Most Strikeouts by a Pitcher in a Season: Leaders & Records

Single Season

Includes the 2026 season through September 25, 2026

As of September 25, 2026, the single-season leader in Strikeouts is Matt Kilroy (1886) with 513. Toad Ramsey (1886) is second with 499 and Hugh Daily (1884) is third with 483. This page ranks the top 100 seasons in Strikeouts.

SO (Strikeouts):
For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.

Data updated

Matt Kilroy holds the MLB single-season strikeout record with 513 strikeouts in 1886, ahead of Toad Ramsey (499 in 1886) and Hugh Daily (483 in 1884).

Rankings cover the top 100 seasons in MLB history.

Top 10 SO

Single Season. Click a bar to view the player.

Most Strikeouts by a Pitcher in a Season: Leaders & Records
Rank Player Year Team SO
1 Matt Kilroy 1886 BL2 513
2 Toad Ramsey 1886 LS2 499
3 Hugh Daily 1884 2 teams 483
4 Dupee Shaw 1884 2 teams 451
5 Old Hoss Radbourn 1884 PRO 441
6 Charlie Buffinton 1884 BSN 417
7 Guy Hecker 1884 LS2 385
8 Nolan Ryan 1973 CAL 383
9 Sandy Koufax 1965 LAN 382
10 Bill Sweeney 1884 BLU 374
11 Randy Johnson 2001 ARI 372
12 Pud Galvin 1884 BFN 369
13 Mark Baldwin 1889 CL6 368
14 Nolan Ryan 1974 CAL 367
15 Randy Johnson 1999 ARI 364
16 Tim Keefe 1883 NY4 359
17 Toad Ramsey 1887 LS2 355
18 Rube Waddell 1904 PHA 349
19 Bob Feller 1946 CLE 348
20 Randy Johnson 2000 ARI 347
21 Hardie Henderson 1884 BL2 346
T-22 Mickey Welch 1884 NY1 345
T-22 Jim Whitney 1883 BSN 345
24 Jim McCormick 1884 2 teams 343
T-25 Amos Rusie 1890 NY1 341
T-25 Nolan Ryan 1977 CAL 341
T-27 Amos Rusie 1891 NY1 337
T-27 Charlie Sweeney 1884 2 teams 337
29 Tim Keefe 1888 NY1 335
T-30 Randy Johnson 2002 ARI 334
T-30 Tim Keefe 1884 NY4 334
T-32 Randy Johnson 1998 2 teams 329
T-32 Nolan Ryan 1972 CAL 329
34 Nolan Ryan 1976 CAL 327
T-35 Gerrit Cole 2019 HOU 326
T-35 Ed Morris 1886 PT1 326
T-37 Sam McDowell 1965 CLE 325
T-37 Tony Mullane 1884 TL1 325
39 Lady Baldwin 1886 DTN 323
40 Curt Schilling 1997 PHI 319
41 Sandy Koufax 1966 LAN 317
42 Curt Schilling 2002 ARI 316
43 Old Hoss Radbourn 1883 PRO 315
44 Bill Hutchison 1892 CHN 314
T-45 John Clarkson 1886 CHN 313
T-45 Walter Johnson 1910 WS1 313
T-45 Pedro Martinez 1999 BOS 313
T-45 J. R. Richard 1979 HOU 313
49 Steve Carlton 1972 PHI 310
T-50 John Clarkson 1885 CHN 308
T-50 Randy Johnson 1993 SEA 308
T-50 Mickey Lolich 1971 DET 308
T-50 Larry McKeon 1884 IN2 308
T-50 Chris Sale 2017 BOS 308
T-55 Sandy Koufax 1963 LAN 306
T-55 Mike Scott 1986 HOU 306
57 Pedro Martinez 1997 MON 305
T-58 Sam McDowell 1970 CLE 304
T-58 Amos Rusie 1892 NY1 304
T-60 Walter Johnson 1912 WS1 303
T-60 J. R. Richard 1978 HOU 303
T-62 Ed Morris 1884 CL5 302
T-62 Rube Waddell 1903 PHA 302
T-64 Vida Blue 1971 OAK 301
T-64 Clayton Kershaw 2015 LAN 301
T-64 Nolan Ryan 1989 TEX 301
T-67 Max Scherzer 2018 WAS 300
T-67 Curt Schilling 1998 PHI 300
T-67 Justin Verlander 2019 HOU 300
70 Ed Morris 1885 PT1 298
71 Tim Keefe 1886 NY1 297
72 Randy Johnson 1995 SEA 294
73 Curt Schilling 2001 ARI 293
T-74 Roger Clemens 1997 TOR 292
T-74 Jack Lynch 1884 NY4 292
T-76 Roger Clemens 1988 BOS 291
T-76 Randy Johnson 1997 SEA 291
T-76 Sadie McMahon 1890 2 teams 291
T-79 Randy Johnson 2004 ARI 290
T-79 Justin Verlander 2018 HOU 290
T-81 Bill Hutchison 1890 CHN 289
T-81 Tom Seaver 1971 NYN 289
T-81 Jack Stivetts 1890 SL4 289
84 Rube Waddell 1905 PHA 287
T-85 Steve Carlton 1980 PHI 286
T-85 Steve Carlton 1982 PHI 286
T-85 Bobby Mathews 1884 PH4 286
T-85 Bobby Mathews 1885 PH4 286
T-89 John Clarkson 1889 BSN 284
T-89 Pedro Martinez 2000 BOS 284
T-89 Max Scherzer 2016 WAS 284
T-89 Billy Taylor 1884 2 teams 284
T-93 Dave Foutz 1886 SL4 283
T-93 Sam McDowell 1968 CLE 283
T-93 Tom Seaver 1970 NYN 283
96 Spencer Strider 2023 ATL 281
97 Denny McLain 1968 DET 280
T-98 Pud Galvin 1883 BFN 279
T-98 Sam McDowell 1969 CLE 279
100 Yu Darvish 2013 TEX 277

Reading the single-season Strikeouts board

The final row on this board, rank 100, is held at 277. Every decade from the 1880s to the 2020s appears in the era filter; the 1880s appear most often. Within the top ten, the 1880s are the most common decade. The board repeats several players, among them Nolan Ryan (1973, 1974, 1977, 1972, and 1976), Sandy Koufax (1965, 1966, and 1963), and Randy Johnson (2001, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 1998). 2 teams is the most common entry in the Team column. The largest tie on the board is at T-50, where John Clarkson, Randy Johnson, Mickey Lolich, and Larry McKeon and others share 308. At the top of the table is Matt Kilroy, with 513 in 1886. Toad Ramsey is next at 499 in 1886.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has the most strikeouts in a season?
Matt Kilroy — 513 strikeouts in 1886. Next are Toad Ramsey (499 in 1886) and Hugh Daily (483 in 1884).
How many strikeouts did Matt Kilroy record in 1886?
Matt Kilroy recorded 513 strikeouts for BL2 in 1886 — the highest mark on this leaderboard.
Who else ranks in the top 5 for strikeouts in a season?
1. Matt Kilroy (513 in 1886); 2. Toad Ramsey (499 in 1886); 3. Hugh Daily (483 in 1884); 4. Dupee Shaw (451 in 1884); 5. Old Hoss Radbourn (441 in 1884).
How many seasons are ranked on this leaderboard?
This page lists the top 100 seasons by strikeouts in a season, from Matt Kilroy at 513 down to Yu Darvish at 277.