List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders
In baseball, the strikeout is a statistic used to evaluate pitchers. A pitcher earns a strikeout when he puts out the batter he is facing by throwing a ball through the strike zone, "defined as that area over homeplate the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the hollow beneath the kneecap", which is not put in play. Strikeouts are awarded in four situations: if the batter is put out on a third strike caught by the catcher ; if the pitcher throws a third strike which is not caught with fewer than two outs; if the batter becomes a baserunner on an uncaught third strike; or if the batter bunts the ball into foul territory with two strikes.
Major League Baseball recognizes the player or players in each league with the most strikeouts each season. Jim Devlin led the National League in its inaugural season of 1876; he threw 122 strikeouts for the Louisville Grays. The American League's first winner was Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who captured the American League Triple Crown in 1901 by striking out 158 batters, along with leading the league in wins and earned run average. Walter Johnson led the American League in strikeouts 12 times during his Hall of Fame career, most among all players. He is followed by Nolan Ryan, who captured 11 titles between both leagues. Randy Johnson won nine strikeout titles, including five with his home state Arizona Diamondbacks. Three players have won seven strikeout championships: Dazzy Vance, who leads the National League; Bob Feller; and Lefty Grove. Grover Cleveland Alexander and Rube Waddell led their league six times, and five-time winners include Steve Carlton, Roger Clemens, Sam McDowell, Christy Mathewson, Amos Rusie, and Tom Seaver.
There are several players with a claim to the single-season strikeout record. Among recognized major leagues, Matt Kilroy accumulated the highest single-season total, with 513 strikeouts for the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association in 1886. However, his name does not appear on Major League Baseball's single-season leaders list, since the American Association was independent of the constituent leagues that currently make up Major League Baseball. Several other players with high totals, including 1886 American Association runner-up Toad Ramsey and 1884 Union Association leader Hugh Daily, do not appear either. In the National League, Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn struck out 441 batters for the Providence Grays; however, the Providence franchise folded after the 1885 season and has no successor. Therefore, Major League Baseball recognizes his runner-up from that season, Charlie Buffinton, as the record-holder with 417 strikeouts. In the American League, Ryan leads with 383 strikeouts in 1973. The largest margin of victory for a champion is 156 strikeouts, achieved in 1883 when Tim Keefe of the American Association's New York Metropolitans posted 359 against Bobby Mathews' 203. The National League's largest margin was achieved in 1999, when Randy Johnson struck out 143 more batters than Kevin Brown. Ryan's 1973 margin of 125 strikeouts over Bert Blyleven is the best American League victory. Although ties for the championship are rare, they have occurred; Claude Passeau and Bucky Walters each struck out 137 National League batters in 1939, and Tex Hughson and Bobo Newsom tied in the American League with 113 strikeouts each in 1942. Their total is the lowest number of strikeouts accumulated to lead a league in Major League Baseball history.
Key
National League
| Year | Leader | K | Team | Runner-up | K | Ref |
| 122 | Louisville Grays | 103 | ||||
| 170 | Boston Red Caps | 141 | ||||
| 182 | Boston Red Caps | 169 | ||||
| 239 | Providence Grays | 232 | ||||
| 268 | Chicago White Stockings | 260 | ||||
| 212 | Detroit Wolverines | 178 | ||||
| 201 | Cleveland Spiders | 200 | ||||
| 345 | Boston Beaneaters | 315 | ||||
| 441 | Providence Grays | 417 | ||||
