In the Los Angeles Dodgers’ dramatic 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night, veteran pitcher Clayton Kershaw added another legendary milestone to his Hall of Fame-worthy career.
Entering the game needing just three more strikeouts, the 37-year-old clinched his 3,000th by striking out White Sox third baseman Vinny Capra with a perfectly located slider. Interestingly, that strikeout came on his 100th and final pitch of the game.
With that, Kershaw became the fifth pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts with one franchise and joined Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer as the only active members of this elite club.
CLAYTON KERSHAW 💪
— MLB (@MLB) July 3, 2025
3,000 CAREER STRIKEOUTS! pic.twitter.com/aG2mQcAFKa
How Many Pitchers Have Surpassed 3,000 Strikeouts In MLB History?
On Wednesday, Clayton Kershaw became the 20th pitcher to ever record 3,000 or more strikeouts in the history of MLB. The elite list includes some of the most dominant arms the game has ever seen, including Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, and Pedro Martinez, to name a few.
Legendary Ryan holds the record for most strikeouts in MLB history, with 5714 strikeouts in 5386.0 innings.
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List of Pitchers With Over 3000 Strikeouts
| Rank | Pitcher | Strikeouts | Milestone Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nolan Ryan | 5,714 | 1980 |
| 2 | Randy Johnson | 4,875 | 2000 |
| 3 | Roger Clemens | 4,672 | 1998 |
| 4 | Steve Carlton | 4,136 | 1981 |
| 5 | Bert Blyleven | 3,701 | 1986 |
| 6 | Tom Seaver | 3,640 | 1981 |
| 7 | Don Sutton | 3,574 | 1983 |
| 8 | Gaylord Perry | 3,534 | 1982 |
| 9 | Walter Johnson | 3,508 | 1923 |
| 10 | Justin Verlander | 3,468* | 2019 |
| 11 | Max Scherzer | 3,412* | 2021 |
| 12 | Greg Maddux | 3,371 | 2005 |
| 13 | Phil Niekro | 3,342 | 1984 |
| 14 | Ferguson Jenkins | 3,192 | 1982 |
| 15 | Pedro Martínez | 3,154 | 2007 |
| 16 | Bob Gibson | 3,117 | 1974 |
| 17 | Curt Schilling | 3,116 | 2006 |
| 18 | CC Sabathia | 3,093 | 2019 |
| 19 | John Smoltz | 3,084 | 2008 |
| 20 | Clayton Kershaw | 3,000* | 2025 |
* Active players
Dodgers Celebrate Clayton Kershaw’s Milestone With Thrilling Win
Kershaw’s milestone felt sweeter as it came in a winning game as the Dodgers completed a comeback win against the White Sox. Trailing 4-2 heading into the ninth, the Dodgers’ offense exploded, with Michael Conforto completing a single. Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim then drew back-to-back walks from reliever Grant Taylor.
Mookie Betts, who has been going through a slump, tied the game with a sacrifice fly, and Freddie Freeman sealed the win with a sharp single to right, bringing in the go‑ahead run. The reigning World Series champions will continue the series against the White Sox, with Game 2 scheduled on Thursday.
Also Read: WATCH: Horrifying New Angle Reveals Max Muncy’s Painful Collision At Third Base
