who is the pitcher with the most strikeouts in a single game

Tom Cheney has struck out the most hitters in a game, with 21 strikeouts versus the Orioles on September 12, 1962.

Interpreted as:

Who is the pitcher with the most strikeouts in a single regular-season game?

	NAME	SO	DATE	TM		OPP	DEC	GS	ERA	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	R	HR	BB	HBP	GF	IBB	TBF	WP
1	Tom Cheney T. Cheney	21	9/12/1962	WSH	@	BAL	W	1	0.56	1	0	0	16.0	10	1	1	0	4	0	0	0	62	1
2	Max Scherzer M. Scherzer	20	5/11/2016	WSH	vs	DET	W	1	2.00	1	0	0	9.0	6	2	2	2	0	0	0	0	33	0
3	Randy Johnson R. Johnson	20	5/8/2001	ARI	vs	CIN		1	1.00	0	0	0	9.0	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	29	0
4	Kerry Wood K. Wood	20	5/6/1998	CHC	vs	HOU	W	1	0.00	1	1	0	9.0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	29	0
5	Roger Clemens R. Clemens	20	9/18/1996	BOS	@	DET	W	1	0.00	1	1	0	9.0	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	32	1
6	Roger Clemens R. Clemens	20	4/29/1986	BOS	vs	SEA	W	1	1.00	1	0	0	9.0	3	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	30	0
7	Randy Johnson R. Johnson	19	8/8/1997	SEA	vs	CWS	W	1	0.00	1	1	0	9.0	5	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	35	0
8	Randy Johnson R. Johnson	19	6/24/1997	SEA	vs	OAK	L	1	4.00	1	0	0	9.0	11	4	4	2	0	0	0	0	37	0
9	David Cone D. Cone	19	10/6/1991	NYM	@	PHI	W	1	0.00	1	1	0	9.0	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	31	0
10	Nolan Ryan N. Ryan	19	6/8/1977	CAL	vs	TOR		1	0.00	0	0	0	10.0	6	0	1	0	5	0	0	1	41	2
11	Nolan Ryan N. Ryan	19	8/20/1974	CAL	vs	DET	L	1	0.82	1	0	0	11.0	4	1	1	0	5	0	0	0	41	0
12	Nolan Ryan N. Ryan	19	8/12/1974	CAL	vs	BOS	W	1	2.00	1	0	0	9.0	7	2	2	0	2	0	0	0	36	1
13	Nolan Ryan N. Ryan	19	6/14/1974	CAL	vs	BOS		1	2.08	0	0	0	13.0	8	3	3	1	10	0	0	0	58	0
14	Tom Seaver T. Seaver	19	4/22/1970	NYM	vs	SDP	W	1	1.00	1	0	0	9.0	2	1	1	1	2	0	0	0	31	0
15	Steve Carlton S. Carlton	19	9/15/1969	STL	vs	NYM	L	1	4.00	1	0	0	9.0	9	4	4	2	2	0	0	0	38	1
16	Luis Tiant L. Tiant	19	7/3/1968	CLE	vs	MIN	W	1	0.00	1	1	0	10.0	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	36	0
17	Corey Kluber C. Kluber	18	5/13/2015	CLE	vs	STL	W	1	0.00	0	0	0	8.0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	26	0
18	Ben Sheets B. Sheets	18	5/16/2004	MIL	vs	ATL	W	1	1.00	1	0	0	9.0	3	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	31	0
19	Roger Clemens R. Clemens	18	8/25/1998	TOR	vs	KCR	W	1	0.00	1	1	0	9.0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	30	0
20	Randy Johnson R. Johnson	18	9/27/1992	SEA	@	TEX		1	2.25	0	0	0	8.0	6	2	2	0	4	0	0	0	34	0
21	Ramon Martinez R. Martinez	18	6/4/1990	LAD	vs	ATL	W	1	0.00	1	1	0	9.0	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	31	0
22	Bill Gullickson B. Gullickson	18	9/10/1980	MON	vs	CHC	W	1	2.00	1	0	0	9.0	4	2	2	0	2	0	0	0	33	1
23	Ron Guidry R. Guidry	18	6/17/1978	NYY	vs	CAL	W	1	0.00	1	1	0	9.0	4	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	33	0
24	Nolan Ryan N. Ryan	18	9/10/1976	CAL	@	CWS	W	1	2.00	1	0	0	9.0	3	2	2	0	9	0	0	0	41	0
25	Don Wilson D. Wilson	18	7/14/1968	HOU	@	CIN	W	1	1.00	1	0	0	9.0	5	1	1	0	2	0	0	0	33	1

Unlock 2x data

Results may be incomplete. StatMuse has complete game-level data for strikeouts going back to the 1901 season.

