Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom notched the 2,000th strikeout of his career on Thursday night in a dominant performance against the Washington Nationals.
deGrom tossed 6 innings of shutout ball, giving up just a hit and a walk, while striking out 10 batters in the process. Texas would go on to win the game 2-0, moving back into a tie with Minnesota for the final AL Wildcard spot.
In what was the 272nd game of his major league career, deGrom tallied his 2,000th K to move past Clayton Kershaw for 2nd fastest all-time. Kershaw was able to reach the mark in 277 games, while Hall of Famer Randy Johnson holds the record with 2,000 punch outs in 262 appearances.
In terms of innings pitched to reach the 2K plateau, deGrom was able to reach it in 1,660.1IP, trailing only Chris Sale (1,626) in that department as well.
The 38 year old hurler downplayed the accomplishment after the game to reporters, indicating that he’s focused solely on helping guide the Rangers to the postseason at this point. “Maybe whenever my career is over I’ll look at that kind of stuff,” deGrom said. “But even when the season’s over, I’m like, ‘I’ve got to figure out a way to get outs the following year.'”
A veteran of 13 MLB campaigns, deGrom has been one of his generation’s most talented pitchers, but has been hampered by injuries over the years. After bursting onto the scene with the New York Mets in 2014, the 6’4″ righty struggled to remain healthy for a solid 5 year stretch, which ultimately led to him parting ways with the Queens based club and join the Rangers.
Between 2020 and 2024, deGrom was limited to just 265.1IP as he dealt with a variety of ailments and surgical procedures. Nevertheless, he rebounded nicely in 2025, posting a 12-8 record, with a 2.97 ERA and 185Ks across 172.2IP. Over the course of his career deGrom has been named to 5x All-Star teams, won Rookie of the Year in 2014, AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2025, and 2x Cy Young awards.
If he were to retire today, his 5.33 K/BB ratio would rank as an all-time MLB record, showcasing his otherworldly control on the mound. deGrom will now have the next few days off as the team welcomes the Angels to town for a 3 game series. His next start figures to be in Chicago when the Rangers travel to Rate Field to take on the White Sox.
Photo: D. Benjamin Miller. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.