Who has the most strikeouts in MLB history?
Major League Baseball has been around since 1876, and there have been many great strikeout pitchers over the years. Pitchers such as Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan, Bob Gibson, and Steve Carlton come to mind.
So who has the most strikeouts in baseball history? Let's take a look at who holds the prestigious title and four other MLB legends who are just behind him.
MLB's all-time strikeout leaders
#5 Bert Blyleven (1970-1992), 3,701 K's
Bert Blyleven is the fifth all-time punchout holder. Over the course of his Hall of Fame resume, Blyleven struck out 180 batters in 11 different seasons. Watch Blyleven get his 3,000th while with the Minnesota Twins.
#4 Steve Carlton (1965-1988), 4,136 K's
Steve Carlton is fourth all-time with 4,136 strikeouts. Over the course of his 24-year career, which also included an impressive 329 wins, Carlton struck out 190 batters in 12 different seasons.
#3 Roger Clemens (1984-2007), 4,672 K's
The "Rocket" Roger Clemens comes in third all-time with 4,673 strikeouts. Over the course of his brilliant career, Clemens struck out 190 batters in 14 seasons.
One of the more dominating pitching performances took place when Roger Clemens struck out 20 batters in nine innings while a member of the Boston Red Sox.
#2 Randy Johnson (1988-2009), 4,875 K's
Randy Johnson holds the second spot for the all-time record. The left-handed flamethrower was arguably the most intimidating pitcher of all time. Johnson struck out 300 batters in each of six seasons and more than 200 batters in each of 14 seasons.
Watch Randy Johnson record 20 K's in a game while a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
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#1 Nolan Ryan (1966-1993), 5,714 K's
The pitcher with the all-time record for the most in a career goes to Nolan Ryan. Nolan Ryan had a long 27-year career from 1966 to 1993. During this time, Nolan Ryan threw an amazing 5,714 strikeouts.
Ryan was known for his fastball. His nickname, the "Ryan Express," came from how dominant that fastball was. Watch Nolan Ryan get his 5,000th K as he strikes out fellow Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson.
Ryan not only holds the record for the most punchouts in a career, but he also holds the record for the most in a season with 383. Ryan struck out more than 300 batters in a season six different times. Needless to say, Nolan Ryan is the true king of putouts. His 5,714 career K's is a record that will likely never be broken.