Clayton Kershaw is 5th-youngest to reach 2,000 strikeouts

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw got Jonathan Villar swinging in the second inning on Friday at Miller Park in Milwaukee. That gave him four strikeouts on the night against the Brewers, and gave Kershaw 2,000 career strikeouts, the fifth-youngest player in major league history to reach the milestone.

Kershaw is 29 years, 75 days old on Friday. Only four players were faster by age, led by Bert Blyleven at 28 years, 97 days old on July 12, 1979, when pitching for the Pirates he fanned Terry Puhl of the Astros to lead off the game in Houston for his 2,000th strikeout.

Kershaw was on pace to become the second-fastest before missing 10 weeks last season with a herniated disc in his back.

With 1,837⅔ career innings to date, Kershaw is the third-quickest to reach 2,000 strikeouts by innings pitched, trailing only Pedro Martinez (1,711⅓ innings, reached 2,000 strikeouts on April 19, 2002) and Randy Johnson (1,733⅓ IP, Sept. 27, 1997).

Johnson’s 2,000th strikeout came in his 262nd career game, per Elias Sports Bureau the only one faster by games than Kershaw, who Friday night made his 275th career start and pitched in his 277th career game.

There is an excellent chance that Nationals starter Max Scherzer, 32, could reach 2,000 strikeouts later this month in fewer innings than Kershaw. Scherzer at the moment has 1,981 career strikeouts in 1,773⅔ innings.

There are 79 players in major league history with 2,000 strikeouts.

Kershaw led the majors with 301 strikeouts in 2015, the first 300-strikeout season in the majors since 2002. The left-hander also led the National League in strikeouts in 2011 and 2013. He entered Friday night eighth in the NL in strikeouts in 2017.

Kershaw is the fourth pitcher to strike out 2,000 hitters with the Dodgers, joining Don Sutton (2,696), Don Drysdale (2,486) and Sandy Koufax (2,396).

Kershaw is one of just nine pitchers in major league history to reach 2,000 strikeouts before turning 30, a list that includes six Hall of Famers, and now three Dodgers: