NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball has set a strikeouts record for the 11th consecutive year - and with four days to spare.
There were 40,196 strikeouts through Wednesday, topping last year's 40,104 - the first season strikeouts reached 40,000. There were 32,189 in 2007, the last season without a record, and 30,801 in 2003.
This will be the first season in major league history with more strikeouts than hits. There were 40,098 hits through Wednesday.