Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw continues to cement his position among the greatest pitchers of all time.
Against the D-backs Thursday night, the left-hander fanned Nick Ahmed for the first out of the second inning, making him the third-youngest pitcher in major league history to strike out 2,500. Only Hall of Famers Nolan Ryan (31 years, 101 days) and Walter Johnson (31 years, 197 days) reached that number at an earlier age.
Kershaw (32 years, 168 days) surpassed Dominican Hall of Fame Pedro Martínez, who was 32 years and 221 days when he reached 2,500 career strikeouts.
Kershaw joined Ryan, Johnson, Martinez and another Hall of Famer, the late Tom Seaver, as the only pitchers to have fanned 2,500 batters before their 33rd birthday. (GG)(TAKEN MLB.COM)