| 308 | Chicago White Stockings | 258 | ||||
| 323 | Detroit Wolverines | 313 | ||||
| 237 | Chicago White Stockings | 189 | ||||
| 335 | New York Giants | 223 | ||||
| 284 | Boston Beaneaters | 225 | ||||
| 341 | New York Giants | 289 | ||||
| 337 | New York Giants | 261 | ||||
| 314 | Chicago White Stockings | 304 | ||||
| 208 | New York Giants | 107 | ||||
| 195 | New York Giants | 140 | ||||
| 201 | Cleveland Spiders | 148 | ||||
| 140 | Cleveland Spiders | 137 | ||||
| 156 | Washington Senators New York Giants | 149 | ||||
| 239 | New York Giants | 178 | ||||
| 145 | Cincinnati Reds | 142 | ||||
| 132 | Cincinnati Reds | 130 | ||||
| 239 | Cincinnati Reds | 226 | ||||
| 225 | Boston Beaneaters | 185 | ||||
| 267 | New York Giants | 171 | ||||
| 212 | New York Giants | 196 | ||||
| 206 | New York Giants | 198 | ||||
| 171 | Chicago Cubs St. Louis Cardinals | 158 | ||||
| 178 | New York Giants | 147 | ||||
| 259 | New York Giants | 199 | ||||
| 205 | Chicago Cubs | 201 | ||||
| 185 | Philadelphia Phillies | 184 | ||||
| 237 | New York Giants | 227 | ||||
| 195 | Philadelphia Phillies | 176 | ||||
| 168 | Philadelphia Phillies | 167 | ||||
| 214 | Philadelphia Phillies | 189 | ||||
| 241 | Philadelphia Phillies | 176 | ||||
| 167 | Philadelphia Phillies | 166 | ||||
| 200 | Philadelphia Phillies | 195 | ||||
| 148 | Chicago Cubs | 117 | ||||
| 141 | Chicago Cubs | 137 | ||||
| 173 | Chicago Cubs | 131 | ||||
| 136 | Brooklyn Robins | 134 | ||||
| 134 | Brooklyn Robins | 129 | ||||
| 197 | Brooklyn Robins | 151 | ||||
| 262 | Brooklyn Robins | 135 | ||||
| 221 | Brooklyn Robins | 140 | ||||
| 140 | Brooklyn Robins | 127 | ||||
| 184 | Brooklyn Robins | 145 | ||||
| 200 | Brooklyn Robins | 155 | ||||
| 166 | Chicago Cubs | 140 | ||||
| 177 | St. Louis Cardinals | 173 | ||||
| 159 | St. Louis Cardinals | 155 | ||||
| 191 | St. Louis Cardinals | 137 | ||||
| 199 | St. Louis Cardinals | 156 | ||||
| 195 | St. Louis Cardinals | 184 | ||||
| 190 | St. Louis Cardinals | 150 | ||||
| 238 | Brooklyn Dodgers | 195 | ||||
| 159 | New York Giants | 149 | ||||
| 135 | Chicago Cubs | 132 | ||||
| Claude Passeau Bucky Walters | 137 | Cincinnati Reds Philadelphia Phillies Chicago Cubs | 130 | |||
| 137 | Philadelphia Phillies | 124 | ||||
| 202 | Cincinnati Reds | 176 | ||||
| 186 | Cincinnati Reds | 152 | ||||
| 174 | Cincinnati Reds | 141 | ||||
| 161 | New York Giants | 141 | ||||
| 148 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 139 | ||||
| 135 | Chicago Cubs | 134 | ||||
| 193 | Cincinnati Reds | 148 | ||||
| 149 | St. Louis Cardinals | 138 | ||||
| 151 | Boston Braves | 149 | ||||
| 191 | Boston Braves | 188 | ||||
| 164 | Brooklyn Dodgers Boston Braves | 146 | ||||
| 183 | Boston Braves | 157 | ||||
| 198 | Philadelphia Phillies | 187 | ||||
| 185 | Philadelphia Phillies | 184 | ||||
| 198 | Chicago Cubs | 160 | ||||
| 176 | Chicago Cubs | 170 | ||||
| 188 | Philadelphia Phillies | 170 | ||||
| 225 | Chicago Cubs | 150 | ||||
| 242 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 209 | ||||
| 246 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 197 | ||||
| 269 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 205 | ||||
| 232 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 219 | ||||
| 306 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 265 | ||||
| 250 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 245 | ||||
| 382 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 276 | ||||
| 317 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 252 | ||||
| 253 | Philadelphia Phillies | 236 | ||||
| 268 | St. Louis Cardinals | 260 | ||||
| 273 | Chicago Cubs | 269 | ||||
| 283 | New York Mets | 274 | ||||
| 289 | New York Mets | 263 | ||||
| 310 | Philadelphia Phillies | 249 | ||||
| 251 | New York Mets | 223 | ||||
| 240 | Philadelphia Phillies | 221 | ||||
| 243 | New York Mets | 215 | ||||
| 235 | New York Mets | 214 | ||||
| 262 | Atlanta Braves | 214 | ||||
| 303 | Houston Astros | 248 | ||||
