984–99
33 Jim Kaat 2,461 Washington/Minnesota, Chicago (AL), Philadelphia (NL), New York (AL), St. Louis (NL) 1959–83
34 Sam McDowell 2,453 Cleveland (AL), San Francisco, New York (AL), Pittsburgh 1961–75
35 Luis Tiant 2,416 Cleveland (AL), Minnesota, Boston (AL), New York (AL), California 1964–82
36 Dennis Eckersley 2,401 Cleveland (AL), Boston (AL), Chicago (NL), Oakland, St. Louis (NL) 1975–98
37 Kevin Brown 2,397 Texas, Baltimore (AL), Florida, San Diego, Los Angeles, New York (AL) 1986, 1988–2005
38 Sandy Koufax 2,396 Brooklyn/Los Angeles 1955–66
39 Charlie Hough 2,362 Los Angeles, Texas, Chicago (AL), Florida 1970–94
40 Robin Roberts 2,357 Philadelphia (NL), Baltimore (AL), Houston, Chicago (NL) 1948–66
41 Early Wynn 2,334 Washington (AL), Cleveland (AL), Chicago (AL) 1939, 1941–63
42 Rube Waddell 2,316 Louisville (NL), Pittsburgh, Philadelphia (AL), St. Louis (AL) 1897–1910
43 Juan Marichal 2,303 San Francisco, Boston (AL), Los Angeles 1960–75
44 Dwight Gooden 2,293 New York (NL), New York (AL), Cleveland (AL), Houston, Tampa Bay 1984–2000
45 Lefty Grove 2,266 Philadelphia (AL), Boston (AL) 1925–41
46 Eddie Plank 2,246 Philadelphia (AL), St. Louis (FL), St. Louis (AL) 1901–17
47 Tommy John 2,245 Cleveland (AL), Chicago (AL), Los Angeles, New York (AL), California, Oakland 1963–89
48 Jim Palmer 2,212 Baltimore (AL) 1965–84
49 Pete Alexander 2,198 Philadelphia (NL), Chicago (NL), St. Louis (NL) 1911–30
50 Vida Blue 2,175 Oakland, San Francisco, Kansas City (AL) 1969–86
51 Camilo Pascual 2,167 Washington/Minnesota, Washington (AL), Cincinnati, Los Angeles (NL), Cleveland (AL) 1954–71
52 Dennis Martínez 2,149 Baltimore (AL), Montreal, Cleveland (AL), Seattle, Atlanta 1976–98
53 David Wells† 2,119 Toronto, Detroit (AL), Cincinnati (NL), Baltimore (AL), New York (AL), Chicago (AL), San Diego, Boston (AL) 1987–
54 Bobo Newsom 2,082 Brooklyn (NL), Chicago (NL), St. Louis (AL), Washington (AL), Boston (AL), Detroit (AL), Philadelphia (AL), New York (AL), N.Y. Giants 1929-30, 1932, 1934-38, 1952–53
55 Fernando Valenzuela 2,074 Los Angeles (NL), California, Baltimore, Philadelphia (NL), San Diego, St. Louis (NL) 1980–97
56 Dazzy Vance 2,045 Pittsburgh, New York (NL), Brooklyn, St. Louis (NL), Cincinnati 1915–35
57 Rick Reuschel 2,015 Chicago (NL), New York (AL), Pittsburgh, San Francisco 1972-81, 1983–91
58 Orel Hershiser 2,014 Los Angeles, Cleveland (AL), San Francisco, New York (NL) 1983–2000
59 Catfish Hunter 2,012 Kansas City/Oakland, New York (AL) 1965–79
60 Andy Benes 2,000 San Diego, Seattle, St. Louis (NL), Arizona 1989–2002
61 Billy Pierce 1,999 Detroit (AL), Chicago (AL), San Francisco 1945, 1948–64
62 Kevin Appier 1,994 Kansas City, Oakland, New York (NL), Anaheim 1989–2004
63 Jamie Moyer† 1,992 Chicago (NL), Texas, St. Louis (NL), Baltimore (AL), Boston (AL), Seattle, Philadelphia (NL) 1986–
64 Red Ruffing 1,987 Boston (AL), New York (AL), Chicago (AL) 1924–47
65 John Clarkson 1,978 Worcester, Chicago (NL), Boston (NL), Cleveland (NL) 1882–94
66 Al Leiter 1,974 New York (AL), Toronto, Florida, New York (NL) 1987–2005
67 Bob Welch 1,969 Los Angeles, Oakland 1978–94
68 Whitey Ford 1,956 New York (AL) 1950, 1953–67
69 Bobby Witt 1,955 Texas, Oakland, Florida, St. Louis (NL), Tampa Bay, Cleveland (AL), Arizona 1986–2001
70 Danny Darwin 1,942 Texas, Milwaukee (AL), Houston, Boston (AL), Toronto, Pittsburgh, Chicago (AL), San Francisco 1978–98
