Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has become the 20th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to record 3,000 career strikeouts.

The 2014 National League Most Valuable Player reached this historic milestone at Dodger Stadium against the Chicago White Sox in the sixth inning, striking out Vinny Capra.

 

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Kershaw joins Nolan Ryan (5,714), Randy Johnson (4,875), Roger Clemens (4,672), Steve Carlton (4,136), Bert Blyleven (3,701), Tom Seaver (3,640), Don Sutton (3,574), Gaylord Perry (3,534), Walter Johnson (3,509), Justin Verlander (3,471), Max Scherzer (3,419), Greg Maddux (3,371), Phil Niekro (3,342), Fergie Jenkins (3,192), Pedro Martinez (3,154), Bob Gibson (3,117), Curt Schilling (3,116), CC Sabathia (3,093) and John Smoltz (3,084) in the exclusive 3,000-strikeout club. 

He is one of four left-handed pitchers to record 3,000+ strikeouts, and he is the second pitcher to record his 3,000th strikeout as a Dodger, joining Scherzer (Sept. 12, 2021 vs. San Diego).

Kershaw became one of five pitchers to record 3,000 strikeouts with one team, joining Johnson (3,509; Washington Senators, 1907-27), Gibson (3,127; St. Louis Cardinals, 1959-75), Carlton (3,031; Philadelphia Phillies, 1972-86) and Smoltz (3,011; Atlanta Braves, 1988-2008), and he is one of three players in MLB history to reach the 3,000+ strikeout milestone having played for only one team (Johnson and Gibson).

The three-time Cy Young award winner (2011, 2013-14), two-time World Series Champion (2020, 2024) and five-time NL ERA leader (2011-14, 17) is 216-94 with a 2.52 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in his career. 

His wins with one team rank 11th all-time in MLB history, while his ERA and WHIP rank first in the Majors among pitchers with 2,000 innings in the live-ball era (since 1920). Kershaw currently ranks third in MLB history with a .211 batting average against, behind Ryan (.204) and Dodger Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax (.205), and he is the first pitcher to lead either league in ERA for four straight seasons since Koufax (1962-66).

In 2024, Kershaw appeared in his 10th Midsummer Classic, which tied him with Pee Wee Reese for All-Star appearances in Dodger history. 

The Texas native became the 74th player in MLB history with double-digit nods to the All-Star Game and the ninth pitcher ever to accomplish the feat, joining Warren Spahn (17), Mariano Rivera (13), Seaver (12), Clemens (11), Carlton (10), Whitey Ford (10), Johnson (10) and Juan Marichal (10).

In Dodger history, Kershaw is atop various categories, including strikeouts (1st), WHIP (1st), wins (2), ERA (3rd), innings pitched (4th, 2,787.1), and games started (3rd, 438). Additionally, he is the all-time leader in Dodger postseason history in strikeouts (213), wins (13), games started (32), and innings pitched (194.1).

Kershaw entered Wensday’s game with a 4-0 mark and 3.03 ERA in eight starts and since his debut in 2008, he rank among the Major League leaders (min. 1,000 IP) in wins (3rd; Verlander, 227), ERA (1st), strikeouts (3rd, Scherzer, 3,419), WHIP (1st) and batting average against (2nd, Jacob deGrom .210).

Kershaw was originally selected by Los Angeles in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft out of Highland Park High School (TX), and he made his Major League debut on May 24, 2008 at Dodger Stadium against the Cardinals and struck out the first batter he faced (Skip Schumaker).

 Ed Note: The above was written and provided by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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