| 313 | Houston Astros | 213 | ||||
| 286 | Philadelphia Phillies | 200 | ||||
| 180 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 179 | ||||
| 286 | Philadelphia Phillies | 274 | ||||
| 275 | Philadelphia Phillies | 242 | ||||
| 276 | New York Mets | 240 | ||||
| 268 | New York Mets | 214 | ||||
| 306 | Houston Astros | 242 | ||||
| 270 | Houston Astros | 233 | ||||
| 228 | Houston Astros | 213 | ||||
| 201 | St. Louis Cardinals | 200 | ||||
| 233 | New York Mets | 223 | ||||
| 241 | New York Mets | † | 198 | |||
| † | 215 | Atlanta Braves | 214 | |||
| 227 | Cincinnati Reds | † | 208 | |||
| 189 | San Diego Padres | 171 | ||||
| 236 | Los Angeles Dodgers | † | 193 | |||
| † | 276 | Atlanta Braves | 234 | |||
| 319 | Philadelphia Phillies | † | 305 | |||
| 300 | Philadelphia Phillies | 257 | ||||
| † | 364 | Arizona Diamondbacks | 221 | |||
| † | 347 | Arizona Diamondbacks | 217 | |||
| † | 372 | Arizona Diamondbacks | 293 | |||
| † | 334 | Arizona Diamondbacks | 316 | |||
| 266 | Chicago Cubs | 245 | ||||
| † | 290 | Arizona Diamondbacks | 264 | |||
| 216 | San Diego Padres | 213 | ||||
| 216 | Cincinnati Reds | 215 | ||||
| 240 | San Diego Padres | 218 | ||||
| 265 | San Francisco Giants | 206 | ||||
| 261 | San Francisco Giants | 238 | ||||
| 231 | San Francisco Giants | 219 | ||||
| 248 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 238 | ||||
| 230 | New York Mets | 229 | ||||
| 232 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 222 | ||||
| 242 | Cincinnati Reds Washington Nationals | 239 | ||||
| 301 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 276 | ||||
| 284 | Washington Nationals | 253 | ||||
| 268 | Washington Nationals | 239 | ||||
| 300 | Washington Nationals | 269 | ||||
| 255 | New York Mets | 251 |
American League
| Year | Leader | K | Team | Runner-up | K | Ref |
| 158 | Boston Americans | 127 | ||||
| 210 | Philadelphia Athletics | 160 | ||||
| 302 | Philadelphia Athletics | 187 | ||||
| 349 | Philadelphia Athletics | 239 | ||||
| 287 | Philadelphia Athletics | 210 | ||||
| 196 | Philadelphia Athletics | 178 | ||||
| 232 | Philadelphia Athletics | 206 | ||||
| 269 | Chicago White Sox | 232 | ||||
| 177 | Chicago White Sox | 164 | ||||
| 313 | Washington Senators | 258 | ||||
| 255 | Chicago White Sox | 231 | ||||
| 303 | Washington Senators | 258 | ||||
| 243 | Washington Senators | 166 | ||||
| 225 | Washington Senators | 179 | ||||
| 203 | Washington Senators | 182 | ||||
| 228 | Washington Senators | 182 | ||||
| 188 | Washington Senators | 150 | ||||
| 162 | Washington Senators | 129 | ||||
| 147 | Washington Senators | 128 | ||||
| 133 | Cleveland Indians | 128 | ||||
| 143 | Washington Senators | 132 | ||||
| 149 | St. Louis Browns | 148 | ||||
| 130 | Washington Senators | 125 | ||||
| 158 | Washington Senators | 119 | ||||
| 116 | Philadelphia Athletics | 108 | ||||
| 194 | Philadelphia Athletics | 159 | ||||
| 174 | Philadelphia Athletics | 136 | ||||
| 183 | Philadelphia Athletics | 139 | ||||
| 170 | Philadelphia Athletics | 149 | ||||
| 209 | Philadelphia Athletics | 193 | ||||
| 175 | Philadelphia Athletics | 152 | ||||
| 190 | New York Yankees | 188 | ||||
| 163 | New York Yankees | 149 | ||||
| 158 | New York Yankees | 151 | ||||
| 163 | Detroit Tigers | 140 | ||||
| 175 | Detroit Tigers | 165 | ||||
| 194 | New York Yankees | 166 | ||||
| 240 | Cleveland Indians | 226 | ||||
| 246 | Cleveland Indians | 192 | ||||
| 261 | Cleveland Indians | 164 | ||||
| 260 | Cleveland Indians | 175 | ||||
| 113 | Boston Red Sox Washington Senators | 110 | ||||
| 151 | Cleveland Indians | 144 | ||||
| 187 | Detroit Tigers | 144 | ||||
| 212 | Detroit Tigers | 129 | ||||
| 348 | Cleveland Indians | 275 | ||||
| 196 | Cleveland Indians | 176 | ||||
| 164 | Cleveland Indians | 147 | ||||
| 153 | Detroit Tigers | 144 | ||||
| 170 | Cleveland Indians | 160 | ||||
| 164 | New York Yankees | 133 | ||||
| 160 | New York Yankees | 153 | ||||
| 186 | Chicago White Sox | 149 | ||||
| 185 | Baltimore Orioles | 155 | ||||
