what is the most strikeouts in a single game by a pitcher

Tom Cheney has fanned the most hitters in a game, with 21 strikeouts against the Orioles on September 12, 1962.

Interpreted as:
What is the most strikeouts in a single regular-season game by a pitcher?
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 WSH
@
BAL 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 WSH
vs
DET 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 ARI
vs
CIN 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 CHC
vs
HOU 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 BOS
@
DET 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 BOS
vs
SEA 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 SEA
vs
CWS 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 SEA
vs
OAK 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 NYM
@
PHI 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 CAL
vs
TOR 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 CAL
vs
DET 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 CAL
vs
BOS 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 CAL
vs
BOS 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 NYM
vs
SDP 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 STL
vs
NYM 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 CLE
vs
MIN 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 CLE
vs
STL 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 MIL
vs
ATL 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 TOR
vs
KCR 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 SEA
@
TEX 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 LAD
vs
ATL 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 MON
vs
CHC 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 NYY
vs
CAL 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 CAL
@
CWS 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 HOU
@
CIN CIN
W
1
1.00
1
0
0
9.0
5
1
1
0
2
0
0
0
33
1
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 Rankings

HR

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16th

R

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22nd

SO

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21st

ERA

3.15

1st

2025 Division Standings
TEAM W L PCT GB
Astros Astros
60
46
.566
Rangers Rangers
56
50
.528
4.0
Mariners Mariners
56
50
.528
4.0
Angels Angels
51
55
.481
9.0
Athletics Athletics
46
62
.426
15.0
Schedule
DATE MATCHUP TIME (ET)
Mon
7/28
TEX TEX
@
LAA LAA
9:38 PM
Tue
7/29
TEX TEX
@
LAA LAA
9:38 PM
Wed
7/30
TEX TEX
@
LAA LAA
9:38 PM
Thu
7/31
TEX TEX
@
SEA SEA
9:40 PM
Fri
8/1
TEX TEX
@
SEA SEA
10:10 PM
Last Game
TEX Rangers

56 - 50

8

Final

1

ATL Braves

44 - 60

Sun 27 Jul 2025

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MLB 2025 Division Standings

AL East W L PCT GB
Blue Jays Blue Jays
63
43
.594
Yankees Yankees
57
48
.543
5.5
AL Central W L PCT GB
Tigers Tigers
61
46
.570
Guardians Guardians
52
53
.495
8.0
AL West W L PCT GB
Astros Astros
60
46
.566
Mariners Mariners
56
50
.528
4.0
NL East W L PCT GB
Mets Mets
62
44
.585
Phillies Phillies
60
45
.571
1.5
NL Central W L PCT GB
Cubs Cubs
62
43
.590
Brewers Brewers
62
43
.590
NL West W L PCT GB
Dodgers Dodgers
61
45
.575
Padres Padres
57
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MLB 2025 Scores & Schedule

Scores

DATE MATCHUP SCORE
Tue
7/8
PHI PHI
@
SFG SFG
13-0
Tue
7/8
MIA MIA
@
CIN CIN
2-7
Tue
7/8
WSH WSH
@
STL STL
8-2
Tue
7/8
ATL ATL
@
ATH ATH
9-2
Wed
7/9
NYM NYM
@
BAL BAL
1-3

Schedule

DATE MATCHUP TIME (ET)
Mon
7/28
TOR TOR
@
BAL BAL
6:35 PM
Mon
7/28
COL COL
@
CLE CLE
6:40 PM
Mon
7/28
AZ AZ
@
DET DET
6:40 PM
Mon
7/28
TBR TBR
@
NYY NYY
7:05 PM
Mon
7/28
LAD LAD
@
CIN CIN
7:10 PM