Justin Verlander surpasses Walter Johnson to move up to ninth place on the all-time strikeout list

Justin Verlander is pushing himself to continue pitching effectively. The 42-year-old icon hasn’t completely realized that he has passed the legendary Walter Johnson to become ninth on MLB’s all-time strikeout chart.

"Maybe when I reflect tonight or during the offseason, I’m not exactly sure," Verlander admitted, "In recent years, especially since returning from Tommy John surgery, I’ve been reminding myself to stay focused on the present."

The right-handed pitcher for the San Francisco Giants was just one strikeout shy of surpassing Johnson before this game. In today’s 5-2 victory over the Cubs at Oracle Park (his first home win since joining the Giants), he reached the milestone facing the second batter. Against Kyle Tucker, the seasoned veteran of 20 years first threw a wild slider to fall behind 2-1, then switched to attack mode — delivering consecutive strikes with sliders and changeups that made Tucker swing and miss, earning Verlander his 3,516th career strikeout.

"It feels unbelievable," Verlander said after the game. He added 4 more strikeouts over 6 innings, bringing his career total to 3,520. "Walter Johnson is a legend. Surpassing him is a tremendous honor."

At age 42, Verlander aims to climb further this season to eighth place—Gaylord Perry holds eighth with 3,534 strikeouts, while Don Sutton’s seventh place at 3,574 strikeouts presents an even tougher challenge. Blue Jays’ Max Scherzer, who long competed with Verlander on the strikeout list, has now fallen behind. Scherzer ranks 11th with 3,468 strikeouts and is second among active players. Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw also joined the 3,000 strikeout club this season.

Strikeouts aren’t Verlander’s only milestone today. When he joined the Giants as a free agent last offseason, he openly pursued the goal of 300 career wins. Currently at 264 wins, he still has some way to go—this season’s 2-10 record (notching his first Giants win only on July 23) means more effort is needed. His 264th win came after throwing 101 pitches over 6 innings, allowing 7 hits and 2 runs, with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts. This marks his fourth outing this season with a triple-digit pitch count.

The slow progress toward 300 wins isn’t entirely Verlander’s fault. He qualified for 8 wins this season, but many leads were lost after he left the game. In his 23 starts, the Giants’ offense provided 3 or fewer runs of support in 19 games, with a team record of 3 wins and 16 losses in those contests. "It’s unfortunate we couldn’t get him more wins, but his pitching performance deserves more victories," Giants third baseman Matt Chapman said. "He consistently delivers quality starts, and it’s great to see him earn the win today."

This season has tested Verlander both physically and mentally. He was placed on the injured list in late May due to right pectoral soreness and missed nearly a month. "It’s easy to get caught up in the grind," Verlander said, "This year has been especially tough in that regard. Without the support of my family off the field and my teammates, I might have shut down mentally. Now, I’m focused on staying positive."

Today’s positives are the strikeout milestone and his first win at Oracle Park. "I really wish I could have won here back in 2012," Verlander joked (when his Tigers lost to the Giants in the World Series), "But now it feels amazing!"

The Cubs’ starting pitcher Matthew Boyd, who faced Verlander in this game, was his teammate on the Tigers from 2015 to 2017. Nearly a decade later, he still values their time sharing a locker room. "Back then, I got to watch a Hall of Fame pitcher work every five days," Boyd said. "I learned from his preparation between starts. He was both a mentor and a friend who helped me a lot. Seeing him continue to climb the historical ranks is truly inspiring."