Max Scherzer Passes Gaylord Perry with 10 K Performance vs. Mariners

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer moved into ninth place on the career strikeout list Sunday, fanning 10 Seattle Mariners hitters.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer moved into ninth place on the MLB career strikeout list Sunday, recording his 3,535th career punchout to pass Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry. The 42-year-old reached the milestone by striking out Seattle Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh for the second out of the seventh inning. Scherzer finished the afternoon with a season-high 10 strikeouts, surrendering just one hit across a season-high seven innings of work. He threw 97 pitches, 67 for strikes, to secure his first victory since a March 31 season-opening start against Colorado.

Sunday’s performance marked the 115th time in Scherzer’s career that he has fanned 10 or more batters in a single game, and the first time he achieved the feat this season. Before this outing, his previous season high for strikeouts was five. A sellout crowd of 42,039 at Rogers Centre provided a standing ovation when the career milestone was displayed on the scoreboard. By completing seven innings with 10 strikeouts and allowing two or fewer baserunners, Scherzer became just the third pitcher aged 42 or older in MLB history to produce such a stat line, joining Nolan Ryan, who last did so on May 1, 1991.

Dominant Start Against Seattle

Scherzer established his rhythm immediately by striking out the side in the first inning. He retired Randy Arozarena, Dominic Canzone, and Julio Rodriguez, all on swinging strikes. Manager John Schneider noted that the veteran was dialed in from the beginning, locating his pitches effectively. Seattle manager Dan Wilson observed that his hitters were behind the fastball and ahead of the breaking balls throughout the contest.

Josh Naylor was a frequent victim of Scherzer’s mix, striking out looking in the second inning and swinging to end the fourth with a runner at second base. The Mariners were unable to solve the veteran right-hander, who utilized his full arsenal to keep Seattle off balance. Scherzer expressed gratitude for the support of the Toronto fans and his teammates, noting the significance of moving into the all-time top 10 while playing at home.

Climbing the All-Time Leaderboard

This milestone follows a significant move earlier this month when Scherzer passed Hall of Famer Walter Johnson for 10th place. That achievement occurred on Aug. 8 during a win at Philadelphia, where he struck out former teammate Kyle Schwarber to lead off the sixth inning. Scherzer now trails former teammate Justin Verlander, who sits in eighth place with 3,554 strikeouts. Verlander, currently injured, is the only other active pitcher ranked within the top 10 on the career list.

Scherzer’s career began in 2008 after he was selected by Arizona as a first-round pick in the 2006 draft. Over his tenure in the majors, he has earned three Cy Young Awards, eight All-Star selections, and two World Series championships. In addition to his current stint in Toronto and his debut with the Diamondbacks, Scherzer has pitched for the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and Texas Rangers.