‘The ultimate competitor’: Mad Max passes Big Train with 3,516th career K
PHILADELPHIA – Move over, Big Train. Mad Max just put you in his rear-view mirror.
Max Scherzer passed Walter Johnson for sole possession of 10th place on Major League Baseball’s all-time strikeout list, recording the 3,516th punchout of his career with a sixth-inning K of Kyle Schwarber on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park.
“You start mentioning the top 10 all-time strikeouts, man, there are some really big-time names there,” Scherzer said after the Blue Jays’ 7-5, 11-inning win over the Phillies. “To now be a part of that group, it’s special.”
Scherzer entered Saturday’s start needing four strikeouts to pass Johnson, who pitched for the Washington Senators from 1907-1927, earning induction into the Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 1936. Johnson’s career strikeout total is 3,515, according to Elias Sports Bureau, which is the official statistician of Major League Baseball.
After Scherzer struck out former Nationals teammate Bryce Harper in the first inning, his next came against Garrett Stubbs to open in the third, though he went through the next seven batters still needing one to tie Johnson.
More importantly for Scherzer, who was making only his third start since returning from the injured list, he hadn’t allowed a run over those four innings.
“Wanting to win the ballgame, that was number one,” Scherzer said. “I never once lost belief in my ability, if I’m healthy, to be able to go out there and get outs, compete and try to win ballgames. Yeah, I’ve had little ailments pop up; OK, great, move on. No one feels sorry for you, so you’ve got to get back out here and start competing.”
With his wife, Erica, and their kids in attendance, Scherzer tied Johnson with one out in the fifth, getting Bryan De La Cruz on a check swing that first-base umpire Brock Ballou ruled strike three. He moved to the sixth needing one more to overtake Johnson, and wouldn’t you know, his three former teammates – Schwarber, Trea Turner and Harper – were due up.
“Those are great hitters,” Scherzer said. “Anything, any way to get those guys out, that was more important.”
Scherzer didn’t have to wait long, as he caught Schwarber looking at strike three to pass Johnson for 10th place. Ironically, Scherzer notched his 3,500th strikeout back in June against Schwarber, also on a called third strike.
“To have Erica and his kids here to witness that was really cool,” manager John Schneider said. “We’re talking about some elite company when you’re talking about getting to 10th all-time on the strikeout list.”
It was fitting that Scherzer reached this milestone in Philadelphia, the site of some of his greatest success.
The 42-year-old now has 255 career strikeouts against the Phillies – more than any other team he’s faced – while his 116 strikeouts are the most by a visiting pitcher at Citizens Bank Park since it opened in 2004.
“He’s pitched a long time, and he’s still so good,” said Phillies starter Aaron Nola, who had his own milestone tonight as he reached the 2,000-strikeout mark. “We’ve seen him so much and it’s so good to watch him go out there. He’s the ultimate competitor, and obviously he’s a Hall of Famer, no doubt. It’s pretty awesome watching him still pitch really well for his age. Yeah, he’s a stud.”
Things took a turn for Scherzer following his historic strikeout, as Turner and Harper hit back-to-back solo home runs, tying the game 2-2 before Scherzer was pulled for reliever Spencer Miles. His final line: Two runs on five hits and no walks over 5 1/3 innings, with four strikeouts that put him in exclusive company.
“He was really locked into what he was doing today,” Schneider said. “For a 42-year-old dude, he’s throwing 96 and he’s just as locked in and just as competitive as he ever has been. It’s really impressive.”
Scherzer ranks second to former teammate Justin Verlander among all active pitchers in wins and strikeouts, numbers that will see him land in Cooperstown five years after his magnificent career is complete.
Next up on the list for Scherzer: Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry, who ranks No. 9 with 3,534 strikeouts. Verlander is currently in the No. 8 spot at 3,554, while Don Sutton – another Hall of Famer – is No. 7 with 3,574.
“Just knowing him, the person, and kind of how he can be, you forget about the stuff that comes with him: the numbers, the strikeouts, the World Series, the Cy Youngs, all the stuff that comes with him, because he’s still really, really competitive,” Schneider said. “That would be cool when we’re talking top 10 anything in baseball.”