When Hall of Fame left-hander Randy Johnson and right-hander Curt Schilling struck out 339 and 316 batters respectively during the 2002 season, many thought that they would be the last pitchers to reach the coveted 300-strikeout mark, and with good cause. Since that time the game has changed significantly, most notably in the number of starts that today’s pitchers make.

During that remarkable 2002 season, Johnson and Schilling each made 35 starts. But in today’s game, it is rare for a starting pitcher to make more than 33 starts in a season. In fact, during the just concluded 2015 regular season, only Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Chris Archer made more than 33 starts and only by one.

With today’s pitching-specialists, it is rare for a starter to accrue enough innings pitched to come even remotely close to striking out 300 batters in a single season – hence the belief that Johnson and Schilling would be the last to accomplish this remarkable feat. So when defending 2014 NL MVP and three-time Cy Young award-winner Clayton Kershaw struck out his 300th and 301st batters of the season on Sunday afternoon against the San Diego Padres in the 2015 regular season finale, the 42,863 in attendance at Dodger Stadium may very well have witnessed something that might never happen again.

Clayton Kershaw strikes out Melvin Upton Jr. to record his 300th strikeout of the season – something that no Dodger pitcher has done since Sandy Koufax struck out 317 in 1966. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

What made Kershaw’s accomplishment all the more incredible is that he entered Sunday’s season finale needing six strikeouts to reach 300 and prior to the game, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly had said that it would be a short start for his ace in preparation for the 2015 National League Division Series, which begins on Friday. Mattingly made it clear that under no circumstances would Kershaw go beyond 60 to 75 pitches – period.

As if it were a challenge by his manager, Kershaw struck out two in the first inning, two in the second inning and two in the third inning to reach that milestone 300th strikeout, with Padres center fielder Melvin Upton Jr. being the unfortunate victim. For good measure, Kershaw also struck out Yangervis Solarte with one out in the top of the fourth inning to bring his season total to 301 strikeouts before being pulled from the game – at exactly 60 pitches.

When the dust finally settled (and the standing ovation subsided), Kershaw finished the regular season with a 16-7 record, an incredible 2.13 ERA, a K/9 average of 11.64 and an insane K/BB ratio of 7.17 – all of which he accomplished in 33 starts and in a total of 232.2 innings pitched. To put this in perspective, during that 2002 season, Randy Johnson pitched 260.0 innings and Schilling 259.1 innings in their 35 starts. As such, if you were to extend out Kershaw’s K/9 average for two more starts, he very well could have ended the season with another 23 strikeouts, this not counting any additional strikeouts that he would have had in Sunday’s game had he gone longer than 3.2 innings.

The only thing rarer than a pitcher striking out 300 batters in a single season is Clayton Kershaw acknowledging it. The Dodger ace tipped his hat to fans giving him a standing ovation as he exited Sunday’s game.
(Photo credit – Mark J. Terrill)

In the simple yet succinct words of Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully: “Clayton Kershaw – the best they have.”