Strikeouts : 1987 American League Top 25

Finding the American or National League leader in virtually every hitting & pitching statistic is easy-to-do. Finding the top 25 players during any given season is far more challenging. Baseball Almanac has taken away that difficult problem and is pleased to present the data you requested:

"Although baseball decided to extend the regular season deeper into October to play 162 games (after the 09-11 disaster), why not just play 154? Baseball has dealt with shortened seasons before. (Bud) Selig spoke about the sanctity of playing 162 games, but baseball played 154 games until 1961. Baseball should have just let the games go and continued with the current schedule." - Joe Morgan on ESPN (September 19, 2001)
 

1987 Strikeouts Leaders

Top 25 in the American League

Mark Langston 262 Seattle Mariners 1
Roger Clemens 256 Boston Red Sox 2
Teddy Higuera 240 Milwaukee Brewers 3
Charlie Hough 223 Texas Rangers 4
Jack Morris 208 Detroit Tigers 5
Dave Stewart 205 Oakland Athletics 6
Frank Viola 197 Minnesota Twins 7
Bert Blyleven 196 Minnesota Twins 8
Mike Witt 192 California Angels 9
Bruce Hurst 190 Boston Red Sox 10
Jim Clancy 180 Toronto Blue Jays 11
Mark Gubicza 166 Kansas City Royals 12
Juan Nieves 163 Milwaukee Brewers 13
Bret Saberhagen 163 Kansas City Royals  
Jimmy Key 161 Toronto Blue Jays 15
Bobby Witt 160 Texas Rangers 16
Jose DeLeon 153 Chicago White Sox 17
Mike Boddicker 152 Baltimore Orioles 18
Danny Jackson 152 Kansas City Royals  
Charlie Leibrandt 151 Kansas City Royals 20
Chris Bosio 150 Milwaukee Brewers 21
Frank Tanana 146 Detroit Tigers 22
Jose Guzman 143 Texas Rangers 23
Walt Terrell 143 Detroit Tigers  
Mitch Williams 129 Texas Rangers 25



The most recognizable Detroit Tiger to wear the number twenty-five was probably Norm Cash (who wore it from 1960 through 1974), but did you know that Hall of Famer Larry Doby also wore it during his single season with Detroit?

Jose Cruz of the Houston Astros had his number twenty-five retired on October 3, 1992, and became the first Major League player with that particular retired number.

Did you know that more than forty players have worn the number twenty-five for the Boston Red Sox — including Jack Clark, Denny Galehouse, Dizzy Trout and Tony Conigliaro.