71 Amos Rusie 1,934 Indianapolis (NL), N.Y. Giants, Cincinnati (NL) 1889-1895, 1897–98, 1901
72 Hideo Nomo 1,915 Los Angeles (NL), New York (NL), Milwaukee (NL), Detroit, Boston (AL), Tampa Bay 1995–2005
73 Jerry Reuss 1,907 St. Louis (NL), Houston, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, California, Cincinnati, Chicago (AL), Milwaukee 1969–90
74 Tom Gordon† 1,870 Kansas City (AL), Boston (AL), Chicago (NL), Houston, Chicago (AL), New York (AL), Philadelphia (NL) 1988–
75 Kid Nichols 1,868 Boston (NL), St. Louis (NL), Philadelphia (NL) 1890–1906
76 Kenny Rogers† 1,850 Texas, New York (AL), Oakland, New York (NL), Minnesota, Detroit (AL) 1989–
77 Mickey Welch 1,850 Troy, N.Y. Gothams/Giants 1880–92
78 Frank Viola 1,844 Minnesota, New York (NL), Boston (AL), Cincinnati (NL), Toronto 1982–1996
79 Charley Radbourn 1,830 Providence, Boston (NL), Boston (AA), Cincinnati (NL) 1881–91
80 Pud Galvin 1,806 St. Louis (NL), Buffalo (PL), Pittsburgh 1875–92
81 Tony Mullane 1,803 Detroit (NL), Louisville, St. Louis (NL), Toledo, Cincinnati (NL), Baltimore (NL), Cleveland (NL) 1881–94
82 Hal Newhouser 1,796 Detroit (AL), Cleveland (AL) 1939–55
83 Ron Guidry 1,778 New York (AL) 1975–1988
84 John Burkett 1,766 San Francisco, Florida, Texas, Atlanta, Boston (AL) 1987–2003
85 Rudy May 1,760 California (AL), New York (AL), Baltimore (AL), Montreal 1965–1983
86 Joe Niekro 1,747 Chicago (NL), San Diego, Detroit (AL), Atlanta, Houston, New York (AL), Minnesota 1967–88
87 Sid Fernandez 1,743 Los Angeles (NL), New York (NL), Baltimore (AL), Philadelphia (NL), Houston 1983–97
88 Dave Stewart 1,741 Los Angeles (NL), Texas, Philadelphia (NL), Oakland, Toronto 1978–1995
89 Ed Walsh 1,736 Chicago (AL), Boston (NL) 1904–1917
90 Tom Candiotti 1,735 Milwaukee (AL), Cleveland (AL), Toronto, Los Angeles(NL), Oakland 1983–1999
91 Bob Friend 1,734 Pittsburgh (NL), New York (AL), New York (NL) 1951–1966
92 Jason Schmidt† 1,728 Atlanta (NL), Pittsburgh (NL), San Francisco (NL) 1995–
92 Joe Coleman 1,728 Washington (AL), Detroit, Chicago (NL), Oakland, Toronto, Pittsburgh(NL), San Francisco 1965–1979
92 Milt Pappas 1,728 Baltimore (AL), Cincinnati (NL), Atlanta, Chicago (NL) 1957–1973
95 Kevin Gross 1,727 Philadelphia (NL), Montreal, Los Angeles (NL), Texas, Anaheim 1983–1997
96 Floyd Bannister 1,723 Houston, Seattle, Chicago (AL), Kansas City (AL), California, Texas 1977–1992
97 Bret Saberhagen 1,715 Kansas City (AL), New York (NL), Colorado, Boston (AL 1984–2001
98 Chief Bender 1,711 Philadelphia (AL), Baltimore (FL), Philadelphia (NL), Chicago (AL) 1903–17, 1925
99 Larry Jackson 1,709 St. Louis (NL), Chicago (NL), Philadelphia (NL) 1955–1968
100 Jim McCormick 1,704 Indianapolis (NL), Cleveland (NL), Chicago (NL), Providence (NL), Pittsburgh 1878–1887


[edit] Top 5 active pitchers closest to the top 100

Pitcher Strikeout Teams played for Seasons played
Andy Pettitte 1,703 New York (AL), Houston 1995–
Tim Wakefield 1,680 Pittsburgh, Boston (AL) 1992–
Pedro Astacio 1,664 Los Angeles (NL), Colorado, Houston, New York (NL), Boston (AL), Texas, San Diego, Washington (NL) 1992–
Jeff Fassero 1,643 Montreal, Seattle, Texas, Boston (AL), Chicago (NL), St. Louis (NL), Colorado, Arizona, San Francisco 1991–
Javier Vazquez 1,602 Montreal, New York (AL), Arizona, Chicago (AL) 1998–

[edit] Sources

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