Max Scherzer started Friday night with 2,798 career strikeouts, eight shy of tying Hall of Fame hurler Cy Young (2,806 Ks) for 22nd on Major League Baseball’s all-time strikeout leaders list.
As the Nationals mentioned in their pregame notes “different statistics providers present a different strikeout total for Cy Young ... but according to the Elias Sports Bureau (the official statistician of Major League Baseball), Young’s career strikeout total is 2,806.”
So going in, eight Ks would tie Cy Young, and nine would give Scherzer the 22nd spot on the list all to himself.