3. Roger Clemens, 4,672
The Red Sox called up Clemens in May of 1984. Making his first start against the Indians in May, he struck out Mike Hargrove to end the first inning. Clemens’ talent was immediately obvious.
Between 1986 and 1992, he never failed to strike out at least 200 batters, leading the league five times and topping out at 292 with Toronto in 1997.
Leading the Red Sox to the 1986 American League pennant, Clemens won 24 games and struck out 238. He added 256 one year later, and in 1989 ran his total to 1,000 with a strikeout of Cleveland’s Brook Jacoby on April 13. He was only 26.
His 2,000th, Yankee Danny Tartabull, followed in 1993, and his 3,000th, off Devil Rays outfielder Randy Winn, on July 5, 1998. Clemens was pitching for the Blue Jays by then, having left Boston through free agency following the 1996 season. In February of 1999, the Blue Jays traded him to the Yankees, where on June 13, 2003 at Yankee Stadium Clemens completed an unprecedented one-game double. In the second inning, he made shortstop Edgar Renteria his 4,000th strikeout victim. When the Yankees delivered Clemens a 5-2 victory, it marked his 300th career win.
Clemens retired in September of 2007, ironically making his final appearance against the Red Sox. In the fourth inning, he made Boston catcher Jason Varitek his 4,672nd and final strikeout victim. For now, he joins Schilling as the only members of this club eligible for the Hall of Fame that have not been enshrined.