Clayton Kershaw etched his name in MLB history on Wednesday, becoming the 20th pitcher to reach the milestone of 3,000 career strikeouts during a game against the Chicago White Sox. The Los Angeles Dodgers’ ace accomplished this feat by striking out Vinny Capra in the sixth inning, marking his third strikeout of the night.
At 37 years old, Kershaw now stands alongside baseball legends such as Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, and Bob Gibson, as well as future Hall of Famers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. He entered the game at Dodger Stadium needing just three strikeouts to reach the significant milestone.
Kershaw faced Capra with a 1-1 count, delivering a swinging strike followed by a backdoor slider for a called strike, resulting in a moment that sparked a wave of excitement among fans. Following the strikeout, the crowd erupted into applause, and Kershaw responded with a curtain call after embracing nearly every teammate in the dugout.
Despite achieving this historic milestone, Kershaw’s performance was not without challenges. He did not earn his first strikeout until the third inning and seemed to struggle for much of the night, ultimately allowing nine hits and four earned runs over six innings. Nonetheless, he set a season high with 15 strikeouts and put runners in two-strike counts across 15 at-bats.
The atmosphere in the stadium shifted slightly when third baseman Max Muncy appeared to suffer a serious injury in the sixth inning, but the Dodgers rallied to secure a 5-4 walk-off victory in the bottom of the ninth, allowing Kershaw to celebrate both the win and his personal achievement.
Prior to Kershaw’s accomplishment, Scherzer was the last pitcher to enter the 3,000-strikeout club, achieving the milestone during the 2021 season. Kershaw is also just 17 wins away from tying Don Sutton for the most victories in Dodgers franchise history and ranks as the franchise’s all-time strikeout leader. Notably, he is one of only three pitchers in the 3,000-strikeout club to spend their entire career with a single team, joining the likes of Bob Gibson and Walter Johnson.
Having made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2008, Kershaw is a 10-time All-Star and a three-time NL Cy Young Award winner. He was named the NL MVP in 2014 and played a key role in leading the Dodgers to World Series championships in 2020 and 2024. Kershaw’s first career strikeout was recorded against Skip Schumaker of the St. Louis Cardinals on May 25, 2008.
**MLB’s 3,000-Strikeout Club:**
1. Nolan Ryan: 5,714
2. Randy Johnson: 4,875
3. Roger Clemens: 4,672
4. Steve Carlton: 4,136
5. Bert Blyleven: 3,701
6. Tom Seaver: 3,640
7. Don Sutton: 3,574
8. Gaylord Perry: 3,534
9. Walter Johnson: 3,515
10. Justin Verlander: 3,468
11. Max Scherzer: 3,412
12. Greg Maddux: 3,371
13. Phil Niekro: 3,342
14. Fergie Jenkins: 3,192
15. Pedro Martinez: 3,154
16. Bob Gibson: 3,117
17. Curt Schilling: 3,116
18. CC Sabathia: 3,093
19. John Smoltz: 3,084
20. Clayton Kershaw: 3,000 (active)
