In Major League Baseball, the 3000 strikeout club is an informal term applied to the group of pitchers who have struck out 3000 or more batters in their careers.
The club's "founding member" was Walter Johnson in 1923. He was the only pitcher to have reached this milestone until Bob Gibson recorded his 3000th strikeout in 1974. Since then, sixteen more hurlers have joined the club. This recent increase may be explained by the existence of more free-swinging hitters than before, corresponding with an increase in the number of home runs. Nevertheless, 3000 strikeouts remains a very notable feat, as there are only 17 members of this elite corps.
The club includes only 2 left-handed members, Steve Carlton and Randy Johnson.
The Club[]
Statistics are current throughApril 30, 2019.
NOTE: C.C. Sabathia's number will likely change, as he is still pitching tonight.
| Pitcher | Strikeouts | Date of 3000th | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nolan Ryan* | 5714 | July 4, 1980 | 1966-93 |
| Randy Johnson* | 4875 | September 10, 2000 | 1988-2009 |
| Roger Clemens | 4672 | July 5, 1998 | 1984-2007 |
| Randy Johnson* | 4544 | September 10, 2000 | 1988-2009 |
| Steve Carlton* | 4136 | April 29, 1981 | 1965-88 |
| Bert Blyleven* | 3701 | August 1, 1986 | 1970-92 |
| Tom Seaver* | 3640 | April 18, 1981 | 1967-86 |
| Don Sutton* | 3574 | June 24, 1983 | 1966-88 |
| Gaylord Perry* | 3534 | October 1, 1978 | 1962-83 |
| Walter Johnson* | 3509 | July 22, 1923 | 1907-27 |
| Greg Maddux* | 3371 | July 26, 2005 | 1986-2008 |
| Phil Niekro* | 3342 | July 4, 1984 | 1964-87 |
| Fergie Jenkins* | 3192 | May 25, 1982 | 1965-83 |
| Pedro Martinez* | 3154 | September 3, 2007 | 1992-2009 |
| Bob Gibson* | 3117 | July 17, 1974 | 1959-75 |
| Curt Schilling | 3116 | August 30, 2006 | 1988-2007 |
| John Smoltz* | 3084 | April 22, 2008 | 1988-1999, 2001-09 |
| C.C. Sabathia | 3002 | April 30, 2019 | 2001-2019 |
An * indicates that that player has made the Hall of Fame.