'Some call it greed...' Ryu Hyun-jin's Cy Young rival, 42-year-old right-hander, enters MLB all-time top 10 in strikeouts with a staggering 3,516 strikeouts

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Max Scherzer (42, Toronto Blue Jays), who fiercely competed for the Cy Young Award alongside Ryu Hyun-jin (39, Hanwha Eagles) during the 2019 MLB season, has finally reached a historic milestone by entering the top 10 all-time in Major League Baseball strikeouts.

On the 9th (Korean time), Scherzer made his start against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, in the '2026 MLB' away game. He pitched 5⅓ innings, allowing five hits (including two home runs), striking out four batters, and giving up two earned runs. It was a solid outing, though he did not earn a decision.

Although Scherzer was pulled from the mound in the sixth inning after recording his fourth strikeout of the day and surrendering two consecutive home runs, his strikeout record will remain forever. At the same time, those four strikeouts on this day rewrote MLB history.

Entering the game with 3,512 career strikeouts, Scherzer added three more to tie with 'Iron Man' Walter Johnson (3,515 strikeouts). Then, in the bottom of the sixth inning with his team leading, he struck out Kyle Schwarber looking. This marked Scherzer's 3,516th career strikeout and a historic moment as he moved past Walter Johnson to claim sole 10th place on the all-time MLB strikeout list.

With this achievement, Scherzer has firmly entered the top 10 in MLB history for strikeouts, a list reserved only for the greatest pitchers of all time. He joins legends such as Nolan Ryan (5,714), Randy Johnson (4,875), Roger Clemens (4,672), and Steve Carlton (4,413). Among active players, he holds the second-most strikeouts behind Justin Verlander (3,554). However, since Verlander has announced his retirement after this season, Scherzer still has a chance to surpass him.

In fact, among Korean baseball fans, Scherzer is well known for his intense Cy Young Award rivalry with Ryu Hyun-jin. During the 2019 season while playing for the Washington Nationals, Scherzer engaged in a fierce three-way battle for the National League's top pitcher title alongside Jacob deGrom of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Ryu Hyun-jin, showcasing his prime form. Ultimately, the 2019 NL Cy Young Award went to deGrom.

Since making his MLB debut in the 2008 season, Scherzer has won the Cy Young Award three times (American League in 2013; National League in 2016 and 2017) and won the World Series twice (with Washington in 2019 and with the Texas Rangers in 2023). Even at 42 years old, well past his prime, he continues to burn brightly on the mound. Although he has allowed more home runs over time, his ability to strike out batters and his competitive fire remain among the league's best.

Scherzer, who surpassed Walter Johnson to reach 3,516 career strikeouts, is now being called 'greedy' by some. It remains to be seen how far his strikeout parade will continue.

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*This content was translated by AI.