most strikeouts by a pitcher in a game after 1980

Since 1981, 4 pitchers are tied for fanning the most hitters in a game, with 20 strikeouts. The first three are Max Scherzer on May 11, 2016, Randy Johnson on May 8, 2001 and Kerry Wood on May 6, 1998.

Interpreted as:
most strikeouts by a pitcher in a regular-season game after 1980
NAMESODATETMOPPDECGSERACGSHOSVIPHERRHRBBHBPGFIBBTBFWP
1Max Scherzer
M. Scherzer
20
5/11/2016
WSH WSH
vs
DET DET
W
1
2.00
1
0
0
9.0
6
2
2
2
0
0
0
0
33
0
2Randy Johnson
R. Johnson
20
5/8/2001
ARI ARI
vs
CIN CIN
1
1.00
0
0
0
9.0
3
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
29
0
3Kerry Wood
K. Wood
20
5/6/1998
CHC CHC
vs
HOU HOU
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
29
0
4Roger Clemens
R. Clemens
20
9/18/1996
BOS BOS
@
DET DET
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
32
1
5Roger Clemens
R. Clemens
20
4/29/1986
BOS BOS
vs
SEA SEA
W
1
1.00
1
0
0
9.0
3
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
30
0
6Randy Johnson
R. Johnson
19
8/8/1997
SEA SEA
vs
CWS CWS
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
5
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
35
0
7Randy Johnson
R. Johnson
19
6/24/1997
SEA SEA
vs
OAK OAK
L
1
4.00
1
0
0
9.0
11
4
4
2
0
0
0
0
37
0
8David Cone
D. Cone
19
10/6/1991
NYM NYM
@
PHI PHI
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
3
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
31
0
9Corey Kluber
C. Kluber
18
5/13/2015
CLE CLE
vs
STL STL
W
1
0.00
0
0
0
8.0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
26
0
10Ben Sheets
B. Sheets
18
5/16/2004
MIL MIL
vs
ATL ATL
W
1
1.00
1
0
0
9.0
3
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
31
0
11Roger Clemens
R. Clemens
18
8/25/1998
TOR TOR
vs
KCR KCR
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
30
0
12Randy Johnson
R. Johnson
18
9/27/1992
SEA SEA
@
TEX TEX
1
2.25
0
0
0
8.0
6
2
2
0
4
0
0
0
34
0
13Ramon Martinez
R. Martinez
18
6/4/1990
LAD LAD
vs
ATL ATL
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
3
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
31
0
14Chris Sale
C. Sale
17
5/14/2019
BOS BOS
vs
COL COL
1
2.57
0
0
0
7.0
3
2
2
1
0
0
0
0
24
0
15Max Scherzer
M. Scherzer
17
10/3/2015
WSH WSH
@
NYM NYM
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
28
0
16Anibal Sanchez
A. Sanchez
17
4/26/2013
DET DET
vs
ATL ATL
W
1
0.00
0
0
0
8.0
5
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
29
0
17Brandon Morrow
B. Morrow
17
8/8/2010
TOR TOR
vs
TBR TBR
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
1
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
31
0
18Johan Santana
J. Santana
17
8/19/2007
MIN MIN
vs
TEX TEX
W
1
0.00
0
0
0
8.0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
26
0
19Randy Johnson
R. Johnson
17
9/14/2002
ARI ARI
vs
MIL MIL
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
3
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
32
0
20Randy Johnson
R. Johnson
17
4/21/2002
ARI ARI
vs
COL COL
W
1
0.00
1
0
0
9.0
2
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
31
0
21Curt Schilling
C. Schilling
17
4/7/2002
ARI ARI
@
MIL MIL
W
1
0.00
1
1
0
9.0
1
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
29
0
22Pedro Martinez
P. Martinez
17
5/6/2000
BOS BOS
vs
TBD TBD
L
1
1.00
1
0
0
9.0
6
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
34
0
23Pedro Martinez
P. Martinez
17
9/10/1999
BOS BOS
@
NYY NYY
W
1
1.00
1
0
0
9.0
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
0
28
0
24Randy Johnson
R. Johnson
17
6/30/1999
ARI ARI
@
CIN CIN
L
1
2.25
1
0
0
8.0
7
2
2
1
0
0
0
0
30
0
25Hideo Nomo
H. Nomo
17
4/13/1996
LAD LAD
vs
FLA FLA
W
1
1.00
1
0
0
9.0
3
1
1
1
3
0
0
0
31
0
Some of the information used here was obtained free of charge from Retrosheet.

More Nationals Stats

Team Rankings

HR

161

24th

R

687

20th

SO

1,248

28th

ERA

5.35

29th

2025 Division Standings
TEAMWLPCTGB
Phillies Phillies
96
66
.593
Mets Mets
83
79
.512
13.0
Marlins Marlins
79
83
.488
17.0
Braves Braves
76
86
.469
20.0
Nationals Nationals
66
96
.407
30.0
Schedule
DATEMATCHUPTIME (ET)
Thu
3/26
WSH WSH
@
CHC CHC
4:00 AM
Sat
3/28
WSH WSH
@
CHC CHC
4:00 AM
Sun
3/29
WSH WSH
@
CHC CHC
4:00 AM
Mon
3/30
WSH WSH
@
PHI PHI
6:40 PM
Tue
3/31
WSH WSH
@
PHI PHI
6:40 PM
Last Game
CWS White Sox

60 - 102

8

Final

0

WSH Nationals

66 - 96

Sun 28 Sep 2025

MLB 2025 Batting Leaders

MLB 2025 Pitching Leaders

MLB Fantasy 2025

MLB 2025 Betting

MLB 2025 Division Standings

NL EastWLPCTGB
Phillies Phillies
96
66
.593
Mets Mets
83
79
.512
13.0
NL CentralWLPCTGB
Brewers Brewers
97
65
.599
Cubs Cubs
92
70
.568
5.0
NL WestWLPCTGB
Dodgers Dodgers
93
69
.574
Padres Padres
90
72
.556
3.0
AL EastWLPCTGB
Blue Jays Blue Jays
94
68
.580
Yankees Yankees
94
68
.580
AL CentralWLPCTGB
Guardians Guardians
88
74
.543
Tigers Tigers
87
75
.537
1.0
AL WestWLPCTGB
Mariners Mariners
90
72
.556
Astros Astros
87
75
.537
3.0

MLB 2025 Scores & Schedule

Scores

DATEMATCHUPSCORE
Tue
9/16
CIN CIN
@
STL STL
6-2
Tue
9/16
ATL ATL
@
WSH WSH
9-4
Tue
9/16
ATH ATH
@
BOS BOS
4-5
Tue
9/16
TOR TOR
@
TBR TBR
1-2
Tue
9/16
SEA SEA
@
KCR KCR
5-7

Schedule

DATEMATCHUPTIME (ET)
Wed
3/25
NYY NYY
@
SFG SFG
8:05 PM
Thu
3/26
LAA LAA
@
HOU HOU
4:00 AM
Thu
3/26
AZ AZ
@
LAD LAD
4:00 AM
Thu
3/26
WSH WSH
@
CHC CHC
4:00 AM
Thu
3/26
CWS CWS
@
MIL MIL
2:10 PM