The 2,000-strikeout milestone is one only a select few pitchers have achieved.
On Wednesday night, Madison Bumgarner of the Arizona Diamondbacks achieved that milestone.
Active pitchers on the list include Adam Wainwright, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and David Price.
It’s a tough milestone to reach for any given pitcher and it’s going to take a little time for the next pitcher to even come close to it.
But one D’backs insider tweeted a list of active pitchers who have reached the milestone, featuring all the names mentioned above.
He also mentioned that Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees is next in line.
Active pitchers to reach 2K career Ks
Justin Verlander
Max Scherzer
Zack Greinke
Clayton Kershaw
Adam Wainwright
Chris Sale
David Price
Madison BumgarnerNext closest?
Gerrit Cole at 1,776 and counting. https://t.co/9uHNAdE6ut
— Jason Catania (@JayCat11) June 22, 2022
Who’s Next?
Cole will have a ways to go, but with 1,776, he’s not too far off.
Cole is a guy who knows how to get strikeouts and dominate on the mound.
That’s the big reason the Yankees signed him.
They needed an ace and somebody who could get strikeouts.
But Cole is now the closest pitcher ready to join the list.
It’s a hard milestone to achieve for sure.
It takes a great deal of discipline and focus for any given pitcher.
But that is how pitchers like Wainwright, Kershaw, Bumgarner, Scherzer, and Verlander have reached the 2,000-strikeout mark.
Cole himself is having a very good season, having gone 6-1 with a 3.14 ERA.
If he keeps pitching well, he will ultimately reach 2,000 strikeouts in just a few short years.
His first chance to get closer will take place on Saturday when he starts against the Houston Astros.
Again, it will take time, but with the way Cole pitches on a regular basis, it shouldn’t take too long for him to reach the milestone.
NEXT: The Yankees And Aaron Judge Avoided An Ugly Process