Max Scherzer Nears Top‑10 All‑Time MLB Strikeout Milestone

On his 42nd birthday, pitcher Max Scherzer returned to the mound for the first time since June 10, delivering a 2 ⅔‑inning start in which he struck out four batters. The performance raised his career total to 3,507 strikeouts, placing him just two behind Hall of Famer Walter Johnson for the top‑10 spot in Major League Baseball history.

Scherzer’s comeback follows a series of injury setbacks, including forearm tendinitis, ankle inflammation, back spasms and thumb inflammation that required multiple injections. The milestone is notable because modern pitchers are used in shorter bursts, making it increasingly unlikely for athletes to amass the innings needed for such high strikeout totals. If he reaches the top ten, it would mark a rare achievement in today’s era of reduced starter workloads.