Justin Verlander joins the 3,500 strikeouts club in Major League Baseball

SAN FRANCISCO – Veteran right-hander Justin Verlander became the tenth pitcher in Major League Baseball to reach the 3,500 strikeout mark, achieving it in the first inning of the San Francisco Giants’ 8-0 loss to the Washington Nationals at Oracle Park. You may be interested in: José Altuve reaches 250 home runs in his career with a home run at Yankee Stadium At Oracle Park, 42-year-old Verlander needed only three strikeouts to reach the exclusive club and achieved it immediately in the first inning against the Washington Nationals. The right-hander finished with six strikeouts, raising his total to 3,503, although he took the loss for the Giants by a score of 8-0, after allowing five runs and 11 hits in five innings.

Justin Verlander's 3498th, 3499th and 3500th Strikeouts. 🍾 pic.twitter.com/xhoHGgfJrU

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 10, 2025

“I was happy to arrive, I was happy to have the moment with the fans,” expressed Verlander, who received a standing ovation and a congratulatory message on the stadium scoreboard. The three-time Cy Young winner joins legends like Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, and Roger Clemens on the historical list.

Top 10 Pitchers with the Most Strikeouts in MLB

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 – 3,509
10. Justin Verlander – 3,503

Meanwhile, at Yankee Stadium, Altuve once again stole the spotlight. Booed as usual in the Bronx, the Venezuelan from the Houston Astros responded by hitting a solo home run in his first at-bat against Max Fried, thus reaching the figure of 250 career home runs.