Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer climbed to ninth place on the all-time strikeout list during Sunday’s game, surpassing Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry. Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award recipient, achieved this milestone by striking out Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners for his 3,535th career strikeout in the seventh inning. The crowd of 42,039 spectators at the sold-out stadium gave Scherzer a standing ovation when his new record was displayed on the scoreboard.
“I have great respect for the pitchers on this list,” Scherzer commented. “Breaking into the top 10 of all time is a significant achievement for me. Doing it in front of the home crowd with their enthusiastic support is truly special. I am grateful for the backing of my teammates and fans.”
Scherzer recorded a season-high of 10 strikeouts during the game, marking the 115th time in his career that he has struck out 10 or more batters in a single game. He allowed only one hit over seven innings, securing his first victory since the season opener on March 31 against the Colorado Rockies. Scherzer threw a season-high 97 pitches, with 67 of them being strikes.
The game also saw a rare feat as Scherzer, at 42 years old, pitched seven innings, struck out 10 batters, and allowed only two baserunners. This achievement has only been accomplished twice before in MLB history, with Nolan Ryan achieving it on two occasions, the latest being on May 1, 1991, during his seventh and final no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays.
In the early innings of the game, Scherzer displayed dominant pitching by striking out the side in the first inning. Manager John Schneider praised Scherzer’s performance, describing it as reminiscent of Scherzer’s prime years.
Josh Naylor was among the Mariners who fell victim to Scherzer’s pitching prowess, striking out twice in the game. Despite their efforts, the Mariners struggled to solve Scherzer’s pitch variations.
Earlier in the month, Scherzer surpassed Walter Johnson to claim the tenth spot on the all-time strikeout list by striking out Kyle Schwarber at the start of the sixth inning in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 8. Justin Verlander, another former teammate of Scherzer, currently holds the eighth spot on the list with 3,554 career strikeouts, making him the only other active pitcher in the top 10.
Originally drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2006, Scherzer has had a successful career, earning eight All-Star selections and winning two World Series championships. He has played for several teams, including the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and Texas Rangers.