| 245 | Cleveland Indians | 210 | ||||
| 263 | Cleveland Indians | 192 | ||||
| 184 | Cleveland Indians | 182 | ||||
| 179 | Chicago White Sox | 177 | ||||
| 201 | Detroit Tigers | 185 | ||||
| 201 | Detroit Tigers | 160 | ||||
| 221 | Minnesota Twins | 209 | ||||
| 206 | Minnesota Twins | 184 | ||||
| 202 | Minnesota Twins | 196 | ||||
| 217 | New York Yankees | 213 | ||||
| 325 | Cleveland Indians | 226 | ||||
| 225 | Cleveland Indians | 205 | ||||
| 246 | Boston Red Sox | 236 | ||||
| 283 | Cleveland Indians | 280 | ||||
| 279 | Cleveland Indians | 271 | ||||
| 304 | Cleveland Indians | 230 | ||||
| 308 | Detroit Tigers | 301 | ||||
| 329 | California Angels | 250 | ||||
| 383 | California Angels | 258 | ||||
| 367 | California Angels | 249 | ||||
| 269 | California Angels | 233 | ||||
| 327 | California Angels | 261 | ||||
| 341 | California Angels | 244 | ||||
| 260 | California Angels | 248 | ||||
| 223 | California Angels | 201 | ||||
| 187 | Cleveland Indians | 180 | ||||
| 127 | Cleveland Indians | 108 | ||||
| 209 | Seattle Mariners | 187 | ||||
| 232 | Detroit Tigers | 193 | ||||
| 204 | Seattle Mariners | 198 | ||||
| 206 | Cleveland Indians Minnesota Twins | 198 | ||||
| 245 | Seattle Mariners | 238 | ||||
| 262 | Seattle Mariners | 256 | ||||
| 291 | Boston Red Sox | 235 | ||||
| 301 | Texas Rangers | 230 | ||||
| 232 | Texas Rangers | 221 | ||||
| 241 | Boston Red Sox | † | 228 | |||
| † | 241 | Seattle Mariners | 218 | |||
| † | 308 | Seattle Mariners | 196 | |||
| † | 204 | Seattle Mariners | 168 | |||
| † | 294 | Seattle Mariners | 205 | |||
| 257 | Boston Red Sox | 215 | ||||
| 292 | Toronto Blue Jays | † | 291 | |||
| 271 | Toronto Blue Jays | † | 251 | |||
| † | 313 | Boston Red Sox | 200 | |||
| † | 284 | Boston Red Sox | 212 | |||
| 220 | Boston Red Sox | 214 | ||||
| † | 239 | Boston Red Sox | 192 | |||
| 207 | Chicago White Sox | † | 206 | |||
| 265 | Minnesota Twins | † | 227 | |||
| 238 | Minnesota Twins | † | 211 | |||
| 245 | Minnesota Twins | 202 | ||||
| 239 | Tampa Bay Devil Rays | 235 | ||||
| 231 | Toronto Blue Jays | 214 | ||||
| 269 | Detroit Tigers | 242 | ||||
| 233 | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | 232 | ||||
| 250 | Detroit Tigers | 230 | ||||
| 239 | Detroit Tigers | 231 | ||||
| 277 | Texas Rangers | 240 | ||||
| 271 | Tampa Bay Rays Detroit Tigers | 269 | ||||
| 274 | Chicago White Sox | 252 | ||||
| 254 | Detroit Tigers | 233 | ||||
| 308 | Boston Red Sox | 265 | ||||
| 290 | Houston Astros | 276 | ||||
| 326 | Houston Astros | 300 |
Other major leagues
| Year | Leader | K | Team | League | Runner-up | K | Ref |
| 170 | Louisville Eclipse | American Association | 135 | ||||
| 359 | New York Metropolitans | American Association | 203 | ||||
| 385 | Louisville Eclipse | American Association | 346 | ||||
| 483 | Chicago Browns Washington Nationals | Union Association | 374 | ||||
| 298 | Pittsburgh Alleghenys | American Association | 286 | ||||
| 513 | Baltimore Orioles | American Association | 499 | ||||
| 355 | Louisville Eclipse | American Association | 217 | ||||
| 272 | Philadelphia Athletics | American Association | 258 | ||||
| 368 | Columbus Solons | American Association | 217 | ||||
| 291 | Philadelphia Athletics Baltimore Orioles | American Association | 289 | ||||
| 206 | Chicago Pirates | Players' League | 185 | ||||
| 259 | St. Louis Browns | American Association | 228 | ||||
| 236 | Indianapolis Hoosiers | Federal League | 205 | ||||
| 229 | St. Louis Terriers | Federal League | 160 |
Footnotes
- Recognized "major leagues" include the current American and National Leagues and several defunct leagues—the American Association, the Federal League, the Players' League, and the Union Association.
- In baseball scorekeeping, "K" is the traditional notation for the strikeout.
- In 1939, Claude Passeau played the entire season for the Cincinnati Reds, while co-leader Bucky Walters was traded from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Chicago Cubs mid-season.