which pitcher has the most strikeouts in a game since 1990

Since 1990, 4 pitchers are tied for striking out 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:
Which pitcher has the most strikeouts in a regular-season game since 1990?
NAME SO DATE TM OPP DEC GS ERA CG SHO SV IP H ER R HR BB HBP GF IBB TBF WP
1 Max 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
2 Randy 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
3 Kerry 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
4 Roger 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
5 Randy 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
6 Randy 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
7 David 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
8 Corey 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
9 Ben 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
10 Roger 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
11 Randy 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
12 Ramon 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
13 Chris 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
14 Max 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
15 Anibal 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
16 Brandon 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
17 Johan 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
18 Randy 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
19 Randy 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
20 Curt 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
21 Pedro 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
22 Pedro 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
23 Randy 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
24 Hideo 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
25 Lance Lynn
L. Lynn
16
6/18/2023
CWS CWS
@
SEA SEA
L
1
3.86
0
0
0
7.0
4
3
3
0
2
0
0
0
27
0
Some of the information used here was obtained free of charge from Retrosheet.

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R

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SO

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27th

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5/24
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@
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4:05 PM
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5/25
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@
WSH WSH
1:35 PM
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5/27
WSH WSH
@
SEA SEA
9:40 PM
Last Game
WSH Nationals

22 - 27

5

Final

3

ATL Braves

24 - 24

Tue 20 May 2025

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Mon
5/5
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TBR TBR
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@
NYY NYY
3-12
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