Some of the information used here was obtained free of charge from Retrosheet.

More Rangers Stats

Team Batting Leaders

4

Seager

RBI

10

Seager

AVG

.367

Nimmo

Team Pitching Leaders

2

Gore

25

Gore

ERA

1.13

Alexander

Team Rankings

5th

23rd

146

7th

ERA

3.46

7th

2026 Division Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	GB
Athletics	8	7	.533
Rangers	8	7	.533
Angels	8	8	.500	0.5
Mariners	7	9	.438	1.5
Astros	6	10	.375	2.5

Schedule

DATE	MATCHUP			TIME (ET)
Mon 4/13	TEX	@	ATH	9:40 PM
Tue 4/14	TEX	@	ATH	9:40 PM
Wed 4/15	TEX	@	ATH	9:40 PM
Thu 4/16	TEX	@	ATH	3:05 PM
Fri 4/17	TEX	@	SEA	9:40 PM

Last Game

Rangers

8 - 7

Final

Dodgers

11 - 4

Sun 12 Apr 2026

MLB 2026 Batting Leaders

HR Leaders

7

Walker

6

Henderson

6

Alvarez

RBI Leaders

17

Baldwin

17

Pages

16

Abrams

Batting Average Leaders

.429

Pages

.411

Simpson

.367

Nimmo

Hit Leaders

24

Pages

23

Simpson

22

Nimmo

Run Leaders

15

Baldwin

15

Neto

14

Rice

OBP Leaders

.500

Rice

.500

Alvarez

.467

Pages

SLG Leaders

.756

Rice

.755

Alvarez

.745

Walker

SB Leaders

8

Witt

7

Simpson

7

Nuñez

MLB 2026 Pitching Leaders

Win Leaders

4

Soriano

3

Sale

3

Bradley

Strikeout Leaders

31

Soriano

30

Schlittler

29

Bradley

ERA Leaders

0.33

Soriano

0.43

Wacha

0.50

Rodriguez

WHIP Leaders

0.56

Rasmussen

0.63

Gausman

0.67

Soriano

K/9 Leaders

15.43

Misiorowski

13.78

Gore

13.50

Pivetta

K/BB Leaders

30.00

Schlittler

17.00

Rasmussen

13.00

Gausman

Walk Leaders

1

Schlittler

1

Rasmussen

2

Yamamoto

MLB Fantasy 2026

FanDuel Points Leaders

278.8

Ohtani

267.4

Alvarez

255.8

Wood

DraftKings Points Leaders

197

Alvarez

194

Ohtani

191

Cruz

MLB 2026 Betting

Best Record ATS

13-3

11-5

10-5

10-6

Worst Record ATS

3-12

4-11

5-11

5-10

MLB 2026 Standings

NL East	W	L	PCT	GB
Braves	10	6	.625
Marlins	8	8	.500	2.0
Phillies	7	8	.467	2.5
Nationals	7	8	.467	2.5
Mets	7	9	.438	3.0
NL Central	W	L	PCT	GB
Pirates	9	6	.600
Reds	9	7	.563	0.5
Brewers	8	7	.533	1.0
Cardinals	8	7	.533	1.0
Cubs	7	8	.467	2.0
NL West	W	L	PCT	GB
Dodgers	11	4	.733
Padres	10	6	.625	1.5
Diamondbacks	9	7	.563	2.5
Rockies	6	10	.375	5.5
Giants	6	10	.375	5.5

AL East	W	L	PCT	GB
Orioles	8	7	.533
Yankees	8	7	.533
Rays	8	7	.533
Red Sox	6	9	.400	2.0
Blue Jays	6	9	.400	2.0
AL Central	W	L	PCT	GB
Guardians	9	7	.563
Twins	9	7	.563
Tigers	7	9	.438	2.0
Royals	7	9	.438	2.0
White Sox	6	10	.375	3.0
AL West	W	L	PCT	GB
Athletics	8	7	.533
Rangers	8	7	.533
Angels	8	8	.500	0.5
Mariners	7	9	.438	1.5
Astros	6	10	.375	2.5