1
Nolan Ryan
Ryan holds the career record with 5,714 strikeouts over a record 27-year career. His total is 839 more than second-place Randy Johnson.
Hall of Fame: ElectedActive (per source): No
Top 10 MLB Pitchers by Career Strikeouts of All Time
Nolan Ryan's 5,714 career strikeouts lead Randy Johnson by 839, and Max Scherzer, ninth with 3,557, is the only pitcher in the top ten the source marks as active.
Quick answer
Nolan Ryan has the most strikeouts in Major League Baseball history, with 5,714. Randy Johnson is second with 4,875 and Roger Clemens third with 4,672. The ranking uses career MLB pitching strikeouts from Wikipedia's list of career strikeout leaders, whose statistics are updated as of the 2026 season.
Nolan Ryan's 5,714 strikeouts are 839 more than anyone else has managed, and he is the only pitcher on the list with more than 5,000. Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens are the only others above 4,500. This list ranks pitchers by career strikeouts in Major League Baseball, with statistics updated as of the 2026 season. Max Scherzer, ninth with 3,557, is the only pitcher in the top ten the source marks as active; the source calls him the active leader in career strikeouts.
Career strikeouts (MLB)
Nolan Ryan
Randy Johnson
Roger Clemens
Steve Carlton
Bert Blyleven
Tom Seaver
Don Sutton
Justin Verlander
Max Scherzer
Gaylord Perry
The ranking
2
Randy Johnson
Johnson is second with 4,875 strikeouts, 203 ahead of Roger Clemens.
Hall of Fame: ElectedActive (per source): No
3
Roger Clemens
Clemens is third with 4,672 strikeouts. The source credits him with the American League record of 4,167. He is not marked as a Hall of Famer.
Hall of Fame: Not markedActive (per source): No
4
Steve Carlton
Carlton is fourth with 4,136 strikeouts, which the source gives as the National League record.
Hall of Fame: ElectedActive (per source): No
5
Bert Blyleven
Blyleven ranks fifth with 3,701 strikeouts, 61 ahead of Tom Seaver.
Hall of Fame: ElectedActive (per source): No
6
Tom Seaver
Seaver is sixth with 3,640 strikeouts, 66 more than Don Sutton.
Hall of Fame: ElectedActive (per source): No
7
Don Sutton
Sutton is seventh with 3,574 strikeouts, just 14 ahead of Justin Verlander.
Hall of Fame: ElectedActive (per source): No
8
Justin Verlander
Verlander is eighth with 3,560 strikeouts, three more than Max Scherzer. The source does not mark him as active.
Hall of Fame: Not markedActive (per source): No
9
Max Scherzer
Scherzer is ninth with 3,557 strikeouts and is the only pitcher in the top ten the source marks as active; the source calls him the active leader in career strikeouts.
Hall of Fame: Not markedActive (per source): Yes
10
Gaylord Perry
Perry rounds out the top ten with 3,534 strikeouts. Walter Johnson is 11th with 3,509, 25 behind him.
Hall of Fame: ElectedActive (per source): No
Full comparison
| # | Name | Hall of Fame | Active (per source) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nolan Ryan | Elected | No |
| 2 | Randy Johnson | Elected | No |
| 3 | Roger Clemens | Not marked | No |
| 4 | Steve Carlton | Elected | No |
| 5 | Bert Blyleven | Elected | No |
| 6 | Tom Seaver | Elected | No |
| 7 | Don Sutton | Elected | No |
| 8 | Justin Verlander | Not marked | No |
| 9 | Max Scherzer | Not marked | Yes |
| 10 | Gaylord Perry | Elected | No |
How we ranked this
Pitchers are ranked by career strikeouts in Major League Baseball, most first, as listed on Wikipedia's List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders (revision 1377396422). The page states "Stats updated as of 2026 Season" and cites MLB.com's career leaders for strikeouts. The page shows active players in bold, with a parenthesized current-season strikeout count beside each name; every active pitcher on the page, including Max Scherzer, is shown with (0). The page treats a player as inactive if he has not played baseball for one year or has announced his retirement. Hall of Fame status is the page's marker for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame; "Not marked" means the page does not carry that marker. Where totals are equal, the page leaves the rank cell blank for the second tied pitcher; there are no ties in the top ten. The page's table lists only rank, player and strikeouts.
FAQ
Who has the most strikeouts in MLB history?
Nolan Ryan, with 5,714 career strikeouts over a record 27-year career. Randy Johnson is second with 4,875.
Are any active pitchers in the top 10 for career strikeouts?
One. Max Scherzer, ninth with 3,557, is the only top-ten pitcher the source marks as active, and it calls him the active leader in career strikeouts. The next active pitcher on the list is Chris Sale, 26th with 2,779.
Who holds the American League and National League strikeout records?
According to the source, Roger Clemens holds the American League record with 4,167 strikeouts and Steve Carlton holds the National League record with 4,136.
How current are these totals?
The source states its stats are updated as of the 2026 season. Its totals come from the revision cited below (1377396422).
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