Verlander the 4th to 3,000 strikeouts

Justin Verlander became the 4th DMBL pitcher to reach 3,000 career strikeouts, 

The 41-year-old alum of Old Dominion joins Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw and Randy Johnson as the only pitchers to reach 3,000 strikeouts:

1	Randy Johnson*	3,408
2	Clayton Kershaw	3,215
3	Max Scherzer	3,066
4	Justin Verlander	3,015
5	Zack Greinke	2,926

Italics = entering 2024
* retired

Only the two left-handers, Johnson and Kershaw, have compiled all their strikeouts with one team and four of the top five on that list are active players. Only 6 of the top 20 pitchers in strikeouts remain active. Read on to find out the others.

Verlander, last year's Ben McDonald Award winner, is pitching this season for the Merrill Creek Mudskippers, which are the former longtime Mighty Men of Marietta. He came into 2024 with 2,994 career strikeouts. He punched out 5 in a loss to Poovey Farms on the second day of the season, putting him on the precipice of 3K.

On Friday night, Verlander struck out 9 in a no-decision against Philly that the Mudskippers eventually won, 5-4, a day after the DMBL's latest no-hitter. Rookie Will Benson took him deep to right to open the game and after a few hits and sac flies, Verlander found himself trailing 3-0 after one inning. His first strikeout of the game -- No. 3,000 all-time -- didn't come until the 2nd inning, in the form of No. 8 hitter, catcher Victor Caratini. He promptly K'd Bryson Stott for 3,001.

Verlander has yet to win this season (0-2) but only needs 4 victories to reach 200, which would make him the 7th pitcher to do it in DMBL history. Kershaw is right on his tail, entering the season with 188 wins. Both are within striking distance of Curt Schilling, 6th all-time with 205 wins, and maybe even Pedro Martinez (207), but probably more like 2025 or beyond to reach Roger Clemens (211). Meanwhile, Scherzer has yet to pitch this season after getting beat out for a spot in Tucson's rotation.

Free agent Zack Greinke is just waiting for a call to take the mound somewhere. He sits 4th all-time with 2,926 strikeouts, 74 away from 3,000. He also trails Greg Maddux (3,415.3) by less than 21 innings for No. 1 all-time in innings pitched. Greinke surpassed Maddux in 2022 for most starts in DMBL history (527).

After Greinke, it might be awhile before anyone else approaches 3,000. Livingston's Jacob deGrom, who is out for the 2024 DMBL season, is the next active pitcher but is almost 1,000 away, with 2,098 strikeouts, which ranks No. 16 all-time. He's likely to be passed soon by lefty Chris Sale of Green Lake, who entered 2024 with 2,077 Ks but has not pitched in DMBL since 2020 because of injuries.