Randy, Pedro and Curt
The 1970s had more 300-strikeout seasons than any other decade. The 1990s come in second. In the 1970s, six different pitchers contributed to the eleven 300-strikeout seasons. In the 1990s, just three pitchers combined for seven 300-strikeout seasons.
Randy Johnson was the first pitcher in the 1990s to strike out 300 batters. After reaching the major leagues with the Montreal Expos in 1988, Johnson was traded to the Seattle Mariners in 1989. He struggled to harness his blazing fastball during his first three seasons in Seattle, when he led the AL in walks three straight years.
It all came together for the Big Unit in 1993. He credits a conversation with the strikeout king, Nolan Ryan, for his breakthrough. Johnson and Ryan spoke before a game in the Kingdome in August of 1992 and Johnson came away from their talk with a better idea of how to control his 6-foot-10 body and how to more effectively go after hitters. After this talk with Ryan, Johnson had a 2.65 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 85 innings over his final 11 starts of the 1992 season.
In 1993, Johnson had the first of his record-tying six 300-strikeout seasons. Of course, the pitcher he tied was Nolan Ryan. Johnson struck out 308 batters in 255.3 innings in 1993. He also had a memorable outing in the All-Star Game that July.
Johnson struck out 329 batters in 1998 and 364 batters in 1999 as he continued to dominate hitters for the rest of the decade. He wasn’t the only one putting up big strikeout numbers, though. In 1997, both Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez topped 300 whiffs. Schilling struck out 319 in 254.3 innings for the Philadephia Phillies. Martinez sat down 305 batters in 241.3 innings for the Montreal Expos.
Schilling followed up his 319 strikeouts in 1997 with another 300 strikeouts in 1998. He hit the magic mark in his final start of the season when he struck out seven batters in eight innings against the Florida Marlins. It was the Phillies’ 159th game of the season.
In 1999, Pedro Martinez had his second 300-strikeout season when he dominated American League hitters for the Boston Red Sox. He made 313 hitters look silly in 213.3 innings. That’s a strikeout rate of 37.5 percent, which is still the all-time record for starting pitchers with enough innings to qualify for the ERA title. Pedro wouldn’t reach 300 strikeouts again, but Randy and Curt were just getting started.